NFL season expected to spur record $35 billion in legal sports wagers
Football is back, and it’s expected to bring with it record-breaking betting.
U.S. adults will wager $35 billion this NFL season, according to projections from the American Gaming Association.
That would mark more than 30% growth over the $26.7 billion Americans wagered over the course of last year’s season of the National Football League, according to the AGA, and would set a fresh record. Since last NFL season, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont have allowed sports betting operators to launch in their states. And court decisions have permitted Hard Rock International to relaunch sports betting in Florida.
Today, sports betting is live and legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
Betting nuggets ahead of Ravens-Chiefs
A couple interesting stats that may be of particular interest to sports bettors:
- Mahomes is 3-1 vs. Baltimore straight up & against the spread since 2019
- Baltimore has not won in Kansas City since Oct. 7 2012
- Baltimore is 1-5 straight up vs. Kansas City since 2015
- Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has recorded 73+ receiving yads in each of his last six games vs. Baltimore.
Lamar Jackson looking for revenge
Jackson and the Ravens were eliminated from the postseason last year in a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs at home in the conference title game. Will the reigning MVP get at least a bit of revenge Thursday night?
Which team boasts better offensive weapons?
This is such a tough call, but I have to go with the team with the better signal-caller and that’s easily Mahomes. The Kansas City QB has three Super Bowls and might lead the Chiefs to a third consecutive title. The only edge I give Baltimore is at running back but Derrick Henry is now 30 and we’ve seen what happens when that position hits a certain age. Chiefs’ Isiah Pacheco, 25, is entering his prime and has the potential to be among the NFL’s top running backs this season.
Patrick Mahomes has arrived
The Chiefs superstar QB — a three-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time NFL MVP — has arrived at Arrowhead Stadium ahead of his team’s matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown ruled out vs. Ravens
Head coach Andy Reid previously announced Brown would not play in Week 1 after the receiver suffered a shoulder injury in the team’s preseason matchup with Jacksonville last month.
But, Brown should return sometime within the next couple of weeks.
While the Chiefs had several other players listed on the injury report, all were listed as full participants throughout the week.
Defensive lineman Chris Jones (shoulder), linebacker Nick Bolton (elbow), guard Joe Thuney (pectoral), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (triceps), cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (hamstring), cornerback Joshua Williams (hamstring), offensive lineman Wanya Morris (knee), and long snapper James Winchester (shoulder) all do not have a game status and are set to play. – Myles Simmons.
Will Taylor Swift be at the game?
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had a remarkable year on and off the field. He led Kansas City in receiving yards (984), receptions (93), and targets (121), and his girlfriend Taylor Swift was in the audience 13 times last season, watching him shine.
The 14-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter has no shows scheduled for September so there is a chance that she could be at Thursday’s Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs game. – Mary Omatiga
Chiefs trying to win third straight Super Bowl
No team in NFL history has won three consecutive Super Bowls. Will that change this season? The Chiefs have won eight straight division titles — the longest active streak in NFL — and have made the playoffs nine straight seasons (also the longest active streak in the NFL).
What Derrick Henry means for Baltimore
The Ravens signed All-Pro running back Derrick Henry in free agency on a two-year, $16 million deal that could be up to $20 million with incentives.
Henry comes over from the Tennessee Titans. He has rushed for at least 1,500 yards in three of his last five seasons. The 30-year-old led the league in rushing in both 2019 and 2020 and has at least six straight seasons with 10+ rushing scores.
Rematch of last season’s AFC title game
The Chiefs won last season’s postseason matchup 17-10 on the road in Baltimore. In that game, the Ravens committed three turnovers (including two in the end zone) and raised questions about star QB Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, who claimed MVP last year, fell to only 2-4 all-time in the playoffs.
Mahomes was 30-for-39 for 241 yards and a touchdown in that game. Travis Kelce exploded for 11 catches, 116 yards and a score.