tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
While without a doubt football is a very popular sport for gamblers, the vast majority of football fans are not gambling on football. Studies show that in 2001 65% of American men and 42% of American women considered themselves football fans (Gallup survey).
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This is what I've been trying to express. No doubt that football is a great "fit" for gambling and that gives it an edge among gamblers, but the vast majority of fans are not habitual gamblers and I bet a solid majority have not been significantly influenced by gambling. Even if gambling ceased to exist, football would still be the most popular sport by a wide margin.