Rodney Paul and Ph.D. candidate Nick Riccardi of Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport recently caught the attention of the sports and betting industries with research examining the relationship between pregame sports betting activity on NCAA football games and national television ratings.
Together with Andrew Weinbach of Coastal Carolina University, Paul and Riccardi published “The Relationship Between Pre-Game Betting Volume and TV Ratings in NCAA Football,” which examined betting data and national television ratings from the 2024 college football season.
The researchers found a strong, statistically significant relationship between wagering activity before a game and the size of its television audience. Games with higher pregame betting activity attracted larger national audiences, even after accounting for other factors that can influence betting and viewership.
The study also found that game competitiveness, kickoff time and broadcast network can affect betting activity and television ratings. Less competitive matchups, as measured by the point spread, were associated with lower betting volume and viewership.
“The findings suggest that betting interest and television consumption are closely related forms of fan engagement. Betting volume may provide another useful measure of consumer interest in sporting events and adds to the evidence that sports wagering is connected to broader sports consumption,” Paul told Covers.com, an online sports betting publication that featured the research.
The Covers.com article also highlighted another study by Paul, Riccardi and Weinbach, “Cross-Sport Substitution Effects on NBA Betting Volume: Evidence from the 2024-2025 Regular Season.” The research examines NBA betting volume when games are played on the same day as live events from other major professional sports leagues, including the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball.
The researchers found that betting activity on NBA games declines when competing sporting events are taking place, suggesting bettors reallocate their attention and wagers among sports.
Riccardi told Covers.com that the research focuses primarily on comparisons between NBA and NHL games, with the NHL serving as the primary competing league because its regular season overlaps with the NBA season.
Paul, Riccardi and Weinbach presented several of their research papers and findings at the 19th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking in Las Vegas in May.
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