Citizens Financial has predicted that the legal sports betting handle for Super Bowl LX will decrease by 2% compared to last year, totaling $1.5 billion. A contributing factor to the lower forecast is the less exciting matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, which lacks the star power of last year’s game featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The previous Super Bowl generated interest due to players like Patrick Mahomes and Saquon Barkley, as well as the buzz around the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce relationship.
Additionally, prediction market platforms have gained significant popularity over the past year, with Kalshi reporting $661 million in NFL-related activity in the week ending January 19. This rise in prediction markets impacts traditional sportsbooks. Missouri is the only new state to have launched sportsbooks since then, offering limited growth from new markets.
In 2025, there were 523,000 app downloads on Super Bowl Sunday, which was 45% higher than any other day that year, though the new users acquired around the Super Bowl are not usually considered high-quality for sportsbooks.
Some sportsbooks are preparing for a costly Super Bowl. A BetMGM bettor could win $3 million from a $50,000 wager if the Seahawks triumph. Circa Sports has similar large liabilities from preseason bets, and BetUS lists the Seahawks as 5-point favorites to win against the Patriots on February 8.
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com