PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – While most of New England is still celebrating the Patriots’ sixth Super Bowl victory since 2002, Rhode Island’s sportsbooks are stuck with a big tab.
A spokesperson for the R.I. Department of Revenue confirmed Tuesday the state’s two casinos believe they lost about $2.3 million on bets related to Super Bowl LIII, in large part because the Patriots 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams easily covered the three-point spread in the game.
All told, the revenue department said more than 50,000 bettors wagered $6.5 million on some aspect of the big game. Nearly 77% of gamblers betting on the point spread picked the Patriots to win, according to the state.
“The Super Bowl proved to be great advertising for this new gaming amenity and a powerful test of the sports book being run by IGT-William Hill on behalf of the R.I. Lottery,” Paul Grimaldi, chief of information and public relations for the R.I. Department of Revenue, said. “We expect that many first-time visitors are happy with the service and the results.”
The state also reported that the largest single-bet on the Super Bowl was a loser. An unknown person wagered $351,000 on the Rams.
Sports betting launched at Twin River Casino in November 2018 and was followed by the Tiverton Casino Hotel a month later.
