Optimove Insights February iGaming Pulse Snapshot – US Sports Bettor Participation Up 160%+ Over Three NFL Seasons
Optimove’s Pulse tool offers unmatched insights into iGaming and sports betting trends, performance, and benchmarks. Each month, we break down the key stats operators need to know to stay ahead
With bettor participation skyrocketing, now is the time for gaming operators to refine their engagement and retention strategies to maximize revenue and long-term customer loyalty.
Key takeaways:
Optimove Insights’ latest iGaming Pulse analysis reveals a significant and sustained increase in the number of daily sports bettors in the US over the past three NFL seasons. Using 2022-2023 as the baseline (100%), the data highlights a steady upward trajectory, with bettor participation doubling in 2023-2024 and continuing to climb in 2024-2025.
Regular Season: +100% in 2023-2024 compared to the baseline, surging to 260% in 2024-2025.
Playoffs: +88% in 2023-2024 compared to the baseline, reaching 223% in 2024-2025.
Super Bowl: +105% in 2023-2024 compared to the baseline, climbing to 242% in 2024-2025.
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The data confirms growing engagement at every stage of the NFL season, presenting a huge opportunity for operators to capture and retain this expanding audience strategically. With bettor participation rising year-over-year, personalized marketing, retention strategies, and AI-driven engagement will be key to maximizing long-term growth.
See the chart below for more details:
What Operators Can (And Should) Do Next
With the rapid rise in bettor participation, operators must take strategic action to maximize engagement and retention. Here are key steps to capitalize on this growth:
Hyper-Personalized Marketing: Use AI-driven insights to segment players based on behavior and preferences, delivering tailored promotions and offers.
Real-Time Engagement: Implement automated, real-time notifications for live betting opportunities, odds changes, and personalized recommendations to keep bettors active.
Retention-First Approach: Leverage loyalty programs, exclusive perks, and gamification strategies to encourage repeat engagement and long-term retention.
Omnichannel Optimization: Ensure seamless experiences across mobile, web, and retail platforms, enhancing accessibility and ease of use.
AI-Powered Predictive Analytics: Identify high-value bettors early and use data-driven models to optimize retention efforts before churn happens.
By implementing these strategies, operators can not only attract new bettors but also build long-term loyalty, maximizing lifetime value in an increasingly competitive market.
In Summary
The number of daily sports bettors in the US has significantly increased over the past three NFL seasons, with participation levels more than doubling since 2022-2023. The data shows a consistent upward trend in bettor engagement across the regular season, playoffs, and Super Bowl, highlighting a major growth opportunity for iGaming operators. To capitalize on this surge, operators should focus on personalized marketing, retention strategies, and AI-driven engagement to sustain and maximize long-term growth.
For more insights on the rapid growth of sports betting in the US, bettor engagement trends across NFL seasons, and strategies for operators to capitalize on this surge through personalized marketing and retention efforts, contact us to request a demo.
Oren is a Marketing Research Analyst on the Professional Services team at Optimove. In this role, Oren focuses on extracting actionable marketing insights by researching and analyzing customer data for retail and gaming clients. Additionally, Oren is pursuing an industrial engineering and management degree at Shenkar College.
