Las Vegas recently hosted Super Bowl LVIII, and that got cities like Chicago to run for their place in the world of sports. So far, Las Vegas has been a synonym for gambling and, at best, entertainment. However, it has now proved a reliable status to hold an event like the Super Bowl. Cities like Chicago have been heavily preferred by authorities and organizers to house the final lap of the tournament. Those dynamics have changed, and for good, one may assume.
For starters, the viewership of the Super Bowl bagged the highest figure at more than 123 million. That is more than the TV broadcast of Moon Walking in 1969. Also, the number has surpassed the viewership of the previous edition of the NFL’s Super Bowl, which was approximately 115 million across the country.
The series began with the Golden Knights making their way into Las Vegas back in 2017. That was followed by the Las Vegas Riders entering the arena in 2020. Most recently, Formula One grabbed everyone’s attention with the success of the event in Las Vegas. Plus, a stadium like Allegiant Stadium, where Taylor Swift appeared during the Super Bowl, has officially been inscribed into everyone’s minds.
Authorities would earlier move away from Las Vegas out of fear that the audience would hesitate to come to a place for sports where gambling and entertainment prevail significantly. Moreover, it did not precisely have enough facilities to support any sporting event. The fear that players and staff members would become victims of corruption made things worse.
There is now a belief that Las Vegas is up and running on the list as a contender due to an increase in sports betting. No one has denied the fact officially, but no one has accepted that fact to be true either. Nevertheless, sports betting is indeed on the rise, with several providers leveraging the opportunity to grow their presence.
Chicago was late in hosting a casino. People would simply move to Las Vegas and later access online functionalities to please themselves with gambling entertainment.
Another reason why Las Vegas could have benefited this year is the rise in interest in sports. Irrespective of the team and tournament played, people have started watching the games on TV or on the Internet. Betting is determined by the confidence that gamblers have in the game and in the odds they choose, a trend observed and capitalized upon by online sports betting sites, which have experienced increased traffic and engagement as a result of heightened sports interest worldwide.
Chicago did lose the battle for the Super Bowl this year. It remains unhindered to fight again in the future. Las Vegas will be a strong contender when discussing broadcast viewership ratings. Chicago will have to rely on its historic relationship with the segment. Currently, no major events are scheduled in Chicago—the World Cup, the Super Bowl, etc.
