Casino Player August 2022

J ust four years ago, the only state Americans could legally place a sports bet in was Nevada. Now just four years after the Supreme Court overturned the virtual ban on legalized sports wagering,31 states and territories (includingWashington, D.C. and Puerto Rico) allow bettors to put a few bucks on an underdog or take a shot at a nice parlay. Four others have legalized and are now just in the regulation process. It may seem unreal to many that the industry has expanded so quickly. In 2021,Americans wagered $52.7 billion in legal U.S. markets, according to the American Gaming

Artist renderings of Circa Sports at Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, NV.

Association.That’s a 179.7% increase from 2020.Casinos and sportsbook operators took $4.33 billion of that and the industry shows few signs that things are cooling off.Other states are considering legalizing as well. One in fiveAmericans now say they make at least one sports wager a month.Technology has made that easier than ever and estimates show that as many as 80% or more of all legal wagers are made online, many of those right from a bettor’s mobile phone. With so many states legalizing sports betting,many might believe the Nevada market,and Las Vegas in particular,might be suffering.That’s certainly not true and the state recorded a record handle of $8.2 billion in 2021, almost twice the

total from 2020 and about $3 billion more than the pre-pandemic total from 2019. One recent study shows even more women are taking up the hobby.More than 4.6 million women signed up for sportsbook apps in 2021, an increase of more than 115% year over year, according to Maximbet. Sports betting is as popular as ever and that appears to be growing each year.WIth football season right around the corner here are some headlines, tips and information to hit the books this fall.

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