Legal US sportsbooks have taken more than $400bn worth of bets since the end of the federal ban on the activity in May 2018.
38 states and Washington DC now have some form of legal sports betting, with big hitters like New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Ohio launching over the past couple of years to drive momentum. Not every region with legal sports betting releases their results either, most notably including Florida, the most populated US state with online sports betting.
$400bn handle mark was hit on Thursday
The $400bn handle mark was hit on Thursday after the Kansas and Maryland authorities released their wagering figures for last month. Many states are on track for a record-breaking year, with interest levels constantly on the rise across the country as online betting becomes more popular and sports leagues, content creators, and broadcasters continue to embrace the sector.
Efforts to legalize sports betting in the country’s two most populated states, California and Texas, have been unsuccessful so far. While New Jersey remains at the top of the all-time handle rankings since the end of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), New York is rapidly gaining ground despite launching 3.5 years later than its neighbor.