This Sunday, 31.5 million Americans plan to bet on the American football championship game, the Super Bowl, said a trade group.
the gambling The national industry trade group, the American Gaming Association, or AGA, released a report on Tuesday. He estimates that more than $7.6 billion will be wagered on the Super Bowl.
In addition, the number of people playing a game of chance related to the event increased by 35% compared to last year. These players are expected to bet 78% more money than in 2021. Both figures would be the highest ever.
Gamblers include people who bet with friends or colleagues. They also include bets with legal and illegal sports betting. Sportsbooks are places where people can place bets on sporting events.
Business advisory firm Morning Consult said Americans bet $52.7 billion on professional sports in 2021. That was double the amount in 2020.
“Americans have never been more interested in legal sports betting,” Bill Miller said in a statement. He is the chairman of the AGM. He said the growth of legal gambling across the country protects fans “but also warns illegal operators that their time is limited.”
This year’s Super Bowl pits the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals. It is played in the Rams stadium in Los Angeles. The Bengals are led by star quarterback Joe Burrows and the Rams are led by quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Rams are favorites to win.
Since last year’s game, 45 million more people will be able to bet on the Super Bowl. In the past year, 10 additional states have legalized sports betting. There are now 30 states in the United States and Washington DC that allow legal gambling.
Most states have laws prohibiting certain types of gambling and a few states still prohibit all gambling.
The AGA predicted that 18.2 million American adults would place traditional sports bets online or on legal or illegal sports betting sites. An additional 18.5 million Americans plan to bet with people they know. This number is up 23%.
The AGA found that 55% of sports players plan to bet on the Rams and 45% plan to support the Bengals. However, the Associated Press reports Legal Sports Betting says more bets and money are being placed on Cincinnati so far.
The “Moneyline” bet is a bet placed on a winning team which does not depend on the score. So far, 76% of bets are predicting Cincinnati will win the game.
Game issues
The Super Bowl is also one of the most dangerous times of the year for people with gambling problems.
Recover the game addict Harry Levant is an official of the Stop Predatory Gambling group. He said the advertising around sports betting resembled tobacco industry efforts to get people to smoke. The industry spends $1.2 billion a year on marketing.
He said legal sports betting was aggravating a public health crisis in America involving gambling.
“One in two people with a gambling problem is considering suicide, and one in five will attempt suicide,” he said. “I’m one of those in five.”
Levant said the rapid rise of in-play betting fuels a player’s desire to bet faster and faster.
“The game is no longer limited to who is going to win the game,” he said. “Now the game is about every play. Keep playing, keep chasing the action.
Morning Consult found this year that 18% of American adults bet on sports at least once a month.
I am Dan Novak.
Dan Novak adapted this for VOA Learning English from reporting by The Associated Press.
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words in this story
bet — v. an agreement in which people try to guess what will happen and the person who guesses wrong must give something (like money) to the person who guesses right
bet — v. play a game (based on chance) in which you can win or lose money or property
addict -not. a person who is not able to stop doing something like gambling or taking drugs
contemplate — v. think about doing something; consider something
