according to the american gaming association, a surge fueled by gambling apps. nbc news correspondent, jake ward, has more on the betting boom and the real-life consequences. harry was a trial lawyer for more than 20 years and he spun into addiction and plead guilty to stealing more than $2 million from his clients, and blowing it here at this casino in a six-month binge. how does it feel being back here? i don t think i can describe it in one year. he said it took feeling suicidal to help him turn his life around. april 27,2014, i got within 30 seconds of taking my life and i was trying to wrote a note to my kids and i had a moment of clarity realizing i didn t want
david joins me now from new york. david has been writing about this. put this into context for us. this is a record breaking amount that americans were gambling. haifa is a record-breaking amount that americans were gambling. how much? the official numbers americans were gambling. how much? the official numbers are americans were gambling. how much? the official numbers are not americans were gambling. how much? the official numbers are not out - the official numbers are not out yet. it s good to be with you, by the way. the preliminary estimates from the american gaming association, which is the industry group said that there would be about $7.6 billion that would be wagered by 31 million americans this weekend. and that s up some 75, 80% over the previous years. by, weekend. and that s up some 75, 8096 over the previous years. over the previous years. a huge “um - , over the previous years. a huge jump. no over the previous years. a huge jump, no question. over the previ
$7.6 billion. that is a 35% increase from last year, according to a forecast by the american gaming association. 30 states plus d.c. have legalized sports getting since a 2018 supreme court decision overturned a federal ban on the activity. i m joined now by darren, sports business analyst for the action network and thank you so much for joining me on this, because darren, for millions of americans, the super bowl, it s no longer simply about watching a terrific football game and with your bucket of wings and your friends and your jerseys on and stuff. real money is involved now. how consequential is this new shift in sports betting? well, alex, i think a whole lot of people might have bet with their corner bookie, but now that it is legal, that has changed the equation. they feel a lot better about it. you said 30 states. about 25 states are operational right now. 19 states are mobile. it s a lot different when it is legal in people s eyes, and so i
super bowl lvi kicks off tomorrow and it s a homecoming of sorts. the first n.f.l. championship was played at l.a. s memorial coliseum in 1967. tomorrow, the big game takes place at the most-expensive stadium ever built. cbs carter evans is outside sofi stadium with more. carter, good evening to you. reporter: good evening, weijia. temperatures tomorrow could be close to 90 crazy outside sofi stadium, and that would make it the hottest super bowl on record. also heating up the action on the sports books. the stakes are high, not only for the bengals and rams, but also for millions of americans betting on the big game. new customers can bet $5 and win $280 cash. reporter: we re just now getting to a point where the majority of us who might want to bet on sports have access to that and that s really exciting. reporter: a new study by the american gaming association suggests a record 31.4 million americans will wager an estimated $7.6 billion on the
mcvay now the youngest coach to ever win a super bowl. last night s super bowl was one of the most bet on events of the year. according to the american gambling association, an estimated $7.6 billion were wagered on the big game. that s up 78% from last year. and one houston businessman bet and lost an astounding $9.5 million on the super bowl, breaking the record for the largest wager in a single legal sports bet ever and he s joining me on the phone now. mattress mack, owner of gallery furniture in houston. listen, i have to say, we were a bit worried about whether or not you would join us this morning, not knowing the mood you would wake up in, mattress mack. i am a fellow houstonian, i grew up with you, how are you feeling? a setback is a set-up for a comeback. live to play another day.