Sports Betting Hits New High

(photo courtesy of Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg)

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With a full return of college and professional football last month, Indiana’s retail and online sportsbooks reported a record-breaking amount of betting. Gaming analysis firm PlayIndiana.com says sports bettors placed more than $355 million in wagers, which generated $3.3 million in state taxes.

The previous one-month was $348 million, which was set in January. PlayIndiana says September’s handle was 71% above September 2020 levels.

“The bar has been set much higher for Indiana’s sports betting market, and could double the wagering from last year,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIndiana.com. “Indiana remains one of the five largest sports betting markets in the country, and the growth is showing few signs of letting up at this point. Sportsbooks should approach $4 billion in wagers for the year.”

Ramsey says through the year’s first nine months, Indiana’s sportsbooks have combined to generate $2.4 billion in wagering, which surpasses the $1.8 billion in all of 2020.

Online betting accounts for 90% of all sportsbook wagers. PlayIndiana analysts say Hollywood Lawrenceburg near Cincinnati led retail books in Indiana with $11.5 million in wagers, up from $5.6 million in August.