Legal Wagering On Super Bowl LIII Lower Than Anticipated

Total Super Bowl wagering at legal sportsbooks in Nevada and New Jersey was "lower than expected," despite excitement about the "spread of legal sports betting to new U.S. states," according to Hilary Russ of REUTERS. A lack of interest in the matchup between the Patriots and Rams, as well as the "dullness of the game itself, could have dampened betting activity." Nevada handled just $146M, or 8% less than last year’s record $159M. However, the amount is still the "second-highest total ever" after last year. Nevada sportsbooks "fared well" on Super Bowl bets, winning $10.8M -- unlike in New Jersey, where they lost $4.6M on a total of $35M wagered. In Delaware, state regulators said that betting on the game totaled $2.2M, with a $643,041 "loss for its casinos and sportsbook operators" (REUTERS, 2/4). The AP's Cano & Parry noted Mississippi saw fans bet around $4.67M at "non-tribal casinos." This year was Nevada's "first drop in the total amount wagered on the game" since '15 (AP, 2/4).