ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – A record 31.5 million Americans plan to bet on this year’s Super Bowl, according to estimates released Tuesday by the gambling industry’s national trade group.
The American Gaming Association forecasts that over $7.6 billion will be wagered on pro football’s championship game set for Sunday.
Both the amount of people planning to bet (up 35% from last year) and the estimated amount of money being bet (up 78% from last year) are new records.
Bettors include people making casual wagers with friends or relatives, entries into office pools, wagers with licensed sportsbooks, and bets placed with illegal bookmakers.
“Americans have never been more interested in legal sports wagering,” said Bill Miller, the group’s president and CEO. “The growth of legal options across the country not only protects fans and the integrity of games and bets, but also puts illegal operators on notice that their time is limited.”