Western Pa. casinos ready for Super Bowl influx, wagers on Chiefs win

Dave Bilsky is a Steelers fan, but come Sunday evening, you can bet he’ll be pulling for the Kansas City Chiefs.

He’ll have plenty of company locally.

Bilsky, 51, of Belle Vernon is among myriad local gamblers putting money on the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

“One thing that we’ve learned is that the Pittsburgh region, Western Pa. region, doesn’t like San Francisco,” said Anthony Zrelak, FanDuel sportsbook manager at Live Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield. “They already have Super Bowl (wins) — one behind the Steelers — so nobody wants to see them tie.”

The Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers beginning about 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

Bilsky’s logic for betting on the Chiefs is simple. “Better quarterback. Better defense. Better team.”

About 90% to 95% of the bets coming in at the casino at Westmoreland Mall last week will be for a Chiefs victory, Zrelak estimates. He credits, in part, pop star Taylor Swift, who began dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in the fall.

Throughout the season, bets on the Chiefs were often inspired by Swift, Zrelak said. One bet, that Kelce would score a touchdown, was titled “Seeing Red,” inspired by Swift’s 2012 album “Red.”

“We’ve seen new faces and customers that have come up and they’ve asked how to bet on the game,” Zrelak said. “They want to bet on the Chiefs so they can support Taylor Swift.”

All bets in the state are approved by regulators from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Zrelak said.

Bets expected to increase by $7 billion

Super Bowl weekend is the biggest day for the casino in terms of sports betting, Zrelak said, drawing two to three times the wagers than during a regular-season NFL weekend.

This falls in line with national trends. The American Gaming Association expects nearly 68 million Americans to bet on the Super Bowl — a 35% increase from 2023. In all, bettors are predicted to wager — legally and illegally — about $23 billion, up $7 billion from last year. That includes side bets, office pools and square contests.

The March Madness college basketball tournament and UFC matches are also high betting days, Zrelak said.

“The Super Bowl is everybody coming in and betting solely for one day, so the volume is just typically substantial. March Madness is a good second,” he said. “If you don’t bet on the Super Bowl, you can’t come in and bet the next day. You’re either going to hit it, or you’re going to miss it.”

Bilsky agrees. Although he is an avid sports bettor, wagering on the Super Bowl comes with added excitement.

“It’s a culmination of a long football season,” he said.

Rivers Casino vice president of slot operations Derek Peluso oversees the BetRivers sportsbook and is gearing up for a soldout Super Bowl watch party dubbed the Big Game Watch & Wager With Us event.

“We offer over 900 bets for the Super Bowl alone,” Peluso said.

For Harvey Hicks Jr., 25, of Monroeville betting on Super Bowl Sunday is a tradition.

“I hope the 49ers win. I’m tired of Patrick Mahomes winning,” he said while relaxing at Rivers Casino last week.

Hicks said he gambles like it’s his part-time job.

“When the Rams played the Bengals, I guessed the correct score and won thousands,” he said. “I’ll be here Sunday, and if you’re good at it, why not make it a job.”

Avery Williams, 45, of McKees Rocks said he never misses a chance to bet on the Super Bowl because “all the marbles are on the table.”

On Wednesday, Williams was placing numerous basketball-related bets at one of the sports kiosks.

Calling gambling his newfound occupation after retirement, Williams encourages folks to gamble responsibly.

“You can’t always bet with your heart,” he said. “You’ve got to think about it. And the purpose of gambling is to have fun.”

The Super Bowl ups the ante for many fans, Williams said.

“It’s the last game, the biggest game, of the year. The stakes are highest,” he said. “It makes it lot more interesting, and you’ve got the best of both teams. I’m going with Kansas City because I believe they have the better team.”

Williams plans to watch the game from inside the sportsbook lounge.

“It’s gonna be big. It’s fun. There’s so much money involved and so many bets you can do. You could win a lot or lose a lot. It’s a thrill each year,” Williams said.

Williams said Swift’s star power is adding an interesting element to the game.

“She’s the good luck charm. If she don’t show up, then Kansas City loses,” Williams said.

Like Live Casino, the Super Bowl brings out the most gamblers, along with March Madness, Steelers home games and the UFC.

“It’s big business for our sportsbook, but not necessarily the casino just because some folks have traditions of going to their own family Super Bowl watch parties,” Peluso said. “The floor isn’t quite as busy as it normally would be, but NFL sports wagering is by far the biggest.”

Peluso will be in attendance Sunday and said emotions will be running high.

“It’s a roller coaster — like being at a stadium or at a game. People are cheering. People get upset,” Peluso said. “Half the room might be happy, and the other half may be upset.”