DES MOINES, Iowa — With Super Bowl LVII in the rearview mirror, many Iowans are reaping the rewards of their gameday bets—or potentially counting their losses.
The American Gaming Association estimated that more than 15 million Americans would put some money on the line during the Super Bowl, with projected spending topping $16 billion.
And Iowa is no exception to that.
Tens of millions of fans got into the gameday spirit for the big game on Sunday.
"I bet on the Kansas City Chiefs. And then I also bet on the coin toss, which I suppose tails never fails. Or at least this year it didn't," said Alex Klosterman, a Des Moines sports better.
According to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, the Super Bowl is the biggest day of sports betting in the entire year. In 2022, Iowans wagered $16 million on the Rams vs. Bengals.
While the state is still compiling data on how much Iowans spent on Sunday, officials are expecting the total to be even higher due to the Chiefs bringing out more local fans.
"In the state of Iowa, we're going to see close to $12 million in taxes generated for the state in 2022. And that will roughly be what I think we'll expect in the years to come," said Brian Ohorilko, Administrator of the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission.
From June to December 2022, Iowa's total sports betting was down 9% compared to the same time period the previous year. While officials say betters are still very active, there aren't as many new ones getting into the game.
"We're now four years into sports betting in Iowa. And so a lot of customers have chosen the sports book that they wanted. And so we're seeing companies just offer fewer promotional incentives," Ohorilko said.
Even so, betters say that putting a little money on the line helps keep them invested in all the action.
"It makes sports a little bit more enjoyable. I wouldn't say you need to bet on sports to have fun with them. But at the same time, it kind of keeps your focus," Klosterman said.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, you can receive free support from Your Life Iowa at 1-800-BETS OFF.
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