Record betting figures boost US gaming performance in August
Figures compiled by the American Gaming Association (AGA) show that a crowded sports calendar led players to wager $2.1bn in August, the largest monthly handle in US sports betting history. Operators generated $119.4m in revenue from August’s record stakes, the second highest grossing month on record.
The overall figures were boosted by big rises in sports betting and online gaming. The $119.4m monthly revenue figure represented a 90.2% year-on-year improvement, as the National Basketball Association (NBA) resumed, Major League Baseball (MLB) continued and punters looked ahead to the National Football League (NFL) season. Online gaming, meanwhile, grew 224.2% to $145.3m.
The month’s record-setting handle of $2.1bn represented a 174.8% year-on-year rise, with New Jersey the leader on $668.0m, a 127.5% rise from August 2019, and the largest monthly handle ever recorded in any state.
Four more states also saw handle surpass $100m in August. Nevada stakes reached $474.5m, while amounts wagered in Pennsylvania came to $365.0m. Indiana’s handle grew to $169.0m, and Colorado, which only launched legal wagering in May, brought in $128.6m.