According to official data, gamblers wagered $210.4m at Iowa’s online and retail sportsbooks in September, up 94% from $108.4m in August and up almost 191% from $72.4m in September 2020. The betting pace rose to $6.8m daily over the 30 days of September from $2.4m per day in September 2020.
Russ Michael, Lead Analyst for PlayIA, explained: “The first full month of football was bound to cross new thresholds, and one of the most-watched Cy-Hawk games in history pushed the volume to another level.
"By any measure, September was a remarkable month. And the future looks just as bright as the Hawkeyes remain among the nation’s best, teams of regional interest litter baseball’s postseason, and bettors become increasingly comfortable with online betting.”
Out of the total amount wagered in September, $186.5m represented online bets (88.6% of the state’s handle); retail betting accounted for the remaining $23.9m; however, retail sportsbooks generated $4.2m of the state’s $5.7m in combined net receipts.
Caesars led the online market with $66.5m in online bets; DraftKings followed with $64.8m in online wagering. Ameristar Council Bluffs led retailers with $6m in wagers and Diamond Jo worth was next with $5.5m in bets.
Miachel concluded: “Following the removal of in-person registration requirements earlier this year, online sportsbooks have a unique opportunity to build on the momentum created by such a strong September.
"Operators will work hard in keeping new bettors engaged, especially those who placed a bet for the first time for the Cy-Hawk game. Those operators that are successful in those efforts will lift their fortunes for months to come.”
