Las Vegas, Nevada has long been hailed the gambling capital of America — perhaps even the world. But when it comes to sports gambling, New Jersey may have just taken the crown. Sports betting has only been legal in the Garden State for a little over a year, so how has it already surpassed Las Vegas? Let’s discuss how New Jersey has quickly become America’s sports wagering poster child.
It Didn’t Take Long
If you’re wondering how this happened so fast, considering it only took 11 months of legalized sports betting for Jersey to surpass Vegas in monthly sportsbook wagers, it’s actually quite simple; Vegas is a destination-gambling spot in the middle of nowhere that people visit for the Sin City experience. Jersey, on the other hand, is one of the most densely populated states in the country, and a lot of average, working-class Americans living on the East Coast have been able to integrate sports betting into their daily lives thanks to increased accessibility.
Wagers From Across State Lines
A trip to Vegas is usually a big deal; something you mark on your calendar and save up for. Unless you live there, it would be very challenging to gamble daily in Vegas because it’s in the middle of the desert. For reference, it’s about five hours away from Los Angeles. New Jersey, on the other hand, isn’t exactly a popular vacation spot — but it has roughly 6.5 million more residents than Nevada, and it’s only a short drive or train ride from New York City and Philadelphia. That means millions and millions of people from three different states can casually gamble on sports whenever they want.
The NFL’s Role in NJ’s Sports Wagering Revolution
As the most popular professional sport in the nation, NFL football has been a vital component to New Jersey’s sports betting industry. Alex Kostin, who founded AmericanGambler.com, an online sports betting community, argues that New Jersey can thank the NFL for their promotion to sports betting capital of America. It’s hard to dispute that, considering how popular the NFL is and how many advertisements we see promoting football-related betting.
Contact 800-GAMBLER for Support, Treatment, and Hope
Whether you regularly use the internet for sports betting in East Rutherford, NJ, or you are spending 40 hours a week at the casino playing blackjack — disordered gambling is disordered gambling. A lot of folks think sports wagering in Atlantic City is a form of skill-based gambling, but it’s not, because you have no control over the outcome. Contact our 24-hour helpline today for the support, treatment, and hope you need to recover from disordered gambling.