ARKANSAS, USA — The 2023 Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles was the first one to have the mobile betting option in place.
There was about $2.8 million wagered on the Super Bowl between the three casinos in the state— which included wagers that were placed on mobile devices and those placed on-site.
This was the largest amount that was wagered on the game since Arkansas sports betting was first legalized in November 2018.
Three casinos in Arkansas including Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff, and Southland Casino in West Memphis first launched a sports betting app in 2022.
“Not surprisingly, the majority of wagers on the game were placed through a mobile device,” said Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. “Wagers on the game increased from $705,000 in 2020 to $2.8 million in 2023. We anticipate a record month in March as Arkansans have the mobile option in place for the first time during March Madness.”
Though it was legalized five years ago, the bets could only be placed on-site casino property, until the Arkansas Racing Commission voted to change that in 2022.
In 2022, a total of $186 million was wagered on sports within Arkansas's three casinos, and mobile bets represented about $122 million of that total.