Super Bowl LV attracts bettors from all countries, causing sportsbooks and casinos to skyrocket in gambling revenue. Millions of people tuned in as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers handily controlled the game and beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. So, if you bet against the favorites (Chiefs), you may have gotten yourself a nice payday!
Many people took to wagering on the game to relieve the boredom of cold weather and COVID restrictions. Let’s check out the revenue by the numbers that Super Bowl LV generated.
News Highlights
- The legalization of gambling in more states boosted revenue for Super Bowl LV.
- Over $440 million wagered at legal sports betting channels.
- Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Nevada still reigns supreme.
Super Bowl 2021 Sports Betting In Numbers
The American Gambling Association (AGA) estimated that 23.2 million Americans would bet a total of $4.3 billion on Super Bowl LV. That includes private bets, online and land-based sportsbooks, and wagers with illegal local bookies.
Initial projections show overall betting may have been down this year, but the legal markets broke all previous revenue records. After the final tally, Super Bowl LV’s total wagers at legal sportsbooks may reach over $500 million. Here’s a full breakdown of the revenues to date in each of the regulated 14 states from LegalSportsReport:
| State | 2021 Wagers | 2020 Wagers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $31,200,000 | N/A |
| Delaware | $1,900,000 | $2,100,000 |
| Illinois | $45,610,513 | N/A |
| Iowa | $16,300,000 | $6,500,000 |
| Mississippi | $8,000,000 | $6,700,000 |
| Montana | $493,000 | N/A |
| Nevada | $136,096,460 | $154,679,241 |
| New Hampshire | $7,100,000 | $2,310,000 |
| New Jersey | $117,400,000 | $54,300,000 |
| Oregon | $3,465,472 | $2,000,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,634,680 | $30,693,942 |
| Rhode Island | $6,500,000 | $5,500,000 |
| Tennessee | $15,427,000 | N/A |
| Washington D.C. | $544,292 | N/A |
| Total | $443,671,417 | $264,783,183 |
Why Such a Large Difference?
One of the major reasons gambling revenue skyrocketed this year compared to last is the increase in jurisdictions that have legalized sportsbooks.
Five states were absent last year, including Colorado, Illinois, and Tennessee that brought $91 million extra to the table in 2021. Additionally, New Jersey more than doubled their gains from last year’s game, raking in $117 million this year.
Online Sportsbooks
This year’s online wagering scene saw a surge as many brick-and-mortar casinos remained closed or limited capacity. Coronavirus restrictions meant that many players turned to online sportsbooks to place bets.
The country’s restrictions on large gatherings certainly hindered this year’s gambling revenues for the Super Bowl LV event. Las Vegas saw a considerable drop in in-person betting with about a $20 million dip compared to last year’s gains. William Hill’s sportsbook director, Nick Bogdanovich, said:
People love coming to the Super Bowl parties here in Nevada. COVID knocked it out. It’s that simple.Nick Bogdanovish
Despite the limitations, however, the senior research analyst of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Michael Lawton, says that this year had the fifth-highest revenues since Nevada began counting. It is evident that when society returns to normal, we’ll see even more records broken online and offline.
What to Expect When Betting on Super Bowl LVI
Super Bowl LV was a significant bookmark in gambling history due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding it. Despite the many restrictions and hazards, the game was a massive success for sportsbooks as gambling revenue numbers broke all previous records.
If you missed out on the action, there’s always next year. Sign up at a real money casino site like BetOnline or Bovada so you can bet on Super Bowl LVI. We’re confident you can expect more wagering across more states.
