Seton Hall survey shows growing interest in sports betting

More people support sports betting than last year, according to a new survey by Seton Hall.

The new poll found that in the general population, 54 percent said sports betting should be legal, while 22 percent opposed it. Among self-proclaimed sports fans, that number rose to 62 percent (20 percent opposed) and 74 percent among avid fans (only 15 percent opposed).

Currently, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legal sports betting.

As measured by a Seton Hall sports poll from a year ago, these numbers are up (47, 59 and 72 percent respectively in favor of legal sports betting in February 2022). The biggest increase came from non-sports fans, with 41 percent in favor this year (24 percent against). Last year it was 33 percent for and 28 percent against.

These were among the results of a Seton Hall sports survey of 1,534 adults across the country. The survey included a nationally representative sample from YouGov, weighted using numbers from the US Census Bureau for gender, age, race, education, income and geography, and has an error margin of +/- 2.5 percent.

When asked if they’ve ever placed a bet on a sporting event (survey one week before the 2023 Super Bowl), 34 percent of the general population, 48 percent of sports fans and 60 percent of enthusiastic fans said they had, in contrast to 28, 41 and 56 percent from a year ago.

The Opinion poll also found that those who bet are more likely to watch. Seventy-seven percent of those in the general public who said they had wagered on sports said that placing a bet made them more likely to see the game broadcast. That number rose to 80 percent of sports fans and 79 percent of dedicated fans.

“The leagues and networks have an obvious interest in sports betting, which these numbers further confirm,” said Professor Charles Grantham, director of the Center for Sports Management at the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall, which is sponsoring the survey.

“But this interest does not come without caveats and costs. As audiences and revenues continue to grow, and the stakes rise, so must scrutiny – and that comes at a cost. The integrity of the Games is of the utmost importance and must be protected at all times. The leagues will continue to charge an ‘integrity fee’ on this and I think they have a valid argument.”

In 2022, the continued growth of the regulated sports betting market led to new records in revenue ($93.2 billion) and sports betting ($7.5 billion), according to the American Gaming Association.