More than half placing sports bets and many wagering weekly
TORONTO, ON (March 16, 2026) – As the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament begins, new insights from Vividata show that Canadian college basketball fans are among the country’s most active sports bettors, wagering more frequently and spending significantly more than the average sports bettor.
In total, 3.7 million Canadians identify as college basketball fans, highlighting the scale of interest in the sport across the country. According to Vividata’s SCC | Sports database, 52.7 per cent of Canadian college basketball fans placed a sports bet in the past year, making the basketball audience most likely to wager on sports.
The data also shows that college basketball bettors are higher-value participants in the betting ecosystem. On average, they wager $77 per bet, compared with $61 for the average sports bettor, and spend $236 per month on sports betting, about $68 more per month than the typical bettor. More than half of college basketball bettors spend $200 or more per month on sports betting, underscoring the high level of financial engagement among this audience.
“March Madness is one of the most exciting events in sports, and Canadian fans are clearly part of that global moment,” said Pat Pellegrini, President and CEO of Vividata. “But the data also highlights how closely sports betting is tied to fan engagement today. As the industry grows, it is important that conversations around responsible gambling continue alongside it, particularly as younger sports fans become more exposed to betting platforms.”
Frequent and engaged bettors
The data suggests that sports betting is a regular habit for many college basketball fans. Among those who place sports bets:
- 7.5 per cent bet every day
- 20.1 per cent bet a couple of times per week
- 20.1 per cent bet once per week
- 22.6 per cent bet a couple of times per month
Taken together, nearly half of college basketball bettors wager at least once per week, underscoring the high level of engagement among fans. Among betting formats, live betting is the most popular, with 34.7 per cent of college basketball bettors placing wagers during games.
Online platforms dominate
Nearly half of college basketball bettors report placing bets on online betting websites or apps, reflecting the growing role of digital sportsbooks in Canada’s regulated gambling market.
The most popular betting platforms among college basketball bettors include:
- Bet365 – used by 20.7 per cent of bettors
- FanDuel – 16.5 per cent
- Bet99 – 12.1 per cent
- BetMGM – 11.7 per cent
- DraftKings – 10.8 per cent
- Proline+ (Ontario Lottery & Gaming) – 9.3 per cent
- betWay – 7.1 per cent
- 888Sport – 7.0 per cent
- PlayAlberta – 6.8 per cent
- theScore Bet – 5.9 per cent
Beyond private operators, 33.6 per cent of college basketball bettors say they place wagers through provincial lottery websites or apps, while 27.7 per cent report placing bets through in-person provincial lottery outlets.
Betting increases fan engagement
Vividata’s research suggests sports betting is closely tied to how fans experience live sports. Among college basketball bettors:
- 83.6 per cent say betting makes the game more interesting
- 82.6 per cent say betting makes them want to watch games live
- 84.8 per cent say they feel a sense of achievement when they win a bet
At the same time, 70.5 per cent of college basketball bettors say they use platform features designed to limit spending and help manage their gambling behaviour.
About Vividata
Vividata is Canada’s authoritative source for insights on cross-media and consumer behaviour, delivering Unmatched Insights. Smarter Decisions. As the country’s leading provider of cross-platform audience measurement, Vividata surveys offer the most complete view of how people live, shop, and consume media. A not-for-profit governed by industry leaders, Vividata reinvests in innovation to provide unmatched, privacy-first insights. Its flagship SCC | Study of the Canadian Consumer is the largest syndicated study in Canada, complemented by solutions like Spatial, Relevance, and Metrica, along with specialized multicultural, sports, and brand affinity reports.
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Andrew Findlater
SELECT Public Relations afindlater@selectpr.ca
(647) 444-1197
