The Nevada Gaming Control Board revealed yesterday that patrons wagered $133.8 million on this year’s Super Bowl, a figure that marks the lowest amount bet on the event since 2021. The state’s 186 casinos with sportsbooks reported winnings of $9.9 million, representing a 7.4% profit margin.
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A Downward Trend in Super Bowl Betting
This year’s Super Bowl betting handle contrasts sharply with the record $190 million wagered in 2024, when Kansas City faced San Francisco. The difference of over $56 million highlights a considerable reduction in bettors’ interest in the matchup between Seattle and New England.
Mike Dreitzer, president of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, confirmed that preliminary figures show this decline. “Unaudited figures show casino winnings of $9,892,055 on wagers totaling $133,813,230, resulting in a 7.4% hold percentage,” he explained.
Comparison of Betting with Previous Years
An analysis of the last decade reveals significant fluctuations in betting behavior. Last year, when Philadelphia defeated Kansas City 40-22, bettors wagered $151.6 million, and casinos earned $22.1 million, the second-best result in the past ten years.
The casinos’ profit margin also varies significantly. While it reached 14.6% in 2025, in other years like 2018, it was a mere 0.7%, when Philadelphia beat New England 41-33 with $158.6 million in bets generating only $1.1 million in profits for the establishments.
The Extremes of a Decade
The historical betting record was set in 2024 with $190 million, followed by the 2022 Super Bowl between Los Angeles and Cincinnati, which attracted $179.8 million. At the opposite end, 2021 showed the lowest figure of the decade with $136 million bet on Tampa Bay’s victory over Kansas City.
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In terms of casino profits, the best year was 2025 with $22.1 million, while the worst was 2018 with just $1.1 million. The most favorable profit margin for establishments was 14.6% in 2025, and the lowest was 0.7% in 2018.
An Irregular Betting Pattern
The data reveals no clear upward or downward trend in betting behavior over the past decade. For instance, after the 2024 peak, there was a drop of nearly $40 million in 2025, followed by another reduction of almost $18 million this year.
The 2023 game between Kansas City and Philadelphia attracted $153.2 million in bets but generated only $4.4 million for casinos, the second-worst result of the decade with a 2.8% margin.
This Year’s Super Bowl Outcome
Super Bowl 2026 concluded with Seattle’s victory over New England 29-13. This result, combined with the lower betting volume, suggests that factors such as interest in the participating teams and public expectations directly influence bettors’ activity.
Official figures are still subject to audit, but preliminary numbers already allow us to observe this decrease in the volume of money wagered on one of the most important sporting events of the year in the United States.
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