Nearly 42 per cent of Ontario's sports bettors plan plan to place a bet on Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals.
That's according to a survey conducted by Leger for the Responsible Gambling Council, the first year the council has conducted this type of survey since single sports wagering was legalized in Canada.
The survey found 52 per cent of Ontario Super Bowl bettors plan to wager $50 or less, 29 per cent say they will bet between $50 and $100, while 17 per cent say they will wager $100 or more.
Shelley White, Chief Executive Officer at the Responsible Gambling Council, says this is about having fun and entertainment, but it's not about making money.
She says if you are going to gamble, only gamble with money you can afford to lose, never borrow money or use money that's intended for necessities like rent, your mortgage or food.
White says the survey found that 38 per cent of Ontario adults believe their sports knowledge gives them an edge in predicting outcomes.
"It's kind of risky. We all know that there's a lot of drama and unpredictability in sports, it's very hard to predict the outcome of a game. Believing that you have that knowledge could actually lead you to actually spend or bet more money than you could afford to lose," she says.
White says they often talk about the risk around the illusion of control for problem gamblers.
"Who would have ever though that the Bengals would have beat the Chiefs? The games are unpredictable. You never know what is going to happen, who's going to be completely on game, who's going to be injured," she says.
Those who believe their knowledge gives them an advantage are predominantly between 18 and 34 (48 per cent) and male (46 per cent).
White adds it's " easy to get carried away by the excitement of the big game. A quarter of sports bettors reported feeling the need to bet more and more money and nearly two-in-ten have lied to people important to them about how much they gambled. The consequences of chasing losses can be financially and emotionally devastating. Knowing the risks and having a plan to protect yourself are essential to having fun and enjoying the game."
RGC tips for safe online sports betting:
An online survey of 1,003 Ontario residents aged 18+ was completed between January 7-9, 2022, using Leger's online panel. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/-3.1%, 19 times out of 20.