Sports Betting

Record 73.5 Million Americans Projected to Bet On 2023 NFL Season

About 28% of all adults in the United States plan to bet on the NFL this season.
Among those who consider themselves NFL fans, 37% plan to place at least one wager on the league this year.

Sep 06, 2023 | 11:48 am

UPDATED Sep 06, 2023 | 02:03 pm

An overall view as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half at Allegiant Stadium.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With a new National Football League season on the horizon, an astounding number of Americans are planning to get in on the action.

According to a new survey from the American Gaming Association, 73.5 million American adults — equal to about 28% of all adults in the United States — plan to bet on the NFL this season. That’s a huge 57.7% increase from AGA’s survey ahead of the 2022 NFL season, when a record 46.6 million Americans were projected to bet.

The 2023 number includes those who plan to make informal wagers among friends (in fantasy leagues, betting pools, etc.) — but still, 49.7 million American adults (19%) plan to place a bet online, at a casino, or with a bookie this season.

Within that figure, 35.1 million (14%) plan to bet online and 13.6 million (5%) venture to do so at a physical sportsbook — leaving approximately 1 million (<1%) to bet with a bookie.

Overall, among those who consider themselves NFL fans, 37% plan to place at least one wager on the league this year.

AGA projected that Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles would garner 50.4 million bettors and $16 billion in bets; the game ultimately registered 100 million sports betting transactions.