Nevada Super Bowl Handle Slides as Seahawks-Patriots Draws Less Action

Nevada’s sportsbooks took in $133.8 million on Super Bowl 60, the state Gaming Control Board reported Monday, February 9, 2026. That is the smallest Super Bowl handle in Nevada since 2016, when $132.5 million was wagered, and it sits more than $50 million below the record $190 million handle set in 2024 when the city hosted the game. The books won $9.9 million on Sunday’s Seattle Seahawks 29-13 win over the New England Patriots, a hold of 7.4 percent.

The lower handle stands out after a recent stretch of heavyweight Super Bowls and big public seasons. Last year’s game produced $151.6 million in handle and a record $22.1 million win for Nevada books, so this drop is notable for operators and bettors alike.

Big Bets Still Moved the Market

Even with an overall decline in action, there were high-stakes plays that grabbed headlines. Seven wagers of $1 million or more were reported nationwide on Sunday, including two at Circa Sports in Las Vegas. Circa logged a $1.1 million money-line bet on the Patriots (+188) that acted as a hedge against earlier Seahawks futures and helped generate net winnings reported across Circa and BetMGM of about $8.1 million. Another Circa customer placed $1 million on New England (+200) moments before kickoff.

BetMGM took a $725,000 hedge on the Patriots money line (+195), and a separate $788,000 wager landed on New England +4½. Those outsized bets underline that large, sophisticated bettors still shape results even when mass-market handle softens.

Star Power, Defense, and Prop Trends Cut Into Action

Industry voices point to several reasons for the pullback. Westgate vice president of race and sports John Murray said a lack of familiar megastars likely reduced broad public engagement. “Drake Maye has a chance to be a great player, but he’s still at the beginning of his career,” Murray said, noting that recent Super Bowls featured bigger household names.

Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito added that last year’s public-friendly matchups and the record-setting Las Vegas hosting in 2024 raised a high-water mark that was hard to match. He also cited the defensive style of the Patriots-Seahawks game and heavier “under” action on props as reasons prop handle fell, which pulled down total wagering.

Seattle led 9-0 at halftime, and no touchdowns came until the fourth quarter. The game finished below the posted total of 45½, reinforcing the defensive script that many bettors expected.

Nevada’s Super Bowl Record: Dominant, With Two Notable Losses

Nevada sportsbooks have historically come out ahead on the Super Bowl, going 34-2 since the Gaming Control Board began tracking the game in 1991. The rare losses came in 1995, when books lost $396,674 as the San Francisco 49ers routed the San Diego Chargers, and in 2008, when bettors beat books by a state-record $2.57 million after the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots.

Recent Super Bowl handles and Nevada wins illustrate the swings operators can expect:

• 2026: $133,813,230 handle; $9,892,055 win; 7.4% hold; Seattle 29, New England 13
• 2025: $151,618,159 handle; $22,134,104 win; 14.6% hold; Philadelphia 40, Kansas City 22
• 2024: $190,020,783 handle; $11,182,973 win; 5.9% hold; Kansas City 25, San Francisco 22 (overtime)
• 2023: $153,183,002 handle; $4,361,646 win; 2.8% hold; Kansas City 38, Philadelphia 35
• 2022: $179,823,715 handle; $11,063,412 win; 6.2% hold; Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati 20
• 2021: $136,096,460 handle; $12,574,125 win; 9.2% hold; Tampa Bay 31, Kansas City 9
• 2020: $154,679,241 handle; $18,774,148 win; 12.1% hold; Kansas City 31, San Francisco 20
• 2019: $145,939,025 handle; $10,780,319 win; 7.4% hold; New England 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
• 2018: $158,586,934 handle; $1,170,432 win; 0.7% hold; Philadelphia 41, New England 33
• 2017: $138,480,136 handle; $10,937,826 win; 7.9% hold; New England 34, Atlanta 28 (overtime)
• 2016: $132,545,587 handle; $13,314,539 win; 10.1% hold; Denver 24, Carolina 10

These figures show how event context, public sentiment, and a few big tickets can push outcomes widely from year to year.

What This Means for Bettors and Operators

For sportsbooks, fluctuating handles and outsized bets are a reminder that volatility is part of the business—large hedge plays and last-minute action can still tip results even in a lighter market. For bettors, the game reinforced that lines and prop markets react to perceived star value and game script, and that careful bankroll and risk management remain essential.

If you’re comparing lines or researching options for future games, check our Bovada review and our Betus review for breakdowns of platforms, bonuses, and wagering features, and always review terms and conditions before betting.