WASHINGTON — Americans will wager $4.76 billion on the 2018 Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, according to the D.C.-based American Gaming Association. And 97 percent of all wagers will be bet illegally, according to the group.
Only three percent, or about $139 million, of Super Bowl bets are expected to be legally wagered through licensed sports books in Nevada, the only state exempted from the federal ban on full-scale sports betting.
The rest will flow through offshore sports booking sites, local bookmakers and office pools, which, though popular in offices across the country, are technically illegal.
What is and isn’t illegal could change soon, however.
In December, the Supreme Court heard arguments in “Christie v. NCAA,” a challenge from former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to legalize sports betting in New Jersey.
And earlier this month, the National Basketball Association gave its support to the elimination of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.
“The big question we’re asking is 2018 finally the year when governments, sporting bodies and the gaming industry work together to put the illegal sports betting market out of business,” said American Gaming Association president and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.
If the association is right, Super Bowl betting this year will be up slightly from last year.
It estimated last year’s New England Patriots versus Atlanta Falcons matchup generated $4.7 billion in wagering, according to Bloomberg News.
