Arizona sports fans are embracing online betting and betting as NFL games return, fueling an estimated $35 billion in state bets this year. (Photo by Spencer Barnes/Cronkite News)
PHOENIX – When the calendar turns to September, sports fans in the Valley know it can only mean one thing: football is back.
The college football season is underway, the NFL is entering its third weekend of action, and here in Arizona and across the country, the action won’t focus on the game on the field.
Sports betting is back and bigger than ever. The American Football Association estimates that more than $35 billion will be officially wagered (on registered sports books) on the NFL nationwide this season. This is an increase of more than 30% from the $26.7 billion mark set for the 2023 NFL season. Arizona in particular is gearing up for what is sure to be a busy season for gambling.
“Over the past three years, the total wagers have just exceeded $18.14 billion in Arizona,” said Dayne O’Brien, public affairs officer for the Arizona Department of Gaming. “That is a very special number. He’s crazy and crazy. ”
The sports betting industry has seen steady growth throughout its time as a legal business in Arizona. Arizona saw a 13.6% increase in total tackles (total money wagered by players) during the full months of the NFL regular season (September-December) from 2022 to 2023, according to data tracked by Christopher Boan, the country’s leading critic and writer. The Gambling.com Group. Although Boan doesn’t expect to see as much growth in Arizona as it did in 2023, he predicts that the sports betting market will continue to grow each year.
“I don’t think we’ll see as big a jump as we did two years ago,” Boan said. “During the NFL season, the average performance went from a 34.6 percent increase in 2022 to a 13.6 percent increase in 2023. I think that shows that the market in Arizona is still There isn’t much chance of explosive growth, but this year I would still expect to see the total number of bonds increase between eight and 10 percent.
“Last year, people in Arizona bet about $2.7 billion during this time, so if you see an eight to 10 percent increase in that, you can look anywhere in the $ 2.8 billion to $3.1 billion. That’s from September to December.”
As for where Arizonans can place bets this season, the Arizona Department of Gaming lists all of its approved operators and retail locations on its website, and the state displays many options for sportsbooks. Legally, Arizona sees most of its event betting revenue from two sources. companies.
“Arizona is a two-horse race. It’s FanDuel and DraftKings, as much as any other state right now,” Boan said. “Those two combined have over $11 billion in revenue for Arizona and the state total is over $18 billion, so part 60 percent of the give or take comes from just the two of them. Across the country, everyone is fighting for third place. BetMGM has a strong lead in third place in Arizona.
FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM all have individual sportsbooks in the Valley where bettors can place bets. FanDuel’s sportsbook is located inside the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix, DraftKings sets up shop at TPC Scottsdale golf course and BetMGM operates in Glendale, near State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
Although these sportsbooks have retail facilities readily available, the state sees most of its business from online betting.
“We continue to see almost every month 99 percent of all bets are placed online,” O’Brien said. “It’s crazy to see that one percent. only of cars placed in person.”
With online gambling available to traders at any time, it allows local residents to put their money into the game. This is especially true of Arizona State University students.
“I went to the BetMGM sportsbook at Cardinals Stadium once and it looked like a fun place, but I like to bet online,” said ASU student Diego Iniguez. It is easy to use and easily accessible.
But as access and holdings increase, so does the number of illegal sportsbooks across the country. The Arizona Department of Gaming urges all bettors to remain vigilant to ensure that betting is done with an authorized person.
“We would like to note that it is important to use basic consumer protection. Do not click on suspicious links, provide your information for unexpected requests, and use legal and licensed in the state,” O’Brien said.
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