Did you know that the U.S. sports betting market is worth upwards of $150 billion? Did you know that, up until recently, almost all of that money was bet illegally?
These are just two of the fascinating and fun facts about sports gambling that are coming to light now that sports betting is legal in about 20% of the country. There are lots of other facts about sports gambling that you should know if you’re interested in the U.S. sports betting market, too.
Check out five fun sports betting facts below.
1. Most Americans Have Gambled at Least Once in Their Lives
While the U.S. is just coming around to the idea of allowing sports gambling, it’s not a secret that Americans have enjoyed gambling for years now. In fact, about 85% of people have admitted to gambling at least once in their lives.
This number includes people who bet on things other than sports. But it shows how infatuated the U.S. as a whole has become with gambling of all kinds.
2. More Than 50% of People Gamble at Least Once Every Year
There are many Americans who only gamble once in a blue moon. But about 50% of people say that they gamble in some form or fashion once every year.
Additionally, about 30% of people gamble at least once a month and about 15% gamble at least once a week.
3. People Bet a Lot of Money on the Super Bowl Every February
The Super Bowl is one of the most popular sports betting events of the year. In 2019, Americans were expected to bet more than $6 billion on the game.
Some people bet on the outcome of the game. Others bet on things like the length of the National Anthem before the game and the number of songs played during the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
4. Football Is the Sport Americans Bet on Most
Americans don’t just bet on football when it comes to the Super Bowl. They bet on football pretty much anytime a football game is on!
As a result, football is the most popular sport to bet on in the country. About 36% of all sports bets that are made throughout the year are made on NFL and college football games.
That puts football in the lead against basketball, which makes up about 30% of all bets, and baseball, which pulls in right under 25% of all bets.
5. Bookmakers Make the Most Money on Football Bettors in September
If you’re planning on betting on NFL and college football games this September, here’s one of the most interesting fun facts about sports gambling to consider: Bookmakers never lose in September. Over the last five years, they’ve won more money in September than they’ve won during the months of October and November combined.
This is partly because sports bettors tend to save up their money during the dry sports betting months of July and August in preparation for September. They have more money to spend than usual in September.
But it’s also partly because sports bettors are so excited about the start of NFL and college football that they don’t always make the most educated bets in September. You can avoid this by buying sports picks that will give you an edge throughout September and beyond.
Keep These Fun Facts About Sports Betting in Mind While Wagering
These fun facts about sports betting illustrate how much Americans love betting on sports. They also show how popular betting on football, in particular, has become in recent years.
If you’re going to bet on football this fall, make sure you have a plan in action so that you don’t end up on the wrong side of too many bets. Purchase sports picks from a professional sports handicapper to gain an advantage.
Invest in one of our football sports pick packages before placing bets on NFL and college football games.