With the Men’s College Basketball Championship starting next week, millions of avid college basketball fans will gather to watch which school’s team is going to bring home championship glory. Part of the annual tournament’s appeal is seeing who has the best bracket and the unpredictability of where teams end up in the final rankings. According to a study from Statista, average viewership from the 2022 tournament was estimated around 10.7 million people, a 13% increase from the previous year. Needless to say, there will be plenty of eyeballs on this year’s tournament as viewership continues to increase.
There are a multitude of factors which play into the popularity of the Men's College Basketball Championship. For one, fans have a genuine connection to the teams because of school pride, and there is a bit more of an emotional investment. Sports betting during this tournament is also an interesting beast, as not only are people gambling on the games, but even the brackets themselves have become their own mode of sports betting.
The appeal of sports betting comes from the excitement and added stakes to the game, and with the resounding success of the industry in 2022, things aren’t slowing down anytime soon. A statistic in AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker from last year revealed that nationwide sports betting revenue skyrocketed 72.9% from $4.34 billion in 2021 to $7.5 billion in 2022. The increased access of legal gambling outlets has surely led to this massive surge. Since many avenues exist to place sports bets for the tournament, it’s more important than ever to practice safe, reliable and responsible gaming.
As March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, public awareness and expanded access to problem gambling prevention as well as treatment and recovery services are vital. Global Payments is a proud partner of the AGA’s "Have A Game Plan. ® Bet Responsibly™.” public service campaign, which provides responsible gaming practices and resources. Global Payments also implements responsible gaming features in its products like configurable pre-set spending limits and cooling-off periods.
Global Payments Gaming Solutions also offers iGaming solutions that enable quick, seamless payments to match any casino’s needs. Global Payments’ industry-standard e-check network, VIP Preferred®, connects millions of patrons around the U.S. to more than 400 land-based and online gaming institutions after a one-time enrollment. VIP Preferred users can instantly move their funds to any participating casino through their single account.
Click here to learn how Global Payments Gaming Solutions values safe and responsible gaming practices. If you are attending IGA 2023 this year, come stop by booth #1019 to see what we have to offer! Visit globalpaymentsgaming.com/iga-2023 to arrange a time to meet with Global Payments Gaming Solutions or for more information.
