ShareAccording to a recent poll conducted by the American Gaming Association (AGA), more than 17% of American adults want to gamble on March Madness games in 2022. The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament is typically a great draw with bookmakers, and this year, there is more potential to wager in the United States than ever before.
Most gamblers will wager most bets during March Madness via mobile applications and websites rather than traditional brackets. The AGA predicts that 76 percent of bets will be placed online or in-person at sportsbooks, up from 55 percent last year. As per David Foreman, senior director of research at the AGA, the amount gamblers believe they'll stake via brackets is down almost 70% this year compared to 2021.
On February 26 and 27, Morning Consult conducted the AGA's March Madness poll. A total of 2,210 adults participated. Gamblers will stake $3.1 billion in the NCAA tournament this year, according to the findings.
Forty-five million individuals in the United States want to bet on March Madness. The AGA anticipates over 20 million people will wager on outside bracket competitions at a retail sportsbook, online, via a bookie, or with friends.
🚨🏀 NEW: 45M American adults plan to wager an estimated $3.1B on this year’s #MarchMadness tournament, according to AGA research.
— American Gaming Association (@AmericanGaming) March 13, 2022
RELEASE: https://t.co/7THAMhS9yv pic.twitter.com/BtjRJIpfa7
"There's little question that this year will create the greatest legal handle in March Madness history," noted AGA President and CEO Bill Miller, adding that Americans want to gamble in a legal and regulated market.
The NCAA bracket, a long-standing wagering fixture for the basketball tournament, has dwindled in popularity. In 2019, bettors reported filling out four brackets per individual; that number has decreased to two this year.
Simultaneously, internet gambling is gaining popularity: 5.8 million individuals indicated they would gamble on the event through a mobile app or website in 2019, while 9.3 million people said they would wager online during March Madness.
Because of the further legalisation of sports gambling, American sports fans will have more options to place bets on events this year. Since last year's event, 29 million additional individuals have gained legal access to gambling.
In the United States, 30 states plus Washington, D.C., have authorised and regulated sports betting. Three more marketplaces are set to open shortly. An additional 11 states have existing legislation on the table or pre-filed laws awaiting consideration.
Mobile wagering will be a significant element in driving record handling at the Westgate. Mobile currently accounts for almost 70% of company revenue, which is good since mobile applications can service more consumers than sellers. The AGA did the same study last year via Morning Consult, with an estimate of 47 million Americans betting on March Madness.
Last year's poll indicated that physical sportsbook betting would likely rise. Sports enthusiasts anticipated showing up in more significant numbers because the NCAA cancelled the 2020 event due to COVID-19.
The commission and its partners promote the Have A Game Plan program as the popularity of sports betting increases this month due to March Madness. Have a Game Plan is a website dedicated to providing sports enthusiasts with information regarding responsible betting.
Furthermore, the commission urged bettors to set a budget and stick to it while keeping all wagers social and entertaining as a form of fun. Make sure you know the odds and place bets only with reputable bookmakers.
