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- An Eilers & Krejcik analysis projects NFL betting to hit $40.5 billion this season, with sportsbooks handling 79% of the action.
- Prediction markets are expected to capture 21% of the volume, emerging as a significant but secondary alternative wagering channel.
Sportsbooks are projected to keep the largest share of NFL betting this season, even as prediction markets are expected to account for about one-fifth of total wagering, according to a new Eilers & Krejcik Gaming analysis.
The report estimates the NFL will generate about $40.5 billion in betting this season. Of that total, at least $31.7 billion is expected to flow through mainstream sportsbooks, while roughly $8.4 billion is projected to come through prediction markets.
That would leave the split at 79% for legacy betting companies and 21% for prediction markets. For the U.S. gambling industry, the forecast points to growing competition around one of the country’s biggest wagering products, while also suggesting prediction markets remain a secondary channel rather than the dominant one.
Forecast Puts Sportsbooks Well Ahead in NFL Wagering
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming said prediction markets are becoming a meaningful part of the NFL betting landscape, but still remain much smaller than traditional operators on a relative basis.
“Prediction markets represent a meaningful second channel for NFL wagering but still small on a relative scale, reflecting a new sector with less of an installed base,” the report said.
The firm also forecast 8% year-over-year growth for the broader sports betting industry.
According to the source summary, prediction markets may appeal to non-traditional sports bettors, as well as high-volume and sharper bettors. The report also notes that sportsbooks often restrict some customers under rules tied to recreational or entertainment-focused play, while prediction markets do not set odds or take the other side of wagers in the same way sportsbooks do.
Prediction Markets Are Growing, but Key Questions Remain
The analysis suggests prediction markets are pushing aggressively for share, and it leaves open the possibility that they could capture more than the projected 21% of NFL wagering.
At the same time, the source notes there is no guarantee the forecast will play out as modeled. It also says prediction markets cannot match the same sign-up bonus offers commonly used by sportsbooks to acquire customers.
What remains unclear from the report summary is which specific prediction market platforms were included in the $8.4 billion estimate, how Eilers & Krejcik Gaming built its forecast, and how the projection compares with prior NFL seasons.
Those details will matter in judging whether prediction markets are simply adding a new wagering channel or starting to materially reshape sportsbook market share around the NFL, which remains one of the most important drivers of U.S. betting volume.
Source: As reported by news.google.com.
