Arizona is a rapidly growing sports betting market, only recently launching in 2021. By the end of the year, though, the market for sports betting in the state reached $1.75 billion! Even the state government has benefitted. They took over $2 million from taxes in just January 2022. However, what are the most popular sports in the state to gamble on?
NFL:
The Arizona Cardinals are easily the most popular sports team in the state: the state of 7 million adores their gridiron team. As a result, the Glendale-based football team is growing its betting potential, partnering with BetMGM Arizona.
The Cardinals have quickly become one of the best football teams in the country. Their first ten games of the 2021 season saw them build the best record in the US. While they did drop off, they also made the playoffs and excited Arizonans with their success. This was great for a state which had just legalized gambling, and many Arizonans bet on their newly competitive NFL team.
Wagers for the NFL make up half of betting in the US. Arizona is similarly football mad, with the Cardinals new gambling partnerships providing the impetus for the state’s $1.75 billion gambling spend in the last four months of 2021.
Numerous Arizona sports betting sites and betting spots have opened in Arizona last year. Over 20 have opened, with the Cardinals representing the largest. Arizona though remains a largely online gambling state. For example, 99.5% of NFL playoff gambling took place online in Arizona.
Basketball:
Behind the NFL but still popular, basketball has become a growing gambling market in Arizona. The Phoenix Suns take up the bulk of betting interest in the state. However, Arizonans also produced a record $691 million in bets during March Madness.
The Suns have, similarly to the Cardinals, rocketed to success. However, their disappointing exit to the Mavericks in the 2022 playoffs didn’t dent the sports growing popularity among gamblers in the state.
Like the Cardinals, the Suns have partnered with gambling organizations. FanDuel is now working with the Suns, creating a new sportsbook. Even players have gotten in on the new market. Gila River Resorts and Casinos has announced Suns Forward Jae Crowder as an official ambassador.
College Basketball has also been a big attraction to gamblers in Arizona. March Madness helped to drive record betting numbers. It pits 68 popular teams against each other in a month of excitement and competition. As a result, the very popular college scene saw nearly $700 million spent. Arizonans spending therefore made up 10% of the nation’s March Madness spending.
Baseball:
Although an increasingly less popular sport in the US, America’s past-time still captures the hearts of some Arizona bets. The Diamondbacks have been a wildly inconsistent team, but they have looked to grow their gambling partnerships. In June, Caesars opened a sportsbook in the Diamondbacks stadium. Alongside it was also a new Guy Fieri restaurant.
The Diamondbacks selected a potentially great partner. Caesars Sportsbook Arizona new loyalty program has proven very popular and is surely driving gambling on MLB. As a result, the Diamondbacks have become the major sports team competing in Arizona now. However, the start of baseball season hasn’t seen gambling numbers come in yet. For this reason, it is tougher to determine how popular baseball is. Nevertheless, as the #3 sport in the state, it will surely garner plenty of interest.
Among the wider MLB, Arizona gambling is strong. MLB has done the most to grow gambling in the sport. They’ve opened teams up to gambling partnerships and encouraged player sponsorships.
Overall, gambling in Arizona is growing quickly. The state only legalized sports betting in 2021 but has already seen more than $2 billion in bets. NFL, NBA and MLB have made up the big three of new Arizona sports gambling.
Freelance journalist with a huge interest in “The Big Three.” Applying my sports enthusiasm to keep fans in Arizona up to date.
