The NFL is the most popular sport for Americans to bet on, and more wagering is expected this season than ever before at legal sportsbooks in the United States.
The American Gaming Association — a national trade group representing the U.S. casino industry — estimates that $30 billion will be wagered on the NFL at legal U.S. sportsbooks this season, an 8.5% increase over the AGA's revised estimated handle last season of $27.6 billion.
The estimate includes preseason games, the regular season, playoffs, futures wagers from as early as March and runs through Super Bowl 60 for 38 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The estimate does not include any handle from the state of Missouri — which is expected to come online on Dec. 1 — or from exchanges.
"What’s leading to the growth? It’s Americans' increasing appetite to up their level of engagement with the games they love," Joe Maloney, SVP of strategic communications at the AGA told Yahoo Sports. "We point to the legal market in increasing that level of trust where you can put as much as you’re comfortable on the game, getting in on the action and with consumer protections that only legal books can provide."
With the increase in expected handle, it's important that all bettors — and especially new ones — know their limits and have a game plan for wagering. The AGA encourages responsible sports betting and promotes five key principles to help bettors wager responsibly, including setting a budget and sticking to it and keeping your cool.
As ESPN reported this week, the NCAA and Venmo have partnered to assist in combating harassment of college athletes — something that is top of mind for the AGA this season as well.
"We acknowledge the concerns of athletes, officials in current leagues," Maloney said. "We are really leaning in to remind bettors that the result of a bet is not an occasion to criticize."
The 2025-26 regular season begins on Thursday, Sept. 4 with the Philadelphia Eagles as 7-point home favorites against the Dallas Cowboys.
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