How much do Americans spend on sports each year?

As of 2012, Americans spent $25.4 billion directly on professional sports. The number is higher when factoring in money spent on sports merchandise and sports gambling.

As of 2012, Americans spend an additional $35 billion per year on sports-related merchandise, including football gear and golf balls. Men made 60.9 percent of these sports-related purchases, while women made 39.1 percent of the purchases. Of that, $8 billion is spent by Americans 16 and older on merchandise bearing sports logos. $400 billion is spent by Americans per year on sports-related gambling, although $300 billion of that amount comes from illegal and nonregulated gambling.