Sports betting is exploding throughout the US
Sports betting is exploding throughout the US as more states legalize sports betting. We can thank the former governor of New Jersey for these opportunities. I say thank you Chris Christie, I tip my glass to you sir. Check out these stats. Betting on sports has increased from 63% to 79% among Americans in just 12 months.1 in 5 men say they bet on sports; only 7% of women say they actively participate in sports betting. Football is by far the most popular sport bet on in the US, followed in order by basketball, horse racing, boring baseball, and boring soccer. This is why I don’t cover soccer and I cover MLB for the 2nd half of the season, playoffs and world series only. Baseball is the most profitable sport for bettors within the industry if you’re a disciplined bettor.
Parlays are the biggest winners for the sportsbooks. Of course, parlays pay the bills for the books and paid my bills for two decades. Is Sports Betting More Popular? Sports betting in the US is exploding. More people betting, and support for the industry is very good. Statistics and studies that support the popularity. According to the American Gaming Association (AGA) and a study conducted by the Mellman Group, 79% of Americans support the full legalization of sports betting in the United States (2019). Compare this with the same study from the previous year, and that figure was 63%. This shows that more Americans are getting in line or online to place wagers at the sports books.
This also shows that statistically, four out of every five Americans support the industry! And with an increase from 63% to 79% over the previous year, it’s clear that sports bettors are finding easier access to wager. What’s very interesting is that these statistics include support from people who most likely aren’t bettors. According to a 2020 study by Morning Consult, only 13% of US residents participate in sports betting in the US. Only 13% genereating all that play, wow. The Nevada Gaming Control Board reports that in 2020, $154.68 million was wagered on the Super Bowl through land-based sportsbooks. This figure represents a 33.36% increase from just five years prior ($115.99 million in 2015).
While Nevada is only one state out of 50 in the US, it generally serves as a great barometer for the rest of the newly developed state sportsbooks where sports betting is legal.
Who are the Sports Bettors in the US?
Hopefully, the first answer to this question is you! If you aren’t (and want to), I’m one of the best football handicappers in the nation. While “becoming a statistic” is usually a bad thing, it’s a good thing in this situation! So, who’s betting all this money in the US? There’s data on the demographics of bettors in the US. Here is the data from Morning Consult, a data intelligence company as well as some key takeaways. Take a look at the two oldest groups. Note that without legalized gambling in the states players were without a doubt betting with local bookies and it carried over to legalized sportsbooks. I can attest to that because that’s my demographic. There were a whole lot of elephants during those years.
Percentage of US Bettors By Age
Age Yes I Bet No, I Don’t Bet
18 – 29 14% 86%
30 – 44 22% 78%
45 -54 11% 89%
55 -64 7% 93%
65+ 7% 93%
Percentage of US Bettors By Gender
Gender Yes I Bet No, I Don’t Bet
Male 20% 80%
Female 7% 93%
Percentage of US Bettors By Ethnicity:
The largest age block of US residents who say they bet on sports is 30-44 years of age. But they’re only 78%. I can tell you why the 55+ groups percentage wasn’t higher. Because fuggedaboutit, that age group keeps their mouths shut, whereas the younger bettors like to share information.
More 18-29 year olds bet on sports than 45-54 year old’s. This is questionable to me. 1 in 5 men says they bet on sports in the US. Less than 10% of women in the US say they participate in sports betting.
Hispanic Americans have the highest percentage of participation in sports betting. Cuidado con los corredores de apuestas, esos hispanos son apostadores inteligentes.
So what are you waiting for, if you’re reading this you’re one of the many sports bettors in our great nation. Load my selections in your arsenal to help beat your bookie. Join me for expert guaranteed college football picks and expert guaranteed nfl picks at www.gridirongold.com
