Placing bets on sports is a misunderstood thing in society. In some places, it’s even taboo. Each person has their reasons for being against gambling and placing bets on sports.
This article will explain more about betting with data gathered from sports betting statistics.
Being addicted to betting or gambling is real and not such a good part of the industry since it can ruin a person’s life.
Therefore, people with addictive personalities should steer clear of sports betting or gambling in general.
Some sports betting statistics will show how most people who engage in this form of gambling takes a casual approach to it. There are also people who can turn sports betting into a decent form of income.
Let’s dig into sports betting statistics to see what we uncovered.
Key Sports Betting Statistics 2025
- Globally, the gross gambling yield is over $400 billion.
- Sports betting accounted for $3.36 billion (in USD) in Great Britain in 2020.
- Nearly 50% of American adults have placed a sports bet at least once in their lifetime.
- According to sports betting statistics, sports betting accounts for 30% and 40% of the global gambling market.
- Just over one-third of the world’s gambling gross is generated in Asia.
- The US Supreme Court legalized sports in 2018.
- In 2021, the forecasted revenue for sports betting revenue was $2.5 billion.
- Counter Strike: Global Offensive made up 53% of the total eSports bets placed in 2020
- Football was the sport with the most placed bets in America in 2017
- In 2016, the online global gambling market reached more than $40 billion.
Detailed Global Sports Betting Statistics 2025
Sports betting, part of the gambling industry, is a prevalent type of entertainment across the world. The following sports betting stats will show you just how fruitful it is.
1. Just Over a Third of The World’s Gross Payouts Are Generated in Asia.
Neary 33% of the whole gambling industry in gross wins are generated by Asia. This makes perfect sense.
Asia is the biggest sports betting sector in the world. This has a lot to do with the large population of the continent.
Betting in general is a booming industry in Asia. Most of their industries are very successful, so there is ample cash flow for gambling.
2. Sports Betting Data Reveals that The Yearly Global Gross Gambling Yield Is Over $400 Billion.
Gross yield is the totality of a return on investments before deducting expenses and taxes. The annual gross yield in the sports betting realm all over the globe is over $400 billion as of 2021.
The gross yield is calculated by the amount of money consumers spend on bets in gambling venues minus what they pay out in winnings.
So, the old saying, “The house always wins” is true in the global gambling industry.
People who bet on sports games are often loyal to a team, and will spend what they have to spend to support their team while trying to make money from the bets.
3. As Online Sports Betting Rates Continue to Grow, the Global Online Gambling Market Is Estimated to Reach a Market Value of $93 Billion by 2023.
Sports bettings statistics revealed that in 2019, the online gambling market was worth almost $59 billion, so the forecasted $93 billion by 2023 shows how much it’s expected to grow.
Aside from sports betting, gambling’s scope includes poker, casino games, and more.
Nevertheless, sports betting trends will probably become much busier over the coming years. It’s fun, exciting, and for some people even lucrative.
4. In 2016, the Online Global Gambling Market Reached More than $40 Billion.
If you think that all the money that reportedly gets spent betting on sports happened suddenly, you would be mistaken.
The numbers grew gradually over years to get where they are today. Gambling and sports betting gained popularity over the years.
In comparison to the 2016 global gambling market value of $40 billion, in 2009, it was valued at about $20 billion. It doubled its value over seven years.
5. Nearly 50% of American Adults Have Placed a Sports Bet at Least Once in Their Lifetime.
There is a minimum age in America for gambling and placing bets. You need to be at least 18 to 21, depending on the state, to place bets on sports.
It’s illegal to partake in sports betting if you’re under 18 in all states of the United States.
Not all countries have such age restrictions. Some countries allow minors to engage in sports betting. Honestly, there isn’t much data available regarding age demographics in sports betting statistics.
6. In 2021, the Forecasted Revenue for Sports Betting Revenue Was $2.5 Billion.
In America, the forecasted revenue gained from betting on sports in 2021 was $2.5 billion. Once all the statistics come out, we will learn if this number was achieved.
That said, this industry’s outlook for the future seems bright.
According to some sports betting stats, the 2025 forecast for sports betting in the United States is now said to be $8 billion. That’s a significant jump from 2021’s forecast of $2.5 billion isn’t it.
7. In The eSports Realm, League of Legends Had the Highest Average Bets at $39.
When it comes to eSports betting trends, League of Legends (LOL) reported the highest average eSports bets at $39 per bet.
In comparison, games like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive recorded lower bets with an average between the two at around $25.50 per bet.
While Counter-Strike: Global Offensive didn’t get the highest average bets, it did offer the highest amount in winnings from a single wager.
One fortunate winner received almost $8,000 after investing only around $25. The odds of winning were 327 to 1.
8. Sports Betting Accounted for $3.36 Billion (in USD) in Great Britain in 2020.
Switching gears to Great Britain, in 2020, where the betting industry produced $3.36 billion, based on US dollars.
This shows that gambling is also a huge industry in Great Britain. It’s critical to the economy.
Consequently, in 2019, the market was valued at approximately $4.57 billion, which is higher than the 2020 sports betting statistics.
This drop in market value in the gambling market was to be expected in the wake of the pandemic, but it’s still a substantial drop in any instance.
9. Football Was the Sport with The Most Placed Bets in America in 2017
American sports betting statistics in 2017 revealed that football was the sport that received the most bets.
A staggering 77% of survey respondents reported that they betted on football at least one time in their lives.
In America, football has a huge, obsessive fanbase with around 30% of the overall population watching the sport.
Those who do watch, are loyal to a team and will bet accordingly, which can be good or bad.
10. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Sports Betting Stats Recorded 53% of The Whole eSports Bets Placed in 2020.
2020 was a good year for the eSports game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with 53% of all eSports bets being placed on it.
The eSports statistics related to this data is often undervalued, but this realm of sports is quickly getting more and more popular.
Betting on eSports is also becoming a big deal. Some other wildly popular eSports games include League of Legends and Dota 2.
Dota accounts for 35% of the market share in betting and League of Legends, 7%.
11. The Totality of The Gambling Yield of Online and Remote Gambling Accounted for $8 Billion in Great Britain in 2020.
It’s no surprise that online betting popularity more than survived in the wake of the pandemic.
In 2020, $8 billion was the gambling yield gained from online and remote gambling in Great Britain.
The online venue of gambling grew by around $600 million in 2019m unlike the offline betting market. In only four years, the number of new online betting numbers in Great Britain quadrupled.
Sports Betting Stats for Everyone
Betting on sports online or in-person can be enjoyable and entertaining. This fact is shown by the data we gathered from sports betting statistics.
12. The Belief that Betting at High Odds Offers the Most Profit Is a Natural Misunderstanding that Statistics Will Confirm.
For those unfamiliar with placing bets or gambling in general, high odds could make more sense in terms of potential returns.
Actually, the opposite is true. The chances of higher returns substantially drops under higher odds.
Take a clue from professional bettors who make several small and safe bets over going the way of high odds betting.
This is how they prevent going into the red and increase their chances of profiting from bets. When you choose the professional method of betting, winning rates are increased by 52% to 53%.
13. According to Sports Betting Statistics, Sports Betting Accounts for 30% and 40% of The Global Gambling Market.
According to statistics on sports-related betting, this industry niche accounts for between 30% and 40% of the complete global gambing industry.
The very nature of gambling makes it challenging to precisely calculate its value because of inconsistencies in laws and regulations across countries.
Therefore, there are simply some betting statistics we cannot uncover. The rest of the 60% to 70% of the gambling market is split between poker, lotteries, casinos, and other forms of gambling.
14. The US Supreme Court Legalized Sports in 2018.
The online gambling venues have been playing a major role in growth in the sports betting sector. As time moves on, it’s consistently gaining popularity, reaping further sports betting statistics.
Since the legalization of sports betting in 2018 by the US Supreme Court, these online gambling companies quickly took advantage of this opportunity.
The companies who started this include 888 Holdings, Ladbrokes Coral Group, William Hill, and Paddy Power.
15. Online Platforms for Sports Betting Being Unsafe Is One of The Most Widespread, False Rumors.
There are several false conceptions going around about the online sports betting niche. The worst and most widespread of them all is that it’s not safe.
Many people don’t trust online betting websites, even the most reputable ones.
The initial problem is that online betting is still pretty new to the gambling world, so this is expected.
Growing pains are inevitable not only in this industry, but all industries when something new appears like online betting venues.
A few years ago, before laws and regulations and security measures, people were cautious about online betting.
Today, that should not be the issue. With privacy (think VPNs) and security options in place, this is more regulated than before.
It’s well-known that transferring money is safer today with programming in place that quickly exposes scammers.
16. Sports Betting Platforms Include Services from Companies Like Bwin, Bet365. Unibet, Ladbrokes, Betfair, and Others.
The statistics show that platforms like Unibet, Ladbrokes, DraftKings, Betfair, Bet365, and Bwin potentially turn a good profit from sports betting.
For instance, William Hill enjoyed a remarkable $2.37 billion in revenue in sports betting in 2015.
The total amount wagered or staked in the company in 2015 was significantly higher at $13.3 billion.
FAQs
Which Sport Is the Hardest for Sports Betting?
The most challenging sport to bet on is baseball. That’s because baseball, America’s most beloved sport, is unpredictable by nature.
The chances of winning are based on the long game seasons, players’ performance, and other variants.
What Percentage of Sports Betting Players Win?
If you consider the most experienced bettor in sports betting, the best they have is a 55% win rate.
Most of the time, the rates range between 53% and 54%. It seems like those numbers would get up to 60%, but that is not what happens over the long term
Which Sport Is the Most Profitable for Sports Betting?
Football is the most likely answer to this question. However, there is more to this story.
America is in love with football, and that includes sports bettors. Football fans and bettors are deeply invested in the sport, so they learn as much as possible about it.
If this is a sport with which you are most familiar, it can be more profitable.
Another answer to this question is basketball, which is another sports betting option that can be lucrative in America.
As for Europe, the most profitable sport to bet on is soccer, as you might expect.
Can Sports Betting Be Lucrative?
If you want the short answer, it’s yes, it can be lucrative, or at least profitable. The long answer is more complicated.
If you’re patient, smart, and experienced, sports betting can be profitable.
Luck plays its part in winning, but sports betting offers the option of skills in choosing a winner over gambling in a casino.
More Interesting Sports Betting Statistics
Since June 2018, Americans Have Wagered More than $100 Billion in Sports.
Across all the states in the United States with sports betting regulations, betting has well exceeded $100 billion, according to early 2022 data.
New Jersey with $24 billion, Nevada with $20 billion, and Pennsylvania with $11 billion of the revenues were the leaders in the states.
In 2021, Statistics Showed that The Regularity of Sports Betting Increased by 80%
There was an increase of 80% in the number of people who engaged in sports betting in 2021. In America, sports betting is legal in 32 out of the 50 states.
One of Every Three Women Bet on Sports.
About one-third of women are sports bettors. While there are more men betting on sports, women are closing the gap, according to data from 2020 and 2021.
Hockey Enthusiasts Are the Most Interested in Betting.
62% of all NHL fans enjoy sports betting. NCAA basketball enthusiasts account for 59%, and NFL fans are fourth with 48%. Could hockey become the most popular sport to place bets on in the near future?
Sports bettors 44 and under bet more than their older counterparts.
A 2021 survey showed that 31% of bettors between 35 and 44 years old place bets on sports at least once per month compared to the 28% of those between 21 and 34.
Conclusion
One does not have to be a sports fan to place bets on games, though it’s smart to have knowledge of the game and the players before partaking in such gambling.
You see, sports betting statistics show that this form of gambling is as much about skill and knowledge as it is about chance. It’s still less risky than casino gambling or the lottery.
You need to know that professional sports bettors are serious about their betting.
They base their betting decisions on current statistics regarding the team and players, and they draw on their experience.
This makes them an effective source of information.
If you’re more of a casual bettor just looking for excitement and fun, you may want to consider getting advice from the pros to mitigate losses.
Avoid basing your bets on high odds, and pay attention to the betting charts and trends in sports betting.
Finally, never bet more money than you can afford to lose.
Sources
| GamblingSites | GamblingSites | European Gaming Congress |
| LiveAbout | Odds Assist | Professional Gambler |
| Statista | Statista | Statista |
| Statista | Statista | USBettingReport |
