Monthly Trends in North Carolina Sports Betting: A Closer Look at Revenue and Participation
Spending on sports betting in North Carolina saw a slight decline month-on-month, yet revenue figures displayed an intriguing upward trajectory.
In May, the state reported a sports betting hold of 11.65%, reflecting year-over-year growth in both revenue and betting volume.
According to the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, gross betting revenue for May reached $65.2 million. This amount exceeded the previous year’s figures by 3.33% and marked a significant 39.3% increase compared to April’s results.
Despite this promising growth, the May revenue fell considerably short of the record $105.3 million achieved in April 2024, the inaugural month for legal online betting in the state.
Monthly Betting Handle: A Dip but Still Resilient
On the spending front, the total wagering handle comprised a paid amount of $547.8 million, alongside $14.4 million in promotional bets. As a result, the overall monthly handle stood at $562.2 million.
While this figure represented a 7% rise from last year, it was 2.4% lower than the $570.2 million wagered in April. Moreover, the total still lagged behind the record-setting $695 million from March 2025.
The 11.65% hold translates to a modest decline from the 12.01% recorded in May 2024, although it shows a marked improvement over April’s hold of 8.12%.
The North Carolina commission estimates tax revenue from these betting activities to be $11.7 million, the highest monthly revenue since January, when $13.4 million was raised.
It’s worth noting that the commission keeps operators’ performances under wraps, but prominent names in the market include FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Fanatics, contributing to the evolving landscape of sports betting in North Carolina.