When you think of sports betting, sportsbooks likely come to mind first. While they see plenty of action, especially on Super Bowl Sunday, casinos also capitalize on major sporting events like the big game.
Golden Nugget Biloxi VP and General Manager Chett Harrison told WLOX TV that there is a lot of pressure for casinos to perform on Super Bowl Sunday, or should we say profit? From the game's outcome to all of the prop bets on the board, there are plenty of ways for people to invest.
“It’s by far one of the biggest games of the year,” Harrison told WLOX. “For us, there’s no going back because there’s no next weekend. It’s feast or famine. You either turn out OK or ‘Hey, wait til next year.’”
And the casinos in places like Biloxi, Mississippi, felt it a little more. Their proximity to New Orleans, where the game was played for a record 11th time, provided an even better chance for casinos to cash in on the big game.
Why So Much Pressure on Casino Operators?
The AGA estimated that people will place $1.4 billion in legal bets for Super Bowl LIX. This year marks the first time the trade association reported estimates based solely on legal betting channels.
In the past, the AGA used surveys that included all types of betting, both illegal and informal among friends. Last year, the research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimated that $1.25 billion in legal bets were placed on the Super Bowl.
Casinos Also Benefit From Huge Viewership
Leading up to the big game, almost 61,000 people per month search “Where to watch the Super Bowl.” Super Bowl Sunday is the year's biggest sports event, attracting huge audiences, not just to the television, but also the casinos.
Although TV networks have faced challenges in keeping viewers, as more people watch content online, the Super Bowl's audience has only gotten bigger. In 2024, a record 123 million viewers watched the game, setting a new record as the most-watched broadcast ever.
And oftentimes, if people don’t have a private party to go to watch the game, they’ll head to the casino. Many places have viewing parties so bettors can have the best of both worlds.
Having a Team in the Game Is an Added Bonus
And if your team is in the game, that adds a little extra incentive.
FanDuel's Midwest Regional Manager Jeff Hoose told KAKE TV that the Kansas Star Casino always gets big crowds for the Super Bowl, but with the Chiefs in the game, it creates even more excitement.
"We don't know any other way, because the entire time sports betting has been legal in Kansas, the Chiefs have been in the Super Bowl every year," Hoose said. "So we've come to expect it. It's been fantastic."
"People who don't bet on anything, bet on the Super Bowl," Hoose said. "People who don't even watch sports bet on the Super Bowl. So we'll be meeting a lot of people for the first time today, we'll be seeing a lot of people making their first-ever sports bet."
Casino operators also take into account that people also need something to do while waiting for the game to start. So, they typically see an uptick in the number of people playing table games, poker, or roulette.
So, all in all, it's not just the sportsbooks who get busy and benefit from Super Bowl Sunday; the casinos get their fair share, too.
