Month: October 2021

Many states rushed to launch sports betting in September because of the beginning of football season. Football is the most wagered sport in the United States, so it produces large betting handles.

New Jersey and Nevada headlined the national sports betting industry in September with massive handles. However, these two states were not the only markets making noise during the month. South Dakota posted its first handle, and the state had a strong start to its sports betting history.

Debut Sports Betting Handle

Sports betting in South Dakota is only available at four casinos in Deadwood. Deadwood is located in the western portion of the state, so the market is not easily accessible to all bettors. The four casinos combined for a handle of $443,365, according to the South Dakota Commission on Gaming.

South Dakota may be new to betting, but it followed the same trajectory of established sports wagering in other legal jurisdictions. Football was superior to any other sports throughout the month.

The NFL accounted for $277,015, which was significantly more than college football, totaling $131,349. The remainder of the top five included MLB, MMA, and the NHL. Even though sports betting is off to a strong start, more work and marketing still needs to occur from the Deadwood casinos.

People are favoring sots in the state, and this will not change. However, if the casinos can successfully promote sports wagering, it will give them more revenue. The total slot revenue for the month was $147,685,505.

South Dakota was not the only state in the western portion of the United States to launch. Although, it was the smallest to make its sports betting debut during the month. Arizona sports betting went live, and Wyoming also launched its mobile-only market. Out of the three states, Arizona will reign supreme.

South Dakota Sports Betting History

Sports betting is beginning to sweep the nation, and many more states are scheduled for fall launches. The history of South Dakota sports betting dates back to November 2020, when voters chose to legalize the industry through a referendum vote.

This gave the four casinos the ability to offer sports betting in the state through a retail format. The official launch began on September 9 when the 2021 NFL season kicked off between the Buccaneers and Cowboys.

Governor Kristi Noem, a sports betting proponent, signed the bill into law in March of 2021. However, leading up to her signing, there was some controversy surrounding the future South Dakota sports wagering industry.

There were legislators who wanted mobile sports betting throughout South Dakota. They believed if the servers were located in Deadwood, mobile betting could be widespread. This belief was quickly shut down.

Mobile sports betting does not look positive in the future because it would require a state constitutional change. In July of 2021, Deadwood Gaming Commission Executive Director Mike Rodman spoke about the framework of the state’s sports betting industry. He said;

“The rules allow for on-premise mobile. I’ll be curious if any jump onto that. South Dakota is a pretty conservative state, so we have a go slow approach. Maybe sometime in the future we’ll see statewide mobile. We have to prove ourselves in Deadwood and do a good job.”

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming approved the regulations on July 14, and a legislative committee finalized the deal on August 2. Not offering mobile betting puts South Dakota at a major disadvantage.

Border states like Iowa, Montana, and Wyoming all offer mobile sports betting. Since Deadwood is isolated in the western portion of the state, residents may choose to go elsewhere to place mobile wagers.

The path to legal sports betting in Louisiana has been much more challenging than anticipated, and there have been some major speed bumps along the way. We finally have a new launch date, though, after the state has spent the last few weeks trying to regroup.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board has been holding emergency meetings to try and get this industry up and running. Legal sportsbooks will be available on Monday, November 1. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board recently met with the Louisiana State Police to come up with this state.

The state police are responsible for reviewing all of the license applications coming in. This process has taken much longer than expected as the state police were dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.

The first significant delay came in releasing the official sports betting rules and regulations, but those have since been finalized. Louisiana is also a state that should become a competitive sports betting industry, and it has been flooded with applicants.

Twenty sports betting licenses will be available in Louisiana, and all of the casinos and racinos can apply. According to the latest report, 13 of those properties have already applied.

Paragon Casino First to Launch

Sports betting is technically already available in the state of Louisiana, but only on a limited basis. The Paragon Casino has started to accept wagers on sporting events through a partnership with Betfred.

The Paragon Casino is a tribal casino, and therefore, it does not need to go through the entire application process. When the official sports betting regulation was passed, it gave Paragon and other tribal casinos to offer wagers on sporting events.

Louisiana will also have exciting sports betting industry when it is entirely up and running as this new form has not been approved state-wide. Each parish decided on legal sports betting, and some parishes voted to keep it illegal.

Online sports betting has been approved, but those online sportsbooks can only be accessed in certain parts of the state. Because of this, geolocation services must be enabled at all times so that the sites can verify your location.

Each of the 20 retail locations is eligible to offer two online skins, which will increase the number of online sportsbooks that can launch. Online sportsbooks won’t launch until some point in 2022, but a firm date has not yet been established.

Caesars Accepting New Registration

Louisiana is expected to receive applications from all of the biggest names in the US sports betting industry, and some operators have already gained access into the state. DraftKings and FanDuel are two of the biggest online sportsbooks in the market, but it could be Caesars that jumps out to a lead in Louisiana.

Caesars has struck a deal with the New Orleans Saints that will give the company naming rights to the Superdome. This is the first time a sports betting company has earned naming rights to a stadium in the National Football League.

Even though the Caesars Sportsbook app might not be available for a couple more months, the operator is already allowing new customers to sign up for a new account. Not only that, but Caesars is giving new customers $100 just for registering, and more bonuses will be available upon launch.

Caesars might be the first online sportsbook to offer a pre-registration bonus, but other sportsbooks are expected to follow suit.

New Jersey is officially the biggest sports betting market in the United States after a record month of September. Football season has brought records to the state, and this is apparent by the September handle.

New Jersey surpassed $1 billion in placed bets during the month of September. This was the first time in legal sports betting history where a state had a $1 billion handle.

New Jersey Sets Record

Football season is the biggest betting season in the United States. Many states drastically increase their handles during football season because of the popularity of the sport in the United States. New Jersey’s record handle during the month was $1,011,114,311, which was an increase of 52.1% from August’s $664.7 million total.

It was also a major increase from September 2020, when the handle was $748.6 million. This was a 35.1% increase, which is remarkable growth for the state over one year.

The previous handle in the state was $996.3 million in December 2020. At this time, it became clear that the billion-dollar handle was in reach. However, September was a great month to hit this total because only football and baseball were active.

In December, there is football, basketball, and hockey, as well as numerous niche sports. The excitement of football season allowed New Jersey to pass one billion in September.

The Details of the Handle

Mobile sports betting was 90.8% of the state’s handle during the month. This dominance was no surprise, but retail betting was utilized more than a typical month in the state. The mobile handle was up 49.9% from August and 82.9% from September of 2020.

The one billion dollar handle yielded $82.4 million in revenue. This was a 58.5% rise from August of 2020. Even though there was a massive handle, it did not yield the largest revenue figure. Typically large handles equate to massive revenue figures.

The August figure yielded $82.6 million in revenue, which is a strong month. It missed the record by $200,000 from January of 2020 when the handle nearly hit one billion. The total gaming revenue was $453.6 million.

The majority of this revenue was from the online casino platforms in the state. New Jersey is continuing to shatter records in the legal sports betting industry. The state owns the 13 highest handles ever recorded in the country.

September was the record, and it’s followed by December 2020 ($996.3 million), January 20211 ($958.7 million), November 2020 ($931.6 million), and March 2020 ($859.6 million).
Nevada is the only state that has come close to competing with New Jersey. It set a record handle of $659.9 million in October of 2020. However, this figure pales in comparison to the Garden State.

Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan have also reported sports betting records in September. This means more states will likely follow as numbers get reported. Football season helped New Jersey dominate September.

With the addition of hockey, basketball, and playoff baseball, the one billion handle may be blown away in the coming months. October and November will likely have very large handles because of the major sports competing simultaneously.

Throughout the summer months, the sports betting numbers were vastly disappointing across the United States, but this is typically a slow time for the the sports betting industry. Football is the most popular sport to bet on in the United States, which usually brings in plenty of action in the Fall at the start of the NFL season and college football season.

There are two midwestern states, Illinois and Iowa, that recently announced their monthly sports betting totals, and there totals were extremely impressive numbers. Illinois and Iowa are not close in market size, but each state had a recent month to start having an even better upward trend.

Illinois Ends Downward Trend

Illinois recently went through four straight months with a continuing decrease in the total betting handle, but that streak had ended in August. The total handle for the month in Illinois was over $400 million, which increased nearly nine percent from the month of July.

Most states are already starting to announce their September totals, but Illinois is always one of the last states to report their totals. By going over the $400 million mark for the month, Illinois was the third-largest sports betting market during the month of August.

Despite having a large increase in the total handle for the month, the sports betting revenue saw a significant drop in August. The adjusted gross revenue was still nearly $27 million, but it went in the wrong direction and was the lowest of 2021.

Online sports betting accounted for 94.9 percent of the total handle for the month, and Illinois is consistently over 90% in that breakdown. The state still has an in-person registration requirement in place, but it has not kept bettors from wagering their online as well.

DraftKings Sportsbook was the clear leader in Illinois for the month of August, with an online handle of $146.6 million. Next came FanDuel ($110.8 million) in second place and BetRivers ($64.7 million) in third place for the state.

Iowa Sets a New Record

The state of Iowa has already announced its September sports betting figures, and it was a record-setting month for the state. According to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission report, the total sports betting handle was $210.4 million.

Not only was this a new record for the state of Iowa, but it was also a significant increase over the $108.4 million in total handle back in August. This was also a massive jump of 190.7 percent year-over-year, showing just how much sports betting in this state has really grown.

There is no doubt that both the NFL and college football has played a significant role in the massive boost in the sports betting handle for Iowa. The mobile betting handle in the state was $186.5 million, even though the state has retail sportsbooks located all throughout Iowa.

Despite a huge increase in the total handle, revenue fell month-over-month. Sportsbooks reported total revenue of just $5.7 million, which was a decrease of $6.6 million previously from the the month of August.

The Isle Casino that is partnered with the Caesars Sportsbook, was the most popular sportsbook in the state Iowa for the month, accounting for a total handle of $33.6 million.

The launch of online sports betting in Connecticut has been put on hold. There is legal retail wagering in the state, but the implementation of widespread internet betting is still being handled. Retail sports wagering has been a success after a week of usage, but Connecticut needs mobile betting to take advantage of the entire population.

The planned launch for mobile sports betting in Connecticut was scheduled for Thursday. However, there was a delay in the Memorandums of Understandings in the federal register. This news was announced by Kaitlyn Krasselt, the Communications Director for the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

When is Mobile Sports Betting Going Live?

Mobile sports betting is delayed, and there is no established launch date. Nevertheless, the wait is not expected to be extended. There is an urgency to launch sports betting because the NFL season is already a quarter complete.

Therefore, every weekend without mobile sports betting is costing the state valuable tax revenue. COVID-19 was one of the deciding factors to implement sports betting to capitalize on tax revenue, so the state legislature is pushing for a launch.

Krasselt spoke earlier in the week about the mobile sports betting situation.

She said;

“We are still working to finalize the details of the statewide online and retail launch of sports betting, and we are working with the licensees to ensure their platforms are certified and in compliance with the regulations prior to launch. As such, no date has been set, but we do not anticipate it to be a lengthy delay.”

Lucrative Potential in Connecticut

Connecticut is a small state, but the sports betting market is expected to be very competitive. The central location of Connecticut and the operators that will launch in the state make it a prime gambling state.

DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers will be the three legal sportsbooks in the state. DraftKings gained market access through the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the Mohegan Tribe partnered with FanDuel.

BetRivers will launch in the state because of a partnership with the Connecticut Lottery. BetRivers is a respectable book in the nation, but it does have the name of its other two competitors.

Connecticut will be the 14th state where DraftKings is live. The other major markets where the sportsbook is authorized are Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.

Connecticut will mark the ninth state for FanDuel, adding to New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, and Arizona.

The Connecticut Lottery feels Rush Street Interactive, which operates BetRivers, can be successful in the sports betting space.

The Connecticut Lottery Application Chairman, Rob Simmelkjaer, spoke about the group’s excitement to offer BetRivers Sportsbook.

He said;

“Rush Street Interactive is a respected sports betting and gaming company that has established itself as a leading innovator in the industry. We are impressed not only with RSI’s successes in other jurisdictions, particularly in neighboring New York and New Jersey, but also its commitment to responsible gambling practices.”

Retail sports betting made its debut last Thursday at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort and Casino. Governor Ned Lamont was the first person to place a bet in the state.

Sports betting in Connecticut launched on Thursday in time for bets to be collected surrounding the Thursday Night Football contest. There are two sportsbooks open in the state at each of the tribal nations.

Mohegan Sun will work with FanDuel, and the Foxwoods partnered with DraftKings Sportsbook. The sportsbook at Foxwoods is currently a temporary property with plans to expand in the coming months. It’s located inside the Ultimate Race Book in the rainmaker casino.

However, if people want to place a quick bet, they can do so at betting kiosks scattered throughout the property. Even though the sportsbook is temporary, Connecticut residents flocked to DraftKings Sportsbook to place retail wagers.

Comments the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, along with the Mohegans, have been proponents of legal sports betting in Connecticut since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was repealed in 2018.

Mobile betting will be coming to the state in the future, but the Tribe is happy to have some sports wagering legal in the state.

Rodney Butler, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman, was quoted in a press release following the launch.

He said;

“Today we celebrate a new era for our Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, sports fans, Foxwoods guests, and Connecticut residents. We thank Governor Lamont and his administration, regulators, and the many lawmakers who helped pave the way for legal sports betting and expanded gaming in the state. Their collaboration and hard work have allowed trusted gaming operators like our Tribe and DraftKings to help lead innovation across Connecticut. With NFL season in full force, it’s game on, and we look forward to a successful launch.”

The Future of Sports Betting in Connecticut

Connecticut has the potential to be a significant sport betting state despite its size. The state is centrally located between New York and Boston, which helps its traffic. Additionally, many avid sports fans in the state and the casinos are a huge part of the local economy.

The permanent sportsbook at Foxwoods will feature multiple betting markets, allowing users to bet on professional and collegiate sports. There will be no wagers allowed on in-state colleges, but everything else is fair game.

The permanent sportsbook is in its final stages, and it will have betting kiosks and windows. There will be numerous televisions and seating throughout the facility.

Matt Kalish, the co-founder, and president of DraftKings, was very excited about the launch. He said;

“We’re thrilled to join the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in bringing a holistic and delightful sports betting experience for customers in Connecticut. By leveraging the Tribe’s expertise in developing and operating one of the largest resort casinos in the world, we are excited to bring new offerings for consumers in The Constitution State.”

The one thing Foxwoods has emphasized through marketing and around the sportsbook is responsible gaming. The partnership with DraftKings required this action because the operator is a member of the American Gaming Association.

Foxwoods have been at the front of a Bet Responsibly Service Campaign, which teaches safe sports betting practices and preaches only using legal sportsbooks.