NFL Fan Bases That Bet the Most Per Season
If there’s one thing that Americans love, it’s football – and they’re betting big on it. NFL wagers are projected to reach a record-breaking $35 billion this season alone [American Gaming Association] – keep in mind, the NFL season is just 4 months long!
With an estimated 30% increase in seasonal NFL wagers, we wanted to know which NFL fan bases spend the most on bets per season. We huddled up with 2,000 NFL fans who actively place sports bets to discover which fans are taking the ultimate gamble on their team’s success!
Key Findings:
- Carolina Panthers fans spend the most in NFL bets, wagering an average of $2,142 per season
- Houston Texans fans come in 2nd, spending an average of $2,125; with Cleveland Browns fans in 3rd at $2,029
- Denver Broncos fans spend the least in NFL bets, spending an average of just $255 per season
- Super Bowl LVIII: About 68.4% of respondents placed a bet, with an average wage of $308.98
NFL fan bases dominating the betting game
Despite North Carolina just legalizing online sports betting earlier this year, these fans didn’t wait a second. Leading the NFL betting game, Carolina Panthers fans have the highest seasonal betting average in the league – laying down $2,142.63 on wagers. To help put that into perspective, that’s a whopping 740% more than Broncos fans, who came in last place for betting spend. Panthers’ fans like to dish out about $51.63 per game, but one mega-fan revealed they drop about $10k per season!
Meanwhile, Houston Texans fans are lassoing in 2nd place with a seasonal average of $2,125. Per game, these fans are riding high with an average of $84.17, while maintaining the top spot in betting frequency. On a scale of 1 (never) to 10 (every game), Texans fans are making wagers on an average of 6.9 times – equivalent to 3-4 games per week. Hut, hut, yeehaw!
Up North, Cleveland Browns fans are in 3rd place, shelling out $2,029.38 during the NFL season. On a per-game basis, they typically spend about $41.94 in bets. But Browns’ fans aren’t just here for the highlights – they’re consistently betting! Trailing Houston Texans, they’re 2nd place in betting frequency, wagering 3 games per week.
In 4th place, the Las Vegas Raiders fans bet an average of $1,912.94 over a full season. With nearly 200 sportsbooks in Nevada, it’s no surprise they’re placing bets frequently! The Kansas City Chiefs fans round out the top five, wagering $1,833.28 per season. They also hold 4th place in betting frequency (about 2-3 games per week).
Playing (wallet) defense: NFL fan bases betting the least
Despite sports betting being legalized since 2020, Denver Broncos fans are playing it safe, ranking last in NFL betting. Fans spend just $255 per season – roughly 85.7% less than the league average of $1,787. They typically bet twice per month, and when they do, it’s a modest $27.31 per game. Whether they’re being cautious or not banking on a Broncos win, they’re definitely not throwing cash at the field!
Over on the East Coast, Tennessee Titans fans aren’t exactly touchdown- ready with their wallets. Ranking 2nd to last in NFL betting, they spend $329.62 per season. Even though they bet roughly once a week, their average wager sits at $33.54 – more of a short gain than a winning play in betting terms!
New Orleans Saints fans aren’t far behind, as they’re sitting 3rd to last. They cash out around $420.83 per season, placing bets about 3.5 times per month. When they do bet, they’re only putting down an average of $26 per wager. Perhaps they’re saving the big plays for Mardi Gras?
Rounding out the bottom five, Cincinnati Bengals fans rank 4th to last with a seasonal spend of $480.43, while Seattle Seahawks fans follow close behind (5th to last) – averaging $489.41 per season. Looks like these fans are playing it safe for now, possibly waiting for the perfect moment to take a bigger swing.
Super Bowl LVIII: NFL’s top 10 biggest bettors
The latest Super Bowl LVIII shattered betting records in Nevada sportsbooks, alone – $185.6 million to be exact. This is $6 million more than the previous year’s Super Bowl! With that said, we asked each NFL fan base if they participated in Super Bowl LVIII bets, and if so, how much they wagered.
Here are the top 10 fan bases with the highest Super Bowl LVIII betting averages:
#1 Dallas Cowboys: $1,542.53
#2 Green Bay Packers: $766.65
#3 Houston Texans: $663.18
#4 Philadelphia Eagles: $394.00
#5 Kansas City Chiefs: $354.48
#6 Atlanta Falcons: $353.00
#7 Chicago Bears: $265.24
#8 San Francisco 49ers: $226.39
#9 New York Jets: $223.00
#10 Cleveland Browns: $221.00
According to our survey, the average Super Bowl LVIII bet was $308.98, but Dallas Cowboys fans went all out – wagering 399% higher than the average. Talk about the Wild West in Super Bowl bets!
Conclusion
In the NFL betting world, some fans are going all-in where their team pride is, while others play it safe. From the Carolina Panthers’ biggest wagers to the Denver Broncos’ reserved players, it is clear which fan bases are the most passionate for a big win. As the season progresses and the sports betting landscape continues to grow, it’ll be interesting to see which fan bases go for the touchdown– and which ones stick to the sidelines.
Methodology
In September 2024, we conducted a nationwide survey of 2,000 sports bettors who actively watch the NFL. The average age of respondents was 39.1 years old. The representative sample comprised of 78.5% male, 20.9% female, 0.4% non-binary, and 0.2% transgender. The average annual gross income was $84,107.98.
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