Press Releases
PlayIllinois.com: Sports betting slows, but Illinois quickest ever to $5 billion in wagering
Wagering at Illinois sportsbooks slowed in June to below $500 million for the first time since December 2020 while revenue once again surged, as the effects of summer’s sports calendar and in-person registration requirements continued to be felt. Even as the Prairie State remains in line with trends seen in most major U.S. markets, Illinois managed to reach $5 billion in lifetime handle quicker than any market in U.S. history, according to analysts from PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“Illinois sportsbooks is very much continuing down the same path as most major U.S. markets in June, with revenue surging despite the seasonal headwinds working to keep handle down,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIllinois.com. “Fortunately for them, sportsbooks only have to endure one more month of sluggish action before the fall sports season reignites the industry.”
Illinois’ retail and online sportsbooks took in $476.5 million in wagers in June, down 6.1% from $507.3 million in May, according to official data released Thursday. That is the lowest handle in the state since sportsbooks collected $449.2 million in November 2020. The day-by-day pace of betting slowed to $15.9 million over the 30 days of June, which was down from $16.9 million per day in May.
The month’s handle placed Illinois No. 3 in the U.S. in June, behind New Jersey ($766.9 million) and Nevada ($545.5 million), but ahead of Pennsylvania ($420.2 million). More impressive, though, June’s handle pushed the lifetime total for the state to $5.1 billion. Illinois is just the fourth state to reach $5 billion, and the state’s sportsbooks did it in 16 months, breaking New Jersey’s record of 18 months.
“Even with all the twists and turns over the last year, namely the back-and-forth with in-person registration requirements and pandemic restrictions, Illinois continues to break new ground,” said Joe Boozell, analyst for PlayIllinois.com. “Illinois bettors remain highly engaged, keeping the state entrenched among the nation’s sports betting heavyweights like Nevada and New Jersey.”
As June’s handle fell, gross gaming revenue rose 31.8% to $48.2 million from $36.6 million in May. That is the third highest revenue total in state history, only surpassed by the record $49.9 million set in March and $49.4 million in January. July’s gross revenue produced $47.5 million in adjusted gross revenue, yielding $7.7 million in state and local taxes.
The revenue jump is a product of the way bettors tend to engage with summer sports.
Basketball remained the top sport, attracting $126.9 million in bets, which was down from $154.3 million in wagering in May. Baseball betting remained relatively flat, producing $126.7 million in bets, up from $126.1 million in May.
Meanwhile, parlay bets swelled to $101.1 million in bets, generating a whopping $22.8 million in revenue for sportsbooks. Tennis jumped to $40.3 million in wagers from $32.6 million in May.
“Bettors interact with individual sports like golf and tennis differently than major U.S. team sports like football, placing more futures bets and single-game parlay bets that carry lower odds to win,” Ramsey said. “For sportsbooks those bets are particularly important during the summer when volume drops. And it puts sportsbooks in an excellent position as football season approaches.”
$451.7 million, or 94.8%, of June’s bets were made online. DraftKings/Casino Queen remained in the market lead with $160.2 million in combined online and retail handle, down from $170.1 million in May. June’s handle included $157.1 million of online bets and $14.0 million in gross gaming revenue.
FanDuel’s online and retail sportsbooks attracted $156.3 million in bets in June, which was flat from May. The month’s bets, $155.3 million of which came online, generated a market-leading $20.3 million in gross gaming revenue.
BetRivers/Rivers Casino rose to $83.2 million in combined handle, including $71.2 million in online wagering. That led to $7.5 million in gross gaming revenue.
The leaders were followed by:
- PointsBet/Hawthorne Race Course ($35.6 million in wagers, including $33.6 million online; $3.4 million in revenue)
- Barstool/Hollywood Aurora ($30.4 million in wagers, including $28.7 million online; $2.1 million in revenue)
- William Hill/Grand Victoria ($6.6 million in wagers, including $5.9 million online; $504,006 in revenue)
- Argosy ($2.7 million in retail wagers; $359,010 in revenue)
- Hollywood Joliet ($1.2 million in wagers; $95,949 in revenue)
- Par-A-Dice ($360,804 in wagers; -$69,131 in revenue)
The fight for market share was largely static in June. This as lawmakers continue to grapple with in-person registration requirements and a $20 million licensing fee for online-only operators.
“Without a legislative fix, in-person registration will continue to be an issue that alters the market,” Boozell said. “Worse, if no operator pays the hefty online-only fee when those licenses become available in December it could make in-person registration permanent. We will see if legislators are able to either lower the price of the online-only licenses to make them more attractive or make it so that the online-only licenses aren’t the trigger for remote registration.”
Aposta Ganha, the fastest growing Brazilian sports betting and casino site in Brazil, has launched its Black Friday promotion with its newest ambassador Luva de Pedreiro, AKA Bricklayer’s Glove.
With over 21 million followers on Instagram, the digital influencer and social media phenomenon will strengthen the brand’s presence in the market and shake up Black Friday with a campaign full of special offers for bettors.
Known for his catchphrase “Receeeeba!” and his irreverent personality, Luva de Pedreiro will be the main face of the campaign, creating a direct connection with the public, football fans and social media enthusiasts. The partnership aims to increase Aposta Ganha’s visibility in the market, attract new bettors and offer an even more dynamic experience.
Aposta Ganha is taking advantage of Black Friday to reinforce its commitment to ethical and transparent operations in the market. The platform complies with the new regulations of the Federal Government and invests in education and awareness initiatives, ensuring a safe experience for its users. Vitor Paulin, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Aposta Ganha, said: “Signing an ambassador like Luva de Pedreiro is a huge milestone for Aposta Ganha. His authenticity and connection with the public make him the ideal partner to boost our brand and make the betting experience even more exciting.”
Aposta Ganha’s Black Friday brings unmissable offers for all types of bettors. One highlight is that bettors will receive 10% cashback on the amount lost in the Aviatrix game and daily offers for sports betting. The promotions will be valid from November 21 to 30, with exclusive advantages in selected games each day.
Latest News
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SELECTS SPORTRADAR TO TRANSFORM PLAYER TALENT SCOUTING FOR ALL 30 CLUBS
Sportradar today announced a multiyear agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB) to offer unparalleled sports performance analysis of amateur baseball prospects, through its Synergy Coaching and Scouting solution, to the league and its 30 Clubs. This new partnership will revolutionize player talent scouting through Sportradar’s advanced, proprietary technology and highlights Sportradar’s commitment to delivering innovative and game-changing solutions to the league.
Under the agreement, MLB and its 30 Clubs will gain access to an unprecedented depth of player analysis and insights with event coverage expanding significantly, from 3,300 to more than 20,000 games – an over 600% increase. This includes college, international, professional partner leagues and leading amateur leagues, such as the MLB Draft League, the Appalachian League and MLB Develops events, and, for the first time, top high school events.
The Synergy Coaching and Scouting solution is uniquely positioned to address the player evaluation needs of MLB as it leverages Sportradar’s expertise ingesting and transforming millions of data points from video into detailed metrics, actionable insights and dynamic visualizations. This, combined with Sportradar’s AI-powered sports performance technology, enables Synergy to provide unparalleled, in-depth analysis of every player, play and game situation, and equips MLB and Club scouts with the information and insights they need to streamline the evaluation process, guide draft decisions and support the development of future MLB players.
“Sportradar’s cutting-edge technology, alongside our reputation as a trusted partner to leading US sports leagues, is driving the transformation of sports performance analysis,” said Eduard Blonk, Chief Commercial Officer, Sportradar. “Through Synergy we are pleased that we are expanding our relationship with MLB, equipping them with the deep data and insights they need to identify the next generation of players. We are eager to continue bringing innovative solutions to MLB.”
“We are excited to expand our relationship with Sportradar and ensure equal access to the Synergy video and data services for all 30 MLB Clubs. This platform has become a key resource for Clubs in the domestic and international scouting process and we look forward to continuing our work with Sportradar in the coming years,” said John D’Angelo, MLB’s Sr. Vice President of Amateur and Medical Operations.
Financial reports
Commercial Gaming Revenue Growth Continues in Q3 2024, Driving Industry’s 15th Consecutive Quarter of Growth
U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $17.71 billion in Q3 2024, the industry’s highest-grossing Q3 on record, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. This makes Q3 2024 the industry’s 15th consecutive quarter of annual revenue growth, with September marking the 43rd straight month of rising year-over-year commercial gaming revenue.
Through the first nine months of the year, nationwide commercial gaming revenue stands at $53.24 billion, pacing 8.0 percent ahead of 2023 and putting the industry on track for a fourth straight record revenue year.
In Q3 2024, 29 of the 35 commercial gaming jurisdictions operational last year saw increased year-over-year revenue. This growth resulted in an 8.9 percent year-over-year increase in state and local taxes tied directly to gaming revenue, with commercial gaming operators contributing $3.79 billion in taxes across the quarter.
Quarterly revenue from land-based gaming – encompassing casino slots, table games and retail sports betting – totaled $12.56 billion, 0.62 percent lower than Q3 2023. Meanwhile, combined revenue from online sports betting and iGaming totaled $5.14 billion in Q3 2024 as online gaming made up 29.0 percent of commercial gaming revenue, a significantly higher share than in Q3 2023.
Looking at each sector in Q3 2024:
- Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.38 billion, a contraction of 0.9 percent year-over-year.
- Legal Sports Betting: Americans legally wagered $30.3 billion on sports, generating $3.24 billion in quarterly revenue (+42.4% YoY). Recent market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont contributed to this growth.
- iGaming: iGaming generated $2.08 billion in revenue, marking a 30.3 percent year-over-year increase.
“Q3 2024 continued gaming’s momentum from the first half of the year, with online casino and sports betting driving strong growth. At the same time, new brick-and-mortar casino openings bolstered traditional gaming, which still accounts for the bulk of industry revenue,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. “More than a quarter of commercial revenue now regularly comes from online sources, raising the importance of continued sustainable growth with consumers in those states.”
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