This Year’s Big Game Expected to Set Betting Record
After some of the closest NFL Conference Championship games to date – with both going into overtime – the stage is set for the big game: the New England Patriots will take on the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday in Atlanta. The biggest football game of the year draws hundreds of millions of viewers and multimillion-dollar ad buys, but that’s not all. From point spreads to prop bets to office pools, the ways one can bet on the big game are nearly endless. Legal bets alone accounted for $158.5 million in wagers on last year’s big game.1
The American Gaming Association projected that legal bets would account for just 3% of all the money wagered on last year’s game, bringing their total estimate for last year’s big game to a staggering $4.76 billion in bets!2
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) last May opened the door for Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi, West Virginia, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island to join Nevada with legalized sports betting for this year’s game (Florida has not moved to legalize sports betting to date).3 The Vegas States & Information Network estimates that this expansion will bring the legal betting total up to $320 million – double the amount from 2018.4 Now add the illegal bets back in…
![[IMAGE] Super Bowl LIII Expected to Set Betting Record](http://blog.gamblinghelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/iStock-157435789.jpg)
Florida’s Problem Gambling HelpLine Available Before, During, and After the Desperation Bowl
Do you know why the big game is known as the Desperation Bowl in the Problem Gambling community? It’s the last chance gamblers have to recoup any money lost throughout the regular season. That means many will wager just to try and break even.
Combine this urge to chase losses – a sign of problem gambling – with the monumental media coverage, social happenings, and increased pressures to bet, and it’s easy to see why this is one of the most trying times of year for those who are suffering from Gambling Disorder.
Florida’s 24/7, Confidential, and Multilingual Problem Gambling HelpLine will be available before, during, and after the big game. If you think gambling has become a problem for yourself or someone you know, call 888-ADMIT-IT (236-4848). All services are free to Florida residents, including treatment.
1 Ginsbach, Jay. “Opening Super Bowl LIII Odds: Avalanche Of Bets On Patriots Gives Line A Jolt.” Forbes, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2019, 10:41 p.m., www.forbes.com/sites/jayginsbach/2019/01/21/opening-2019-super-bowl-llll-odds-and-record-betting-expected/#389c77347ecd.
2 Barrabi, Thomas. “Super Bowl Betting Total to Top $4.7B, with 97% Bet Illegally.” Fox Business, Fox Business, 11 Feb. 2018, www.foxbusiness.com/features/super-bowl-betting-total-to-top-4-7b-with-97-bet-illegally.
3 Rodenberg, Ryan. “State-by-State Sports Betting Bill Tracker.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 26 Nov. 2018, www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19740480/gambling-sports-betting-bill-tracker-all-50-states.
4 Tuley, Dave. “Legal Super Bowl Betting Could Double to More than $300 Million with Additional States on Board, According to VSiN Projections.” Vegas Stats & Information Network, VSiN, 21 Jan. 2019, www.vsin.com/legal-super-bowl-betting-could-double-to-more-than-300-million-with-additional-states-on-board-according-to-vsin-projections/.
