Sports betting is rapidly growing to become a popular culture in the United States. The sports betting industry has witnessed a rapid growth since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in May 2018. Millions of bettors keep rising across the country annually as legalization of sports betting continues to chase momentum in several states. Sportsbooks in the country have also done adequately well across the country since the collapse of PASPA.
Americans are sports loving people, and it is no surprise why sports betting has experienced a rapid growth across the country since it was allowed outside Nevada. The United States is filled with several sports leagues and competitions which hold prominence around the country. The leagues and sports competition in the country includes the NFL, NBA, MLB as a host of others. More than any international sport competition, Americans love to bet on their own. The amount of bets taken by sportsbooks in the country is largely dominated by American sports.
In a bid to showcase the sports that dominate the American betting space, we examine the top professional sports competition Americans love to wager on using a survey conducted by online data platform Statista.com within the American populace.
Nation Football League: Consisting of 32 franchises, the National Football League is the most popular sports to bet on in the United States. Founded in 1920, the NFL regular season comprises 272 games, which offers loads of options to bettors across the 18 weeks. Making the National Football League more popular is the Super Bowl. It is the most wagered-on single event in the whole of the United States. The Super Bowl has maintained prominence among American football fans for decades, it records over a hundred million television audience annually. Survey has shown that 61% of American sports bettors frequently place bets on the National Football League.
National Basketball Association: Viewed as the premier basketball league in the world, the NBA is one of the major sports leagues in the United States. Established in 1946, the league comprises 30 teams with each playing 82 games in the regular season. That sums up to a total of 1,230 games; a massive wagering opportunity for bettors throughout the season. The NBA is not only popular in the United States, it commands a wide network of followership around the world even beyond the NFL. The league offers a wide range of betting markets to sportsbooks making it one of bettors' favorites in the country. The NBA sits second in the most bet on sports in the United States with 58% of bettors participating in it.
Major League Baseball: Founded in 1876, the MLB is the oldest major professional sports league in the world. Baseball is a very popular sport in the United States and the MLB offers thrilling entertainment to fans in the country every season, just as it has for centuries. The league has 30 teams that play a total of 162 games each in a season. Therefore, the MLB season has a total of 2,430 games played over 6 months. The league is obviously huge for sports betting with numerous numbers of games to wager on. The World Series is also one of America's most wagered-on a single sports event. With 53% of America's bettors participation, the MLB sits third on the most bet on sports in the country.
Boxing: The game of boxing is very popular in the United States. The sport entered the country from England in the 18th century. Since the 20th century, the United States has been the global center of professional boxing. The country has produced many of the best professional boxers including the great Muhammad Alli, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, and a host of others. High profile boxing games are widely popular among American bettors. They are one of the most wagered on events throughout the year. The matches also record a huge number of participation in live betting. With a 42 bettors participation, it is no surprise why boxing sits fourth in the most bet on sports across the country.
Horse Racing: A globally popular ancient sport, the history of horse racing in the United States dates back to 1665. The game started in the United States inside the city of New York and started spreading to the rest of the country. Horse racing tracks began to spring out across the United States and by 1890, there were 314 tracks operating across the country. Therefore, horse racing has remained a popular sport in the United States for centuries. In the post-PASPA era, horse racing is one of the most concentrated sports by bettors in the United States, boasting popular events like the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. The sport has a 35% participation in the sports betting industry.
National Hockey League: One of the major American sports leagues, the NHL is an ice hockey league that boasts of a popular followership in North America. Founded in 1917, the league consists of 32 teams with 25 in the United States and the other 7 coming from Canada. Each team in the NHL is involved in 82 games in the regular season in a home and away format, playing 41 each on both sides. The NHL is a big market for sports betting, creating a bunch of options with 1,312 games per season. The Stanley Cup finals which determine the winner of North America's oldest professional trophy is hugely popular in the betting world. The league records one of the most bets in the U.S with 32% of bettors in the country participating.
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing: Auto racing is a popular sport in the United States and NASCAR is the pinnacle of them all. Founded in 1948, the privately owned company sanctions over 1500 races at over 100 tracks across the United States annually. It also sanctions races in other countries in Europe and North America. NASCAR races are popular in the United States as well as around the globe. The thrill and excitement of each race catches the attention of fans around the world. NASCAR is also huge for sports betting, it holds a lot of races annually and a host of drivers to stake on. It records a wide participation among bettors in the United States with 28% of them actively wagering on the auto racing sports.
eSports: Electronic Sports has grown popular across the United States and throughout the world in recent years. The video gaming sport is recording huge market revenue across the country. The entry of eSports into the sports betting industry effectively created more market options on sportsbooks. Betting on eSports is still a growing trend in the sports betting industry, but it is witnessing rapid growth beyond sport in recent years. Sportsbooks continues to offer more eSports options across numerous video games. However, the eSports industry still boasts of high participation in the sport betting space, with a wide space for growth. The video gaming sport records a 23% participation among bettors across the country.
