Can soccer become the most bet on sport in the US?

• Soccer is arguably one of the most popular sports in the world
• Besides soccer, other sports like basketball, baseball, boxing, horse racing and hockey are also popular
• Most sports books in the US estimate that 70-75% of their annual handle comes from the National Football League

Soccer is arguably one of the most popular sports in the world. So, it is little wonder that it dominates the global sports betting market. It is estimated that 70% of the global betting market is due to soccer betting.

If it is so popular around the world, could the US be far behind? Besides the game’s popularity, soccer betting has been helped by the increasing legalisation of sports betting.

Sports betting has been around in the country for a long time, to be sure. The state of Nevada legalised it way back in 1931. But it was only in 2018 that states like Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia made sports betting legal too. 33 of the 50 states in the US today allow sports betting.

Added to legalisation, is the proliferation of online betting. With the fast spread of the internet, the availability of the internet and constantly improving smartphone technology, online gaming as such has been rising. Along with that, it was only to be expected that sports betting would take off in a big way.

In fact, some US states only allow online betting. Like the state of Tennessee, where sports betting can be done only via mobile apps or otherwise online but not through retail. As a result, Tennessee bettors are betting on soccer more than ever before, adding to the growth in sports betting in the US.

Risks and rewards of bettting. Photo by Kenyan Wallstreet

Rise of Soccer Betting

In particular, betting on soccer is truly huge. Most sports books in the US estimate that 70-75% of their annual handle comes from the National Football League (NFL) alone. It is little surprise though, that NFL gets so much interest from bettors.

Founded back in 1920, the NFL has grown in its viewership over the decades. Today, it has 32 franchises and a regular season of 272 games over 18 weeks. As the number of games is quite large, there are many betting opportunities on it. The annual final playoff game known as the Super Bowl is a particularly big draw. Well known for being a cultural event, besides just a sporting one, it has featured performances from big music stars.

From Beyonce to Paul McCartney and from Lady Gaga to Shakira, all have performed at the Super Bowl. It is said to be the most popular game to bet on in the country, with an annual television audience of over 100 million.

Some 81% of bettors over 18 in the US are estimated to bet on the NFL. But it is not the only soccer league that gets bet on. College football and soccer are also popular among bettors. As per data from the CRG Global for Variety Intelligence Platform, 34% of bettors place bets on college football and 28% on soccer.

How Soccer Compares to Other Sports

Besides soccer, other sports like basketball, baseball, boxing, horse racing and hockey are also popular among sports bettors. Here are some highlights of each of them.

1. National Basketball Association (NBA)

The NBA follows the NFL in terms of the percentage of betting on it. It is a fair bit behind at 54%, though. Interestingly, this is despite the fact that the league, established in 1946, exceeds the number of games played by the NFL by a margin.

It has a total of 30 teams, each of which plays 82 games in a season. This adds up to a massive 1,230 games! Needless to say, this is a huge betting opportunity.

2. Major League Baseball (MLB)

Following the NBA is the MLB, with 44% of bettors placing stakes in it. It has the distinction of being the oldest major professional league, not just in the US, but in the world. Founded in 1876, it has 30 teams today. Each of the teams plays 162 games every season, totalling to 2,430 games! Like the Super Bowl, the World Series of the MLB is a massively bet on a single event as well.

3. Boxing

Ryan Garcia lost against Gervonta Davis on Saturday night. Photo/ MMA Junkie – USA Today.

With 42% of bettors placing wagers on boxing, the sport comes next after MLB as far as sports bets go. The US has been home to some of the best-known boxing legends around the world like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Names like these have added much lustre o the sport, making the US a focal country for boxing since the last century.

Place That Bet

No matter how we look at it though, it is clear that no sport beats soccer when it comes to betting. The huge popularity of the NFL and the fanfare of the Super Bowl are key contributors to it.

This is even while the number of games played per season is actually lesser than that for NBA or MLB. Even boxing, which came to the US from England in the 18th century, has been left far behind.

It is likely that the local nature of football, from neighbourhood games to the school team, makes it very familiar, adding to its popularity.