Why Non-Sports Fans Are Betting Big on the Super Bowl
There’s something in the air when Super Bowl season rolls around. And no, we’re not talking about the game itself. This year, the fervor could be fueled by the anticipation for Kendrick Lamar’s performance of his devilish diss track, “Not Like Us”. Or is it all those try-hard commercials that promise to become next-day memes? Whatever the reason, over 100 million will surely be watching.
Now, in a twist that would make die-hard football lovers do a double take, an unexpected group is hopping on the Super Bowl bandwagon: self-described non-sports fans. Yes, the same folks who would rather doom scroll TikTok than sit through four quarters of football are gearing up to place bets on the big game.
A new study of American adults aged 21 and older reveals that many non-sports fans plan to wager real money on the Super Bowl. These trailblazers live in states where sports betting is legal, yet they openly admit they are not interested in sports at all. Here’s what we learned:
- Roughly one-third of non-sports fans in states such as Arizona, Colorado, and Illinois plan to place a bet on the Super Bowl
- About 24% intend to wager 10 bucks or less, while 20% are ready to stake over $100 on the game
- When asked what they’ll bet on, 39% said the game’s outcome, 34% said they’ll stick to prop bets, and 27% admitted they will probably throw down for both
- Uninterested in the game, 47% of our non-sports fans say Taylor Swift has driven their interest to bet on the game, while fellow QB-partner Hailee Steinfeld drew just 7% of bettors
- 42% say the biggest reason for betting is to make the Super Bowl more exciting to watch
Where Non-Sports Fans Are Betting
At the state level, it’s clear that non-sports fans’ inclination to place Super Bowl bets isn’t uniform across the nation. In places like New Jersey, 37% of participants say they plan to wager on the Super Bowl in some form, while those in Nevada and Indiana both land at 32 percent. Each of these states boasts robust betting infrastructures and cultures that have long embraced sports betting, which could explain why even people with limited interest in football are curious to try their luck.
On the other end, states like Rhode Island and Mississippi post figures near or below 15 percent, suggesting that non-sports fans in these areas may be less swayed by the hype or that they just don’t have the disposable income to lay down a bet.
Why Non-Sports Fans Are Betting
There are multiple reasons behind this new wave of non-sport fan bettors. The majority, 42%, say betting makes the game more exciting to watch. And since you’re already likely to be at a Super Bowl party, you might as well turn the heat up a bit. Another 28% say their main reason for betting is the celebrity connection, driven largely by the aforementioned Taylor Swift. For the competitive 20% of our respondents, they say they’re betting to compete with family, friends, or coworkers; proving the competitive spirit extends even to those not typically interested in the world of sports.
Super Bowl: Taylor’s Version
Taylor Swift’s romance with star tight-end Travis Kelce of the Chiefs has proven to be a major draw for non-sports fans. Nearly half of respondents say her influence nudged them toward betting on Kansas City. This is a striking example of how celebrity culture can intersect with sports in unexpected ways. The idea of putting a few Benjamins (or Washingtons, if that’s more your speed) worth of good fortune on the object of Taylor’s affection is an opportunity many Swifties just can’t pass up.
Prop Bet Adventures
Not all wagers focus on which team will win or lose the big game. A sizable group, 34%, prefers to stick with prop bets, which could include variables such as the length of the national anthem to the color of Gatorade dumped on the winning coach. For non-sports fans, these lighthearted and often bizarre bets are more accessible than reading defensive schemes or predicting passing yards. Prop bets turn the Super Bowl into a party game, where guessing how many outfit changes the halftime performer will endure can (for some) be just as exciting as a two-minute drill at the end of regulation.
The Future of Casual Bettors
It remains to be seen whether the trend of non-sports fans getting in on the action will gain traction in other sports. But with legalized sports betting growing in popularity and becoming accessible in more states each year, it’s likely this crossover phenomenon isn’t going away anytime soon.
As the lines are continually blurred between the worlds of pop cults and sports, largely thanks to social media and podcasting, it’s only a matter of time before the next Taylor and Travis draw an entirely new swath of self-proclaimed non-sports fans into the fold.
Methodology
Between January 13 and 19, 2025 we surveyed 2,000 American adults over 21 years of age residing in states with legalized sports betting. Everyone in our participant pool answered ‘No’ to the pre-screening question, “Do you consider yourself a sports fan?” and ‘Yes’ to the screening question, “Do you expect to bet on the Super Bowl, either online, at a sportsbook, or elsewhere?”
Our participants were 59% female, 40% male, and 1% represented other gender identities. The pool consisted of individuals ranging in age from 21 to 59 years.
