What State Has Seen the Most Sports Betting Action?

[Betting Forum]

Sports betting has exploded throughout the US, with 38 states now offering legal sports betting — but where is it most popular?

Americans love betting on sports. From the NBA to the NFL, every major sports league has experienced a giant increase in betting engagement over the past decade. This year alone, a record-breaking 68 million people bet on Super Bowl LVIII, amounting to $23.1 billion in wagers. On top of this, the arrival of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami has led to a 33% increase in bets being placed on MLS games, the most at any point in the league’s history. This isn’t a short-lived trend or fad, either. It’s a sports betting boom that’s here to stay.

39% of Americans now bet on sports (WAMC)

In 2023, the US sports betting industry generated $11.04 billion revenue (Statista)

1 in 3 Americans believe sports betting is a good way to get people engaged with sports (IPSOS)

One of the biggest drivers behind the rise of sports betting in the US has been the “parlay betting”. In a study by betting industry site Gamble USA, it was found that the parlay bets are the fastest-growing betting market in America. Whenever there’s a big sporting event taking place, even casual bettors will use sportsbooks to place parlay bets, which is when multiple wagers on different outcomes are combined into a single bet. Other research has also discovered that approximately 50% of sports betting revenue in the US comes from parlays, showing just how popular this type of bet has become.

As of right now, sports betting is officially legal in 38 out of 50 states in the US. This follows a Supreme Court ruling back in 2018 that left each state with the freedom to legalize sports gambling if it wished to, which many of them have since done. Naturally, several years later, sports betting has become bigger and more popular in some states than others, so let’s see what the data says.

Sports Betting is Most Popular in New York State — But Where Else?​

Sports betting is officially most popular in New York.

This has been the case since 2022, when NY legalized online sports betting. In the subsequent years, “The Empire State” has topped the betting handles almost every month. In April 2024 alone, New York spent $1.96 billion through online sports betting, one of its biggest monthly figures ever. This followed on from an incredibly successful 2023 for New York, which saw players bet a total of $19.64 billion across online sports betting throughout the year, enabling them to generate $260 million in taxes. Make no doubt about it, NY is the king of sports betting.

Based on revenue, sports betting is also incredibly popular in New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, all of which have booming sports betting markets. With New Jersey in particular, you have a state that’s experienced huge industry growth over recent years, reaching an impressive sports betting handle of $11.9 billion in 2023. What’s interesting about this is that New Jersey holds the parlay betting crown, too, as the New Jersey parlay handle struck $488.8 million in December of that same year, mainly thanks to the state’s passion for the NFL, NBA, and MLB sports leagues.

So, with sports betting being such a success across these states, you’d imagine that it’s only a matter of time before the remaining states that have yet to legalize sports betting, such as California and Texas, will make the jump and legalize it. There was actually an attempt to legalize sports betting in California back in 2022, but voters rejected it. However, because the sports betting boom is now impossible to ignore, you can expect the likes of California and the other remaining states to finally push through legalization over the next decade, as it will allow them to start collecting millions in tax revenue.

What Caused the “Sports Betting Boom” in America?​

The rise of sports betting in America has happened incredibly fast, making it one of the most prosperous industries in the entire world and inspiring some individuals to try and make a living from it. Impressively, none of this was a fluke. Sports betting has been able to skyrocket because of several elements, with the primary one being the legalization of online sports gambling. Now, it’s easier than ever for Americans to hop online using their iPhones or Androids to place sports bets on-the-go, whether they’re relaxing at home or traveling during a weekend away. Other factors include the accessibility of sports streaming services, paid celebrity and influencer endorsement of sports betting, and the marketing of special bonuses and offers. All of the America’s leading sportsbooks, from BetMGM to FanDuel, provide sign-up bonuses to people who create accounts with them, such as free cash to play with, which has ultimately led to a huge influx of millions of new players over recent years, proving to be one of the most powerful marketing methods available to gambling companies.

Is Sports Betting Legal in the US?​

Yes — as discussed a little earlier, sports betting is legal in the US on a state-by-state level. As of today, you can legally bet on sports in 38 out of the 50 states, with New York and New Jersey being two of the biggest hitters. Moving into the future, it’s entirely possible that sports betting will be legalized in all 50 states, but this will definitely take time to come to fruition. Until then, players who live in states where sports betting is banned must access sportsbook sites from other states if they want to take part. Alternatively, they can access off-shore sports betting sites from other countries, a trend that has become extremely popular over recent years. Remember, you only access betting sites if you’re above the legal gambling age in your state, typically being either 18 or 21 depending on where you reside.