The People's Picks: Mapping America's Favorite Athletes State-by-State

Every state has its favorite athletes and sports heroes. Thanks to data from PrizePicks, we can see not just who sports fans love, but who they’re backing with their money.

We dove into state-by-state trends from July 2024 through February 2025 to find the most picked athletes in America across the NBA, NFL, and MLB. The results paint a picture of regional loyalty, breakout stars, and the stat categories fans trusted most.

From the stars fans trust the most to the stat categories people love — here’s what the data from PrizePicks shows.

PrizePicks is a fantasy sports game where you make picks on player states — like LeBron James’ points or Aaron Judge’s Hits+Runs+RBIs.

The Most Popular Athlete in Every State

America’s picks since July 2024 have been dominated by two players: LeBron James and Saquon Barkley. 

James was the most popular player in 28 states, dominating picks on both coasts, save for states surrounding Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. James was also the most picked athlete in his current home state of California,  getting picked over 17% more than the next athlete, Nikola Jokic.

Barkley was the most popular athlete in 19 states, most of which lean more toward football as their top picks across the northwest, where there are no NBA franchises. It certainly helped that he dominated throughout the NFL Playoffs and was a popular Super Bowl pick.

Die-Hard Fans in the Midwest

You can’t miss the three distinct colors in the middle of the map. It’s clear — even on PrizePicks, America’s heartland is loyal to their sports superstars.

• In Kansas, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes took the No. 1 spot. 
• In Oklahoma, it was Oklahoma All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 
• In Colorado, it was Nuggets three-time MVP Nikola Jokic leading the way. 
• A bit further North, it was Timberwolves PG Anthony Edwards. 

For all four athletes, this was the only state where they ranked as the most popular pick.

Top 3 Most Popular Athletes

James cracked the top three most popular athletes in 49 states, with Barkley right behind him, ranking in the top three in 38 states.

While Patrick Mahomes was only the most popular athlete in Kansas, he was top three in 21 states — the second most popular NFL player behind Barkley.

Other players who made appearances in the top three most popular players by state included Stephen Curry (9), Derrick Henry (5), Domantas Sabonis (1), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (1). 

The Most Picked Athlete in America is…

Across the entire nation, Nikola Jokic was the most popular athlete pick on PrizePicks since July 2024. Jokic led LeBron James and Anthony Edwards to take the crown 

Interestingly, LeBron was the most popular player in 28 different states, while Jokic was the top picked player in only one  — Colorado, where he plays. However, Jokic appeared in the top three most popular athletes in 27 states. 

However, despite being less popular, LeBron was a more profitable pick than Jokic in that same timeframe.

Most Popular NBA Players by State

LeBron James is still the face of the NBA — he’s also the face of the NBA on PrizePicks. He has been the most picked NBA player in 46 states during the 2024-25 season, as well as Canada and Washington D.C.

Jokic was a close second, but was still only the most popular NBA pick in one state — Colorado. 

Most Popular NFL Players by State: 2024

Like James in the NBA, Barkley was the top choice in almost every state across America this year. The only states where Barkley wasn’t the most popular NFL pick on PrizePicks were Kansas and Missouri — both Mahomes. 

Here’s more quick facts about the most popular NFL players on PrizePicks

• Barkley’s Rush+Rec TDs combo was the most popular stat selection across the entire 2024 NFL season. 
• In almost every state, Barkley cashed the most Lineups for PrizePicks players.
• In Illinois, Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams led the NFL in money won for PrizePicks Players. In Michigan, it was Jahmyr Gibbs. In Kansas, Kentucky, and Missouri, it was Mahomes. In Maryland and Washington D.C., it was Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels.
• Across the board, Rush+Rec TDs, pass yards, and rush yards were the most popular stat types.

Most Popular MLB Players by State: July-Oct. 2024

While no baseball players made the top three most picked athletes in any state, there’s still a clear favorite among PrizePicks MLB players: it’s NL MVP Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani was the most popular MLB pick in every single state, including Canada and Washington D.C.

There was also a clear No. 2 to finish last MLB season: Yankees CF Aaron Judge. Other players who cracked the top three in different states were Royals SS Bobby Witt Jr., Yankees (now Mets) OF Juan Soto, Dodgers OF Mookie Betts, and Reds SS Elly De La Cruz.

Across the MLB board, the most popular category selected was pitcher strikeouts, but hitter fantasy score, Hits+Runs+RBIs, and total bases were other top stat categories. 

Most Popular Athlete in Every State: List

Here is the most popular athlete pick on PrizePicks for every state.

* - not a state

What The People’s Picks Reveal

These athletes aren’t just fan favorites — they’re the players people are backing with real money on PrizePicks. From Saquon Barkley’s incredible 2024 season to James’ as a mainstay in NBA Lineups across America, this data gives us a clear view into what athletes people like the most.

Whether it was Mahomes in Kansas and Missouri, Tatum across New England, or Jokic in Colorado — die-hard fans tend to lean into their fandoms when choosing athletes to ride with.

More than anything, this breakdown shows which athletes earned that trust, and how fan loyalty translated into real money action across the map on PrizePicks.