The first four AAF games drew bets at about the same rate as an average college basketball gameGETTY IMAGES
Although the Alliance of American Football has "virtually no history to look back on," that is "not stopping gamblers" from betting on the new league, according to Wayne Parry of the AP. With one weekend of games under its belt, the league has "already drawn interest from some bettors -- not nearly the action of a typical NFL game but enough to encourage sportsbooks that the fledgling league’s games are worth offering on a betting menu." While no bookmaker would reveal precisely "how much was bet on last weekend’s inaugural slate of games, many said they were encouraged." William Hill U.S. CEO Joe Asher said, “It was more than I expected. Tiny in comparison to the NFL, but not bad considering it’s a brand new league.” Perry noted many Las Vegas sportsbooks "reported mild interest." Westgate Las Vegas VP/Race & Sportsbook Operations Jay Kornegay said that AAF games "drew bets at about the same rate as an average college basketball game." Rush Street Interactive COO Mattias Stetz, whose company operates the sportsbooks at two Pennsylvania casinos, said, "The handle was relatively small to start, but we expect it to pick up as players get more familiar with the league." MGM Resorts VP/Race & Sports Operations Jay Rood said that the AAF "invited sportsbooks to watch a preseason game and review training camp scrimmages to familiarize themselves with the teams" (AP, 2/13).
