Gambling in the USA
Report: College Basketball’s March Madness brings Joy to Online Betting Companies
The American Gaming Association (AGA) recently reported that over $8.5 billion was wagered on college basketball’s “March Madness” by Americans in 2019 – via a mix of illegal and legal bets.
Of course, 2021 brings with it a new and very different landscape due to the ongoing global health pandemic and also due to the expansion of the legal sports-betting market in the USA.
This year’s NCAA March Madness has begun – but due to COVID-19, for the first time in the history of the competition, the entire tournament is being held in one single state (Indiana this year).
The National Championship Final itself is set to play out on April 5th 2021 at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
March Madness – Betting facts, figures, and trends
The latest research and analysis has brought some interesting March Madness sports-betting estimates, facts, and figures to light.
Three times as many Americans planned to wager on this year’s March madness via online sportsbooks compared to 2019.
The pandemic is unquestionably a factor in the huge increase of anticipated bettors, with 17.8 million people expected to gamble on March Madness this year compared with 5.8 million people in 2019.
Even so, 8.3 million bettors are expected to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, which is up 79% from 2019.
That figure is only expected to grow in the future with 45% of American adults now living in a state with legalized sports betting and more states opening up.
“We’ve seen a 200% increase in site searches related to March-Madness betting in 2021 – with sports fans looking for the latest odds & futures for the tournament”
- Tom Nielsen, CTO at sports odds website Vegas-odds.com
The dramatic growth in the popularity of sports betting over the course of the last two years can be attributed to the expansion of the legal market, as 73.6 million more Americans in 14 new legal jurisdictions can legally place bets on March Madness this year compared to the 2019 tournament.
A March Madness tournament bracket might be great fun, but it’s worth looking at more traditional wagers at more realistic betting odds on the Money Line, Point Spread and Totals for those hoping to realistically win a few dollars.
There could be a big jump in traditional bets on this year’s tournament compared to 2019, with 30.6 million Americans expected to wager such bets, up from 17.8 million two years ago.
Other March-Madness facts & figures:
- The odds of picking all 63 March Madness games correctly is 1 in 9.2 quintillions! (That’s 9,200,000,000,000,000,000)
- The longest streak of correct NCAA tournament bracket picks to start the tournament currently stands at an astonishing 49, with an Ohio resident correctly predicting the entire 2019 NCAA tournament into the Sweet 16.
- 47.4 million American adults plan to bet on March Madness (that’s more than 20% of the population), about the same number that indicated they would bet on the tournament in 2019.
- 30.6 million Americans expect to place more traditional bets on this year’s tournament, up from 17.8 million in 2019
- 17.8 million say they will place a bet online, up 206% from 5.8 million in 2019
- 8.3 million expect to place a bet at a physical sportsbook, up 79% from 2019
- Betting with friends/colleagues remains popular – March Madness will likely generate $4.6 billion of wagers from 40 million people betting with friends and colleagues through a total of 149 million brackets, the AGA said.
- Regulated Vs International Sportsbooks: The remaining $3.9 billion of wagers will come mostly by way of international websites and bookmakers, though 4.1 million people will also place legal bets through licensed U.S based casinos and sportsbooks in las vegas and other states with legal sports betting operators.
- Gonzaga University’s “Bulldogs” team is the betting favorite to win the tournament
Gambling in the USA
IGT Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Wheel of Fortune Slots
IGT, a global gaming leader, announced the 30th anniversary of the wildly popular Wheel of Fortune Slots game. Famous for awarding players $1 million-plus life-changing jackpots and the familiar “WHEEL-OF-FORTUNE!” chant that can be heard across a casino floor, Wheel of Fortune Slots is credited for changing the casino experience as the gaming industry’s first licensed slots game.
To recognize this monumental milestone, IGT kicked off a multi-month celebration that includes new product launches, coast-to-coast in-casino celebrations, contests run via Instagram and Facebook, slots influencer collaborations, a new creative campaign, a week of integrations to be featured on “Wheel of Fortune,” and more.
“For three decades, IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Slots have captivated slots players around the world and earned a reputation for delivering world-class entertainment combined with huge jackpots in casinos and online. Through our relationship with Sony Pictures Television and Carnival Cruise Line, IGT created a robust campaign for 2026 that honors the legacy of Wheel of Fortune Slots, while rewarding players and delivering value to our customers worldwide,” said Hector Fernandez, Incoming CEO of IGT.
A highly anticipated element of the campaign is IGT’s “Spin and Sail Cruise”. Presented in partnership with Carnival Cruise Line, IGT’s Spin and Sail Cruise empowers select casinos across the US to reward players with eight-day cruises aboard the Carnival Jubilee, where travelers will compete in a slot tournament with a $1 million prize pool. Players also have the chance to win a seat aboard the November Spin and Sail Cruise via contests run on the IGT Jackpots Facebook and IGT Gaming North America Instagram pages.
“Our longstanding relationship with IGT has been a remarkable success, and we’re thrilled to continue building on that momentum as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Slots. Much like our Wheel of Fortune game show, IGT’s Wheel of Fortune Slots is a category leader that resonates with a wide audience, and we value IGT’s enduring commitment to the franchise,” said Suzanne Prete, President of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television.
IGT licenses the exclusive rights to the legendary Wheel of Fortune brand across gaming, lottery, iGaming and iLottery, and non-exclusive rights to distribute Wheel of Fortune content for free-to-play social casinos, from Sony Pictures Television, which owns and produces the long-running television program.
The post IGT Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Wheel of Fortune Slots appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
betting app engagement
Inside NFL Stadiums: How Fans Are Driving Record Sports Betting Engagement During Live Games
During the latest NFL season, one of the most valuable arenas for sports betting engagement wasn’t online or at home—it was inside the stadium itself. Using insights from GeoComply Edge
Stadium Data, analysts examined how fans interacted with betting apps while attending live NFL games, revealing a powerful convergence of fandom, technology, and real-time wagering.
From the season opener at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to the final Wildcard Weekend matchup at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on January 12, GeoComply analyzed in-stadium activity across every NFL venue located in US states with legal sports betting. The findings provide a clear, data-driven picture of how live attendance influences digital betting behavior.
The result is a uniquely detailed view into in-stadium engagement, customer acquisition, and long-term bettor value, offering operators critical insight into where and when fans are most likely to engage.
GeoComply Edge Stadium Data: Visibility Others Don’t Have
GeoComply Edge is purpose-built to measure fan acquisition and betting engagement within precise stadium-level geofences. This advanced location intelligence allows sportsbooks and operators to identify which teams, games, and venues generate the strongest engagement, turning live events into actionable growth opportunities.
Rather than tracking generic app usage, GeoComply Edge delivers insights into:
- Which NFL games drive the highest in-stadium betting activity
- How frequently fans check betting apps during live action
- Where new sportsbook accounts are created inside stadiums
- How engagement varies by venue, team performance, and market maturity
This season-long data view highlights how in-person fandom directly translates into digital wagering behavior, offering a deeper understanding of the customer journey.
Growth Leaders: Stadiums Where Betting Engagement Is Accelerating
Five NFL stadiums stood out for year-over-year growth in geolocation checks and active betting accounts—two strong indicators of in-stadium betting engagement.
In many cases, increased engagement closely followed on-field success. Teams such as the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, and Carolina Panthers returned to playoff contention after turnaround seasons, reigniting fan excitement and digital interaction.
The Las Vegas Raiders emerged as a notable outlier. Allegiant Stadium continues to function as a destination venue, attracting traveling fans from across the country and creating a uniquely strong in-stadium betting environment, independent of team performance.
Engagement Rate Leaders: Quality Over Volume
While total geolocation volume remains important, the most telling metric this season was engagement rate—the percentage of fans inside the stadium actively using betting apps during games.
Top-performing venues recorded 10% to 13% engagement, meaning nearly one in every eight fans accessed a sports betting app at least once while attending a live NFL game. This highlights the growing normalization of in-game wagering as part of the live sports experience.
New User Acquisition: Stadiums as Sportsbook Growth Engines
One of the most compelling insights from GeoComply Edge data is the consistent creation of brand-new betting customers inside NFL stadiums.
Leading venues generated new sportsbook sign-ups at rates between 0.2% and 0.7% of total attendance per game. For a typical 65,000-seat stadium, that translates to 130 to 450 new accounts per game.
GEHA Field, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, led all venues in new customer creation, benefiting from Missouri’s launch of mobile sports betting on December 1, 2025, during the Chiefs’ final three home games.
Reducing Friction with Compliant Onboarding
GeoComply supports operators at every stage of the customer journey. Through IDComply®, the company enables a fully compliant KYC process that delivers 95%+ onboarding success rates, while GeoComply Edge pinpoints where and when these high-value acquisition moments occur.
This dual approach allows sportsbooks to engage fans in a way that is timely, targeted, and non-intrusive, enhancing both compliance and customer experience.
Doing More With “Where” at Live Sporting Events
NFL stadiums have evolved into digital engagement hubs, where live entertainment, mobile technology, and sports betting intersect in real time.
GeoComply Edge Stadium Data brings clarity to this intersection by providing:
- Actionable insights into in-stadium betting behavior
- Clear visibility into acquisition and engagement trends
- A season-long perspective beyond single-game analysis
As the NFL continues to grow and fan experiences become increasingly digital, one conclusion is unmistakable: the future of sports betting is already unfolding inside the stadium.
The post Inside NFL Stadiums: How Fans Are Driving Record Sports Betting Engagement During Live Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gambling in the USA
The Plaza Hotel & Casino brings back the only All-Inclusive Hotel Room Package in Las Vegas this summer
Given its popularity for the past two summers, the Plaza Hotel & Casino is again offering Las Vegas’ only all-inclusive hotel room package starting at $104 per person per night for stays this summer.
The Plaza was the first Las Vegas property to introduce an all-inclusive hotel room package in the summer of 2024. It was so well received by guests that the iconic downtown Las Vegas property has offered it every summer since.
“We always want our guests to have a great time and feel that they are getting the best value for their vacation dollars,” said Jonathan Jossel, CEO of the Plaza Hotel & Casino. “Our all-inclusive hotel package has been created based on our guests’ feedback and offers waived resort fees, meals, bottomless drinks, and other perks to ensure they have a memorable experience.”
The Plaza’ all-inclusive hotel room package waives all resort fees, but guests still can enjoy free access to the fitness center, self-parking, and rooftop pool. The package also includes free early check-in, free bottled water, bottomless drinks from the Omaha Bar and Sports Book Bar on the casino floor, and breakfast and dinner from various dining outlets. Guests also receive a 25% discount on cocktails at the rooftop pool, because there is no better way to enjoy a summer vacation than sipping a chilled beverage poolside.
The Plaza’s all-inclusive hotel room package is available for booking online for stays June 1 through August 31 at plazahotelcasino.com/las-vegas-all-inclusive-room-package/.
The post The Plaza Hotel & Casino brings back the only All-Inclusive Hotel Room Package in Las Vegas this summer appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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