Published on: August 15, 2025, 03:42h.
Updated on: August 15, 2025, 06:18h.
- 77% intend to bet on the NFL this season
- Optimove’s NFL analysis aims to guide sportsbooks in understanding bettor motivations
The NFL season is nearly here! Optimove, a data-driven platform for marketers, has published an insightful report on NFL betting trends that aims to assist sportsbooks in strategically tailoring their offerings for bettors this upcoming season.
NFL Regular Season Launch
The action begins on September 4, with the Dallas Cowboys facing the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles at 8:20 p.m. EST.
An ESPN BET spokesperson shared that a bettor placed a significant $50,000 bet on Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to secure the NFL Regular Season MVP title at +550 odds. This wager could yield a massive payout of $325,000. The stakes are high!
Ravens in the Spotlight
The Ravens rank as the third most bet team to win the Super Bowl on ESPN BET, following the Eagles and Buffalo Bills, and they hold two-thirds of the bets and handle as the favorite to win the AFC North.
Optimove Insights: 2025-2026 NFL Betting Intentions Report sheds light on the motivations behind NFL betting.
Conducting a survey with 425 NFL bettors in August, Optimove discovered that 77% intend to continue wagering throughout the season, regardless of whether their favorite team makes the playoffs or competes in the Super Bowl, which will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Participants ranged from 21 years and older, all with household incomes exceeding $75,000.
Shift Away from In-Game Betting
Interestingly, 82% of bettors indicated they would keep placing bets even after their favorite team is eliminated, while 83% stated they plan to bet on the Super Bowl, regardless of the teams involved.
Key findings from the study reveal:
Pre-game betting is preferred, with 48% of respondents favoring this method, as in-game betting plummeted from 85% last year to 75% this year. Optimove urges operators to consider this decline in interest when creating campaigns or messaging related to in-play betting options.
Point spreads top the list of preferred bet types (61%), followed by Moneyline (52%) and Over/Under (47%).
Effective Personalization Boosts Retention
The study also indicates that digital channels are predominant – 76% of bettors utilize mobile or online platforms, with 80% engaging with two or more platforms regularly. Just 15% prefer in-person betting at sportsbooks, and 9% turn to friends or private bookmakers.
When it comes to marketing strategies, personalization is key for retention. The top channels for this approach include email (40%) and SMS (25%), allowing operators to send timely and relevant messages that resonate with users’ interests.
“This report provides a strategic framework for sportsbooks aiming to capture bettor loyalty this NFL season,” stated Tomer Imber, Sr. Director of Sales, U.S. Gaming at Optimove. “Bettors are seeking personalized, real-time, and mobile-oriented experiences.”
Additional Insights
- 64% of participants reported placing bets weekly last season, including 34% who bet several times a week and 30% once a week.
- Bettors are forecasted to remain active, as 72% expect to make multiple bets during the 2025-2026 season.
- Player performance (58%), point spreads and odds (56%), and team loyalty (55%) are crucial influences on betting behavior for the upcoming season. Promotions and bonuses appeal to 41% of bettors, while expert opinions (28%) and the thrill of live games (24%) also play significant roles.
- A mere 2% believe that betting detracts from their enjoyment of NFL games.
Average Betting Behavior
Regarding research sources used for placing bets, sports websites and applications remain at the forefront (61%), followed by social media (49%) and betting tipsters (45%).
DraftKings (29%) and FanDuel (21%) maintain their lead as preferred platforms for bettors, with Hard Rock (12%), BetMGM (10%), and Caesars (4%) also being popular options. “No preference” accounted for 9% of responses.
Sixty percent typically wager between $11 and $100 per game, with 31% betting $11-$50, and 29% wagering $51-$100. Only 4% admitted to betting more than $500 on a single event.