Are US online sportsbooks doing everything they can to provide an optimal experience for bettors? What really matters to them? What is the gambler’s take on awareness and moral acceptance in regards to betting real money on sports? There have been various polls trying to provide an understanding of these subjects, and Nostrabet has analysed them.

It is not a surprise that any brand or platform involved with sports betting should target sports fans. Statistics show that 55% of sports fans claim that they’re interested in sports betting, as well. Now, whether someone interested in betting can do so is an entirely different thing. This ability depends on two things – the person’s income and the fact the sports gambling may or may not be legal where they live. Sports gambling is already legal in 22 states, and pro-gambling legislation is currently pending in seven states.

Online Sports Betting As a Growing Opportunity

According to Nielsen Fan Insights, nearly one-third of the US population already has an interest in sports betting (amounting to 32%). Slight interest is recorded in 46% of the adult population, which translates to 106 million people. In their report, the Nielsen Company focused on the major sports leagues, delivering an overview of the likelihood to gamble on these events (should betting become legalized in states where the legislation is pending). High percentages of interest are attributed to MLS fans, PGA Tour fans and NHL fans, claiming 52%, 52% and 48%, respectively, of the sample total.

These tendencies might bolster the local TV advertising market and become an opportunity for sponsorships. A new multi-year partnership has already been announced between NHL and Betway, making Betway the official sports betting partner of the NHL in the United States.

The Average US Sports Gambler Behavior

A new sports betting survey conducted by YouGov in the US explored how often people would bet, which sites/tools they used and what they considered important when choosing a sportsbook. The survey-based its results on the answers of 822 respondents.

One of the exciting findings of the survey shows how close US bettors are in terms of the frequency of their betting. If we see that 17% of the participants bet on sports every day, 19% at least once per week and 22% once a month at the least, we can see the small gap between these percentages. It also turns out that 37% of the group only bets on significant events such as the Super Bowl, the World Series or the Kentucky Derby.

The fact that 32% of bettors bet legally should be an encouraging piece of information for sports betting proponents. This means they use available sports betting apps or sites within their state. Those who admitted to having used offshore sites account for 20% of the respondents.

Critical factors in deciding which app or betting site to use, according to 47% of bettors participating in the survey, are brand reputation and trustworthiness. The quality of the betting product and the experience is the second most important factor, 45% of bettors claim.

As for the promotions offered by sportsbooks, 30% of the participants thought that sportsbook brands should rethink their strategies. The promos tend to be the same across most sportsbooks, so they should be unique and more contributing to the brands’ differentiation.

Increase in Women among Sports Bettors

Men still represent a larger group in the sports betting world. However, the latest YouGov study reveals a notable increase in comparison to earlier figures. While the 2020 study confirmed 28% of bettors were women, new data indicates that 33% of sports bettors are female.

Since women are more prone to use betting analytics tools than men, perhaps that would be a way for online sportsbooks to appeal to more female sports bettors – by giving them custom content and helpful analytics features.

Mapping the Attitude

BetingScanner (Leadstar Media) did a survey in collaboration with Pollfish in 2020 (500 respondents from around the US), which showed that 59% of Americans are not even aware that the federal ban on sports betting was lifted in 2018.

More fascinating insights were achieved by means of this survey. For example, the results indicate that 6 in 10 Americans view owning a gun as morally acceptable. In contrast, only 4 in 10 see gambling online as a morally acceptable activity. Even drinking alcohol less frowned upon than gambling on the web. However, no more than 16% of Americans are against the legalization of online sports betting.

Harry Davies’ Commentary:

The state by state legalization process in the US is exciting but also sometimes difficult to understand. A trend of placing sin taxes on sportsbooks, which would then be spent on public services, is a nice practice. It could lead to more citizens changing their minds and seeing the benefits of legalizing online sports betting.

In the same vein, offshore betting habits could subside if more attention is given to awareness. The fact that as many as 60% of bettors answered that they are likely to bet on sports provided they knew where the tax revenue would go speaks volumes. Leading sportsbooks brands, on their part, should do better in understanding their audience well enough to market to them effectively.