NFL action returns tonight when the Houston Texans visit the Kansas City Chiefs. As excited as players and fans are for a new season, the sports books are probably more overjoyed as anyone now that they’ve got solid action coming in on a more consistent basis. According to numbers from the American Gaming Association, 13% of American adults plan on placing a bet of some kind during the 2020 NFL season. That equates to 33.2 million people, and a 5% increase from last year.
Of those bets, the AGA estimates the percentages will break down like this:
- 20% will place their bet legally through physical sports book.
- 26% will bet through pools and fantasy contests.
- 50% will bet “casually” with friends, family, and coworkers.
- 18% will use the services of a “bookie” even though more legal platforms are available than ever before.
When it comes to who to bet on, the Kansas City Chiefs are the favorite when bettors were asked who’d they’d bet on with a spare $50 to win the Super Bowl at 13%. Next in line are the Dallas Cowboys, who are the favorite for 9% of gamblers. After that, six teams share the limelight at 5%...the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, and the San Francisco 49’ers… and at least three of those teams were picked by fans blinded by fandom rather than common sense.