Las Vegas Casinos Have Lost On The NFL Super Bowl Twice In Three Decades
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Everyone knows casinos—and sportsbooks by extension—win against gamblers. However, once in a blue moon, gamblers get the upper hand.
The NFL Super Bowl is the pinnacle of the U.S. sports betting calendar, which means it’s the most heavily bet sports game of the year. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has been tracking the gambling industry’s results for the Big Game since 1991.
Since 1991, Super Bowl gamblers as a whole have beaten the Nevada sportsbooks twice. As a win-loss record, the sportsbooks are 30-2 against the betting public for the Super Bowl since the record-keeping began. When it comes to a single sports event, the house doesn’t always win.
Over the past three-plus decades, Nevada sportsbooks have taken more than $3 billion in bets on the Super Bowl, holding about 8% of the handle in the form of winnings (about $250 million).
When did bettors do well? Let’s take a look.
Super Bowl 1995
Sports bettors wagered $69.59 million on Super Bowl XXIX between the San Francisco 49ers (13-3 in the regular season) and the San Diego Chargers (11-5).
Led by future NFL Hall of Famers Steve Young and Jerry Rice, San Francisco won convincingly 49-26. The Niners were massive 18.5-point favorites, and they didn’t disappoint.
The over/under on the total points was 53.5, so the total was easily cleared. The betting public prefers the over as it’s generally more fun to root for a high-scoring game.
Nevada sportsbooks as a whole lost $396,674 for a -0.57% hold. It ultimately wasn’t that big of a deal, as the Silver State sportsbooks still won $79.4 million from gamblers that year.
Super Bowl 2008
NFL football gamblers wagered $92.1 million on Super Bowl XLII between the New England Patriots (16-0) and the New York Giants (10-6).
Led by Eli Manning, New York pulled off the shocking upset 17-14. The Tom Brady-led Patriots were 12-point favorites after a perfect season until the loss.
The Over/Under on the total points was 55.
Nevada sportsbooks lost $2.57 million for a -2.80% hold. Despite the disappointing Super Bowl results, the books won $136.44 million from sports bets that year.
Best Super Bowl For NV Sportsbooks
The sportsbooks almost had Super Bowl losses in 1992, 1998, 2011, and 2018, with less than 1% hold on the Big Game in each of those years. While gamblers sometimes do well, sometimes they are crushed.
Nevada sportsbooks won 17% of the betting handle on the 2005 Super Bowl, their highest hold percentage ever recorded for the contest.
That year, $90.75 million was bet on the Big Game, with industry winnings of $15.43 million.
New England beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21. The Patriots were favored by a touchdown.
The Over/Under was 46.5 points.
The Nevada books have had at least 10% hold for 10 Super Bowls since 1991.
Where to Bet on Super Bowl LVII
There are now more states with legal sports betting. You no longer have to be in Las Vegas to gamble legally on the Super Bowl.
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs faced off on Feb. 12, 2023 in Arizona for all the marbles, with tens of millions of Americans able to place wagers. The Chiefs prevailed 38-35.
Nevada reported a 7.4% hold on the 2023 Super Bowl. About $153.1 million was bet, with the industry winning $11.2 million. The hold was close to the 30-year average on the Big Game.
At the time of Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, sports betting was live and legal in 38 states plus the District of Columbia, and 29 of those jurisdictions allow bets to be placed over the internet:
