Maxime Legris will spend Sunday’s entire Super Bowl on alert, and it’s not just because of Patrick Mahomes’ skills. It is that he, like many other Quebecers, will have bet on the outcome of the game, the figures from Loto-Québec indicate.
• Also read: Chicken wings: “30 to 35% of annual sales” for the Super Bowl
• Also read: 15% increase in one year: The Super Bowl Fest isn’t immune to inflation
“I’ll definitely make a bet,” says the 38-year-old sports enthusiast.
No wonder since he bets every day or almost every day. Hockey, baseball, soccer, boxing, you name it.
“I decided to do this seriously and professionally for 3 years,” says the man, who cannot work because of a visual impairment.
He advises against making big bets at all times, especially at the Super Bowl.
“It’s a type of event that shouldn’t be touched too much, there are always unforeseen events, logic doesn’t always follow,” he analyses.
The bettor mainly uses Loto-Québec’s Mise-o-jeu+ service, especially since the governing body allows for simple betting, ie betting on a single game at a time.
“It’s much more profitable. Also, Loto-Québec’s customer service is impeccable compared to the others,” assures the Nicolet resident.
Fight against illegal sites
The “Others” are online betting applications that are more or less legal in Canada, such as Betway, Bet99 or BetMGM.
It is difficult to assess the value of this market in Quebec as the organization that represents these companies, the Canadian Gaming Association, does not disclose figures.
The fact remains that we see their advertisements everywhere and that Loto-Québec has declared war on them, especially through simple bets that appeared in August 2021.
“The addition of singles last year had a significant impact on revenue,” Loto Quebec spokesman Renaud Dugas said of betting during the 2022 Super Bowl. Back then, bets were 39% higher than 2021 and worth $990,000.
Every year, the Super Bowl is the sporting event that generates the most bets for the state-owned company.
However, Loto-Québec no longer discloses its betting turnover at events “due to competition from illegal operators”.
Crazy in the US too
As Loto-Québec braces for another record year, so does the United States, where Americans are expected to spend more than ever on Super Bowl bets. According to a survey by the American Gaming Association, total expected wagers are $16 billion, more than double last year.
About 30 million Americans plan to bet on both legal and illegal apps, a 66% increase in one year.
a bit of wisdom
At Nicolet, Maxime Legris has made his choice: it will be the Eagles, whose odds at Loto-Québec are 1.65.
The 38-year-old bettor will bet $50 which means he could win $82.50 if the Philadelphia team wins.
“If you go ‘all-in’ on every game, your account will be empty, it won’t last long,” he wisely recalls.
Top 5 most popular sporting events in Loto-Québec
- Super Bowl 2022: $1,385,100
- Super Bowl 2021: $990,000
- Super Bowl 2020: $756,000
- Floyd Mayweather fights Conor McGregor in 2017: $670,149
- Super Bowl 2019: $653,250
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?