US sports betting interest rose by more than 25 percent between July and October 2025, according to Blask data. The surge was driven by a convergence of global and domestic sporting events before declining sharply in early 2026 as seasonal momentum faded.
The Blask Index, which measures aggregated user intent based on search activity, climbed from 8.23 million in July to 11.08 million in October 2025 on the back of strong sports content throughout the late summer and early autumn period. However, the rally was short-lived as engagement dropped back to 8.21 million by February.
Global football and tennis spark early betting interest
FIFA Club World Cup hosted in the United States was one of the earliest catalysts. Soccer, already a major driver of global wagering, often attracts consistent engagement due to its international calendar and year‑round competitions.
Globally, soccer accounts for the largest share of betting turnover compared with other sports, as noted by Grand View Research’s Sports Betting Market (2025 – 2030) report. Meanwhile, according to the United States Soccer Federation’s (USSF) annual financial report, US Soccer generated $263.7 million in revenue during 2025, a 37 percent increase over 2024 and the highest in eight years.
The US Open added another dimension to sports betting interest. Major tennis events typically generate spikes in fan engagement and wagering activity. According to data from Entain’s Global Sportsbook, the 2025 US Open was set to become the most globally bet-on tennis major of all time.
European Premier League season also kicked off in late August and early September. The Major League Baseball postseason also supported heightened interest. This multi‑sport surge stood in contrast to a common perception that US betting demand is singularly NFL‑driven.
NFL peak still central to market growth
The National Football League still remains the most signifcant driver of US sports betting activity. As per Legal Sports Report, sports betting in the US was projected to reach a total handle of $164 billion across all markets by 2025, representing a 9.5 percent increase from the previous year. Revenue figures were expected to reach $16 billion by year-end, reflecting a 17 percent growth rate.
A major contributor to this was NFL betting. According to American Gaming Association (AGA), it was projected that Americans would legally wager approximately $30 billion on the NFL in the 2025 season.
Blask data shows interest peaking at 11.08 million in October, coinciding with the early and mid‑season phases of the NFL calendar, historically the period of highest engagement due to weekly fixtures.
Post‑peak normalisation and engagement dip
The Blask data indicates a decline to 10.81 million in November, followed by a slight decrease to 10.71 million in December, before experiencing a sharper drop to 9.87 million in January and 8.21 million in February 2026. This overall decline of 26 percent from its peak to its lowest point highlights the fluctuations in user engagement in the US betting market.
This pattern reflects what industry analysts describe as post‑kickoff normalisation, where initial excitement around a season gives way to consumption fatigue and fewer high‑impact events to sustain elevated engagement levels.
While the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl typically attract significant betting volumes, the data indicate that overall user interest begins to taper off before the season concludes. According to Optimove data, the average daily bet amount per player (bettor) on playoff games was 26 percent less than during regular season games. The average bet amount on Super Bowl game day was 50 percent of the regular season.
While key events such as the NFL playoffs and other league seasons continued into the winter, they did not drive the same level of heightened search‑led interest captured earlier in the autumn.
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