BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Sunday is the day football fans and Seneca Casinos have been waiting for.
It's a Sunday that Seneca Casinos has had circled on their calendar since sports gambling became legal in New York state.
"We've been open for over two months and we've been planning and training our staff for this specifically right?" said Gavin Mercado, Executive Director of Sports Books and Interactive Gaming at Seneca Casinos. "This may be the biggest day we have of the year and our staff will be well trained and well equipped to handle any questions that come in here."
This type of preparation is for a good reason.
According to the American Gaming Association, a record 26 million Americans will bet on the Super Bowl.
That's one in ten adults.
The amount gambled? $6.8 billion.
"You usually tend to get more into the game," Mercado said.
Some of the most bet things are called props, essentially a bet that isn't "who wins?" or "total points scored."
Which props you can bet on depend on the state you're in.
What you CANNOT bet in New York state
- The coin toss
- What color Gatorade will shower the winning coach?
- Length of the national anthem
What you CAN bet in New York state
- What the first score of the game will be
- If there will be overtime
- What the last score of the game will be, among others.
"We have over 100 different prop bets to offer," Mercado said.
The betting does not remotely stop there.
There is even a chance to bet during the game if you are watching from one of the three Seneca Casinos.
"[We're] going to have extra staff," Mercado said. "The hours will be adjusted earlier too."
It's important to remember you must place a bet from a Seneca Casino, because there's no online gambling.
