Younger gamblers exhibit a wider range of betting patterns compared to their older peers
According to a 2024 YouGov study on U.S. sports bettors, the most popular sports for betting among different age groups vary significantly, reflecting distinct interests between younger and older bettors.
The study reveals that the age groups 21-24 and 25-34 account for 10% and 34% of sportsbook users respectively, indicating these younger adults form a significant portion of the betting market.
However, the detailed breakdown of which specific sports are most popular for betting among various age groups is not explicitly provided in the available search results.
While general industry observations suggest that younger bettors tend to favor fast-paced and globally popular sports like basketball and esports, older age groups often prefer traditional sports such as football, baseball, and horse racing, these patterns are not confirmed in the cited YouGov research.
Here's a breakdown of the sports betting trends based on the available data:
- Among U.S. respondents between the ages of 18-34, the NBA is the most popular sport to bet on, with 41% stating they've bet on it. The NFL follows closely behind with 35%, and Major League Baseball comes in third with 23%. Esports and soccer also attract a significant number of bets, with 19% and 30% of respondents having bet on them respectively.
- In the 35-54 age group, the NFL is the most popular sport to bet on, with 50% of respondents having bet on it. Major League Baseball follows with 23%, the NBA with 45%, and soccer with 30%. Esports also gains some traction, with 19% of respondents having bet on it.
- Among U.S. respondents age 55 and up, the NFL is the most popular sport to bet on, with 71% stating they've bet on pro football. Major League Baseball comes in second with 35%, followed by the NBA with 43%, soccer with 13%, and esports with 3%.
- Esports are the fourth most popular sport to bet on among the 21-34 age group, with 32% of respondents having bet on it. In the same age group, soccer is the fourth most popular sport to bet on, with 38% of respondents having bet on it.
It's important to note that more Americans said they've gambled offline in the past year than through the internet.
To access detailed sport-by-age-group betting popularity, one would need to access the full YouGov 2024 U.S. Bettor Research Report, as the summarized search results do not include this breakdown.
[1] YouGov 2024 U.S. Bettor Research Report (access required for detailed data) [2] YouGov 2024 U.S. Sports Betting Search Results (available online)
- Despite the YouGov study not providing an explicit breakdown, the NBA is the most popular sport for sports betting among U.S. respondents aged 18-34, with 41% stating they've bet on it.
- The NFL comes in second, accounting for 35% of bets among the same age group, while Major League Baseball follows in third with 23%.
- Esports and soccer also attract a significant number of bets from the 18-34 age group, with 19% and 30% of respondents having bet on them, respectively.
- In the 35-54 age group, the NFL remains the most popular sport for betting, with 50% of respondents having bet on it, while Major League Baseball trails with 23%.
- The NBA garnered 45% of bets from this age group, followed by soccer with 30%, and esports with 19%.
- Among U.S. respondents age 55 and up, the NFL is the most popular sport to bet on, with 71% stating they've bet on pro football.
- Major League Baseball comes in second among this age group, followed by the NBA, soccer, and esports.
- It is crucial to access the full YouGov 2024 U.S. Bettor Research Report to obtain detailed sport-by-age-group betting popularity, as the summarized search results do not include this breakdown.
