Gitnux/Report 2026

Sports Gambling Statistics

Mobile dominates US sports betting: 72% use mobile apps exclusively. Explore what this means for trends, regulation, and risk.
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July 12, 2026Updated
Sports Gambling Statistics
Julian RichterWritten by Julian Richter·Edited by Emilia Santos·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Published ·Updated
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Sports betting has expanded across the US and the UK, changing who participates and how they bet—from mobile wagering to in-play decisions. The data also highlights risk patterns, including that 6.4% of US sports bettors show signs of problem gambling. Across the page, we connect participation and market growth to regulation and policy so you can understand the conditions shaping this industry.

Key Takeaways

  • 6.4% of US sports bettors show signs of problem gambling.
  • Sports bettors are 3x more likely to develop gambling disorder than casino gamblers.
  • 42 states now require responsible gambling resources on betting apps.
  • 72% of US sports bettors use mobile apps exclusively.
  • NFL is the most bet-on sport in the US, with 65% of bettors wagering on it.
  • Parlays account for 22% of all US sports bets placed.
  • 27 states have legalized sports betting as of 2024.
  • PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court on May 14, 2018.
  • 38 US states plus DC allow legal sports betting in 2024.
  • In 2023, the global sports betting market was valued at $104.48 billion USD, projected to reach $187.56 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.68%.
  • US sports betting revenue hit a record $10.9 billion in 2023, up 44.5% from 2022.
  • New Jersey generated $1.62 billion in sports betting revenue in 2023, leading all states.
  • 38% of US adults have bet on sports since legalization in 2018.
  • Men aged 18-34 make up 45% of US sports bettors.
  • 23% of Americans aged 18-29 participated in sports betting in the past year.

With mobile dominating US betting, sports wagering is surging fast while problem gambling risks rise too.

Related reading

01 · Category

Addiction & Responsible Gambling20 stats

01
6.4% of US sports bettors show signs of problem gambling.
02
Sports bettors are 3x more likely to develop gambling disorder than casino gamblers.
03
42 states now require responsible gambling resources on betting apps.
04
UK problem gamblers increased to 430,000 in 2023, many sports-focused.
05
Average sports bettor loses $1,100 annually in the US.
06
25% of young male sports bettors exhibit risky behavior.
07
Helpline calls for gambling addiction rose 30% post-PASPA overturn.
08
76% of problem sports gamblers are under 35.
09
Self-exclusion registrations hit 1 million in UK since 2018.
10
Sports betting linked to 15% of sports suicides in Australia.
11
36% of bettors chase losses, leading to addiction.
12
Responsible gambling ads aired 1.2 million times during NFL games in 2023.
13
2.5 million Americans at risk of sports betting addiction.
14
Deposit limits reduced problem gambling by 20% in trials.
15
48% of addicted bettors use credit cards for wagers.
16
Youth sports betting participation linked to 4x addiction risk.
17
Gamblers Anonymous meetings for sports bettors up 50% since 2018.
18
11 countries mandate betting loss limits for consumers.
19
Sports betting bankruptcies rose 25% in legalized states.
20
65% of problem gamblers bet on sports weekly.
Interpretation

Addiction & Responsible Gambling Interpretation

With 6.4% of US sports bettors showing signs of problem gambling and sports bettors being 3 times more likely to develop a gambling disorder than casino gamblers, the data strongly signals that sports betting needs stronger Addiction and Responsible Gambling protections, especially as the UK rose to 430,000 problem gamblers in 2023 and 42 states now add responsible gambling resources to betting apps.

02 · Category

Betting Types & Preferences21 stats

01
72% of US sports bettors use mobile apps exclusively.
02
NFL is the most bet-on sport in the US, with 65% of bettors wagering on it.
03
Parlays account for 22% of all US sports bets placed.
04
58% of bettors prefer in-play/live betting over pre-game.
05
NBA betting volume peaks during playoffs, representing 30% of annual basketball bets.
06
45% of UK sports bets are on football (soccer).
07
Same-game parlays grew 150% YoY in 2023.
08
67% of bettors use prop bets on player performances.
09
Tennis betting accounts for 12% of global sports wagers.
10
80% of Super Bowl bets are on non-moneyline outcomes like totals/props.
11
Horse racing bets make up 8% of UK gambling turnover.
12
35% of US bettors focus on college sports.
13
Crypto betting transactions rose 300% in 2023 for sports.
14
MLB bets peak mid-season, with over/unders at 40% popularity.
15
55% of Australian sports bets are on AFL/NRL.
16
Esports betting props are 25% of total esports volume.
17
Golf betting, especially majors, sees 15% female participation.
18
70% of bets on UFC fights are on method of victory props.
19
Soccer World Cup betting handle was $100 billion globally in 2022.
20
62% of bettors prefer spreads over moneylines.
21
NHL betting totals are wagered on 50% more than puck lines.
Interpretation

Betting Types & Preferences Interpretation

For Betting Types & Preferences in sports gambling, bettors strongly favor mobile and live formats, with 72% using mobile apps exclusively and 58% preferring in-play over pre-game, while specific sports like NFL and football dominate wagers at 65% and 45% respectively.

More related reading

04 · Category

Market Size & Revenue25 stats

01
In 2023, the global sports betting market was valued at $104.48 billion USD, projected to reach $187.56 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 8.68%.
02
US sports betting revenue hit a record $10.9 billion in 2023, up 44.5% from 2022.
03
New Jersey generated $1.62 billion in sports betting revenue in 2023, leading all states.
04
The UK online sports betting gross gaming yield reached £4.7 billion in 2022/23.
05
Super Bowl LVII betting handle in Nevada was $72.2 million, with $6.5 million in revenue.
06
Global mobile sports betting app downloads exceeded 150 million in 2023.
07
Pennsylvania sportsbooks reported $5.97 billion in total wagers in 2023.
08
Sports betting contributed $2.3 billion in state tax revenue across the US in 2023.
09
The European sports betting market size was €90 billion in gross gambling revenue in 2022.
10
DraftKings reported $3.66 billion in revenue for 2023, primarily from sports betting.
11
FanDuel's sports betting handle reached $15.4 billion in Q4 2023 alone.
12
Australia's sports betting turnover was AUD 7.7 billion in 2022/23.
13
Brazil's sports betting market is expected to generate BRL 20 billion in revenue by 2025 post-legalization.
14
In 2023, NFL betting accounted for 45% of all US sports betting volume.
15
Michigan sports betting revenue soared to $2 billion in 2023.
16
Global esports betting market valued at $1.84 billion in 2023.
17
New York sports betting generated $2.02 billion in revenue in 2023.
18
UK land-based sports betting GGY was £1.2 billion in 2022/23.
19
Indiana's sports betting handle was $4.97 billion in 2023.
20
Sports betting market in Asia-Pacific expected to grow at 10.5% CAGR to 2030.
21
Colorado sportsbooks took in $500 million revenue in 2023.
22
Global sports betting software market size was $12.5 billion in 2023.
23
Illinois generated $1 billion in sports betting tax revenue since legalization.
24
Ontario's iGaming market, including sports betting, hit CAD 2 billion monthly GGR in late 2023.
25
Sports betting represented 52% of all US commercial gaming revenue in Q3 2023.
Interpretation

Market Size & Revenue Interpretation

With the global sports betting market growing from $104.48 billion in 2023 to a projected $187.56 billion by 2030 at an 8.68% CAGR, and the US hitting a record $10.9 billion in 2023, the Market Size & Revenue story is clear that demand is accelerating and revenue is expanding across both mature and fast growing markets.

05 · Category

User Demographics & Participation21 stats

01
38% of US adults have bet on sports since legalization in 2018.
02
Men aged 18-34 make up 45% of US sports bettors.
03
23% of Americans aged 18-29 participated in sports betting in the past year.
04
In the UK, 52% of men and 43% of women gambled online in 2023, with sports betting popular.
05
14% of US adults over 21 bet on sports weekly.
06
Millennials represent 42% of the US sports betting population.
07
African Americans comprise 12% of US sports bettors, betting at higher rates than average.
08
60 million Americans, or 18% of adults, bet on sports in 2023.
09
College-educated individuals are 1.5x more likely to bet on sports than non-college grads.
10
In Australia, 47% of adults gambled in the past year, with sports betting at 35% participation.
11
28% of UK males aged 16-24 bet on sports weekly.
12
Women now represent 39% of US sports bettors, up from 25% in 2018.
13
Gen Z (18-24) accounts for 22% of new sports betting accounts in 2023.
14
Hispanic Americans bet on sports at a 20% higher rate than non-Hispanics.
15
55% of US sports bettors have household incomes over $75,000.
16
In Canada, 64% of sports bettors are under 45 years old.
17
15% of US high school seniors report betting on sports.
18
Urban residents are 2x more likely to bet on sports than rural ones in the US.
19
41% of Brazilian adults plan to bet on sports post-2024 legalization.
20
Over 50% of NFL fans aged 18-34 have placed a sports bet.
21
In Europe, 26% of adults participated in sports betting in 2022.
Interpretation

User Demographics & Participation Interpretation

User demographics show that sports betting participation is heavily concentrated among younger groups, with 45% of bettors being men aged 18 to 34 and Millennials making up 42% of the US sports betting population.
report visual · Comparison

Post-PASPA helpline surge highlights rising gambling harm

Helpline calls for gambling addiction increased after PASPA was overturned, signaling a sharp uptick in need for support.

Helpline calls for gambling addiction rose 30% post-PASPA overturn.30%
PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court on May 14, 2018.
14
6.4% of US sports bettors show signs of problem gambling.
6.4%
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Sports Gambling Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sports-gambling-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Sports Gambling Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sports-gambling-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Sports Gambling Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sports-gambling-statistics.

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