The NFL is officially the most-watched sports league in the US. On average, regular-season NFL games are attended in person by 67,591 fans and watched on television by an additional 17.9 million. Not to mention, Super Bowl LVIII had 123.4 million — yep, million — global viewers, making it the most-watched television program ever. One thing for sure is that NFL streaming is big business — and the NFL betting market is also in the middle of a huge surge.
According to the latest reports, US adults will wager $35 billion on the 2024 NFL season, which will be another record breaker. It marks a 30% growth on last season’s betting total, too, signifying that America’s obsession with NFL betting isn’t fading away. It’s actually the exact opposite: NFL betting has never been as big as it is right now.
So, what are the factors driving the NFL live streaming and betting obsession in America? And (more importantly) how can you join in the fun? All of this and more is looked at in the following guide.
The Rise of NFL Streaming and Betting
NFL streaming has been on the rise for a long time. Now, you can stream the NFL on YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix, and other platforms, making it easily accessible. As long as you’re subscribed to one of these services (for example, Amazon Prime Video, which has exclusive streaming rights to Thursday Night Football), you can watch the NFL from wherever you like, whether you’re relaxing at home or out traveling somewhere. And the current 2024 NFL season has already gotten off to a flying start, with the league’s opening week drawing an average of 21 million viewers per game. When the season officially wraps up with next year’s Super Bowl LIX, it will likely be the most-streamed NFL season to date, which will lead to more bidding wars between the streaming providers as their existing deals start to expire. After all, everybody wants a slice of the NFL streaming pie, as it’s where the money and viewers are at.
The rise of NFL streaming has also coincided with an NFL betting boom. More people are watching games, so more people are also betting. The NFL betting boom has also been driven by the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision allowing US states to legalize sports betting, with 38 states — including Arizona and New York — now allowing it. Naturally, this has meant that NFL fans across all the franchises have been given the freedom to start betting on games. Most interesting of all is the fact that there’s now a huge number of sports betting apps to choose from as well, including fan favorites like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel.
Over the years, many former NFL players have also begun appearing in gambling advertisements. The biggest example of all is Tom Brady, who currently has a commercial agreement with BetMGM (and most recently featured in BetMGM’s Super Bowl LVIII ad with Vince Vaughn). When stars like Tom Brady are dipping into the NFL betting world, it’s not surprising that millions of fans have decided to start joining in the fun to create a billion-dollar industry.
Where to Stream NFL Games
NFL game attendance is the highest it’s ever been, and the same applies to streaming numbers, too. Understandably, fans of all teams, including the Chiefs, 49ers, and Patriots, generally prefer to watch games at home rather than pay for expensive stadium tickets, leading to the rise of streaming platforms. And in terms of where to stream NFL games, the current options are:
- YouTube TV
- NFL+
- Peacock
- Paramount+
- ESPN+
- Amazon Prime Video
- Netflix
No single streaming platform has rights to all of the games, though, which is why fans typically have to switch between different platforms depending on the game week. For instance, Amazon Prime Video has exclusive rights to ‘Thursday Night Football,’ which you can’t watch on any other platform.
How Does NFL Betting Work?
NFL betting is huge right now. A 2023 survey from Statista found that 28% of NFL fans aged 18-29 spend at least $1,000 a year on sports betting, showing just how popular it has become among younger generations. Typically, these fans will bet on NFL games using online sportsbooks, including:
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Caesars
- Bet365
The way it works is simple: fans deposit money on these sites, place bets, and wait to see if they win. One of the most popular bet types is the ‘parlay,’ which combines different wagers into one bet. Unsurprisingly, the most popular game to bet on in the NFL world is the Super Bowl, with an estimated $23.1 billion bet on Super Bowl LVIII earlier this year. (Also see: How Much Money Was Bet on Super Bowl 60? The Numbers Tell a Bigger Story)
Interestingly, it was only 20 years ago that the NFL would not allow Super Bowl ads from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. During this time, the NFL was still distancing itself from gambling, but things have changed drastically in just over two decades. Now, the NFL brand is very accepting of gambling, having built partnerships with Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings, and other betting companies over the years. On top of this, the 2024 Super Bowl was hosted at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the world’s biggest gambling city.
Final Thoughts
America’s obsession with streaming and betting on NFL games is here to stay. Every game week, countless fans stream the action from their homes while using it as an opportunity to bet on the games. The NFL has realized that sports betting is good for business, as fans who place bets are much more likely to watch NFL games, buy merchandise, and more. Moving forward, this is why betting sponsors will continue to be a huge part of the NFL, while future Super Bowls (potentially as soon as 2028) will be returning to Las Vegas.