Home Login RADIO ONLINE RSS Facebook

Study: Radio Listeners Show More Interest in Online Sports


Westwood One
Westwood One

In order to obtain a broad national perspective of the emerging online sports betting market, Cumulus Media's Westwood One commissioned a study in April across the twelve states where online sports wagering is fully legalized. MARU/Matchbox surveyed 718 adults over the age of 21 in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The key findings were outlined in this week's Westwood One blog.

  • In states with legalized sports betting, younger adults and men are the most likely to be interested in wagering on sports betting sites: When asked how likely they would be to visit or place a wager at an online sports betting site or app, 23% of adults 21+ say they are very or somewhat interested in online sports betting. Nearly half of adults 21-34 say they would be interested. Among adults 35-54, interest drops to 30%.

  • Compared to TV viewers, AM/FM radio listeners have far more experience with sports betting, greater interest, and greater awareness of online sports betting brands.

  • Nielsen Scarborough: Those engaged with sports betting are very light TV viewers, making linear TV a very expensive media option: AM/FM radio is far more effective at reaching the online sports bettor.

  • Ideal media allocation mix for online sports betting brands: 57% AM/FM radio, 43% TV: Among those interested in sports betting, 40% are heavy AM/FM radio listeners and 30% are heavy TV viewers, a relationship that converts to a ratio of 57% AM/FM radio and 43% TV.

  • Aided awareness: 70% are aware of FanDuel and DraftKings, four out of ten are familiar with BetMGM and Golden Nugget, and eight brands have aided awareness ranging from 20% to 29%.

  • AM/FM radio listeners have +44% greater aided familiarity for online sports betting brands compared to TV viewers, despite all the money showered on TV.

  • Brand scorecard: Among those interested in online sports betting, DraftKings and FanDuel tie for the lead, BetMGM places next, and a large group of brands occupy the next tier.

  • Among AM/FM radio programming format listeners, Sports, Urban, Alternative Rock, Adult Contemporary, News/Talk, Country, Top 40, and Rock fans show the greatest interest in sports betting.

  • Online sports-betting-AM/FM radio buys are under-weighted on Rock, Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Classic Hits/Oldies; AM/FM radio programming formats that are over-weighted include Sports, News/Talk and Classic Rock.

  • Podcasts represent a strong media platform for online sports betting brands as podcast listeners are +63% more likely to be sports betters, and podcasts reach 39% of sports bettors: Sports bettors listen most to News/Government/History, Comedy, and Society and Culture podcasts.

Latest Radio Stories

P1 Study: Christmas Fans Favor Later Radio Start
P1 Media Group
P1 Media Group
Christmas classics remain strong listener favorites, but a growing majority would prefer radio stations to wait until Thanksgiving or later before switching to all-holiday programming, according to P1 Media Group's 2026 "America's Top 100 Christmas Songs" study. The nationwide survey, sponsored by More

Nielsen: Radio, Podcasts Capture 83% of Ad-Supported Audio
Nielsen
Nielsen
Radio and podcasts accounted for 83% of daily ad-supported audio listening time in the third quarter of 2026, according to Nielsen's latest edition of "The Record," which draws on Nielsen and Edison Research data. U.S. consumers spent an average of three hours and 55 minutes More

WDAS, Power 99 Team Up for 1,000-Turkey Giveaway
WDAS-FM and WUSL-FM Philadelphia
WDAS-FM and WUSL-FM Philadelphia
iHeartMedia's WDAS-FM and WUSL-FM (Power 99) in Philadelphia are partnering with 1-800-TruckWreck to distribute 1,000 free turkeys to local families ahead of Thanksgiving. The community giveaway will take place Monday, November 9, from 2-6pm at Sharon Baptist Church, 3955 Conshohocken Avenue in Philadelphia. More

Entravision Q3 Revenue Jumps 88%, Returns to Profit
Entravision Communications
Entravision Communications
Entravision Communications reported third-quarter net revenue of $226.3 million, up 88% from $120.6 million a year earlier, driven by rapid growth in its advertising technology business and increased political advertising in its Media segment. Net income totaled $19.0 million, or 18 cents per diluted More

Jacobs Media Opens Registration for Techsurvey 2027
Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2027
Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2027
Jacobs Media has opened registration for U.S. and Canadian commercial radio stations to participate in Techsurvey 2027. The annual study will field in January and February, with a registration deadline of Friday, December 18. The survey will examine media habits and technology More

WLAV Adds 'Dave & Chuck the Freak' to Mornings
Dave & Chuck The Freak
Dave & Chuck The Freak
Cumulus Media's Classic Rock WLAV-FM (97 LAV) in Grand Rapids, MI, has added "Dave & Chuck the Freak" to its morning lineup. The Detroit-based syndicated program will air weekdays from 6-10:30am. Originating at Beasley Media Group's WRIF-FM in Detroit and distributed by Key Networks, the show features More

Return to Menu

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement