NFL Betting to Reach Record High This Season
It is anticipated that NFL bettors will place bets for approximately $30 billion on the league during the current season, according to an estimate released Thursday by the American Gaming Association (AGA).
This figure represents an increase of approximately 8.5% compared to the revised estimate of $27.5 billion from the previous year. The projection is based on the national growth of betting in 2025 and on statistics from states that report specific data on American football betting, according to the AGA, which represents the gaming industry in the United States. This amount covers the money wagered on future bets, such as the odds of winning the Super Bowl, and on individual games from the preseason to Super Bowl LX, but only in traditional sportsbooks in the United States.
Currently, thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have legal betting markets with licensed bookmakers. Americans also bet on the NFL through daily fantasy sites, sweepstakes operators, and prediction markets that allow customers to trade sports outcomes.
A spokesperson for Kalshi, a popular prediction market site, reported that $62.5 million has already been traded in the NFL this year.
In 2024, more bets were placed, and more money was wagered, on the NFL than on any other league at the DraftKings sportsbook, despite the fact that there are significantly fewer games compared to the NBA and Major League Baseball.
A 2024 survey conducted by the National Council on Problem Gambling revealed that “risky gambling behaviors” have stabilized after increasing significantly from 2018 to 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic and with the rapid expansion of sports betting in the United States.
Sports leagues and players’ unions have reported an increase in online threats directed at athletes, coaches, and officials by gamblers. The NFL states that its security team monitors social media and online platforms, and conducts background checks on individuals issuing threats.
The NFL season will begin on September 4th, with the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, the current Super Bowl champions.
