Super Bowl 58 is less than a week away in the gambling capital of the United States, Las Vegas. Experts predict the event will generate a record-breaking amount of total bet spending in excess of $1.6 billion.
Record sports betting and DFS app downloads will accompany record-setting bet spending as more people than ever before have access to legal sports betting and daily fantasy options. Betting and DFS apps are downloaded 2x more on Super Bowl Sunday than on any other day during the year.
“We continue to see year-over-year growth,” says Chris Cylke, the senior vice president of government relations at the American Gaming Association. “Going into 2024, there is optimism that the trend will continue up and to the right.”
While online sports betting in North Carolina will not be legal in time for the Super Bowl, the launch date is not far off. On March 1, North Carolinians can begin downloading sports betting apps. On March 11 they can place their first legal online sports bets.
For interested bettors in the Tar Heel state, these are the top online sports betting and DFS apps leading into Super Bowl 58.
Top online sports betting apps to download for the Super Bowl
The number of betting app downloads in the week of the NFL Conference Championships stood at 501,000, which is down 25% YoY compared to last year, based on data provided by JMP Securities.
A breakdown of the data indicates that the top online sportsbook apps to download for the Super Bowl include,
– FanDuel (29% of the download share)
FanDuel is America’s top sports betting platform. It holds nearly 47% of the legal sports betting market in the United States(measured through net gaming revenue).
– DraftKings (25%)
In August 2023, DraftKings became the de facto market leader in the United States by capturing 31% of all gross gaming revenue in the country. In contrast, FanDuel only controls 30% of the market in GGR, but exceeds DraftKings in revenue earnings. The two sportsbooks are neck and neck going into the Super Bowl.
– BetMGM (14%)
America’s third largest sports betting platform is BetMGM. The platform has the third-highest market share, after FanDuel and DraftKings and aims to capture 25% of the market by 2026.
– ESPN Bet (11%)
ESPN Bet’s first month of existence (Nov. 2023) saw them dominate the market in number of app downloads. This came on the back of hefty promo offers at launch and has since dwindled as promos have dried up. Still Penn Entertainment’s replacement for Barstool Sportsbook has the potential to upset the podium of North American sports betting apps.
– Caesars, Fanatics and Bet365 (6% each)
All three of these books have tremendous potential and the cash to grow. Caesars’ trusted name in the retail casino industry, Fanatics’ deep pockets and Bet365’s international record of success give all three staying power among the top sportsbooks in the country.
Again, these apps will not be available to North Carolinians in time for the Super Bowl, but they’re the same apps that will likely dominate the market when North Carolina launches online sports betting in time for March Madness.
Best DFS apps for Super Bowl betting in North Carolina
Despite North Carolina residents missing out on Super Bowl betting this year, they can partake in some of the action through daily fantasy sports apps.
The daily fantasy market shows less parity than the online sports betting market, with prop-style DFS sites overtaking traditional brands like DraftKings and FanDuel.
The top DFS apps to download for the SuperBowl include:
– PrizePicks (48% of app downloads)
The Atlanta-based prop-style DFS app has a stranglehold on the Super Bowl DFS market with the widest range of prop-style wagers in the industry.
– Underdog Fantasy (18%)
Also a prop-style DFS mainstay, Underdog Fantasy provides NC bettors a good option for wagering on the Super Bowl. Underdog will also debut its online sportsbook, Underdog Sports, in North Carolina when the market launches.
– Sleeper (12%)
Sleeper’s a traditional fantasy site that has launched Picks, a prop-style feature for NFL and NBA games. It offers an engaging in-app chat for friends to compare notes and make the best picks ahead of (and during) the Super Bowl.
– Betr Picks (10%)
Betr Picks is another prop-style site that offers a range of over/under style markets with huge multipliers if players guess multiple correct picks.
Super Bowl 58 will shatter betting records
As one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the Super Bowl is on par with March Madness in terms of betting volume.
According to JMP Securities, online wagering at legal sportsbooks during the Super Bowl will reach $1.5bn-$1.6bn in total bet spending, up from last year’s estimated $1.08 billion.
While North Carolina sports bettors will watch the action from the sidelines this Super Bowl, March Madness should be on their minds. When the tournament kicks off, all of the above apps will be available with enticing NC sportsbook promos to boot.
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