Sportsbooks gear up for Super Bowl 60 betting surge

The basics:

• AGA projects $1.76B in legal wagers on Super Bowl 60
• New Jersey bettors set a Super Bowl record with $168.7M wagered in 2025
• Ocean Casino Resort expects heavy action on prop bets and game-flow wagers
• Fanatics Sportsbook is preparing a high-energy Super Bowl experience in Atlantic City

With the American Gaming Association projecting $1.76 billion in legal wagers on Super Bowl 60, sportsbooks across New Jersey and the country are bracing for one of the biggest betting weekends of the year. Fans will place everything from traditional game bets to an expanding slate of prop wagers tied to the Big Game.

In 2025, wagers in New Jersey hit a record $168.7 million on Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.

NJBIZ recently spoke with Patrick Glose, sportsbook director at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City. The discussion explored betting trends, fan behavior, and how interest is shaping up ahead of Sunday’s matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks.

At Ocean Casino, preparations are well underway at the Fanatics Sportsbook. Massive LED walls, high-energy casino integration, and themed drink offerings will set the stage for one of the busiest days of the year.

With fans expected to pour in for everything from betting on the game outcome itself to the quarterback props to the always-popular coin toss and everything in between, Glose said Ocean is focused on delivering an immersive game-day experience. He said they hope to capture the excitement of the Big Game while showcasing why the Fanatics Sportsbook has become a centerpiece of the Atlantic City property.

A consistent draw

The discussion opened with trends and interest that Glose sees heading into Sunday, particularly on the heels of last year’s game.

“The NFL is incredibly resilient in terms of not being team-dependent for our wagering,” Glose told NJBIZ. He noted that certain sports see more team-dependent trends. “NFL is remarkably consistent. So, despite the fact that the Eagles or a New York City team isn’t playing, we’re still seeing volume trends comparable to what we saw before.

“Now, how the bets are coming in; what their bets are on – are a little bit different,” he continued. “There seems to be a lot of interest in game flow this year, exactly how each quarter will progress. Or how team trends will be throughout the specifics of the game rather than as heavily on just overall winner.

“But it is a testament to the NFL of how big the Super Bowl is, no matter who’s playing.”

“The AGA [American Gaming Association] is projecting $1.76 billion in Super Bowl wagers. It’s remarkable since the legislation in 2018 how rapidly it’s become integrated right into the broadcast. There’s advertisements for sportsbooks. What’s that been like from your perspective to watch this evolution over this last little less than a decade?” NJBIZ asked.

“It’s adding something to the game that I’ve always loved,” said Glose. “I know I’m not alone in that feeling. But it really does help describe what’s going on and bring an element of entertainment that I think has always been a part of a large group of people’s enjoyment of the game. And now that we’re all around it and seeing it so much more elevated to a different level.”

A bigger piece of the pie

The discussion then turned to prop bet trends for the Super Bowl.

“Our prop game portion for all sports across the board is going up – and in the Super Bowl even more so,” he explained. “And a large part of that is that we are talking about a single event here. So, there’s one game going on. People are really trying to find the games within the games. What are some other fun ways that we can carve up this game and keep different interests throughout it as a single event.

“And so each year we see the prop proportion grow as a bigger and bigger piece of the pie.”

“During a super typical Super Bowl week, when do you see most of your action come in? Has it been coming in kind of steadily? Will you get a rush when the weekend hits or on Sunday?” NJBIZ asked.

“We get our first rush immediately after the AFC and NFC [championship] games just end,” he said. “There’s typically a real high demand right away. What’s the line? Let’s get it out there. So we’ll see that spike immediately. And then in the first week, we’re getting a lot more larger, just who’s going to win money line bets.

“And then the week of progressively, day, day, day, culminating in the Super Bowl, is where we get a lot of the kind of prop bets we’ve been talking about and some of the more specific bets. As we post more of them and people have done more research on the game and things like that. So, it starts with a big spike, and then it kind of builds back up, definitely culminating on day of.”

Watch to watch for

“And now, has there been much line movement from when the game open?” NJBIZ asked. “Have you seen anything in terms of a lot of money coming in on one side or the other?”

“No, we haven’t,” said Glose. “It’s been pretty balanced. There’s always some movement, but we’ve kind of been staying above this field goal favorite number for Seattle throughout the two weeks. And even early line projections that we had were similar to that number. So, it’s been pretty stable there.

“What we’re seeing a lot of action on, and differences of opinions on, if you will, is the quarterback play. I think this year, because we have a young quarterback [Drake Maye], and then Sam Darnold. The story of him, there’s a lot of question marks about how they will perform, and a lot of people disagreeing about whether they will have amazing games, terrible games, somewhere in between. Those quarterback props are where we’re just seeing the most differences of opinion, I’ll put it.”

“Are there other kind of areas within the game, or again, or specific prop bets, or players that you’re kind of watching with a keen eye – where you’re seeing a certain amount of activity, like on particular touchdown scores, or anything like that?” NJBIZ asked.

“The wide receiver ones are particularly popular, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s number is high, so that’s getting a lot of action in both directions,” said Glose. “Stefon Diggs, his touchdown number is pretty positive odds. So, there is a decent amount of people putting on a Stefon Diggs touchdown. We’re seeing liability build there. In terms of within the game, whether or not Seattle’s defense is going to force turnovers or get sacks, seems to be a popular bet.”

Heads or tails

“The Super Bowl also brings out the notable props, right? Like the color of the Gatorade, the coin toss, the length of the national anthem. Are there particular prop bets in that realm that you’re seeing a lot of interest in, or that that you’d like to highlight?” NJBIZ asked.

“It makes me laugh every year, the coin toss – the opening coin toss is always the prop bet that I’m always confused by, how many people love betting it,” said Glose. “And I think it’s some element of, it’s the first thing of the game. I think it’s because it is just this random chance event.

“But the opening coin toss every year is the one that that makes me laugh about how much action we get on it, how many cheers we hear in the crowd, or boos, whatever direction it goes.”

A ‘high-energy’ experience

“And what’s usually the scene like at the Fanatics Sportsbook at Ocean Casino –what is day of Super Bowl like over there? Any particular features or program offerings or activations that you have set up for Sunday?” NJBIZ asked.

“Well, our sportsbook is right, dead center in the middle of our casino,” said Glose. He noted it typically boasts an energetic atmosphere for big events — with none being bigger than the Super Bowl. “We have 360 degrees of LED walls of just the game. So, it is the game everywhere you look. And I think that one thing that really brings people to our Fanatics Sportsbook at Ocean is that we incorporate table games, slots, everything into the sports book. This is a high-energy place.

“This is not somewhere where you’re just sitting in a lounge couch watching the game, slowly waiting for it to start. It definitely brings game day vibes to it. So, if you’re not at San Francisco and watching the game yourself – and you want that game energy, we definitely have it for all of our NFL games, but most notably on the Super Bowl.”

Betting on a good time

“What differentiates or separates Fanatics Sportsbook in Ocean from the other sports books out there?” NJBIZ asked.

“Well, certainly, if you’re going to a sportsbook and you want to watch in person, Ocean’s property is such a standout that it’s something that you got to visit,” said Glose. “If we’re talking about where to watch, really being able to see Ocean Casino is a distinction that really changes kind of what we are. And like I said, it’s a centerpiece for us. It’s not a side sportsbook that you’ll see in a lot of places.

“This is right in the heart of our casino. And then with Fanatics, what Fanatics brings is all of the integration of all of its other arms of the business,” he continued.  “So, every bet that you make with Fanatics Sportsbook, you’re entering into their Fanatics One Program which allows you the opportunity to get their exclusive apparel, collectibles, celebrity and sporting event entries and such things like that.

“So being able to leverage as a sports fan, the entire Fanatics company, is what makes it a lot different than other places that you could bet with.”

To celebrate the Big Game, Ocean (the bar area around the sportsbook) will feature specialty cocktails of each team, including: New England Souwa (“sour”) for the Patriots and Pike Place Espresso Martini for the Seahawks. Those cocktails sell for for $15 at The Gallery, Balcony Bar, 1927 Bar & lounge, Nola’s Bar & Lounge, Villain & Saint and Avila Lounge & Luna’s Lounge.

The property is also offering a Big Game hotel package. More information of Big Game features and offerings at Ocean can be found here.

A full list of Super Bowl happenings around Atlantic City is available here.