Americans are expected to wager a record $1.71 billion legally on the football championship this year, according to a new forecast from Legal Sports Report in partnership with the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA), underscoring the continued expansion of regulated sports betting markets in the United States.
The Legal Sports Report–Sports Betting Alliance Legal Wager Forecast projects that legal wagers on the big game will rise 10.3% from last year, as more bettors place bets through licensed sportsbooks rather than illegal or offshore operators.
The analysis provides state-by-state projections of wagering activity and focuses exclusively on bets placed in legal, regulated markets. Legal Sports Report conducted the underlying research and analysis used to develop the forecast, with the Sports Betting Alliance as its presenting partnership.
The Sports Betting Alliance is formed by several legal sports betting providers in the U.S., featuring bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel as its members.
Growth is being driven in part by new jurisdictions entering the legal market, including Missouri, which launched legal sports betting in time for Super Bowl LX. The forecast notes that wagers placed through regulated sportsbooks generate tax revenues for states and require operators to meet consumer protection, transparency, and responsible gaming standards.
“This forecast underscores why legal markets matter: when bettors have access to regulated sportsbooks, they choose platforms that protect their data and provide consumer safeguards. When they don’t, they’re forced to seek out illegal offshore operators that offer none of those protections and contribute nothing to communities,” said Joe Maloney, President of the Sports Betting Alliance.
“Legal online sports betting generates billions of dollars in revenue for states and local communities, helping them fund essential public services and programs, in areas like education and health care. Expanding and modernizing legal sports betting isn’t just smart policy – it’s essential to protecting consumers and ensuring communities benefit.”
Eric Ramsey, an analyst at Legal Sports Report, said: “This year’s big game will continue the streak of record handle for the regulated US market.
“Missouri’s recent launch pads an already favorable outlook for a weekend that serves as the single biggest opportunity of the year for legal sportsbooks and bettors alike. The Sports Betting Alliance is a natural partner for this forecasting project, given the key role its members play in the sustained growth of legal betting.”
The report also highlights the contrast between regulated sportsbooks and illegal or offshore betting operations, which do not pay taxes, offer no consumer protections, and operate outside state regulatory frameworks.
In states with competitive legal markets, the forecast shows bettors are far more likely to wager with licensed operators that provide safeguards and accountability.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/01/28/117342-sports-betting-alliancebacked-report-projects-record-171b-super-bowl-handle
