Published on: September 23, 2025, 07:28h.

Updated on: September 23, 2025, 07:32h.

• 19% of Canadians and 26% of Americans participated in sports betting over the past year
• NHL continues to be the preferred sport for betting or fantasy sports among Canadians
• NFL is favored by Americans for both sports betting and fantasy sports

While there are numerous factors that separate Americans and Canadians, their shared enthusiasm for sports betting and fantasy sports is not one of them, as indicated by insights from Canadian market research firm Leger.

NHL Dominates Among Canadian Sports Bettors

Leger, headquartered in Montreal, excels in offering consumer insights, data analysis, customer experience metrics, strategic advice, and AI-driven market research solutions that empower clients in their decision-making.

From August 29 to 31, 2025, the firm conducted a survey with 1,621 Canadians and 1,015 Americans aged 18 and older regarding their sports betting habits and involvement in fantasy sports, coinciding with the upcoming NFL season.

Fantasy Sports Participation

The findings are fairly predictable. There is a slight decrease in both sports bettors and fantasy sports enthusiasts in Canada and the U.S. over the previous year; however, these activities remain highly popular. Specifically, 19% of Canadians and 26% of Americans engaged in sports betting in the last year, down from 21% and 30%, respectively, in the previous year.

This trend is surprising given the sheer popularity of NFL betting—the NHL still holds the title as the most bet-on sport and the preferred choice for fantasy sports among Canadians. In the last year, 41% of Canadian sports bettors placed bets on the NHL, compared to only 26% for the NFL and 21% for the NBA. Additionally, 32% of Canadian fantasy sports players engaged in NHL fantasy hockey.

Increased Interest in MLB Betting Among Americans

Conversely, the NFL remains the most popular sport for Americans in both betting and fantasy scenarios—52% of American fantasy sports players participated in fantasy NFL football, while 59% of American sports bettors placed bets on the NFL last year.

Canadians are reducing their NFL betting activity, which has declined from 37% last year.

On the other hand, Americans have shown increased interest in Major League Baseball, with MLB betting climbing significantly (up 40% year-over-year from 28% last year).

Growing Betting Trends

As the fall season approaches, many bettors plan to increase their betting activities compared to the previous year, especially in the United States—56% of American NBA bettors, 42% of NHL bettors, and 45% of NFL bettors plan to escalate their spending compared to last year.

The study raised intriguing points regarding sports betting advertisements. A significant 75% of Canadians feel overwhelmed by the number of sports betting ads, contrasted with 59% of Americans—this marks an increase from just 52% in the U.S. last year.

Additionally, 49% of bettors in both nations believe that seeing real-time odds displayed on screens enhances their likelihood of placing bets during games.