The Super Bowl is one of the most popular sporting events for sports betting apps, and the last Big Game was the first Super Bowl that Illinois sportsbooks were able to take bets on. The level of wagers placed on the game in Illinois was incredibly high, showcasing the popularity of Super Bowl betting in the state.
According to a report from the Illinois Gaming Board, sportsbooks in Illinois could have potentially seen more money, as the state saw $45.6 million in wagers on Super Bowl LV.
Leading up to kickoff, DraftKings and FanDuel, two popular sports betting apps, suffered outages. Customers using BetRivers also experienced delays and errors.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers emerged victorious in a dominant win over the Kansas City Chiefs, with star quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes leading the way.
Regardless of the teams or titles involved, Super Bowl bets will always remain highly popular. That’s why below.
What makes Super Bowl betting thus well-liked?
betting on more than just sport
Although most Super Bowl viewers are NFL fans, there are also non-football fans who are interested in the game. Casinos are aware of this diversity in their audience.
Even if you’re not a football fan, there are numerous ways to place bets on the Super Bowl. In Illinois, regulations permit a selection of prop bets related to the event itself rather than the game.
Nevertheless, a few legal sportsbooks provide Super Bowl props that are unrelated to football.
- Flip the coin
- The National Anthem’s size
- Halftime appearances
- Shade of the Gatorade
However, the numbers for Super Bowl bets in 2022 are expected to be staggering.
The number of bets placed will depend on the sportsbooks’ ability to handle specialized issues.
The Illinois sports betting market has experienced significant growth since February, with the sports betting handle almost doubling from October 2020 to October 2021.
Due to the absence of online registration, users will be missing out on an opportunity. Nevertheless, it is expected that the viewership for the Super Bowl will surpass the levels seen in 2021.
Normally, February is unremarkable.
The Super Bowl stands out as a unique event that takes place only in February. It is considered the most important sporting event, despite the presence of others.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers contributed 92% of Illinois’ Super Bowl revenue for the month, totaling $7.7 million in profits from Super Bowl LV. Casinos generated $1.1 million in tax revenue from this amount.
In February, Illinois had a total of five virtual casinos.
DraftKings had the highest amount of net control with $97 million, as well as $3.2 million at the Casino Queen location.
While the Super Bowl is the most popular gambling day in the US, it is not the highest-rated betting event in the nation.
That discrepancy belongs to March Madness.
What are the differences between March Madness and Super Bowl bets?
Illinois fans are passionate about college sports, especially the star playoff game, despite the Super Bowl being a major betting event.
March Madness is filled with excitement, viewership, and betting. Illinois sports bettors placed wagers totaling $176.8 million during the NCAA Tournament.
Illinois could have potentially experienced a larger influx of funds directed towards March Madness, comparable to the Super Bowl.
Illinois bettors were unable to place bets on Illinois school teams, even though there were no restrictions on betting. In the round of 32, Loyola – Chicago and Illinois faced off. If in-state school betting had been allowed, the state could have seen a significant increase in wagers on the game.
The newly enacted gaming bill will bring changes in March, including the end of in-person registration on March 5, 2022, and the legalization of betting on Illinois college teams at retail sportsbooks.
