But they also cited less tangible reasons for betting on everything from soccer and football to table tennis and rugby. Unsurprisingly, making money is the top reason people say they gamble on sports. If that doesn’t seem like a big deal, consider this: Sports gambling remains illegal in a quarter of the country, including in major states such as California, Texas, and Florida. Half of them only started betting within the past two years–and most of them are deeply into it, with 71% placing bets on sports at least once a week and 11% at least several times a day. Today, one in six Americans–and a third of men under 55–wager on sports, according to a national survey we conducted this fall.
