Pennsylvania sportsbooks have shown a betting volume increase thanks to the return of the football season.
Online and retail sportsbooks accepted $348.5m in wagers in August, down almost 5% from $365m in August 2020, but up almost 15% from $304.4m in July 2021. August is the first month since March when the combined handle topped the previous month’s handle (with sportsbooks handling $560m in wagers). August produced $18m in taxable revenue and generated $6.1m in state taxes.
Valerie Cross, Analyst for PlayPennsylvania, said: “August’s sports schedule is still relatively light compared with the fall, so it is welcome to see betting volume move off the low we saw in July. The next four months is the most important stretch of the year for sportsbooks, though, and every sign points toward a stretch of widespread growth.”
Bettors showed the most interest in online betting with $318.1m in wagers (over 91% of the state’s total handle), retail sportsbooks accepted $30.4m in bets in August. FanDuel topped the online market with $135.7m in wagering, DraftKings was second with $80.4m in bets, Barstool attracted $26.3m in wagers; next came BetRivers with $13.2m handles, SugarHouse with $10.3m, Fox Bet ($8.6m), Parx Casino ($6.4m), Unibet ($4.2m), TwinSpires ($2.3m), Caesars ($1.2m), and Betway and Wind Creek with under $1m handle each.
In regard to bettors’ interest in football, Dustin Gouker, Analyst for the PlayUSA (which includes PlayPennsylvania), remarked: “Football is often a springboard for operators to build relationships with new customers. This is why operators are aggressive with their football-related promotional offerings and advertising campaigns, particularly around the opening weeks of the season.”
