In the US, football is the sport with the highest betting activity, with the NFL at the forefront. The 2024 season begins on Thursday, September 5, and in potentially positive news for sportsbooks, data indicates that bettors are expected to increase the number of their football bets this year.
Optimove’s “Insights 2024-25 Consumer Reports on NFL Wagering Intentions” research reveals that 71% of surveyed bettors anticipate wagering on additional NFL games weekly this year, an increase from 63% the previous year. The proportion of bettors who make “multiple” NFL bets each week is predicted to rise to 43% in 2024, up from 37% in 2023, based on the research company. Regarding wager size, most NFL bettors are categorized into three main groups, with only minor percentages making very small or exceedingly large bets.
“Almost three in ten NFL bettors (32%) wager from $11 to $50 on a single bet. At either extreme of a bell-shaped curve of wagers is $1 to $5 at 5% of NFL gamblers, and 5% who wager more than $500 on a single bet,” notes Optimove.
Unsurprisingly, over 80% (81%) of football betters surveyed by Optimove utilize mobile apps or computer websites for placing their bets.
Within the US sports betting sector, it's evident that Flutter Entertainment's FanDuel and DraftKings dominate the market, yet the Optimove survey uncovered promising opportunities for the operators lagging behind the “big two.” The research shows that 68% of gamblers utilize a minimum of three apps weekly.
“While Draft Kings (24%) and Fanduel (22%) were the top two branded name sites identified and preferred by NFL bettors, it must be noted that in 2023, our survey revealed that 23% of sports bettors said that they have no preference. It underscores that brand loyalty is fleeting in NFL sportsbooks,” adds the research firm.
When deciding which mobile apps to utilize, bettors prioritize promotions, free bets, and user-friendliness over branding, according to Optimove. Gamblers are quite a superstitious group, which isn’t a surprising revelation. Forty-two percent of those surveyed by Optimove indicated that the main reason they ceased using a specific mobile betting app was because they believed their luck had expired.
Before the commencement of the 2024 football season, another positive indicator for gaming companies is that 85% of bettors intend to experiment with in-game or live betting this football season. Because of regular interruptions in the game, American football is ideal for live betting; however, operators must possess the technology to meet bettors’ needs or they may lose those clients.
Football Gamblers Aiming to Practice Moderation
As certain studies suggest that credit scores are falling in states that permit mobile sports betting, while others reveal bettors liquidating investments to support their betting activities, the Optimove survey indicates that some bettors are trying to practice moderation as the 2024 football season approaches.
Ninety percent of participants indicated that they allocate budgets for football betting, although there is variability regarding whether these budgets are established prior to the season, on a monthly basis, or weekly. Conversely, almost two-thirds of those surveyed indicated that it’s likely they will wager more on an NFL game this season than they can bear to lose.
The positive aspect is that numerous bettors know about resources available to assist with gambling issues, but some specialists think states could improve their promotion of these services.
“According to the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) Executive Director Keith Whyte, states have not been aggressive in setting protections for citizens. For sportsbooks, it may place an onus on them to help identify and help bettors gamble responsibly. And it appears that sportsbook operators have stepped up. Of respondents, ninety-four percent (94%) felt their sports betting site has good responsible gambling practices in place,” concludes Optimove.
