Super Bowl 60 Betting Projected to Be Down in 2026
Feb 10, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; A Wilson official NFL Duke football with the Super Bowl LX (60) logo at the Super Bowl LIX host committee handoff press conference. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Super Bowl LX, also known as Super Bowl 60, will be the most wagered-on sporting event in the United States this year. However, industry experts predict a decrease in betting for the game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks.
Super Bowl 60 Betting: What the Analysts Project
Citizens Equity Research analyst Jordan Bender released a study on legal wagering for Super Bowl 60.
Between online and in-person wagering, Bender’s research projects that legal sports betting on the Super Bowl will be down 2% year-over-year at $1.5 billion.
The decline might come as a surprise to some, knowing that the Big Game is a huge day for expert and novice gamblers. One bettor already placed a $1.1 million wager on Super Bowl LX.
Since Super Bowl LIX, Missouri has been the only territory added to the list of legal sports betting states. Citizens predict operators’ promotional investment and spending to decline on a year-over-year basis.
“Overall, the tough hold comp and handle down YoY imply “in line” gaming margins could result in gaming revenue down approximately 35% for the Super Bowl,” Bender wrote.
Reasons for the Decrease in Sports Betting for Super Bowl 60
Matchups matter, especially in the Super Bowl.
Football fans will be intrigued to watch the game between the Patriots and the Seahawks.
For New England, the team is led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who is the second-youngest quarterback (23 years and 162 days) to start a Super Bowl, behind Dan Marino (23 days and 127 days). If the Patriots win, Maye becomes the youngest quarterback to start and win the Super Bowl.
For Seattle, it’s all about redemption. The Seahawks lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX after Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson at New England’s 1-yard line. Plus, a win for Sam Darnold would complete his arc from first-round bust to Super Bowl champion.
Those storylines are enticing for NFL fans. However, casual fans may not know any of that information. Super Bowl 60 lacks a true star, one who can draw fans on his name alone. Last year, the Super Bowl featured several popular players, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Saquon Barkley.
Speaking of Kelce, his soon-to-be wife, Taylor Swift, helped attract many non-football fans with her presence at that game. Super Bowl 59 averaged a record 127.7 million U.S. viewers across television and streaming platforms.
Think about how many Super Bowl props bettors could place last year on Kelce and Swift—will they get engaged after the game, how many times will Swift be shown on camera, etc. Those props are not available this year.
Predictions Market Boom
The rise of prediction markets could also play a factor in a decrease in legal sports betting.
“Prediction markets, already seeing impressive volume on the game, are creating some pressure in the legal market,” Bender wrote.
Polymarket and Kalshi are two of the leading prediction platforms, and both will offer Super Bowl winner markets.
Some states with legalized sports betting, including New Jersey and New York, are trying to push Kalshi and other platforms out. However, it likely won’t happen before the Super Bowl on February 8.
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