Las Vegas Sportsbooks Just Win Super Bowl XLV

Nevada sportsbooks made a profit of less than $1 million from Super Bowl XLV bets despite a late plunge on eventual winner the Green Bay Packers, gambling regulators in the state said.

Millions wagered on US sport's biggest day

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, more than $87.5 million was wagered on the game at the more than 183 land-based and online sportsbooks across the state, of which the casinos held on to just $724,000.

Favorite Green Bay beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 after starting the game a 2.5 point favorite at most Las Vegas casinos.

Comparing to previous years

Overall wagers rose by 5.5 percent compared to last year, when Nevada casinos took in $82.7 million but actually profited by $6.9 million overall as the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts.

The online casinos and their land-based counterparts have made a loss only once in the last ten Super Bowls: in 2008, when the New York Giants caused one of the great upsets of all time against the previously unbeaten New England, giving the bettors a $2.6 million victory over the gambling companies, after placing a total among of $92 million in wagers.