Why Super Bowl Betting In Las Vegas Is Different Than You Expect


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Super Bowl betting

As Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers fans arrive in Las Vegas, they likely will find that Super Bowl betting in Nevada looks quite a bit different than it does at home.

Leave your FanDuel and DraftKings apps closed on your phone. In fact, even those signed up with popular sports betting apps like BetMGM and Caesars in other states will have to stop at a casino before laying down any action in Nevada. That is because any new mobile sports wagering accounts in the host state of Super Bowl betting require in-person registration.

To engage with any of the 13 Nevada sports betting apps, users must complete an in-person sign-up at the app’s affiliated casino.

Which sports betting apps can be used in Las Vegas?

Even a partial list of unavailable sports betting apps for Super Bowl betting in the host city encompasses many of the most popular sportsbooks nationally, including the top two in market share:

However, accessing and withdrawing funds remains possible for those arriving from states with FanDuel and DraftKings apps.

BetMGM and Caesars, ranking third and fourth in handle respectively, are among Nevada’s most utilized sports betting apps. A Caesars spokesperson indicated the company will have additional staff at its physical sportsbook locations to assist bettors with signup ahead of the big game.

Top Nevada sportsbook apps for download

In addition to widely known BetMGM and Caesars, a number of sportsbooks based in Nevada offer mobile apps. Bettors arriving from other states can wager with any of them while in Nevada, but will need to sign up at the casino first:

How to use Las Vegas sportsbook apps for Super Bowl Betting

To register, Nevada sports bettors must be at least 21 years old and complete a physical application along with a W-9. A valid state ID is required, though it does not have to be a Nevada ID.

Before utilizing a casino’s corresponding app, the first deposit must be made in person, typically with minimum deposit requirements ranging from $50 to $100.

Many casinos work with payment processor Play+ to allow customers access to funds in their account, though depending on the casino you may need to withdraw in person. William Hill, owned but operated separately by Caesars, allows deposits at hundreds of kiosks scattered around the state. You can use PayNearMe at bars, convenience stores, and other similar locations to fund your William Hill account.

Why does Nevada sports betting have in-person signup?

Nevada is the only state maintaining an in-person registration requirement after Illinois and Iowa abolished similar requirements in recent years amid reports they negatively impacted revenue.

Eliminating the requirement in those states indeed resulted in significant surges in betting handle, particularly noteworthy after casinos reopened from the pandemic. Online sports betting constitutes approximately 94% of nationwide sports betting handle, though in Nevada, it accounted for roughly 66% in 2023, according to LSR data.

The state’s gambling laws predate the modern online gambling era and were crafted at a time when online platforms were perceived as potential threats to physical casinos. After the US Supreme Court’s decision to allow states outside of Nevada to legalize sports betting, some states like New Jersey navigated concerns over online cannibalization of in-person betting by tying licensing privileges to their legacy casinos.

Local casinos staunchly opposed an effort from national operators Caesars and MGM to remove the in-person registration stipulation in 2018.

Nevada leads Super Bowl betting projections

This is only the second year since the Supreme Court repealed PASPA that the Super Bowl will be played in a state with legal sports betting. Notably, two teams from legal betting states have yet to face off in a Super Bowl.

During Super Bowl 57 last year, more than 100,000 geolocation transactions occurred in or around State Farm Stadium in Arizona, the first Super Bowl host stadium in a legal wagering state. That was about 0.7% of gameday transactions in New York, which led all states, according to GeoComply.

LSR projects Nevada to lead all states in Super Bowl handle this year, as it has often despite its unique signup requirements. Of the record $1.29 billion expected to be legally wagered on Super Bowl 58, LSR projects Nevada to account for a leading $170 million.