The sportsbook handle in Nevada for Sunday’s Super Bowl was its lowest in a decade, totaling just $134m. The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) released the figures on Monday, showing a 30% drop compared to 2024.
The cumulative win was a little under $10m, which equates to a 7.4% hold. This was the second-biggest win rate for the state’s 186 sportsbooks over the past five Super Bowls. Last year’s 14.6% was the highest for the previous decade. The betting handle for the big game peaked in 2024 at $190m, while sportsbook revenue was just $11m.
people attributed the decline to the underwhelming matchup
Some attributed the decline to the underwhelming matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Red Rock Resorts Sportsbook Director Chuck Esposito told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the previous two Super Bowls featured high-profile teams. This year’s prop bets handle was particularly low because two defensive-minded teams were playing.
Others pointed to the popularity of prediction markets. Kalshi, for example, had over $500m in trading volume across all of its Super Bowl LX markets. Rival platform Polymarket was banned from serving Nevada residents for two weeks after the NGCB obtained a temporary restraining order.
