Nevada Sportsbooks Set Super Bowl Betting Record

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Larry Henry

Last Updated: Feb 15^th, 2022

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Nevada Sportsbooks Set Super Bowl Betting Record

Nevada’s 179 sportsbooks set a state record last Sunday for the amount of money bet on a Super Bowl.

The Los Angeles Rams’ comeback 23-20 victory over the underdog Cincinnati Bengals generated $179.8 million in bets at Nevada sportsbooks, according to the state Gaming Control Board.

Across Nevada, the sportsbooks won $15.4 million, for a win percentage of 8.6%.

The amount of Super Bowl betting last Sunday is the most in Nevada during the past 10 years.

The previous record was the 2018 game when bettors put $158.8 million on the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the New England Patriots. The Eagles won 41-33. Once the winning bettors were paid that year, Nevada sportsbooks collected $1.17 million.

California Teams Boost Betting in Nevada

Having a California team in Sunday’s game helped boost the handle in Nevada for the NFL’s 56th marquee event. The “handle” refers to the amount of money wagered on a game.

Nevada sportsbooks customarily see heavy betting action when California teams are competing. Sports betting is illegal in California, but many Golden State residents travel next door to Nevada to wager legally. There is also a large number of former Californians living there. CA is currently working on putting betting legalization. Sports betting apps may go live in California in 2023-24 if that goes through.

Los Angeles, the nation’s second-most populous metropolitan area, is slightly more than four hours from Las Vegas. North of there, San Francisco is fewer than four hours from Reno. Sacramento is even closer.

Craig Mucklow, Caesars Entertainment's vice president of trading, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that California teams could expect to draw the heaviest Super Bowl betting action unless the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders end up in the game someday.

“Outside of the Raiders in the Super Bowl, whenever a California team is a participant, Nevada will always see an astronomical handle,” he said. “If the Raiders ever make it, that will be the record I doubt will ever see beaten.”

The third-highest Super Bowl handle during the past decade also involved a California team, the San Francisco 49ers.

In 2020, bettors wagered $154.6 million on the game, resulting in an $18.7 million win for sportsbooks throughout Nevada. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20 in that game.

Future Super Bowls Set for Sports Betting States

While this year’s Super Bowl occurred in a state without legal sports betting, the next three are scheduled to be held in states where sports betting is authorized.

Here’s the schedule for Super Bowl games through 2025: