What Are Americans Gambling on? A Look at the Most Popular Games and Sports

While online gambling may still be illegal in many states, many Americans often like to look for the best gambling sites to place bets or play one or another game at an online casino, a betting site, or on a mobile app. Here, we look at four of the most popular things Americans love to gamble on.

Americans Love to Bet on Horse Races

Betting on horse races has been a popular pastime for Americans for decades. The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest horse races in the world and draws millions of spectators and bettors every year. While it has died down in popularity now due to other sports becoming more popular, many Americans, particularly in the south, still love betting on horse races. Though many bettors may place their bets with a local bookie, casino, or an online site, the race tracks are often packed with people cheering on their picks, and hoping to cash in their bet slip at the end of the day for a great payout.

Sports Betting Maintains a Strong Hold on Americans

The two most popular sports to bet on in America are without a doubt, baseball and football. Football has millions of fans in every state, and the rise of fantasy football has definitely opened the door for many Americans into the world of gambling. Over the last few years, several sites have become more and more popular and allow players to draft fantasy teams for individual matches, with a shot at winning a prize almost every day.

Baseball is commonly regarded as the most American sport among all the sports out there, and it’s very popular. It should come as no surprise then that people like to bet on their favorite baseball teams and players. The fan base for baseball is huge, and so is the number of Americans who bet on the sport.

Lotteries Are Everywhere

Almost every state in America has one form of lotteries or another available for players to bet on. These lotteries can either be run by the state or a corporation, but either way, they’re loved by millions of Americans. Some of the most popular lotteries are the bigger ones, such as PowerBall and MegaMillions, but there are a ton of different varieties. Down south, pull-tab lottery cards are popular, but they can be found in other places too.

It’s impossible not to include scratchers. Scratchers are the typical lottery cards you see where people use a coin or other object to reveal numbers, symbols, or something else on a card to find out if they’ve won or not. These cards can cost anywhere from $1-$30 or more, and have prizes ranging from $1 to millions of dollars. Some scratchers even offer annuity payments for life.

Slot Machines Are Still a Popular Pastime

Perhaps the most iconic image when people think of gambling in America is the slot machine. They’re everywhere in America. While some states only allow them to be found in casinos, others let smaller stores like gas stations have them inside. This is very common in the south of the United States. Many people who are not used to this are surprised that slot machines can be found at a place as simple as a gas station, but it just proves how iconic and beloved these machines are. The Las Vegas strip may be the premier destination for slots players, but some people still love the ones around the corner from their home.

In short, the most common types of gambling in America are betting on horse races, football, baseball, slots games, and playing the lotteries. People can bet on, or play these sports and games all over America, but there are still some states that restrict or limit Americans from gambling.