• About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling
This site contains commercial content
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
No Result
View All Result

One Extra Week Of NFL Games, Millions Of Extra Dollars For Sportsbooks

Fans aren't the only ones thrilled with a 17-game season

Jeff Edelstein by Jeff Edelstein
April 1, 2021
in Sports
rob gronkowski

(Photo: Kim Klement/USA Today)

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

If you’re an NFL fan, the announcement earlier this week that the league — sorry, The League — is expanding to a 17-game schedule certainly was a welcome development. After all, that’s one more regular season week to watch, to root, and yes, to bet – potentially with sportsbooks bonuses.

And of course, if you’re betting, there’s someone on the other side of the window (or app) taking that bet. And you better believe they were thrilled to hear about the extra week.

β€œThis is great news for bettors and bookmakers alike,” Jay Croucher, the PointsBet head of trading, said in an email. β€œPreseason activity — while larger for the NFL than any other pro sport — is tiny compared to regular season betting. The additional week of regular season games will be a significant driver for overall NFL handle.”

Beginning in 2021, the NFL is expanding to a 17-game regular season. pic.twitter.com/skNisJwPS2

— NFL (@NFL) March 30, 2021

Johnny Avello, who steers DraftKings Sportsbook, agreed, especially on the preseason games, which were cut from four to three with the change.

β€œThe way preseason usually goes is the first week is kind of popular, second week is more popular, third week is the most popular, and the fourth really falls off,” he told Sports Handle. β€œI never saw preseason as anything special, because our limits are lower. It’s just a prelude to the season, trying to get acclimated.”

So no one is crying about the loss of a preseason game, especially if it means another regular season game. And another regular season game means … well, it means more money in the pockets of the sportsbooks. No wonder they’re happy.

Sign Up For The Sports Handle Newsletter!
I also want to receive information and offers about online sportsbooks (eg. odds boost, welcome offers)

Break out the napkins

Ladies and gentlemen, some quick β€œnapkin math” from my colleague Chris Altruda …

β€œA conservative estimate would be about $350 million in handle per week” in NFL betting in legal markets nationally, he figures. β€œThe industry win rate is approximately 7%, so about $24.5 million in operator revenue would be a low-end estimate.”

Yeah. Not bad for a Sunday’s worth of action.

And to be clear: That’s only straight betting, or moneyline and against-the-spread wagers. That doesn’t include parlays. β€œLow-end estimate” indeed.

Sports betting operators — sometimes due to regulations, sometimes not — are not in the habit of releasing detailed breakdowns of how much handle they’re dealing with in any one sport. States do a better job of it, but again, Altruda has to depend on his β€œnapkin math.” (Not to give the impression these numbers aren’t legit; Altruda is to spreadsheets as Rob Gronkowski is to booze cruises — always ready to dive in headfirst, and knows exactly what buttons to push.)

Altruda was able to get numbers from five of the biggest legal sports betting states — New Jersey, Nevada, Indiana, Illinois, and Colorado — and was able to estimate Pennsylvania, which doesn’t break it down by sport. Among those six, Altruda estimates about $300 million a week. He had to estimate Michigan and Virginia, as they weren’t taking bets for the entirety of this past season, and then had to add in the smaller states to arrive at his number, which, again, is the absolute bottom and doesn’t take parlays into account.

Napkin math or not, an extra week of NFL football equals a lot more extra scharole for the books.

And consider this: Last year, 13 NFL teams were located in states that permit legal sports betting. If things break right, that number could grow to 20 in time for at least part of the 2021 NFL season.

Giddy up.

Bowl woes? Nah

One potential impact on sportsbooks, however, may be the fact the NFL regular season — which will now end on Jan. 9 — will not only run through college football’s bowl season, but will end the day before the NCAA National Championship game.

Avello, though, isn’t concerned.

β€œI can’t imagine the NFL will schedule games that go up directly against the bowl games,” he said. β€œI don’t see it interfering at all.”

Tough to rain on this parade, as it turns out.

Is there any downside for the sportsbooks?

β€œIt means a lot of adjustments by bookmakers,” Avello said. β€œThe over/under on win totals, we put that up on our site, adjustments had to be made for the extra week. It also means proposition bets … we need to rethink those a little bit because an extra week goes into it. An extra week means 6% more games, which could potentially mean 6% more injuries, which could be impactful to the future bets.”

He also points out the extra week could have outsized impact on team futures, noting one more week in the NFC East last season could’ve completely turned over the playoff picture.

Croucher of PointsBet hit a similar note.

β€œThe main impact of a 17-game schedule is that it provides a slight advantage to the better teams,” he said. β€œMore of a sample, more opportunity for their true talent to kick in β€” and less opportunities for mediocre teams to ride luck into the playoffs. Each additional game played is a chance for true talent to reveal itself.”

In the end, however? It’s a boon for the books.

β€œIt’s a big impact,” Avello said. β€œFor us it’s more about adjustments on offerings, but as a whole, it means additional handle, which we always welcome.”

ShareTweetShare
Jeff Edelstein

Jeff Edelstein

Jeff is a veteran journalist, working as a columnist for The Trentonian newspaper in Trenton, NJ for a number of years. He's also an avid sports bettor and DFS player. He can be reached at [email protected].

Related Posts

josh naylor
Industry

April Brings Newcomer Ohio Its Lowest Betting Activity Thus Far

May 31, 2023
whats on tap
Industry

What’s On Tap: NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, And French Open Early Rounds

May 29, 2023
Load More

Top Stories

paspa ruling

From PASPA To Present: An Oral History Of The U.S. Sports Betting Gold Rush

May 11, 2023
inside-fanatics-sportsbook-fedex-field

Sources: Fanatics Enters Advanced Talks With PointsBet On Transformative U.S. Deal

May 12, 2023
new york times headquarters

The ‘Risky Wager’ Series From New York Times Was No Hit Piece β€” It’s Reality

May 31, 2023
cincinnati-bearcats-signage

Failing To Report Wagering Violations A No-No, NCAA Says

May 25, 2023

State Sports Betting Guides

Ohio (U.S. state) flag waving against clear blue sky, close up, isolated with clipping path mask alpha channel transparency, perfect for film, news, composition

Ohio Sports Betting – All Online Sportsbooks, Bonus Offers, and News 2023

by Brian Pempus
May 16, 2023

Downtown Detroit at twilight (Shutterstock)

Michigan Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
May 2, 2023

VA captial

Virginia Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonus Offers

by Brett Smiley
April 24, 2023

nj flag

New Jersey Sports Betting — Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
March 22, 2023

pa online sportsbooks

Pennsylvania Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonuses

by Brett Smiley
May 3, 2023

Canada Sports Betting Guides

Canada Sports Betting – Best Sportsbook Apps & Bonus Offers

British Columbia Sports Betting – Legal Update, Available Sportsbooks, and FAQ

Ontario Sports Betting – Legal Status And Where To Play

SportsHandle

  • Analysis
  • Casino
  • Features
  • Horse Racing
  • Industry
  • Legal
  • Legislation
  • Lottery
  • Opinion
  • Podcasts
  • Poker
  • Politics
  • Promotions
  • Regulation
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Better Collective

This website is owned and operated by Better Collective USA. Trademarks and copyrights referenced on this website are and shall remain the exclusive property of their respective owners and/or licensors. Please be sure to visit the operator’s website(s) to review their terms & conditions. We advise you to read these carefully as they contain important information. Copyright Β© 2023 USBets.com | Better Collective USA
21 Play Responsibly
Gamble Aware West Virginia
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
GameSense

Search Sports Handle

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling

No Result
View All Result
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News