Gambling in the USA
AGA Forecasts March Madness Betting Boost for Online Sportsbooks
A report from the American Gaming Association (AGA) stated that over $8.5 billion was wagered by 5.8 million people on March Madness in 2019 and that figure is expected to rise to 17.8 million people wagering online on this year’s event.
The AGA’s reported that three times as many Americans planned to wager on this year’s March madness via online sportsbooks compared to 2019.
Of course the event was cancelled last year and this year the pandemic has meant the men’s showpiece college basketball tournament is, for the first time in its history being held in a single state, Indiana.
The March Madness main schedule is as follows:
- March 18-19 – First Round
- March 20-21 – Second Round
- March 25-26 – Sweet 16
- March 27-28 – Elite Eight
- April 3 – Final Four
- April 5 – National Championship
The expansion of the legal sports betting market in the USA has seen 14 more states legalize online gambling which translates into 73 million more Americans who can legally place sports bets. Since 2019’s March Madness much has changed – and companies such as DraftKings and FanDuel have grown their market and established themselves as major platforms for sports fans to compete for prizes.
45% of American adults are now living in a state with legalized sports betting.
March Madness Wagering Stats
Traditional sports betting on March Madness is forecasted to see an overall rise in 2021 with 30.6 million Americans expected to place traditional NCAA basketball bets on the popular March Madness end-of-season tournament. This is up by almost 18 million from two years ago the AGA said.
- 47.4 million American adults plan to bet on March Madness (that’s more than 20% of the population)
- 8.3 million bettors are expected to place a March Madness bet at a physical sportsbook, which is up 79% from 2019
- 17.8 million say they will place a bet online, up 206% from 5.8 million in 2019
- The odds of picking all 63 March Madness games correctly is 1 in 9.2 quintillion!
With more Americans turning to legal online betting on March Madness, the number of people who have said they plan to fill out a bracket this year has dropped to 36.7 million, down by 8% from 2019.
The latest March Madness Futures odds according to Vegas-Odds.com has the Gonzaga Bulldogs are favorites to win at +170 followed by Baylor (+375) and Houston (+800).
More March Madness Betting Stats
- Betting among friends and colleagues remains popular – March Madness is likely to generate $4.6 billion of bets from 40 million people wagering with friends and colleagues through a total 149 million brackets, the AGA said.
- Regulated Vs International Sportsbooks : The remaining $3.9 billion of bets will come primarily by way of international bookmakers / websites, though 4.1 million people will also place legal March Madness bets through licensed U.S based casinos and sportsbook operators.
- Interest in the tournament is up slightly from 2019 with 26% of Americans saying they are very interested in the NCAA tournament, compared to 23% two years ago.
- 42% of college basketball fans said they followed the sport more closely this season, with 70% of those attributing their increased attention to the availability of NCAA sports betting.
- 17.8 million say they will wager online, up 206% from 5.8 million in 2019
- 8.3 million expect to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, a rise of 79% from 2019
March Madness is set to conclude on April 5th with the Championship final being played at the Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 22-28
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its 41st International Gaming Summit Monday, May 27 through Thursday, May 30, 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C. As a premier event that brings together leaders from all global gaming sectors, the Summit will provide operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, regulators and other advisor delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the most important issues facing gaming.
Marker Trax, a leader in cashless payment solutions for the gambling industry, has announced the appointment of John Henderson as its SVP of operations. Henderson is a seasoned, energetic industry veteran who brings to Marker Trax more than four decades of success in delivering technology-based business solutions, leading innovation-forward companies seeking to increase their industry footprints and to solidify their market shares.
Jackpot Digital, a leading manufacturer of electronic multiplayer dealerless poker tables, announced that it has successfully completed the installation of its Jackpot Blitz casino machines at Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, located in Coarsegold, California.
Affinity Interactive has announced the appointment of Scott Butera as President & Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Butera, who most recently led AI’s Sports Information Group (SIG) business, brings over 30 years of experience in gaming, hospitality, media, entertainment and sports to the pivotal role. In his new capacity, Mr. Butera will set strategy and oversee operations of the Company’s diversified portfolio of casinos resorts across Nevada, Missouri and Iowa.
North Star Network has acquired Um Dois Esportes, a sports coverage and analysis site created from the merger of Gazeta Do Povo and Tribuna do Paraná in 2020. NSN’s signing of Um Dois Esportes is the media house’s fourth acquisition of 2024, following the recent deals to purchase UK-based SportsMole and MrFixitsTips, as well as Chilean site AlAireLibre, which was announced in March.
Hollywood Casino at Greektown unveiled its new ESPN BET branded sportsbook and restaurant on the upper floor of the 100,000-square-foot Downtown Detroit casino. This sportsbook is the first ESPN BET branded retail location to open across PENN Entertainment’s (PENN) portfolio of properties.
Partnerships
Above the Felt, the leading poker and gaming marketing and talent agency, has announced a partnership with Potawatomi Casino Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the grand opening of their state-of-the-art poker room this May. This collaboration marks a significant experiential poker event in the Mid-West US, bringing together top players, personalities and content creators with regional players for an unforgettable poker room grand opening.
SCCG Management, a leading advisory firm in the global gaming industry, has announced a strategic partnership with Comm100, a pioneer in AI-powered omnichannel communication. This collaboration signifies a pivotal moment in the gaming industry as it looks to revolutionise player engagement and customer support through personalised, 24/7 communication.
Betano and CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol), the Brazilian Football Confederation, announced a new partnership that will see Betano become the new main sponsor and exclusive betting partner of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. Starting from the 2024 season, which began on Sunday, April 14, the competition will be known as Brasileirão Betano.
Gambling in the USA
Nebraska’s First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus
Nebraska’s first full-fledged, newly built and state-sanctioned gambling casino is slated to open in Columbus next month, marking a milestone in the state’s rollout of casino gambling.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission last Friday approved a target opening date of May 13 for Harrah’s Columbus.
“This is a big deal,” commission Chairman Dennis Lee said.
The state’s three other casinos are open, but in temporary facilities. According to construction schedules, all should be open by early next year.
“We’re definitely excited to open the first permanent casino in the state,” said Don Ostert, Harrah’s Columbus general manager.
The 17,000-square-foot casino floor will feature 400 slot machines and 11 live table games, including roulette and craps, Ostert said. It will feature a Brew Brothers restaurant and will offer Caesar’s sportsbook and racebook, Ostert said.
For racing fans, the complex will feature the state’s only 1-mile horse track, though racing isn’t scheduled to begin until August 16. By June, officials hope to have some horses out on the track to test the new surface.
Ostert said officials hope to draw customers from Norfolk and Grand Island, but also from Omaha and Lincoln.
Columbus Mayor James Bulkley said that, from the city’s standpoint, “we are very excited to see it get started and become part of the community.”
The developers incorporated some Columbus history into the casino, he said.
“The location where it is used to be called Wishbones, and it was a venue for years for entertainment, and so people recognize that name, and they have kept that name for the sports bar,” he said.
He expects the casino will draw from Omaha. Although driving to Columbus from downtown Omaha might take close to an hour and a half, the drive from west Omaha is more like an hour, he said.
“I can hit Elkhorn in a short hour today, which is now western Omaha,” he said.
In a few months, Omahans won’t have to leave town to visit a brand-new casino.
At Horsemen’s Park in Omaha, Warhorse Gaming officials are aiming to open their new casino in early August. It will open with 900 gaming positions, including table games and a Sweetwater Cafe.
Gambling in the USA
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 15-21
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
Caesars Entertainment announced that the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app is accepting mobile sports bets at Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi. Sports fans 21 and older who are interested in wagering on sports via mobile devices can download the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app to register and deposit statewide but must be physically present on-property at Harrah’s Gulf Coast to wager.
The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced that FanDuel’s sports betting app and website has officially launched. This development will introduce FanDuel’s sports wagering platform to District residents and visitors, completely replacing the current GambetDC sports betting app and website.
eCOGRA has been officially authorised by the Secretaria De Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) to operate as a certifying entity for betting systems, live gaming studios and online games in Brazil. This announcement marks a significant milestone as eCOGRA continues to extend its international offering of iGaming testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services in regulated markets across the globe.
Jennifer Shatley, a recognised expert in the field and a highly sought speaker and advisor, has joined the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) as Executive Director. Shatley has had 25+ years worth of experience, working closely with the treatment community, academics, researchers, government bodies, state councils and gaming industry representatives to promote responsible gaming.
Odditt, a leading provider of innovative sports betting data, tools and analytics, has appointed Elaine Milardo as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). With over 25 years of experience in the data industry and key roles at DraftKings and Vistaprint, Elaine brings a wealth of expertise to Odditt’s growing team.
Partnerships
Trustly, the global leader in Open Banking Payments, and Light & Wonder, the leading cross-platform global games company, are bringing cashless, in-person deposits to casino floors with Light & Wonder’s cashless solution, RAPIDPLAY. Building on Trustly’s success with guaranteed payments in online sports betting and iGaming, Trustly will deliver the same seamless, quick and secure online payment experience to the physical casino floor.
Fintech company Sightline has entered into an exclusive partnership with compliance and anti-fraud technology solutions leader GeoComply to bolster the security and efficiency of digital transactions within the regulated gaming industry. Sightline will integrate GeoComply’s cutting-edge IDComply identity verification solution as well as GeoComply’s compliance-grade geolocation tools across its comprehensive suite of digital payment solutions for land-based casinos and online gaming operators.
BetMGM has announced a partnership with GameCode, a distinguished iGaming company focused on the North American market. The partnership includes the launch of Boom Boom Boom, HammerCash, Gold Gold Gold and Super3 series which are now live at BetMGM in Michigan and New Jersey through direct integration. BetMGM plans to offer GameCode’s full portfolio of games in all jurisdictions where the operator’s iGaming platform is live pending regulatory approvals.
SCCG Management has announced a joint venture investment with Numb3rs, an innovative all-in-one payment solution provider built for gaming operators. The partnership aims to transform the gaming sector by integrating Numb3rs’ proprietary tech stack, ECRYPT, into the marketplace, thereby offering a comprehensive suite of payment processing solutions.
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