March Madness Sends Mobile Activity Soaring: Social Campaigns Surge, Sports Betting Booms, and Consumer Behavior Shows Complex Engagement
AppsFlyer And Sensor Tower joint report reveals the top mobile trends shaping consumer behavior during the NCAA Tournament
San Francisco – April 14, 2025 – March Madness once again delivered big wins and measurable impact far beyond the basketball courts. According to new data from AppsFlyer, the global leader in mobile measurement, attribution, and data analytics, and Sensor Tower, a leading provider of digital marketing insights, the NCAA Tournament drove sharp shifts in app usage and install rates among American consumers across categories such as streaming, food delivery, sports betting, and more.
Analyzing the user behavior across thousands of social, sports betting, entertainment, streaming, food & drink, and finance apps, throughout the month of March, painted a very unique picture of US behaviour, as fan priorities shifted. Sports betting and entertainment apps peaked early in the tournament, fueled by bracket optimism, digital promotions, and the excitement of opening-round matchups.
But with a tournament notably absent a Cinderella, or many upsets at all, engagement patterns began to change. As more games became nationally televised, some users disengaged entirely from apps they’d previously used, while others shifted attention to food delivery, financial wrap-ups, or centralizing their sports betting activities to one app. The data reflects a broader trend: mobile behavior during March Madness isn’t static; rather, it moves with the drama of the bracket.
Sports betting takes the lead
The ongoing expansion of legalized sports betting in the U.S. continued to accelerate app adoption, with apps like FanDuel and DraftKings jumping to 95% user engagement on the first day of the tournament, illustrating how quickly users leaned into the action.
The momentum continued through the Final Four, where sports betting apps saw a 35% increase in new installs compared to the already impressive first two weeks. Cumulatively, the first two weeks of March Madness delivered a 130% increase in new installs vs. the prior two weeks.
For the first two weekends of March Madness, total sessions were 20% higher and spend was 60% higher than the two weeks pre-tournament. However, by the second weekend, spending slightly declined by 6% as well as sessions dropped by 5% compared to the first weekend, hinting at saturation or a possible strategic recalibration.
During the tournament’s first weekend, US app downloads for Bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel increased by 81%, 19%, and 7%, respectively, compared to the prior weekend.
Time spent on FanDuel and DraftKings apps, respectively, increased 40% during the first weekend of March Madness Sweet Sixteen games, compared to the prior weekend, likely driven by digital promotions and continued consumer excitement surrounding the tournament.
Media & Entertainment sees highs and lows
Media apps increased their budgets by 35% in the first two weeks of the tournament when compared with the two weekends prior but saw that drop substantially by the Final Four weekend. The National Championship on Monday saw a 24% drop in campaign spend when compared with the first two weekends of the tournament.
Max, Paramount Plus, and YouTube TV each saw US app downloads drop more than 10% during the second weekend of the tournament compared to the previous weekend’s games, suggesting that consumers may have watched more live games during that period or simply tuned out once their team – or their bracket – was knocked out.
National championship delivers drama, but fewer app opens
Americans love options – and by the time the National Championship game between Florida and Houston rolled around, sports bettors seemed to have had their bracket (and hopes for winning the championship game) busted meant fewer app opens. Despite an exciting, back-and-forth matchup and campaign spend nearly equal to earlier rounds, app opens for sports betting apps dropped 39% compared to the Final Four and 37% versus the tournament’s opening weekend.
Streaming apps also dipped. On the Monday of the National Championship game, entertainment app installs fell 17%, potentially because the game was nationally televised and easily accessible via traditional platforms.
But not all categories declined
While app opens for some categories slowed, others surged during the Championship:
- Food & Drink apps saw a 13% increase in app opens compared to the previous two weekends.
- Finance apps followed with a 10% rise, indicating end-of-tournament wrap-ups may prompt budget reviews or cash-outs.
These shifts suggest that as the stakes of the tournament peaked, so did second-screen behaviors tied to convenience and personal finance. For brands, this opportunity to align messaging with fan routines goes beyond just the game itself.
“March Madness is one of the few moments each year when we see such a clear and consistent spike in app downloads and engagement that is tied to a prolonged national and real-time cultural event,” said Alex Yip, Director of Product Strategy at AppsFlyer. “The data indicates just how quickly fans will move to action when an event they care about begins. Mobile is becoming the control center for the fan experience, and brands who can simultaneously provide value while tapping into users’ loyalty and enthusiasm will reap the benefits of deeper engagement, stronger retention, and more meaningful connections during major events and cultural moments.”
“March Madness continues to underscore a key trend we’re seeing across the app economy: sharp spikes in consumer interest around major live events with users quick to download and engage with apps during peak moments,” said Abe Yousef, Senior Insights Analyst at Sensor Tower. “Retention and sustained usage remain significant challenges across a number of key industries. For app marketers advertising around key tentpole moments, success hinges not just on capitalizing during these high-traffic periods, but on building experiences that extend beyond the event itself.”
About AppsFlyer
AppsFlyer helps brands make good choices for their business and their customers with its advanced measurement, data analytics, deep linking, engagement, fraud protection, data clean room and privacy preserving technologies. Built on the idea that brands can increase customer privacy while providing exceptional experiences, AppsFlyer empowers thousands of creators and 10,000+ technology partners to create better, more meaningful customer relationships. To learn more, visit www.appsflyer.com.
