The NFL Super Bowl, in all of its commercial glory, will take the headlines across the next 24 hours; whether that be the half-time show, the result of the adverts.
But the betting markets this weekend are a fascinating watch, with last year’s Super Bowl – when comparing bet-on events – beating out the Euros final and falling short of only the Aintree Grand National on gambling giant Entain’s sportsbook.
The American Gaming Association estimates that $1.39bn will be bet on Sunday’s match in New Orleans between Kansas City Chiefs – aiming to do the three-peat and win a trio of Super Bowls – and Philadelphia Eagles in the USA alone. That figure is expected to skyrocket when you take into account the global pool of flutterers.
Super Bowl a cultural moment
Entain group trading director, Tom Ritzema, said: “During the last twenty years, the Super Bowl has become a global cultural moment.
“In the UK, fans have been attending games in London for many years, and many stay up in the early hours to watch and enjoy the Super Bowl.
“This year, we are seeing even more interest with the Kansas City Chiefs attempting to win for a record-breaking third time in a row and Taylor Swift again bringing a broader audience to the game, as evidenced by our substantial growth in women betting on the event last year.”
The 2024 Super Bowl saw a 74 per cent increase in the quantity of UK bets placed compared to 2020 and a 10 per cent increase on the previous year, while betting on the NFL in the UK is up between 20-30 per cent this season compared to last.
An estimated 22.4m Brits place a bet each month, with just 0.4 per cent of those seen as problem gamblers, according to the Betting and Gaming Council.
But what are people betting on? Well the winner, margin of victory, minute of the first touchdown and total points are all common wagers a number bookies are seeing ahead of kick-off.
And while in-play betting is set to see an increase on last year given the global trend in fashionable in-play wagers, it is away from the football that is catching the eye.
To propose or not to propose
How much screen time will Taylor Swift get while she watches tight end boyfriend Travis Kelce go for the win? Who will join Kendrick Lamar on stage at half-time? What colour will the Gatorade be that is poured over winning coach Andy Reid or Nick Sirianni? Will Kelce propose?
Returning to the Super Bowl itself, though, Entain states that 60 per cent of the early money has backed the Eagles to half the Chiefs’s three-peat attempt, while the majority of bets back the Philadelphia challengers in every state except Kansas.
The Swift effect is not only musical; there was a over 200 per cent increase in females betting on the Super Bowl across the UK last year, with experts stating the Eras Tour star was a key factor in that.
Billions will be wagered across today and tonight’s NFL game in Louisiana, from football to the Not Like Us singer Lamar.
The Super Bowl is a commercial juggernaut and it is a betting powerhouse. So with that, the coin toss.