New York Sportsbetting: Our guide
A brief history of New York Sportsbetting
Sports betting companies must have jumped for joy when New York decided to regulate and allow sports betting within state lines. New York is the fourth most populated state in America, home to nearly 20 million people, so when they passed a bill a decade ago to signify a monumental shift in attitude, sports betting companies were queuing up to get a slice of the enormous market that would soon be available to them. However, unlike other states, the timeline moved much slower than initially planned.
It wasn’t until six years following this landmark change that the first sportsbook was available to New York bettors, but this has now snowballed to nearly a dozen operators being able to advertise their markets to sports betting fans in The Big Apple and the broad state. Last year involved a similar change to mobile sports betting, meaning that bettors can now place their wagers via smartphones, and sports betting companies have opened up their books to smartphone users who want to use their phones or tablets to place a sports bet.In many ways, this was a more groundbreaking change, given that mobile sports betting now dominates the market and many people now use their phones to bet, and have moved away from traditional digital betting platforms of laptops and PCs.
The power of advertising
Advertising involves more than just TV and social media; it also involves strategies that sports betting companies implement to encourage people to use their services. Promotional offers, bonus codes and partnering with some of the biggest names in sports are all highly effective ways for sports betting companies to cultivate a larger customer base and bring potential bettors to their sites. Sports betting bonuses for New York customers cover a broad range, including no-deposit bonuses, free bet credits and cashback guarantees for specific markets or types of bets.
Once the legislation changed and betting in the Empire State became aligned with the appetites of millions of customers, the onus was on betting companies to put together effective advertising campaigns and strategies to get ahead of the competition. Online sports betting companies competed against other companies looking to operate within New York state lines.
International companies were also addressing a global market, so they had to ensure that they had broad, well-structured advertising campaigns and that any markets launched in New York were specific to the betting behavior of New Yorkers so that they could maximize their potential reach.
American football betting in New York
American football is the dominant sport across the US, which is reflected in the colossal viewing figures during the Super Bowl. This popularity also applies to sports fans and bettors in New York. While some states barely have a sporting franchise or team operating at the highest level, New York has a trio of NFL franchises. The Buffalo Bills, the New York Giants and the New York Jets all enjoy sizeable support. Whenever any of these teams are playing, there’s a significant spike in interest in gambling markets.
As mobile betting becomes a driving force in the growth of the global sports betting industry, the same growth has been mirrored in New York. Mobile betting drives in-play markets, cash-out options and derivative markets that weren’t available before the immense transformation and innovation in the sector due to digital gambling.
The NFL and college football account for the most significant chunk of digital sports betting in The Big Apple and the wider state region. It’s not just when one of their three teams is playing; the Super Bowl and other big games all generate similar levels of activity, as is the case throughout the country, where sports betting is now tolerated and regulated.
Baseball – New York sporting heritage
The Yankees is one of a handful of American sporting teams that have been able to crossover into pop culture. Many international, casual sporting fans with no interest in baseball can identify the Yankees slogan as the brand became a global hit.
The jersey and, more notably, the caps became a big hit worldwide. Through the immortal genius of Babe Ruth and the world-famous Yankee Stadium, New Yorkers take to the Yankees, and many consider it to be the second sport behind the NFL. Sports betting markets reflect this too. Early indicators show that although the NFL has demanded a commanding lead thus far, there’s more of an appetite for baseball betting in New York than in many other states.
NBA sportsbetting
Basketball might be the focal point of many other states and their sporting excellence, but despite Madison Square Garden being home to the Knicks, the fact the team has struggled since the onset of the 21st century has meant that baseball has solidified its popularity, and other sports like soccer have started to establish themselves as more popular markets.
However, there are still extensive basketball betting markets for New Yorkers to explore. If we zoom out and look at the international scope, the NBA is one of the leading sports betting markets in the US, and this is highly unlikely to change.
Soccer gambling markets
It might sound unusual that soccer has millions of dollars worth of betting activity during the weekend or the big MLS games. While it has taken a long time to find a market in America, the decades of slick advertising, bringing in the big names and a whole generation of Americans growing up with it as their top sport means that it has a much bigger audience than a lot of people may think in New York.
Inter Miami and the MLS landed a huge fish when World Cup-winning Argentinian captain Lionel Messi moved to play in the US. Not only did it create global headlines, but it resulted in international fans and American sports fans paying closer attention to soccer and the associated betting markets.
Is soccer the fastest growing sports betting market in the US?
Billions of people watched the World Cup Final in 2022, and the monumental success of the competition generated thousands of articles predicting the outcome of the tournament, robust debate and millions of people discussing each game on social media. It seemed destiny intervened, resulting in Argentina winning the most revered international soccer competition and Lionel Messi completing his legacy. Now that the global sporting eyes were on the talismanic Argentine, Inter Miami struck while the iron was hot and acquired his signature and services.
New York has a stronger connection to soccer than most other states. The Cosmos set the blueprint for megastars to enhance the sport’s stature in the US when they signed Pele back in 1970. Most recently, the Red Bulls have brought in other global soccer megastars like Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill and Tim Howard, which has helped to sell the sport in the Empire State.
Final thoughts
Soccer is already the most popular international sport. While NFL and baseball betting command a seriously strong lead for New Yorkers, soccer has the most potential for expansion. While it might not happen overnight, there is a growing appetite for the sport, which invariably trickles down to the betting markets at some stage. Other variables, such as the growth of digital online and mobile app betting, will play a pivotal role in these burgeoning sports betting markets. For New Yorkers who enjoy sports and sports betting, there will be no shortage of markets to gamble on as the decade progresses
