According to the American Gaming Association, this year’s National Football League season is going to have a record-breaking betting activity. The AGA expects bettors in the United States to put over 45.2 million on the line over the course of the football season. The predicted sum is 36% higher than the one in 2020.
The Numbers: Much Higher than in 2020
According to AGA’s numbers, over 111 million adult citizens of the United States are now able to safely participate in regulated sports betting without needing to rely on shady alternatives. AGA reveals some numbers about the expected interest. According to its forecast, over 21.7 million people will place a casual bet with friends, which marks a 31% year-to-year increase. 19.5 million will bet digitally, which is a whopping 73% increase compared to 2020. Next, 10.5 million will likely prefer the old-fashioned way where they visit a casino in-person and place their bet there, which is a 58% increase.
14.6 million are expected to participate in fantasy competitions – 69% more than last year. Finally, 6.7 million will use a bookmaker, seeing a 13% increase compared to 2020.
The association revealed some other interesting statistics. When asked, 44% of the Americans consider that the addition of in-venue sportsbooks will add up to the thrill and will make it more worthwhile to visit a sports game live. Out of the total number of NFL fans questioned, 63% claimed the same thing.
Speaking of football fans, 37% of them confirmed they are going to engage in wagering this season.
A Golden Age for Sports Betting
Bill Miller, AGA’s chief executive officer, and president confirms that sports betting is experiencing a sharp rise.
“Sports betting is more popular than ever among Americans, and the enthusiasm of bettors for the upcoming NFL season highlights the remarkable growth of the industry over the past three years,” Miller said.
The main reason for this dramatic rise in betting activity is the boom of sports betting throughout the country. Since its legalization in 2018, more and more states have been adopting the sports betting industry and its benefits. In the 2020 NFL season, 18 states already offered sports gambling options. Now, a year later, this number has risen to 26 plus Washington DC.
Arizona went through intense preparations in order to launch sports gambling in time for the season, despite opposition from certain local tribal bodies. That was also the case for Wyoming and Washington.
With so high betting interest rates, Miller added that the league and its teams should propagate responsible gambling.