More than Half of Americans Say No to College Betting, Says Poll

The recent start of March Madness is the primary focus of new research that probed the motivations of bettors to fill brackets, along with their support for legal betting in their state on college and professional sports. The new study from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research uncovered interesting trends when it comes to betting activities across the US.

Bettors Support Wagering on Professional Sports, Majority Rejects College Sports Wagering

Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of the respondents agreed with the offer of legal sports betting on professional sports in their home state. The poll’s question: “Do you think gambling on each of the following should be legal in your state, or don’t you think so?” saw a majority of 58% of the respondents agree with betting on professional sports. On the opposite side, 41% of the adults who participated in the poll voted against legal betting on professional sports in their home state.

The new poll focused on college sports betting. Unlike the result for professional sports, a majority of the respondents disagreed with betting on college sports. Some 55% of the adults in the poll voted against legal wagering on college sports. In contrast, 43% approved betting on college sports.

Further interesting findings of the new poll showed that 37% of the respondents frequently or occasionally wager on sports. On the other hand, an overwhelming majority of 63% admitted having never placed a bet on either college, or professional sports.

Glory of Winning and a Chance to Win Money Are the Biggest Motivators for Participating in a March Madness Bracket

Focusing on March Madness, a majority of 56% of the respondents acknowledged that entering a March Madness bracket is gambling. Whether or not such an activity is considered gambling depends on the amount that is wagered. This was the response of 22%, while 21% did not view March Madness pools as a form of gambling.

“People who participate in March Madness brackets have a variety of motivations. The glory of winning and cash are the most popular motivators, followed by peer pressure and school spirit. Most people consider entering a March Madness bracket pool for money to be gambling, although 2 in 10 say it depends on how much money is on the line,“

reads the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

The new poll focused on the motivation of bettors to fill out a March Madness bracket. Some 33% acknowledged the glory of winning as a major reason for filling out a March Madness bracket, while 27% were motivated by the chance to win money.

On the other hand, some bettors participated because others were also filling out brackets and that was the major reason for 23% of the respondents. According to 16% of the respondents, their main motivation behind participating in a March Madness bracket is supporting a certain team or a school.