The National Football League (NFL) has captivated the hearts of millions of Americans, boasting an astounding fan base of approximately 187 million fans who avidly follow the sport throughout the season.
Super Bowl Betting
The Super Bowl takes the crown as the most wagered-upon sporting event in the United States.
The 2023 Super Bowl saw Nevada sportsbooks accept $153.2 million in wagers while New Jersey sportsbooks and apps took in $109.3 million.
In the 2023 edition, Super Bowl LVII saw an estimated 50 million adults placing sports bets. In the lead-up to this February showdown, the American Gaming Association predicted that Super Bowl wagers would soar beyond $16 billion, more than doubling the prior year’s projection of $7.6 billion.
It’s worth noting, however, that the AGA’s projections encompass both domestic (legal and regulated) as well as offshore betting activities. In reality, the legal sports betting figures for the 2022 Super Bowl hovered closer to the $950 million mark, with a more optimistic estimate of $1.1 billion for the 2023 Super Bowl.
Most Super Bowl Appearances
When it comes to Super Bowl betting history, the New England Patriots reign supreme with an astounding 11 appearances, clinching the coveted title six times—a record in itself.
Most Super Bowl Wins
The Pittsburgh Steelers share the honor of six Super Bowl victories, but their remarkable achievement has been accomplished in just eight appearances.
Flawless “Big Game” Performances
For teams with multiple Super Bowl appearances, the Baltimore Ravens and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stand out for both having a flawless track record when it counts. Both teams boast a perfect 100% winning percentage, triumphing in the Super Bowl on each of the two occasions they made it to the season grand-finale.
Notable Super Bowl Betting Moments
Biggest Ever NFL Bet
Jim McIngvale, (AKA “Mattress Mack”), etched his name into Super Bowl betting history when he placed a jaw-dropping $5 million wager on the Cincinnati Bengals to conquer the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI back in February 2022. However, the Bengals fell short, losing with a final score of 20-23.
This wasn’t McIngvale’s first foray into high-stakes Super Bowl betting; he had previously set the record by betting $3.46 million on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at +3.5 during Super Bowl LV. In a triumphant turn of events, the Buccaneers trounced the Kansas City Chiefs with a commanding 31-9 victory, earning McIngvale a hefty $2.75 million windfall.
Super Bowl Prop Bets: A Rising Phenomenon
The Super Bowl is not only about the game itself but also about the fascinating world of proposition wagers, affectionately known as “props” or “prop-bets,” which are rapidly gaining popularity. Remarkably, these prop bets often constitute more than half of a sportsbook’s betting activity during the Super Bowl. In 2023, Westgate Las Vegas sportsbook disclosed that a staggering 70% of its betting action revolved around proposition wagers for Super Bowl LVII.
For Super Bowl LVII, Caesars Sports went all out, offering an extensive menu of 2,000 proposition wagers for eager bettors to choose from.
Among the intriguing prop bets, one of the most substantial was placed ahead of Super Bowl LVII. BetMGM accepted a hefty $225,000 wager on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to achieve over 1½ passing touchdowns during the game. Mahomes outperformed expectations with three passing touchdowns, earning the bettor a tidy $100,000 payout.
The Super Bowl has also witnessed sportsbooks introducing entertaining proposition wagers, including unique scenarios such as:
- Super Bowl LVII: Will Andy Reid be doused in BBQ sauce if the Chiefs win?
- Super Bowl XLVIII: How frequently will Peyton Manning utter “Omaha” during the game?
- Super Bowl LII: How many times will the statue of Rocky Balboa grace the broadcast of the game?
Additionally, perennial prop bets at sportsbooks include predicting the color of the Gatorade showered on the winning coach, estimating the duration of the National Anthem, and forecasting the outcome of the coin toss. These creative prop bets add an extra layer of excitement to the Super Bowl experience.
35 US states Offer Legal Sports-Betting
The surge in Super Bowl betting can be predominantly attributed to the recent legalization of sports betting in various US States
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s pivotal decision to overturn the federal prohibition on single-event sports wagering in 2018, individual states were granted the authority to enact sports betting legislation enabling betting on the NFL.
This development led to a flurry of bills passed by state lawmakers and subsequently signed into law by state governors to facilitate sports betting (in land-based sportsbooks and via online gambling apps) in numerous states the United States.
By the conclusion of 2018, seven states had successfully launched regulated sports betting markets. As of August 2023, there are 35 states that have implemented some form of legalized sports betting, with Kentucky being the most recent state to introduce a legal and regulated sports betting industry.
Legal & Offshore Football Betting in the USA
The NFL holds the distinction of being the most heavily bet-upon sports league in the United States. According to data from the American Gaming Association, in anticipation of the 2022 season, 46.6 million Americans planned to engage in sports betting for the NFL at least once.
This impressive figure equates to approximately 18% of the U.S. adult population, and it appears that this percentage is poised for further expansion in the upcoming 2023/24 season.
Super Bowl Betting Options
Popular betting options for the NFL & Super Bowl include:
- Moneyline betting
- Betting the spread
- Betting the over/under
- Proposition (‘prop’) betting
Super Bowl 2023 Viewing Statistics
It should come as no surprise that the culmination of the NFL season, the Super Bowl, stands as one of the most widely watched sporting events, not only in the United States but across the globe.
The most-watched Super Bowl of all time remains Super Bowl XLIX (Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots), which commanded a television audience of 114.4 million viewers.
In the United States alone, an impressive 113.06 million viewers tuned to watch Super Bowl LVII (Kansas Chiefs Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles), on Sunday, February 12th, 2023.
Additionally, an impressive 56 million individuals from around the world joined in to witness this spectacle. Remarkably, this outstanding viewership only ranks as the second-highest in Super Bowl history.
Obsessed with sports stats, and fond of the occasional wager - Tam is a sports writer and data analyst covering NFL, NHL and UFC.
