As millions of football fans geared up for an epic showing of sportsmanship, sportsbooks were gearing for a different type of performance.
As leaderboards shuffled, players became favorites and underdogs, limits were revised, closing lines moved and novelty bettors got in on the action, one constant remained. The handle grew sizeably bigger this time around.
Some estimated the entire corpus of Super Bowl bets would cross $1.3 Billion.
According to Statistica, more than $150 million was wagered with Nevada sportsbooks alone.
Let’s examine the reasons behind the growth in dollars wagered, and the role of sportsbooks in driving up betting interest on the eve of the 2025 Super Bowl.
Record-Breaking Sportsbook Revenue from Super Bowl LIX
February 9 was a remarkable day. Multiple records were broken in a single sporting event.
Not just in terms of bets, viewership statistics too were through the roof.
127.7 million people tuned in to watch the NFL season finale match — the biggest ever audience for a Super Bowl, and for a single-network (i.e., FOX) telecast in TV history.
The highest viewership was recorded between 8 and 8.15 PM when 137.7 million actively watched the second half of the match.
In terms of year-on-year growth in viewership, there was a 3.2% increase in total viewers from 2024.
This massive uptick in people tuning in was also observed on the side of betting.
Not only were wagers placed on the teams — Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs — but also on prospective MVP, total scores for each team, who the halftime performer would be and what they would wear, whether a certain global popstar would get a proposal from her QB boyfriend, and much more.
Even those who did not care much for the game itself were able to participate in Super Bowl betting due to the incredible range of prop bets that could be placed.
It could be said that if something happened at Super Bowl LIX, there probably was a bet placed on it somewhere.
Reasons for Growth
There are two main drivers behind the expansion of betting in each subsequent Super Bowl.
First, there are a growing number of states which back legal sports betting. Of the 51 states that are part of the USA, 39 including Washington DC, have legalized sports betting. Three more states are in the process of pushing the envelope towards legalization. This includes active ballot-oriented or legislation-based directed efforts to make wagering legal.
Second, a marked rise has been witnessed in trust placed on the growing legal betting system. Legal jurisdictions have rules and norms which create a safe space to engage in wagering for all kinds of people.
As a direct result of the legalization, sports betting marketing is now permitted, allowing iGaming businesses to gain more traction. Rules and penalties also ensure sportsbooks, operators and brands maintain a clear check on their practices and enable responsible gambling as much as possible.
The Ballooning of Sports Betting in the U.S.
In 2024, only 1 American state was able to legalize sports betting — Missouri.
This was a definite slowdown from the pace at which legalization was moving through the country. In the year before that, i.e. 2023, six states had formalized sports betting, namely, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska and Ohio.
As of now, sports betting is legal in 39 states, along with Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., and mobile sports betting is permitted in 31 states.
The shift began in 2018 when the Supreme Court overturned PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), a law that previously restricted sports betting to only a handful of states, including Nevada.
Since the ruling, individual states have rapidly adopted their own regulations, allowing for a broader, state-specific legalization of sports betting.
What Made Super Bowl LIX a Special Event for Sportsbooks?
Growth in Parlay Betting
A parlay is a sports bet that combines multiple individual wagers into one larger bet. To win, every selection, or “leg,” must be correct — if even one pick fails, the entire parlay is lost. This high-stakes structure makes parlays more thrilling but also much harder to win.
Betters are drawn to parlays because they offer the potential for massive payouts, particularly as more selections are added. However, the chances of success decrease as the number of picks grows, making them a high-risk, high-reward gamble. Some even liken multi-leg parlays to lottery tickets — offering huge potential returns but with low odds of winning.
In 2023, parlays accounted for 70% of all NFL and NBA bets placed on FanDuel, as reported by its parent company, Flutter Entertainment. Since launching US sports betting in 2019, the volume of parlay bets has surged by 65%.
Illinois sportsbooks saw a staggering 194.6 million parlay bets placed in 2023, generating a remarkable $580.5 million in revenue. However, the win rate for these parlays was just 17.74%, with sportsbooks enjoying a robust 18.2% profit margin.
In contrast, traditional single bets only yielded a much smaller 4.9% margin. This significant difference highlights why sportsbooks focus so heavily on promoting parlays — the potential for high profitability is undeniable for the operators.
Increased Engagement via Prop Bets
What makes the Super Bowl particularly interesting is that it’s one of the few sports events where casual fans, who don’t typically bet, are highly engaged. This opens the door for affiliate marketers to tap into a broader, less dedicated market.
Even people who may have never placed a wager on a game before are now likely to bet on the Super Bowl for fun or as part of a friend group. For affiliates, this means tapping into a wider audience that may not be traditionally involved in sports betting but is eager to participate in the excitement of the big game.
Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, a variety of prop bets emerged, reflecting fans’ diverse interests.
Popular wagers included:
- Celebrity Halftime Guests – Bettors speculated on which celebrities might join Kendrick Lamar and SZA, with Baby Keem and Future as favorites.
- Kendrick Lamar’s Outfit – A bet on whether Lamar would wear a hoodie during his first song attracted attention.
- Gatorade Shower Color – Predicting the color of the Gatorade poured over the winning coach, with yellow being the favored choice.
- First Song in Halftime Performance – Fans bet on Lamar’s opening track, with “HUMBLE.” and “DNA.” as top contenders.
- Length of National Anthem – Speculation surrounded how lengthy John Batiste’s rendition would be, with an over/under of 2 minutes.
Other bets included the Super Bowl MVP, total points scored, and Tom Brady’s tie color.
The Ease of Mobile Sports Betting
Many rely on the traditional formats of betting, such as in-person gambling or betting. Many others make use of iGaming websites which offer similar services with some additional features and benefits, for those who are savvy enough to use them.
Several others require a greater level of convenience and accessibility, therefore, tapping into mobile-based applications to indulge in sports betting. What’s more? 5G connectivity, Android Playstore and iOS App store listing, effective UI/UX, functional simplicity, integrated payment options and quick payouts make a compelling case for sports wagering via mobile phones.
It’s Primed for Further Expansion
The “Mobile Gambling – Global Strategic Business Report” has been recently published on ResearchAndMarkets.com, revealing promising growth in the sector.
In 2023, the global mobile gambling market was valued at approximately $84.9 billion, with projections indicating it will nearly double to $173.1 billion by 2030, growing at a robust CAGR of 10.7%.
A separate study by Market Research Future highlights an even higher growth trajectory, forecasting the market to rise from $82.84 million in 2025 to $215.41 million by 2034, with a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period. Additionally, the iGaming industry size is expected to reach $74.5 million in 2024.
This growth is fueled by technological advancements that improve user experience, increasing accessibility of affordable mobile internet, and expanding regulatory support for online gambling.
As smartphones become more powerful and widely used, mobile gambling continues to attract a growing number of users. Operators are also leveraging data analytics to deliver personalized experiences, enhancing user engagement and fostering brand loyalty.
Live Betting vs Pre-Game Betting
Sports bettors have two major betting strategies: pre-game betting and live betting. Both have their unique features, but which one reigns supreme depends largely on the bettor’s preferences and strategy.
Pre-Game Betting is a form of betting involving placing wagers before the game kicks off. Bettors can choose from various markets, such as point spreads, moneylines, or total over/under bets. The advantage here is that bettors can analyze teams, players, and other factors before making informed decisions.
Live Betting, also known as in-play betting, allows bettors to place wagers during the game. As the game progresses, odds adjust based on real-time events, such as a touchdown or a key injury. For Super Bowl LIX, for example, live betting markets offered bets on outcomes like the next team to score, total yardage for each team, and even individual plays.
What Do the Numbers Say?
The surge in live betting popularity reflects its appeal. A 2023 report from the American Gaming Association revealed that live betting now accounts for nearly a third of all U.S. sports betting.
A recent study conducted by Optimove Insights revealed that live betting now makes up over half of all wagers in key global markets. The research, which analyzed data from 3.8 million sportsbook bettors across the U.S., U.K., Greece, Italy, and Spain, showed that 54% of all bets were placed during live events.
This shift toward live, interactive betting experiences has been particularly notable in major events like the Super Bowl, where betting platforms offer diverse in-game options, including novelty markets.
While pre-game betting allows for detailed research and fixed odds, live betting’s dynamic nature gives bettors the chance to respond to game momentum in real-time. Ultimately, the choice between the two types of betting depends on the bettor’s preferences for control, analysis, or excitement.
Strategies Employed by Sportsbooks at Super Bowl LIX
Super Bowl LIX offered sportsbooks a major opportunity to boost engagement and revenue through strategic promotions by implementing insights derived through the use of data analytics.
These tactics enabled sportsbooks to capture the attention of both new and existing bettors, while optimizing their betting offerings for both target audiences throughout the event.
How Sportsbook Promotions and Bonuses Contributed to their Win
Before and during Super Bowl LIX, sportsbooks employed a variety of promotional strategies to attract bettors. Some of them are listed below.
- Welcome Bonuses: Many sportsbooks provided lucrative sign-up offers to entice new users, such as BetMGM’s 20% first deposit match up to $1,500, which encouraged larger initial deposits and sign-ups. These bonuses acted as a strong incentive to draw in new customers.
- Enhanced Odds: Special odds boosts, particularly on high-profile markets like Super Bowl MVP, were commonly used across platforms to make bets more enticing. Bettors could get significantly better returns on their wagers, leading to increased volume on these specific markets.
- Risk-Free Bets: Some platforms also offered risk-free bets, where bettors could place a wager with a guarantee that they would get their stake back if they lost. This strategy effectively reduced the perceived risk for new and first time bettors, and motivated them to engage more heavily.
Such promotional offers were key to increasing both user participation and sportsbook revenues during the Super Bowl held on February 9.
Exclusive Super Bowl LIX Promotions
In addition to general bonuses and offers, some sportsbooks introduced exclusive promotions that ran only during the Super Bowl. Here’s a listing of some of these promotions.
- Special Bets: Some platforms, such as FanDuel, introduced unique offers like “Super Bowl Bet & Get,” where bettors earned bonus bets by making Super Bowl wagers. This strategy incentivized more activity and ensured that users remained engaged during the event.
- Odds Boosts: Platforms like Caesars Sportsbook boosted the odds on popular bets, such as Super Bowl MVP, giving bettors the chance to earn higher payouts on specific markets. This tactic not only made these markets more attractive but also kept bettors interested in a range of betting options.
These exclusive promotions helped sportsbooks differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market and enhanced user acquisition for brands offering them.
Customer Retention via Betting Incentives
Following the Super Bowl, sportsbooks focused on retaining their customers through various incentives designed to encourage continued betting:
- Free Bet Offers: Many sportsbooks provided free bets to users who participated in Super Bowl betting, encouraging them to return for future events and wagers.
- Loyalty Rewards: Platforms often provided loyalty programs that rewarded frequent bettors with points or perks, ensuring that users would keep coming back for additional benefits.
- “Refer-a-Friend” Programs: Some sportsbooks ran referral-based iGaming campaigns that rewarded users for bringing in new customers, which helped expand their user base.
These retention strategies were designed to sustain bettor interest even after the excitement of the Super Bowl, fostering long-term relationships and increasing the likelihood of repeat betting.
The Role of Data and Analytics in Sportsbook Success
Sportsbooks relied heavily on data analytics to optimize their betting offerings for Super Bowl LIX. By using advanced technologies and data-driven approaches, sportsbooks were able to enhance the user experience and boost profitability.
Here are some of the methods employed to make it happen:
- Predictive Modeling: Several sportsbooks employed predictive analytics to forecast game outcomes and adjust their odds in real-time, ensuring that betting offerings were as accurate and competitive as possible.
- Real-Time Odds Adjustment: Throughout the Super Bowl, sportsbooks continuously monitored the game and adjusted odds based on in-game developments, catering to live bettors who were eager to place wagers on ongoing events.
- Trend Analysis: Through examining historical data and existing betting patterns, sportsbooks were able to refine their offerings and create targeted promotions to boost user engagement.
Data-driven strategies such as these allowed sportsbooks to stay ahead of the competition and offer dynamic betting experiences that appealed to a wide variety of bettors.
Leveraging Real-Time Data for Dynamic Odds
One of the key strategies during Super Bowl LIX was the use of real-time data to adjust betting odds.
This allowed sportsbooks to do two interesting things:
- Instant Odds Adjustment: As the game progressed, sportsbooks adjusted the odds based on the unfolding events, such as changes in momentum or significant plays. This kept live bettors engaged by offering continuously evolving betting options.
- Increase in Overall Betting Volumes: Dynamic odds attracted more live bettors, as the ability to bet in real time added a layer of excitement and engagement throughout the game.
Understanding Bettor Behavior Through Analytics
Sportsbooks also analyzed bettor behavior to refine their marketing strategies and enhance their offerings for future events. Here are two ways in which this unfolded:
- Data-based Marketing Campaigns: By tracking and analyzing user behavior, sportsbooks were able to tailor promotions more effectively, focusing on the types of bets users preferred and the times they were most active.
- Anticipating Betting Patterns: Insights gained from user data even pre-match allowed sportsbooks to predict upcoming betting trends and adjust their offerings accordingly. This ensured that they were able to provide the right incentives at the right time to maximize engagement.
Up Next: Super Bowl LX
The conclusion of Super Bowl LIX has set the stage for an exciting 2025 NFL season, with early betting markets already reflecting the anticipated competition for the next Super Bowl. The learnings from 2025’s Super Bowl are sure to show up across strategies from sportsbooks in the upcoming games.
The Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off their victory, are favored to repeat as champions, with odds ranging from +600 to +650. The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs are closely behind, each with odds around +700 to +750. Other notable contenders include the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, both at +700, and the San Francisco 49ers at 14/1.
These early odds highlight the competitive landscape of the NFL, with several teams poised to make significant impact in the upcoming season.
However, as the 2025 season progresses, these odds are likely to fluctuate based on team performances, player acquisitions, and other factors.
For fans and bettors, the early odds offer a glimpse into the anticipated dynamics of the NFL. While these projections provide a starting point, the actual outcomes will depend on the teams’ performances throughout the season.
Engaging with these early markets can be an exciting way to participate in the NFL’s evolving narrative, but it’s essential to stay informed about team developments and adjust expectations accordingly.
Summing Up
As the sports betting landscape continues to evolve, the future looks particularly promising for states where this market is still relatively new. States like Missouri and North Carolina, where sports betting has only recently been legalized, are expected to see rapid growth in the coming years.
The integration of mobile betting platforms and the expansion of legal frameworks will play a pivotal role in attracting new bettors and increasing market penetration. As more states come online, sportsbook operators will likely see a surge in both the volume and diversity of bets placed, helping to drive overall revenue.
Looking beyond Super Bowl LIX, sportsbooks will need to prepare for other major events like March Madness and the NBA Finals. Innovations like real-time odds adjustments, more engaging live betting experiences, and advanced data analytics will be crucial in capturing the attention of casual and seasoned bettors alike.
Enthusiasts can expect to see a greater emphasis on prop bets, novelty markets, and personalized betting experiences designed to enhance user engagement. Furthermore, the rise of in-game betting during live events will continue to shape betting experiences globally.
As sports betting continues to expand, sportsbooks that embrace these trends and invest in cutting-edge technology will be well-positioned to capitalize on a growing market. The future is full of exciting opportunities, for both bettors and operators.
