How much did Arkansans bet on the Super Bowl?
Arkansans legally placed wagers on the Super Bowl this year for the first time online and by mobile device.
How much money was bet?
This was the first year mobile betting was in place for the Super Bowl. Since 2018 betting on sports has only been legal at casinos in Arkansas.
After reviewing the final figures in the days after the game, more than $2.9 million was wagered on the Super Bowl through the state’s three casinos Oaklawn, Saracen, Southland, said Scott Hardin, Arkansas State Department of Finance Administration spokesman.
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the 57th Super Bowl, 38-35. The Eagles were favored minus 1.5 points.
This was a combination of mobile wagers and those placed onsite in Arkansas for the first time this year, Hardin said..
While sports betting has been legal since late 2018 in Arkansas it was approved in November 2018 within what is now Amendment 100 to the State Constitution, it was limited to placing a wager on-site casino property, said Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
"However, that changed in 2022 when the Arkansas Racing Commission voted to change that limitation and allow our licensed casinos to accept online and mobile wagers," Hardin reports.
Anyone 21 years of age or older and physically within the borders of Arkansas can legally place a sports wager through the apps offered by our casinos. Each casino in the state launched a sports betting app in 2022.
$2.9 million is the largest amount wagered on the game in Arkansas since sports betting was legalized in 2018.
Total wagers for the game remained under $1 million for each of the past few years, Hardin said.
There was a total of $705,000 was wagered in 2020 and $922,000 in 2021.
A total of $186 million was wagered on sports through the state’s casinos in 2022. Of that, $122 million of that total was wagered through mobile apps.
March Madness nearing
“That changed this year with the mobile option available for the first time. We also anticipate a record month in March as Arkansans have the mobile option in place for the first time during March Madness,” Hardin said.
Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff had 35,000 wagers on the big game with more than 90% placed through the casino’s mobile app.
The office will receive associated tax revenue figures at a later date.
Arkansas taxes 13% casino revenue on the first $150 million and 20% after that amount.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: How much money did Arkansans bet on the Super Bowl?
