Upping the stakes
Tipico Sportsbook has commissioned a study that looks at the superstitions and habits that American bettors and sports fans have when it comes to sports. The survey, carried out by OnePoll on behalf of the operator, garnered some interesting results.
Of the respondents, 71% feel that the stakes of a given game are raised when they are watching alongside family or friends. These people enjoy adding to the stakes by placing a wager on the outcome of the game or the performance of a given player. They also feel like watching games with rival fans enhances the entire experience.
59% of people said they also often make friendly wagers with their friends or family members
As well as making normal bets with sportsbooks, 59% of people said they also often make friendly wagers with their friends or family members during the course of a game. The stakes for these types of wagers are not always monetary in nature. They could range from the loser having to pay a bar tab, to getting a terrible haircut or wearing the jersey of a rival team. ?
Jinxing teams
According to Tipico’s study, a lot of sports fans believe that their actions can have an impact on the result of a game. Of those who replied to the survey, 62% laid the blame on themselves for their favorite team losing. More than one-third of respondents believe that a family member is bad luck. Of those people, 84% have requested the offending person to leave the room during the course of a game.
About two-thirds of the survey respondents said that they have superstitions
Many sports fans also do everything in their power to not jinx their favorite team. About two-thirds of the survey respondents said that they have superstitions that they need to follow on game day. Some of the most common superstitions include sitting in a particular seat for every game, always wearing the same jersey, carrying a good luck charm, or eating the same type of food during the fixture.
People even have superstitions that relate to their betting patterns. Some will never use a $50 bill when placing a bet, while others ban people from telling them “good luck” with a given wager. Finally, some people will never bet on their favorite team.
Tipico’s US expansion
This survey commissioned by Tipico certainly throws up some interesting insights about the superstitions of bettors in the US. The release of this study comes as the operator looks to expand its reach across the nation.
Currently, it has online sportsbooks up and running in New Jersey and Colorado, as well as an online casino in the Garden State. It also has sportsbooks coming soon in Indiana and Iowa. One of its major US partners is USA Today. The two parties signed a five-year deal in July worth $90m.