Super Bowl will be big business for Pa.'s nascent sports betting industry

In the old days of sports gambling, buying a couple of squares in the office Super Bowl pool was about the extent of what most people would spend betting on football's biggest game.

The bet was fairly simple: Will one team win or will it be the other?

On Sunday, football fans with some disposable cash will have a plethora of options at the relatively new sports betting area of Hollywood Casino York. They can bet on everything from who wins the coin toss to statistics-specific bets concerning receiving yards, receptions and more.

Ruben Warren, the casino's president and general manager, said having the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl has definitely had an effect on wagering ahead of the game.

"Without getting into specifics, this year’s Super Bowl wagers are far exceeding wagers for last year’s Super Bowl due to the hometown Philadelphia Eagles playing," he said. "Most wagers are being placed on the Philadelphia Eagles."

Having so many categories to choose from gives the casual football bettor to have a lot more fun with their wagers, Warren said.

"We anticipate long lines on Super Bowl Sunday," Warren said. "We have 10 sports betting kiosks and five betting windows for customers to place wagers. Customers can place wagers for the game, including Super Bowl favorite prop bets, anytime prior to Super Bowl Sunday."

There will be a special Super Squares promotion this weekend at the Hollywood Casino.

"For a minimum wager of $100 on the game, patrons receive a square on the board and a drawing ticket. The prize pool totals $5,000," Warren said. "Plus, there will be other giveaways — like Philadelphia Eagles swag — during the game."

According to Legal Sport Report, an online trade magazine that covers legal sports betting, more than $91 million is expected to be wagered in Pennsylvania on the Super Bowl. Last year, when the match-up was between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals, only $68 million was wagered on the game in Pennsylvania. 

According to the American Gaming Association, a record 50.4 million adults nationwide plan to bet on the Super Bowl, reflecting anticipated total wagering of an estimated $16 billion. That estimate includes legal and illegal bookies, as well as casual bets between friends and relatives. 

The total amount expected to be wagered this year is more than double the amount from last year, due in part to the rapid growth of the United States' legal sports betting market. 

Sports betting is now legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, which has led to the explosion. Add to that the growth of online betting, and sports wagering is bigger than ever, especially at the Hollywood Casino York. 

According the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Hollywood Casino York handled more than $82 million sports wagers in first six months of the 2022-2023 fiscal year, including online and in-person betting. 

Over the same period during the previous year, Hollywood Casino York reported roughly $70 million in sports bets, although that figure reflected just five months worth of gambling. The casino didn’t start handling online wagers until February of last year. 

"Online wagering has been a great complement to our operation by bringing more awareness to sports betting," Warren said.

At Hollywood Casino York, a special VIP event is scheduled with dinner and drinks at its Barstool Sportsbook.

"There will be lots of merchandise to giveaway to customers that come out to view the game at Hollywood Casino York as a thank you for choosing to watch the game ... in the Barstool Sportsbook," Warren said.

The projected $91 million in bets on the Super Bowl in Pennsylvania is third highest among the states taking legal bets. According to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming Research, an independent analytics firm in California, only Nevada ($155 million) and New York ($111 million) will have higher amounts wagered on the game.

Warren said having a rooting interest in the game should draw a big crowd Sunday.

"We anticipate a full house," he said.

If you suffer from compulsive or problem gambling, you can call Pennsylvania's 24-hour gambling addiction hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER. Information about voluntary self-exclusion from gaming activities can be found online at https://responsibleplay.pa.gov/self-exclusion/.