It’s the end of the year so it’s time to make a list and check and twice. No, not Santa’s list or your iPhone note for your last-minute grocery store run. It’s when sportsbooks release end of the year recaps accounting the most-bet teams, players and more.
Who was the most-bet on team in 2021? Did most of bettors’ money in Pennsylvania back the home teams or did it go elsewhere? Let’s look back at the 2021 year in sports betting.
(All stats and figures provided by DraftKings and based on handle unless otherwise noted)
Most bet teams and games of 2021
Most bet teams
(By handle in all states at DraftKings)
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Phoenix Suns
- Brooklyn Nets
- Green Bay Packers
Most bet game of 2021
- Super Bowl LV Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New England Patriots (Week 4)
- Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs (AFC Championship Game)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Packers (NFC Championship Game)
- Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens (Week 2)
Teams that WON the most money for DraftKings users
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Phoenix Suns
- Green Bay Packers
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Brooklyn Nets
Teams that LOST the most money for DraftKings users
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Buffalo Bills
- Clemson (college football)
Most bet players at DraftKings in 2021
- Conor McGregor
- Novak Djokovic
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Nikola Jokic
- Dustin Poirier
Prime prop players
Sports betting apps upped their prop offerings in 2021. Here’s a list of the players who won…and lost the most money for users in 2021.
Won most money
- Mike Evans
- Stefon Diggs
- Davante Adams
- Jonathan Taylor
- Leonard Fournette
Lost most money
- Travis Kelce
- Ezekiel Elliot
- Lamar Jackson
- Tyreek Hill
- Christian McCaffrey
Most bet on women athletes and women’s sports
Most wagered on women’s teams in 2021
- USWNT
- Chicago Sky
- Las Vegas Aces
- Seattle Storm
- UConn (college basketball)
Most wagered on women
- Serena Williams
- Naomi Osaka
- Ashleigh Barty
- Maria Sakkari
- Aryna Sabalenka
Big games and big bets at BetMGM
At BetMGM by tickets (from BetMGM PR Data Analyst John Ewing)
- Super Bowl LV Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 1)
- Detroit Lions vs. Carolina Panthers (Week 2)
- Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans (Week 6)
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys (Week 3)
Notable winning bets at BetMGM
- $2.3 million on Buccaneers +3.5 (-110) – Super Bowl LV
- $1.2 million on the Buffalo Bills -2.5 (-120) – AFC Divisional Playoffs
- $1 million on Buccaneers +135 – Super Bowl LV
- $400k on Dallas Mavericks +250 (vs. LAC on Nov 23)
- $111,111 on Jon Rahm +900 to win US Open
What teams and players did Pennsylvanians bet on in 2021?
Most bet teams by handle at DraftKings Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Sixers
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Phoenix Suns
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Green Bay Packers
- Brooklyn Nets
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Buffalo Bills
Most bet teams to win the Super Bowl LVI
Pennsylvania DraftKings users are backing the Pittsburgh Steelers and Big Ben to win the Super Bowl in 2022. The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t even crack the top ten in handle for Super Bowl futures.
- Los Angeles Rams
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Green Bay Packers
Most bet teams to win the 2022 NBA Championship
PA bettors aren’t trusting their dollars with “The Process.”
- Golden State Warriors
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Miami Heat
- Utah Jazz
- Philadelphia Sixers
Most wagered team to win the 2022 Stanley Cup
However, hockey bettors in PA are remaining faithful to the Flyers and Penguins
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Colorado Avalanche
- Florida Panthers
- Vegas Golden Knights
Most wagered player to win NFL MVP by PA DraftKings
- Kyler Murray
- Josh Allen
- Tom Brady
- Derrick Henry
- Justin Herbert
Most bet player to win 2022 NBA MVP
- Nikola Jokic
- Gianis Antetokounmpo
- Kevin Durant
- Jimmy Butler
- Ja Morant
(Joel Embiid ranked 8th in handle for NBA MVP at DraftKings PA. He shouldn’t take it too personally, Bryce Harper also ranked 8th in PA for handle for NL MVP.)
Lead image by Jason Behnken
