Big sporting events like the Super Bowl don’t just drive fan excitement and spending — they also create prime conditions for ecommerce fraud. Tickets can be purchased almost instantly with limited identity data, traffic spikes strain traditional payment reviews, and high-demand tickets are easy to resell across a wide range of secondary marketplace platforms.

When you add in the prices fans are willing to pay, the opportunity is irresistible. According to TickPick data, average prices for last year’s Super Bowl game ranged from just under $5,000 to more than $9,000 per seat.

Ticketing isn’t the only sector that may experience a surge in risk. Sports betting platforms and daily fantasy sites also experience dramatic spikes in activity as fans look to get in on the gameday action. And where the money goes, fraud follows.

For fraudsters, the Super Bowl checks every box: high-value goods, time-sensitive demand, and a resale market that can quickly convert stolen cards into cash. The compressed buying window makes it harder for merchants to apply rigorous manual review without disrupting legitimate sales.

Betting and fantasy platforms face distinct Super Bowl fraud risks

Based on Riskified analysis, online betting platforms are also likely to see increased fraud activity around the Super Bowl. Common schemes include the sale and use of “cash-out-ready” accounts — either compromised or newly created accounts that bypass know-your-customer checks and are linked to bank accounts or preloaded balances.

These accounts enable rapid withdrawals and are frequently used for money laundering, with illicit funds blended into legitimate wagering activity during peak betting periods. The result is increased financial loss, regulatory exposure, and operational strain at the exact moment betting volume peaks.

Fantasy sports sites face a different challenge. Transaction patterns often include multiple small deposits in rapid succession during live games. Fraud models must be tuned to recognize these behaviors without blocking legitimate users or introducing unnecessary friction.

Super Bowl fraud trends: Play patterns to watch for

Analyses from the past three Super Bowl seasons reveals several recurring tactics fraudsters have used to exploit the event. Following are some examples of tactics Riskified and ticketing merchants successfully tackled together.

1. High-value card testing with location mismatches

Ahead of the big game, fraudsters placed extremely high-value orders — approximately $8,000 per ticket. Transactions originated from IP addresses in Pennsylvania, far from both the billing addresses and the event location.

The attackers masked their activity using popular U.S. ISPs such as Comcast and Verizon, and relied on newly issued credit cards with no AVS match.

2. Issuer-specific coordinated fraud attacks

In another case, a concentrated attack targeted Super Bowl tickets with some spillover into lower-priced NBA tickets. All transactions used USAA-issued credit cards, suggesting issuer-focused exploitation.

IP addresses were traced to Georgia, again far from both the venue and billing locations, and purchase amounts were unusually high.

3. Device takeover using compromised legitimate networks

Fraudsters also carried out a device takeover attack by compromising computers at the dance center in Tel Aviv. Using legitimate Israeli IP addresses and trusted devices allowed attackers to bypass common risk signals across multiple ticketing platforms.

These transactions showed very high velocity, extreme purchase amounts, and a mix of Israeli credit cards. Keyboard language indicated Arabic, suggesting the fraudsters were operating remotely while leveraging compromised local infrastructure.

4. SIM swap attacks

Other methods observed around high-profile sporting events include SIM swap attacks, where fraudsters take over a victim’s phone number to intercept SMS verifications and approve transactions.

Common red flags for Super Bowl ticket fraud

  • Order amounts exceeding $5,000
  • No prior history matching the provided identity details
  • IP addresses far from the billing address
  • IP addresses far from the event venue
  • Billing addresses far from the venue
  • New or first-time customers

Building a defensive playbook against Super Bowl fraud

A successful Super Bowl fraud strategy resembles a strong offensive line: it blocks threats while allowing legitimate transactions to move quickly up the field. For ticketing and betting merchants, the goal is to approve as many good orders as possible within the peak window.

Below are proven approaches merchants use to manage risk during high-volume events.

Use adaptive checkout flows to balance risk and conversion

Dynamic checkout flows route orders differently based on risk, selectively applying additional verification — such as CVV prompts, one-time passwords, or 3DS — only when needed. This helps reduce friction for trusted customers while adding protection where risk is elevated.

Screening obvious fraud before authorization and enriching order data sent to issuers can also improve approval rates for legitimate transactions during peak demand.

Block bot-driven card testing early

Ticket sellers often work with partner sites that attract fraudsters running automated card-testing attacks. These bots can quickly generate losses and trigger penalties from payment processors.

Applying stricter controls on higher-risk traffic — especially on partner sites less sensitive to declines — helps stop card testing before it reaches payment authorization, protecting revenue and processor relationships.

Protect core sites without over-blocking

Main ticketing sites face a different challenge: thousands of fake checkout attempts can threaten compliance and uptime, but overly aggressive blocking risks turning away real buyers.

Targeted fraud thresholds, tuned using historical data, allow higher-risk traffic to be filtered early while safer transactions continue through standard review paths. This approach reduces fraud without sacrificing approval rates or customer experience.

Recover legitimate orders that look risky

During major events, some real customers behave in ways that appear suspicious — large purchases, unfamiliar devices, or unusual locations. Automatically declining these orders can lead to unnecessary revenue loss.

Lightweight verification, such as quick SMS confirmations, allows legitimate buyers to verify themselves in seconds and complete their purchases without manual review.

Ticket and betting merchants: Prepare for the next wave of sporting events

From the big game in Santa Clara to the Winter Olympics and this summer’s FIFA World Cup, high-profile events consistently attract both legitimate demand and sophisticated fraud. Merchants that plan ahead — with adaptable fraud controls and checkout strategies — are better positioned to protect revenue, maintain compliance, and keep the buying experience smooth when it matters most.

Read how ticket sellers like GameTime, TickPick, and TicketNetwork are keeping fans happy and sales high with Riskified.