Optimove NFL Study Gives Sportsbook Operators Insights on How To Shape Offerings
Posted on: August 15, 2025, 03:42h.
Last updated on: August 15, 2025, 06:18h.
- 77% plan to wager on the NFL this upcoming season
- Optimove NFL study meant to help direct sportsbook operators on how and why wagerers bet on the NFL
The kickoff to NFL season fast approaches, with Optimove, a customer data platform for marketers, releasing a new study on NFL wagering intentions that will help sportsbooks more strategically package their offerings to bettors this season.
Regular Season Kick-Off
Things get going for real Sept. 4, with the Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia to play the Super Bowl-defending Eagles, starting at 8:20 p.m. EST.
According to a spokesperson from ESPN BET, a bettor placed a $50,000 wager on Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson winning NFL Regular Season MVP at +550. The bet would have a payout of $325,000. Things are getting serious.
Bettors Like the Ravens
The Ravens are the third most bet Super Bowl winner on ESPN BET behind the Eagles and Buffalo Bills and have two thirds of bets and handle on AFC North winner.
Optimove Insights: 2025-2026 Consumer Report on NFL Wagering Intentions dives into how and why wagerers bet on NFL games.
Optimove spoke with 425 NFL bettors, conducted in August, and found that 77% plan to place wagers through this upcoming season, regardless of whether their favourite team advances to the playoffs and onto the Super Bowl, to be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Respondents were ages 21-plus, with household incomes over $75,000.
Less Prefer In-Game Betting
In fact, 82% said they will continue to bet after their favourite team has been eliminated, with 83% saying they will bet on the Super Bowl no matter which teams are involved.
Other interesting findings from the study:
Pre-game betting is dominant, with 48% preferring to go that route, with in-game live betting dropping to 75% from 85% last year. In a statement Optimove said operators should factoring in this decline in-game interest when planning campaigns or messaging around in-play betting features.
Point spreads are the most preferred type of bet (61%), followed by Moneyline (52%), and Over/Under (47%).
Personalization Drives Retention
Not surprisingly, the study found that digital rules the day – 76% bet via mobile or online platforms, with 80% using two or more platforms weekly. Just 15% bet in person at casinos and 9% rely on a bookmaker or friend.
In terms of marketing bettors, personalization drives retention – top channels for that are email (40%) and text messaging (25%), where operators can deliver timely, relevant messages tied to personal interest for higher level engagement.
This report can be a roadmap for sportsbook operators to win bettors’ loyalty this NFL season,” said Tomer Imber, Sr. Director of Sales, U.S. Gaming at Optimove. “Bettors want personalized, real-time, mobile-first experiences.”
Other Findings
- 64% of respondents said they placed bets weekly last season, including 34% who bet several times per week, and 30% who bet once a week.
- Bettors anticipate being active – 72% expect to place multiple bets during the 2025-2026 season.
- Player performance (58%), point spreads and odds (56%), and team loyalty (55%) were the most significant drivers of betting behavior for the upcoming 2025/26 season. Promotions and bonuses sway 41% of bettors, while expert analysis (28%) and the added excitement of watching games (24%) play roles as well.
- Only 2% said betting detracts from their enjoyment watching an NFL game.
Average Bets
When it comes to research sources to place bets, sports websites and apps are still No. 1 (61%), followed by social media (49%) and tipsters (45%).
DraftKings (29%) and FanDuel (21%) still dominate in terms of preferred platforms. Hard Rock (12%), BetMGM (10%), and Caesars (4%) are up there as well. “No preference” scored 9%.
Sixty per cent typically bet between $11 and $100 per game, with 31% betting $11-$50, and 29% betting $51-$100. Only 4% said they bet over $500 on a single wager.
No comments yet