A plurality of Marylanders say they are fans of the Baltimore Orioles, while nearly one-quarter of Maryland residents say they are likely to place a bet on sports over the next year, according to the results of a new Goucher College poll released Thursday.
Eight hundred residents were asked where their loyalties lie when it comes to the area’s two Major League Baseball teams: the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals. Of the respondents, 44% said they backed the Baltimore Orioles and 14% said they root for the Washington Nationals. Another 4% claimed a dual allegiance to both the Orioles and the Nationals, while 24% of respondents said they were not fans of any MLB teams.
The Orioles are in second place in the American League East, with a record of 20 wins and 10 losses, and an average of .667. That is third best among all MLB teams. The Nationals are in last place in the National League East, with a record of 13 wins and 18 losses, and an average of .419.
Survey respondents were also asked about Maryland Question 2, the Sports Betting Expansion Measure, which was passed via ballot referendum during the 2020 general election. This enables Maryland adults to place sports bets online beginning Nov. 23, 2022.
Of the people polled, nearly one-quarter (23%) of Maryland adults say they are likely to place a bet on sports sometime in the next year. Meanwhile, 76% said they are unlikely to do so.
According to WTOP, betting on sports in March 2023 broke records. “The total sports handle at Maryland’s 10 retail and eight state-approved mobile sportsbooks was $386 million, the vast majority of it from mobile sports betting apps.”
This was mainly attributed to March Madness, and betting is expected to slow as the spring and summer months ahead are considered an “off-season” for many professional and college sports.
The poll was conducted from April 18 to April 23, 2023. It was funded and co-sponsored by the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College and The Baltimore Banner. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Readers can download the complete results, including methodology and question design. To view archived polls, visit www.goucher.edu/poll.
