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State of Play’s TL;DR
- A U.S. News survey found 51% of sports bettors have wagered to pay bills.
- Nineteen percent report outstanding betting debt.
More than half of sports bettors surveyed by U.S. News said they have placed wagers to try to pay bills, underscoring how closely betting and household finances can intersect for some players.
U.S. News surveyed 1,200 Americans who had placed a sports bet in the last year, with fieldwork conducted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3. The survey found 51% had bet to try to cover bills, and 21% said they had wagered to pay rent or a mortgage.
Those findings stand out as legal sports betting continues to expand across the US. Sports betting is now legal in 39 states plus Washington, D.C., and Americans wagered nearly $167 billion on sports in 2025, citing American Gaming Association data.
Debt, borrowing, and betting frequency stand out
The survey found 19% of respondents had outstanding sports betting debt, down from 30% in last year’s survey. At the same time, regular wagering remained common: 57% said they bet at least weekly, and 17% said they bet daily.
Half of respondents said their average wager was below $25, suggesting the financial strain reported in the survey is not limited to large single bets.
Borrowing to fund betting also appeared frequently in the results. Forty-five percent of respondents said they had borrowed money to place sports bets. Another 13% said they used a personal loan to bankroll betting, while 11% said they had used a high-interest payday loan.
The survey also pointed to responsible gambling concerns. Twenty-two percent said they worry they cannot control their gambling, and 48% of that group said they have debts they attribute to sports betting.
Financial and personal effects were mixed
Respondents gave mixed assessments of how sports betting affects their finances. Seventeen percent said betting had a negative effect on their financial health, while 34% said it had a positive impact.
The personal fallout was also mixed. Fourteen percent said wagering had harmed their personal relationships. U.S. News included respondent comments describing strained family finances and broken friendships tied to unpaid betting-related loans, while others described sports betting as a social activity they share with friends.
The survey also found overlap between sports betting and prediction markets. Forty-one percent of respondents said they also participate in prediction markets, and 55% of those participants said they do not view prediction market trading as any different from betting.
Among prediction market users, 45% said they predict current events and 36% said they forecast entertainment or culture outcomes.
The survey adds to the evidence that sports betting’s reach is growing beyond entertainment spending alone, even as the share of bettors reporting outstanding debt fell year over year.
Based on reporting by Greg Garrison for U.S. News & World Report.
