On Friday (17 May) the North Carolina State Lottery issued its first full-month legal online sports betting report. Bettors in the state wagered nearly $649m in April and gross gaming revenue (GGR) was $105.3m.
Operators went live in North Carolina on 11 March, ahead of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Consumers wagered $659.3m during the three-week span in the opening month. But during that time, three North Carolina teams – Duke, NC State and UNC – were all playing in March Madness. Across the US, sports betting handle often dips in April, after the NCAA’s marquee event comes to a close.
Operators had a higher hold in April versus March, paying out $538.4m in winnings on the $649m handle versus $590.8m on $659.3m handle in March. North Carolina taxes digital operators at 18% of GGR, but the state did not release a number for tax revenue.
Promos down
Promotional betting dropped significantly in April, according to the report. Operators wrote off $79.7m in promo..