While the popularity of sports betting continues to grow and more US states seek to legalize the activity, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released an interesting report outlining how many adults in America plan to place a bet on the upcoming 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
20.5M Americans Likely to Wager on the World Cup
The World Cup is set to start later this month on November 20 and run through December 18, 2022. As the most-anticipated soccer event of the year, millions of people are likely to bet on the famous tournament. In light of the upcoming launch of the event, the AGA posted the results of its inaugural survey on betting on the World Cup. The latest report released by the Association reveals that an estimated 20.5 million American adults, or 8% of the population, plan to place a wager on the tournament. The AGA estimates that a total of $1.8 billion is likely to be wagered on the 2022 World Cup.
“As the first World Cup with widespread availability of legal sports betting, this will certainly be the most bet-upon soccer event ever in the US.“
Casey Clark, senior vice president at the American Gaming Association
Casey Clark, the Association’s senior vice president, acknowledged that amid the growing availability of legal sports betting in the US, the Word Cup will likely be the soccer event that will attract the most bets. He explained that currently, more than half of the American adult population has the option to place a legal sports wager. This, according to Clark will “deepen American fan engagement in the most-watched sporting event in the world.”
“As the World Cup kicks off, anyone getting in on the action should have a game plan to bet responsibly. That means setting a budget, keeping it fun, learning the odds and playing with legal, regulated operators,“
added Clark
Still, Clark urged bettors to approach the activity responsibly and create a plan. That plan can include learning more about the odds, setting a budget for the activity and using only legal and licensed operators, he explained.
The Majority of Bettors Plan to Use Licensed Operators
The results of the recent probe resonate well with Clark’s words, considering that 78% of the World Cup bettors consider using licensed operators. Some 9.8 million bettors plan to place a wager online, while 6 million will likely “place a casual bet with a friend,” the AGA explains.
On the other hand, 4.7 million are planning to visit a land-based sportsbook location to place a bet, while 4.1 million are after betting with a bookie. Additionally, the study found 3.5 million plan to wager at a fantasy contest or a paid pool.