September 2022 will likely be a landmark month for legal online sports betting in Hoosier State. Here’s a look at what Indiana sports fans and bettors alike can look forward to in the next 30 days.
Saturday, September 3rd!
That’s the date when the 2022 NCAA college football season gets into full swing, and Indiana sports fans have a “Game of The Week” to look forward to that could turn out to be one of the most-watched collegiate sports events of the calendar year.
The #5 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be at the Horseshoe in Columbus to do battle with the #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm Eastern Time in a contest that could have national title implications for both teams.
PointsBet Sportsbook Indiana and other legal sports betting apps within the state have the Fighting Irish listed as 17.5 point underdogs leading up to Saturday night.
As of mid-week, the WynnBet Sportsbook Indiana app has a slightly stronger line for Notre Dame (+17 points), but the message is clear. The fifth ranked college football team in the country during the off-season is perceived as a “cinderella” prospect in a matchup with a “total” Over/Under line hovering around 58.5 points.
That forecast adds up to a predicted Ohio State Buckeyes win featuring an approximate 38-21 final score
And going by current Notre Dame @ Ohio State betting trends published by VegasInsider, the vast majority of point spread bets have been placed on the Fighting Irish to cover their +17 (or +17.5) line.
The moneyline for Notre Dame to claim an outright victory Saturday night is averaging about +600 for (again…) a team that enters “Week 1” of the 2022 NCAA college football season as the #5 ranked team in the nation.
Earlier this week, when asked about the significant “underdog” point spread that the Fighting Irish are facing, Notre Dame head football coach (and Ohio State alum) Marcus Freeman told ESPN, “we’ll use that in the team meeting today, it’s good to know.”
For Indiana sports bettors who do not plan on watching the event at a retail sportsbook, ABC.com will broadcast the Associated Press Top 5 game in its entirety for subscribing members.
Premium, near-the-field seats for the game at the 100,000+ capacity Ohio Stadium in Columbus are going for thousands of dollars (each) on sites like SeakGeek and Ticketmaster – so watching the game live at a local retail sportsbook or tuning-in to the ABC network broadcast may be the best bet for Fighting Irish fans located within the Hoosier State.
“Watch Parties” for this Saturday night’s college football “Game of The Week” have already been organized by local organizations and establishments.
If you’re planning on being in South Bend this weekend, there is an RSVP Watch Party event being held at Taphouse On The Edge which starts late in the afternoon leading up to the 7:30pm kickoff.
Local Ohio State fans can likewise arrive a few hours before the game starts at the members-only Alumni Club of Fairfield County (in Canal Winchester, on the southeastern outskirts of the greater Columbus area) to watch the game live.
Indiana Sports Betting Handle Could Increase More Than 50% Month Over Month
Due to the start of college football and the NFL regular season in September, legal sports betting activity in Hoosier State could witness more than a 50% increase in total bets received compared to August.
Last year, Indiana books took in about $215.6 million in total bets during August and saw a monthly handle spike all the way to $355.4 million the following month – for a total increase that (comfortably) exceeded 50 percent.
During the month of July 2022, total legal bets received in Indiana were right at $206.6 million – a six percent increase year-over-year compared to July 2021, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission.
All in all, sports bets during the month of September 2022 are expected to eclipse $350 million within Indiana’s borders and could approach $400 million depending on public interest during the first few weeks of college and professional football.
The state’s best overall monthly performance (calculated by total bets) came in January 2022, when Indiana sports bettors placed just over $500 million in legal, real money wagers as seasonal “basketball” activity surpassed “football” as the most popular sport to bet on.
Due to the low-margin nature of the legal U.S. statewide sports betting business, mobile apps typically “hold” just shy of 10% of total bets in the form of Indiana Sports Wagering Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).
By contrast, legal online slot games, if legalized within the Hoosier State, could result in a $723 million per year industry overnight, according to an August 2022 forecast by UK research firm Light & Wonder.
Indianapolis Colts Open Regular Season Against AFC South Rival Texans
The Indianapolis Colts will start their 2022-23 NFL regular season campaign on Sunday, September 11th, against the AFC rival Houston Texans team at NRG Stadium.
A lot of expectations are being placed on the Colts’ offseason quarterback acquisition Matt Ryan (from the Falcons), as the veteran QB aims to lead the organization into the postseason.
In Week 2, the Colts will travel to Jacksonville to take on another AFC South rival in a game against the Jaguars before finally coming home to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for a September 25th matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
NCAA Student Athlete NIL Deals Expected To Exceed $1B In 2022
According to a weekend report published by Chicago-based television network NewsNation, NCAA student athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation is likely going to be over $1,000,000,000 for the 2022 calendar year.
Texas Longhorns commit Arch Manning was awarded a valuation estimate of $3.4 million by On3-NIL this past June (as a high school senior), while current Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud received a $150,000 Bentley this offseason as compensation for just one of his (many) NIL partnerships.
Don’t Miss Out On September Legal Sports Betting Action
Fully licensed and state-regulated Indiana sportsbook apps are ready to take your action on NCAA and NFL football games this September. Customers who are at least 21 years old and physically located within Indiana’s borders are eligible to participate in the legal sports betting market 24 hours per day through their personal computer or smart device.
HoosierStateBets readers can check out our exclusive NFL Betting Guide as they prepare for football during the month of September.
