Arkansas' bettors favor Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX
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The average Super Bowl bet through Pine Bluff's Saracen Casino Resort is expected to hit $48 this Sunday, up from $37 last year, casino officials told Axios.
Why it matters: More than $587 million in collective wagers were placed on sporting events in Arkansas for the first 11 months of 2025, up from $404.7 million in 2023, per Legal Sports Report data. Casinos paid more than $8 million in state taxes on that revenue.
- The sharp increase shows how quickly betting has become a revenue stream for the Natural State, even as the market matures and new competitors like prediction markets emerge.
The big picture: Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, will be the fourth time people in Arkansas can legally bet on the game without visiting a physical casino.
- Legalized online betting is credited with the steep growth.
State of play(s): The most popular bet will be on the outcome of the game, Neal Atkinson, Saracen's senior director of its sports book, tells Axios.
- Though there's no regional favorite like when Kansas City played, 76% of the Arkansas bets were on Seattle as of mid-morning Thursday.
- The second-most-popular bet will be on who wins MVP, Atkinson says.
Another popular prop bet is whether a player will score a touchdown at any time during the game.
- "Last year, we had more cumulative liability on the anytime touchdown market — if you combine all of the players that could have scored a touchdown — than we did on the outcome of the game," Atkinson says.
Case in point: Arkansans may place wagers on former Razorback Hunter Henry, now a tight end for the Patriots, Saracen chief marketing officer Carlton Saffa said.
Zoom out: Nationwide, legal bets on the big game are expected to reach $1.76 billion, according to the American Gaming Association.
Yes, but: Don't bank too much on that number. The organization, which advocates on behalf of the gaming industry, has switched its public relations tactics, apparently to cast doubt on unregulated prediction markets.
- In 2024, AGA estimated Super Bowl bets would total $23.1 billion, which included both legal and illicit betting.
- A spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment, and there's no clear final tally.
What we're watching: The rise of prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi is changing the betting landscape, allowing users to risk money on sports outcomes even in states that haven't legalized wagering.
- Saracen officials say they haven't seen an impact yet.
Go deeper: If you or someone you know has a problem with online gambling, help can be found at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), by texting 800GAM or by chatting at 1800gamblerchat.org.