AGA: 20 million US people plan to bet on Tokyo Olympics

Ahead of Friday's Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released new Olympic wagering data on Tuesday. According to the figures provided by the poll, AGA has found that 20.1 million American Adults (8%) plan to wager on the Tokyo Olympics.

Of the events Americans plan to wager on, basketball and soccer are most popular (45% and 34% respectively), while 28% are waging on gymnastics, 27% on track and field, and 27% on swimming. 

It was also found that the vast majority of bettors will place their wages casually, often with friends. This accounts for 47% of the surveyed subjects. Another 43% have decided to place their bets online. 

10% of the people who said that they do not plan to place a bet on this summer’s games pointed out that they would be more likely to wager if it was legal to place an Olympic bet in their state.

During the last Olympics in 2018, only one state offered legal sports betting. Today, more than 100 million Americans have access to the legal market. https://t.co/9clGY6F143

— American Gaming Association (@AmericanGaming) July 20, 2021

Compared to the last Olympic Games in 2018, when sports betting was only legal in Nevada, 100 million American adults now have access to protections only provided by the legal, regulated sports betting market. 

Sports betting is now legal and live in 21 states and Washington D.C. Regulations on Olympic wagering vary by state.