The Super Bowl is not only the most-watched sporting event in the United States each year, but it is also one of the biggest commercial platforms in the world. While television ratings, halftime shows, and game day performances grab headlines, another powerful force quietly shapes the economics surrounding America’s biggest game: betting trends. From consumer attention to brand activation, sportsbooks and wagering culture have changed the way advertisers and sponsors approach the Super Bowl. One key area this year is the Super Bowl teams’ props bets on DraftKings, with Broncos single-point wins attracting significant interest. Overall, betting has become a central part of the Super Bowl narrative that drives strategic investment and fan engagement.
Betting Growth and Audience Engagement
Super Bowl Sunday consistently draws massive viewership, often surpassing 100 million television viewers in the United States alone. But in recent years, the integration of legal sports wagering has deepened fan engagement well beyond passive viewing. A 2023 survey by the American Gaming Association found that more than 50 million Americans planned to place a bet on the Super Bowl, making it the most wagered-upon event of the year in sports. This appetite for wagering naturally attracts advertisers looking to tap into that energetic audience.
Legal betting nationwide has expanded rapidly. As of 2026, more than 30 states allow full-scale sports betting. This pace of legalization has encouraged major sportsbooks to invest heavily in advertising during marquee events like the Super Bowl itself. Brands such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars and others now compete not just on odds pricing, but on brand prominence in high-profile media.
The Integration of Betting into Advertising Strategies
Historically, Super Bowl ads focused exclusively on wide appeal themes such as humor, emotion, and culture. Today, savvy advertisers recognize that close to half of adult viewers are interested in betting markets around the game. Consequently, campaigns now include subtle or overt references to wagering, mobile apps, and interactive content designed to convert viewership into app engagement.
For sportsbooks and related partners, this has proven lucrative. For example, DraftKings reported significant spikes in new user registrations and app downloads in the weeks surrounding the Super Bowl broadcast. Although specific numbers vary by year and offer structure, internal sportsbook data often shows that total handle (the amount wagered) on Super Bowl Sunday can exceed $25 billion nationwide when retail and online bets are combined. These extraordinary figures are not lost on advertisers who recognize the commercial potential of turning viewers into active participants.
Sponsorship Deals and Strategic Alignments
The NFL and individual teams have adapted to the era of legal betting by forging sponsorship relationships with sportsbooks. These partnerships often include branding rights, official status as a league partner, in-stadium signage, digital content collaborations, mobile app integrations, and co-branded campaigns. For the Super Bowl, these sponsorships can become even more visible.
In 2025, for example, the NFL’s official partnerships with major sportsbooks allowed betting-related visuals to appear on league platforms and during broadcast segments. This type of exposure boosts sportsbook brand visibility while helping traditional advertisers remain culturally relevant to younger, tech-oriented audiences who follow betting information as closely as player highlights.
Advertising Dollars and Return on Investment
Super Bowl advertising is the premium of the premium when it comes to media buys. A 30-second spot can cost over $7 million, depending on demand and network pricing. Given this high cost, advertisers want to ensure that the investment delivers measurable returns. Betting trends provide a framework to quantify engagement in ways that traditional brand metrics cannot.
Advertisers use real-time data such as app downloads, search interest spikes, social media engagement and wagering metrics to assess campaign performance. For example, an ad that ties into a sportsbook offer, predictor tool, or player performance market can track clicks and conversions that mirror the game’s most popular betting categories. Metrics like user acquisition cost, lifetime value of new depositors, and customer engagement rates help brands evaluate whether Super Bowl exposure translated into new recurring revenue.
Targeted Campaigns Based on Betting Behavior
Advertising tailored to betting seasons is not limited to sportsbook brands. Auto manufacturers, beverage companies, travel services, merchandise retailers and consumer packaged goods companies are all recognizing the value of aligning campaigns with betting trends. Some advertisers create interactive promotions tied to in-game outcomes, player props, or halftime props pools that give consumers incentives to engage with the brand while also deepening their connection to the betting experience.
For example, campaigns around player performance markets often highlight iconic moments and key athletes. By referencing popular wagering categories such as passing yards, touchdown scorers and defensive stats, brands align themselves with the conversations fans are already having online and within betting communities.
This targeted approach helps advertisers stand out from the clutter during a broadcast where attention is at a premium. Digital ad units linked to live odds boards, in-game props, and push notifications via app partners make it possible for advertisers to tailor their message to real-time game situations.
Regulatory Challenges and Responsible Marketing
The integration of betting into the Super Bowl advertising ecosystem is not without controversy. Critics argue that tying consumer brands too closely to wagering culture can normalize gambling in ways that blur ethical lines. In response, leagues, sponsors and regulators have established advertising standards aimed at promoting responsible gambling messaging.
Many sportsbook campaigns include disclaimers about age restrictions, responsible gaming resources, and limits on promotional language to ensure compliance with state and federal rules. For non-gambling advertisers, a careful balance is key so that brand messaging benefits from betting-related excitement without directly promoting wagering behavior in a way that alienates some audiences.
Long Term Brand Impact
The influence of betting trends on Super Bowl advertising and sponsorships is likely to grow stronger. As more states legalize full-scale wagering and as technology continues to offer seamless mobile experiences, the audience for betting content will broaden. Marketers who understand the intersection of sports entertainment and wagering are better positioned to create compelling campaigns that connect with engaged viewers.
In the realm of big-time sports advertising, the Super Bowl remains the gold standard. But by embracing consumer interest in wagering — while targeting messages responsibly and tracking engagement with precision — brands can extract greater value from their investment and stay culturally relevant in an era where fans expect more interactive entertainment.
Ultimately, betting trends have reshaped the Super Bowl advertising landscape in measurable ways, making it both a marketplace and a media spectacle that reflects not only the passion of football fandom but the evolving nature of how brands connect with audiences in a digital age.
