September 22nd, 2023, Rishad Dsouza
A new YouGov report explores the distinguishing characteristics of young NFL fans . Betting is just one of the aspects that the report touches upon.
According to YouGov Profiles, which continuously gathers consumer data on a variety of psychographic and demographic variables, NFL fans aged between 21-29 are over three times as likely as those aged 30 and over to place sports bet at least once a week (21% vs 7%).
Additionally, a fifth of these young NFL fans bet less often than weekly, again eclipsing the other cohort by a similar margin (20% vs 7%). Where well over four-fifths of NFL fans aged 30+ say they never place sports bets online, that figure drops to 56% among the younger cohort.
Click here for a new YouGov report providing a comprehensive overview of the next-gen NFL fan
Another fact that will have gambling companies and sportsbooks take note is that young NFL fans are nearly three times as likely to have spent over $1,000 on sports betting over the past 12 months (28% vs 11%).
But what sportsbooks are these young NFL fans currently considering using? DraftKings, which has invested heavily in its US marketing efforts including a new advert featuring Kevin Hart and retired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, is top of the list (21%), with FanDuel hot on its heels (20%).
While these sportsbooks have a comfortable lead over the others, things are very close lower down the list with each of Bet365 (12%), BetMGM (12%), FOX Bet (11%), 888sport (11%) and Betway (9%) appealing to about a tenth of young NFL fans each.
Profiles data can also provide a peek into other gambling behaviors such as the sports that young NFL fans are most likely to have placed a bet on. Interestingly, basketball (30%) and soccer (29%) are more popular betting sports among this group than American football (26%).
For a more robust understanding of the attitudes of this group, brands and marketers can look also look into data on Global Gambling Profiles, a tool that contains data on aspects such as gambling motivations and factors governing choice of betting companies. For instance, young NFL gamblers place a strong importance on ease of use when choosing an online betting company (37%). Another 37% indicate that their choice can be swayed by selection of events or sports to bet on.
For marketers seeking a thorough overview of the next-gen NFL fan with respect to a range of relevant topics, YouGov’s ‘Next fan up’ report contains plenty of details – from their favorite teams and players to their preferences with respect to sports streaming.