New research from Optimove suggests that people who bet on the NFL are planning to do so more in 2024 than they did in 2023, despite two-thirds admitting they bet more than they are comfortable with.
Optimove’s 2024–2025 Consumer Report on NFL Wagering Intentions published this week noted that 84% of respondents said they will definitely bet on games in the upcoming NFL season, up from 70% this time last year. Of bettors on NFL games in the previous season, 71% bet on one or more games per week, compared with 63% in the 2022 season. More than four in 10 (43%) bet several times per week, up from 37% last year.
Two-thirds (66%) of NFL bettors surveyed admitted that in the 2023 NFL season, they bet more than they could afford or wanted to lose. That was up more than 20% from last year’s mark of 45%.
There is a desire to limit themselves, though. Nine in 10 (90%) of those questioned said they have football betting budgets that they set either weekly, monthly or before the season starts.
NFL bettors use multiple sportsbooks
The research also suggests people who bet on NFL like to use multiple apps to do so.
Nearly seven in 10 respondents (68%) said they use two or more betting sites per week, up from 54% in 2023. That number rises to 81% among respondents who earn at least $75,000 annually. From 2023 to 2024, the percentage of NFL bettors using just one site fell from 46% to 32%.
Below DraftKings and FanDuel, BetMGM was the third most-cited favorite betting site, with 12% of the vote.
“While DraftKings (24%) and FanDuel (22%) were the top two branded name sites identified and preferred by NFL bettors, it must be noted that in 2023, our survey revealed that 23% of sports bettors said that they have no preference. It underscores that brand loyalty is fleeting in NFL sportsbooks,” added the research firm.
Promotions and bonuses still have a big draw, as more than four in 10 respondents (42%) cited promotions like free bets as the main reason for choosing a sportsbook to bet on the NFL.
Live betting booming
In terms of bet size, The most common amount for NFL bettors to wager per bet is between $11 and $50, with nearly one-third (32%) of respondents saying that’s their go-to stake. A similar proportion (29%) average $51 to $100.
As incomes increase, so do stakes. More than half (55%) of respondents who earn at least $75,000 per year lay down at least $50 per bet on average. Another interesting note was that across all incomes, betting less than $5 per bet (5%) is as rare as wagering more than $500 per bet (5%).
Finally, the Optimove research found that live betting is booming.
Ahead of the 2024 football season, 85% of bettors say they intend to place in-play bets on NFL games this year, up from 61% who said the same last year.
The research authors said this “underscores that sports bettors have a deeper understanding of betting platforms in 2024 versus 2023” and noted it means that sports betting sites have multiple chances to engage betting fans after games begin. Many operators have expanded their in-play betting products over the last 12 months.
Optimove also notes that “due to frequent stoppages in play, American football is conducive to live betting, but operators need to have the technology to keep up with bettors’ demands or risk losing those customers.”
