North Carolina sports betting hold hits 11.65% in May

Sports betting hold in North Carolina reached 11.65% during May, with the state reporting year-on-year increases across both revenue and handle.

Gross wagering revenue in May amounted to $65.2 million, according to the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. This narrowly beat the previous year by 3.33% and was 39.3% ahead of April this year.

However, this fell some way short of the record $105.3 million posted in April 2024, the first month of legal online betting in the state.

North Carolina handle slips month-on-month

In terms of spending, paid wagering handle hit $547.8 million and promotional wagering $14.4 million. This resulted in a total monthly handle of $562.2 million in the state.

The May total surpassed last year by 7% but was 2.4% behind the $570.2 million wagered in April this year. This figure also trailed the state’s record of $695 million, set in March 2025.

This resulted in a statewide hold of 11.65%, which is less than 12.01% in the same month in 2024. However, it was an improvement on the 8.12% hold reported in April this year.

The commission estimated tax proceeds to be $11.7 million. This would be the highest monthly income since $13.4 million was generated in January.

The commission does not publish information on the performance of individual operators. FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Fanatics are among those active in the North Carolina market.