Sunday, February 11th, 2024, is football’s Biggest Game, one of the most celebrated sporting events of the year. Along with the big game, the divisional and conference playoffs are among the most popular sporting events for placing bets. Given the roll out of legalized mobile sports betting, it is expected that wagers on the Big Game this year will once again surpass records set from the previous year.

The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that more than 50 million people in the US will wager as much as $1.3 billion dollars on this year’s Big Game. With more states legalizing sports betting this year, the estimates are expected to increase as much as 20% according to thelines.com.

While American football is the most popular U.S. sport for wagers, it is second only to Soccer, in the global sports betting market. Wagers on the NFL make up nearly three quarters of all sports bets placed in the US.

For most, the Big Game is traditionally a great time to have fun with family and friends, but for some, partying, drinking, and gambling activities could get out of control. With mobile sports betting now available on the same devices people use to access their banking and credit cards, along with the ability to link those accounts directly to sports betting apps, the risks are greater than ever for a situation to quickly become out of control.

Many betters may not realize how much actual money they are spending, since they are not physically holding cash in their hands like they would at a casino. These costs can easily add up and lead to gambling debt.