Pennsylvania sports bettors went to far lengths to support the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59. The state shattered a record in Super Bowl betting handle last weekend.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) announced on Thursday morning that Pennsylvania sportsbooks accepted $101.5 million in bets on Super Bowl Sunday. However, they might wish they hadn’t. Because of the Eagles’ blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs, operators lost more than $6.5 million on the day.
PlayPennsylvania expected the state to break a record during the game. However, amassing more than $100 million in total bets was more than predicted. It goes to show that Eagles fans really supported their team, on the road to victory.
Sports betting handle up over 40% on Super Bowl Sunday
Pennsylvania sportsbooks certainly got what it wanted in total bets, breaking a new record. However, the outcome was not what is was looking for.
The $101.5 million in total wagers is a 41.6% bump from last year and a 20.4% increase from two years ago, the last time the Eagles participated in the Super Bowl. The PGCB disclosed the allegiance of many bettors in a press release:
“At the same time, patrons overwhelmingly placed winning wagers resulting in negative revenue for the sports wagering operators of $6,532,147. The Board noted in particular a high percentage of wagers placed on the Eagles to win.”
It’s only the second time operators lost money on the Super Bowl since launching legal sports betting. Operators went negative in 2020 when the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers. Retail sportsbooks actually lost $3.8 million compared to $2.7 million online on Sunday.
Sportsbooks brought in $29.7 million in revenue two years ago, when the Eagles lost to the Chiefs. That is the all-time Super Bowl record for Pennsylvania sports betting platforms.
The PGCB broke down the following handle numbers as follows:
| Year: Opponents | Wagers Retail | Wagers Online | Wagers Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025: Chiefs-Eagles | $8,978,567 | $92,569,506 | $101,548,073 |
| 2024: Chiefs-49ers | $6,866,870 | $64,687,229 | $71,554,099 |
| 2023: Chiefs-Eagles | $10,316,188 | $73,997,001 | $84,313,189 |
| 2022: Bengals-Rams | $6,938,462 | $61,106,349 | $68,044,810 |
| 2021: Chiefs-Bucs | $6,137,478 | $47,497,202 | $53,634,680 |
| 2020: Chiefs-49ers | $6,728,544 | $24,035,942 | $30,693,942 |
Neighboring state leads Super Bowl betting handle
Despite the record-breaking day for Pennsylvania, neighboring state New Jersey actually took the cake, in terms of handle.
Among states that announced Super Bowl betting, the Garden State led all markers in both categories. New Jersey operators produced $168.7 million in handle and $25.2 million in revenue.
New York finished next, generating $154.9 million in total bets and $32 million in earnings. Nevada finished third in both categories, recording $152 million and $22.1 million, respectively.
It’s clear other markets predicted a Chiefs three-peat. Pennsylvanians, on the other hand, especially the Philadelphia market, backed their team.
Though the City of Brotherly Love was happy on Sunday night, which will continue throughout the week as the parade is Friday, sportsbooks in the state wished for a different outcome.
