NFL fans place their bets as football season gets underway

Gaming experts are predicting that more Americans will bet on the NFL as this season gets underway.

Adam Naclerio, a Lions fan, was excited for Thursday night's season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I'm psyched it's back. It's my favorite season," he said.

He placed a bet at the BetMGM sportsbook at The Borgata in Atlantic City.

"I just figured with Kelce maybe not playing, Jones holding out. I just feel like the Lions are going to win. I feel like they were like +220 when I took them so I like the line," said Naclerio.

Sportsbook officials expect the place to be packed Thursday night.

"When week one actually arrives, and people can bet on these games for real, that's really when the excitement gets ratcheted up," said Tom Gable, the director of race and sports at The Borgata. "You see a lot more people come out and take part in it."

The American Gaming Association predicts about 50% more Americans will place a bet this season compared to last season, with new states opting into legalized betting.

According to 6abc's data journalism team, over the past five years, New Jersey was the state with the highest amount of wagers in the country with $38.3 billion. Pennsylvania ranks fifth with $22.1 billion.

In Chester, Harrah's Philadelphia debuted the new Caesar's sportsbook, which started accepting in-person wagers on Thursday, just in time for the NFL season.

Jane Bokunewicz, faculty director of the Levinson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality, and Tourism at Stockton University, says while online gaming is dominant, casinos are constantly running promotions and looking for new ways to attract people in person.

"It's a whole experience for gamblers to come here and enjoy the beautiful sports lounges that the casinos have created and the excitement of betting on a game and being with other people doing the same," said Bokunewicz.

And of course, if the local teams perform well, that definitely drives how people bet and how much they'll wager.

In Atlantic City, they'll be closely watching the Eagles, the Giants, and the Jets.