Published on: December 21, 2025, at 10:21 AM.
Updated on: December 21, 2025, at 10:23 AM.
- Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans was the top betting event at BetMGM for 2025.
- Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Dodgers was the most wagered professional athlete.
- UFC 313’s match: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev (Ankalaev won by unanimous decision) was the most bet fight in 2025.
The holiday season often prompts reflections on the past year, examining both triumphs and disappointments, notable highlights and unexpected failures. This trend extends to sportsbooks, which assess the significant games that generated the highest returns for customers, the most bet events, and the individual athletes who brought in substantial profits for bettors.
Insights from BetMGM reveal compelling trends for 2025. Some findings may be unexpected, while others align with existing patterns, such as the NFL’s overwhelming presence in sports wagering.
“The year 2025 has been remarkable for our sportsbook,” stated Don Forbes, Senior Director of Trading at BetMGM. “Typically, summer months are slower, but this year saw favorable MLB outcomes that fueled record performance.
“The advantageous results, coupled with our approach of providing competitive pricing on select NFL and college football games, significantly enhanced customer engagement and overall betting volume, which is a point of pride for our trading team.”
Most Bet Event: Super Bowl
Key highlights include:
Super Bowl LIX, held in New Orleans, where the Philadelphia Eagles triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, emerged as the most heavily wagered event in 2025 (based on ticket sales). It was followed by the AFC Championship game featuring the Buffalo Bills and Chiefs (Chiefs 32, Bills 29), and the NFL Championship game between the Washington Commanders and Eagles (Eagles 55, Commanders 23). Notably, the NFL dominated the Top 10 most bet events.
When considering total handle, the ranking remains the same: Super Bowl LIX, Bills vs. Chiefs, and Commanders vs. Eagles.
Top Bets for Bettors
The most exciting match for bettors in 2025 was the thrilling opening night game between the Bills and Baltimore Ravens in Buffalo (Bills 41, Ravens 40). This was followed by Game 4 of the American League Championship Series where the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 13-4, highlighted by five home runs and an impressive six-inning performance from Shane Bieber, leading the Jays to a series victory that extended to seven games.
In the NBA, the Western Conference Final Game 6 pitting the Oklahoma Thunder against the Denver Nuggets (Nuggets 119, Thunder 107) ranked as the third-best betting game for customers in 2025.
Top Bets for the Sportsbook
In terms of profitability for sportsbooks, the three standout games in 2025 were the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl, the NFC Wildcard match between the Minnesota Vikings and L.A. Rams (Rams 27, Vikings 9), and the January Week 18 Sunday night matchup between the Detroit Lions and Vikings (Lions 31, Vikings 9).
The leading combat sports events based on ticket sales in 2025 included the UFC 313 event featuring Alex Pereira against Magomed Ankalaev (won by Ankalaev via unanimous decision), Dricus Du Plessis facing Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 (Chimaev unanimous decision), and Max Holloway battling Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 (Holloway unanimous decision).
Most Bet Athletes
Unsurprisingly, MLB star Shohei Ohtani, representing the Los Angeles Dodgers, was the most wagered player of 2025 (by ticket count), followed closely by Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. The players who generated the highest profits for bettors included Terry McLaurin from the Washington Commanders, DeAndre Hopkins of the Chiefs/Ravens, Jalen Hurts from the Eagles, and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.
On the contrary, McLaurin, Hopkins, Hurts, MacKinnon, and Jake Tonges from the San Francisco 49ers turned out to be among the least profitable athletes for sportsbooks in 2025.