The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will clash in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday night in New Orleans, but the real action never left the Nevada desert.
Las Vegas sportsbooks still handle more money on the Super Bowl than any other place in America, even as legal betting explodes across 38 states and Washington D.C. Last year the city took in over $185 million in wagers on the big game alone, and operators expect another record this weekend.
Nevada Roots Run Deep
Nevada has offered legal sports betting since 1949. That long head start built trust and giant betting limits that most new states still cannot match.
Big bettors, known as sharps, fly into Las Vegas every February because the Strip books accept six-figure wagers that online apps in other states often reject or limit to a few thousand dollars. One high roller told reporters he placed a $1.2 million money-line bet on the Chiefs at the Westgate SuperBook on Thursday morning.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported that Super Bowl handle grew 18 percent from 2023 to 2024 even though more states now offer legal bets. Operators credit the unique Las Vegas experience: massive screens, free drinks, celebrity sightings, and the electric feeling inside the sportsbooks when the game starts.
New Competition Closes the Gap
Thirty-eight states plus D.C. now allow legal sports betting after the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban in 2018. Mobile apps like FanDuel and DraftKings dominate most markets and take tiny bets from millions of casual fans.
Those apps reported record sign-ups in the weeks before Super Bowl LIX. DraftKings said new accounts jumped 40 percent year-over-year in January. FanDuel expects to process more than 100 million bets nationwide this weekend.
Yet the average bet size on mobile apps stays small, often under $50. That keeps the total money flowing into Nevada books higher for now.
How the Money Breaks Down
| Location | Super Bowl 2024 Handle | Expected 2025 Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada sportsbooks | $185.6 million | +12-15% |
| New York (online only) | $171.2 million | +20% |
| New Jersey | $141.2 million | +18% |
| All other states | $812 million combined | +25% |
Nevada still leads in total dollars because of the large individual bets placed in person.
Las Vegas Adds New Tricks
Casino companies refuse to lose ground. Caesars Sportsbook rolled out same-game parlays that let fans combine dozens of outcomes in one bet. Circa Sports opened the world’s largest sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas in 2021 and now posts the earliest betting lines in the country.
Hotels bundle game-day packages that include seats in the sportsbook, open bars, and private tables. A premium spot at the Bellagio sportsbook this Sunday costs $2,500 per person, and every seat sold out weeks ago.
What Happens Next
Experts predict Nevada will keep the Super Bowl crown for at least a few more years. Large limits and the Vegas party atmosphere remain hard to copy online.
At the same time, mobile betting grows fastest among younger fans who may never visit a physical sportsbook. States like Texas and California could add another billion dollars in annual handle if they ever legalize.
For now, the bright lights of the Strip stay the center of the sports betting world every February. Thousands of fans packed the Caesars Palace sportsbook Friday night, cheering every prop bet that hit and groaning when the legs busted. That energy, mixed with the clink of free cocktails and the roar when the coin toss lands, explains why Las Vegas refuses to give up its title as the gambling capital of America.
Super Bowl LIX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, but the party in Las Vegas started days ago and will keep going long after the final whistle. Whether you bet five dollars on your phone or fifty thousand at the window, one thing stays clear: this weekend belongs to football, and Las Vegas still writes the biggest checks.
