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Dave Mason of BetOnline says the action he has seen for Super Bowl 55 is the most in his lifetime and in the history of that nearly quarter of a century old sportsbook.
Until now, the most action ever was wagered on the 2020 US Presidential Election. That took place just a few weeks ago, but with bets starting to come in already in 2016.
Good lord this early #SuperBowl action is insane. With 7 days of action to come in, little doubt this will be the biggest bet event in history of @betonline_ag besides the 2020 Election
— Dave Mason (@DaveMasonBOL) January 31, 2021
Current needs ($):
67% Chiefs -3
53% Chiefs -167
68% Over 56
Odds> https://t.co/Xd217puzlX
The revelation from Mason is all the more extraordinary considering the dozens of new sportsbooks that have come online over the past year with individual US states fully legalizing sports betting and licensing operators within their own borders.
Over a dozen states have done so and all allow betting on the Super Bowl. But some states have limitations. Most require individual gamblers be 21 and older. BetOnline allows those 18 and up to bet games.
A number of the offerings are deemed to be inferior compared to that of offshore books like BetOnline, and some states have opted for the monopolistic model (Oregon, Montana, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia).
Some do not allow bets taken on in-state schools while still others, like Oregon, prohibit mobile wagering on college sports entirely. This in a state where the Ducks rule supreme, even more so perhaps than the Portland Trail Blazers.
"It's just a natural progression when you are bombarded by ads in a given state to start dabbling in betting online, then migrate to other brands when the options you're seeking aren't available at the state-licensed site," remarked Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website.
BetOnline, unlike its US-based brethren, does not report winnings to a centralized government for tax purposes. Betting can now be done anonymously through cryptocurrencies as well.
Then there's the politics, literally.
"Mason's disclosure that the US Presidential Election was the most wagered on ever is telling," O'Brien said. "US-based sports betting sites, with few exceptions, were not allowed to take bets on this election. The only option was a site like BetOnline, and folks liked the product and chose to keep playing there."
BetOnline was among the first to start offering Super Bowl 55 props, even before the big game opponents were decided. They currently list hundreds of Super Bowl props with add-ons every day.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
