Betting on football, basketball and baseball each hit an all-time high in Nevada in 2017, according to the UNLV Center for Gaming Research. However, the landscape has changed considerably in recent years.
Although the amount of money bet annually on football over the past four years has remained relatively flat, last year’s football share was 36 percent, the lowest rate since at least 1992, when the state began making sport-specific data available.
Baseball in 2017 made up more than 23 percent of the overall pool, the most for that sport since generating 25 percent in 2001.
The “other” category, which includes hockey, soccer and many other sports, made up a record 9 percent of betting last year, doubling the share it had in 2005. Casino operators have reported an increase in NHL betting since the Vegas Golden Knights began play last fall.
Basketball’s share has ranged from 28 to 31 percent for the past six years, and the $1.48 billion wagered in 2017 was more than double the sport’s 2011 betting.