Press Releases
PlayIndiana.com: March Madness propels Indiana sportsbooks to second-best month ever
Indiana’s sportsbooks reversed their February dip, using a completely home-grown NCAA Tournament to push monthly betting volume past the $300 million mark, according to PlayIndiana, which provides news and analysis of the state’s gaming industry.
“We expect to see high volume across most legal U.S. markets in March, but Indiana’s circumstances were unique with March Madness played entirely in Indiana,” said Jessica Welman, lead analyst at PlayIndiana. “It’s hard to know just how much it moved the needle, but March’s results were clearly fueled by a huge volume of NCAA Tournament games all in one place and by a number of fans who traveled to Indiana and then bet legally as they attended games. We may never see a betting event quite like that ever again.”
Indiana sportsbooks brought in $316.7 million in wagers in March, according to official reporting released Monday. That is the second-most for a month in Indiana and up 15.6% from $273.9 million in February. Only January’s record of $348.2 million topped March’s results, pushing Indiana’s lifetime handle to $3.1 billion since launch.
Sportsbooks generated $26.4 million in revenue, a 55.4% increase from $17 million in February, and only topped by the record $29.3 million set in January. March’s revenue yielded $2.5 million in state taxes.
Year-over-year, March’s handle was up 323.3% from $74.8 million in March 2020, a month marred by the pandemic-related shutdown of major U.S. sports, including the NCAA Tournament. Revenue rose 379.5% year-over-year from $5.5 million in March 2020.
“What a difference a year makes, even if comparing this year to last year is apples and oranges,” said Nicole Russo, analyst for PlayIndiana. “Beyond the shutdowns, so much has changed in Indiana’s landscape. Yet, the state continues to fare well in large part because its regulatory framework has been fair and unlike its neighbors in Illinois, consistent. That has created a resilient state industry able to withstand increased competition from neighboring states and a brutal pandemic.”
Online betting accounted for 88.1%, or $279.2 million, of the state’s handle, a modest decrease from 88.4% in February. $160.6 million of March’s bets were on basketball, a dramatic increase from $127.2 million in February as March Madness gripped the attention of bettors. That came even as Purdue, the lone Indiana representative in the NCAA Tournament among the state’s 10 Division I men’s programs, was knocked out in the first round.
“For a basketball-crazy state like Indiana, a dearth of local teams could have really lowered the state’s handle,” Welman said. “But it appears that the proximity of the tournament made up for a lack of Indiana representation.”
DraftKings/Ameristar Casino led the state’s operators with $111.2 million in online bets, up from $107.4 million in February and accounting for 39.8% of the state’s online handle. The month produced $8.5 million in receipts, up from $3.7 million in January. FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino was second with $92.4 million in bets, up from $70.9 million in February. That produced $6.8 million in receipts, up from $5 million.
The leaders were followed by:
- BetMGM/Belterra ($39.4 million handle, up from $33 million in January; $3.6 million win, up from $2.2 million).
- PointsBet/Hollywood Lawrenceburg ($13.1 million handle, up from $11.3 million; $1.7 million win, up from $1.3 million)
- William Hill/Tropicana Evansville ($9.5 million handle, up from $5.6 million; $879,577 win, up from $584,406)
- BetRivers/French Lick Resort ($9.2 million handle, up from $7.5 million; $829,034 win, up from $490,139)
- TheScore/Ameristar ($3 million handle, up from $2.7 million; $263,111 win, up from $180,674)
- Unibet/Horseshoe Hammond ($2.1 million handle, up from $1.8 million; $139,283 win, up from $70,125)
- Caesars/Horseshoe Hammond ($229,488 handle, down from $667,360; $1,392 win, up from -$20,062)
- BetAmerica/Rising Star Casino ($76,686 handle, down from $100,555; $1,191 win, down from $3,328)
$37.5 million in bets were placed at retail sportsbooks In March, up from $32.9 million in February. Hollywood Lawrenceburg, nearest Cincinnati, led the retail market with $10.8 million in wagers. Ameristar East Chicago was second with $6.2 million.
Operators in Indiana may also receive a boost from Illinois, where Gov. J.B. Pritzker reinstated in-person registration for that state’s online sportsbooks. That decision could make traveling across the border from the Chicago area more appealing, at least for some.
“Indiana has always been a market that has capitalized on large markets just across its borders,” Russo said. “Illinois’ decision could modestly move the needle, especially for the Chicago-area casinos that have always counted on out-of-state bettors as a significant portion of their customer base.”
For more revenue information on Indiana sportsbooks, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.
On November 6, the iGaming industry in Mexico is preparing for a key event in which the benefits and challenges that regulation has brought to the Mexican market will be discussed. Under the title “Benefits of Regulation in the Mexican Market”, this panel will offer an in-depth look at the impact of regulation on transparency, competition and consumer protection, critical issues in the new digital era of iGaming.
The event, moderated by Geraldine Alexandra García Torres, Media Manager of Digital Gaming News, will feature the participation of recognized figures in the sector such as Daniel Magariños, representative of BMM Testlabs, and Hermilo Peregrina Cabrera of Prometeo IT Solutions. Both panelists will contribute their extensive knowledge and experience in regulation and certification in the Mexican market, and will analyze with the public the challenges and opportunities that companies face in an increasingly competitive and regulated context.
BMM Testlabs, who will participate as a Gold Sponsor, underlines with its sponsorship the importance of regulation to strengthen the iGaming sector in Mexico and demonstrates its commitment to progress and transparency in the Mexican market. For its part, Kushki joins as a Silver Sponsor, promoting the dialogue and analysis necessary for the industry.
Daniel Magariños, from BMM Testlabs, expressed his enthusiasm for participating in this digital webinar: “It has been a pleasure to be able to share our comments as a Laboratory on a market like the Mexican one and exchange opinions with a reference like Hermilo and the company Prometeo IT Solutions, with its excellent track record in this market. A relaxed talk with a lot of learning that I hope will be interesting for the attendees.”
For his part, Hermilo Peregrina, from Prometeo IT Solutions, highlighted the relevance of these spaces for dialogue: “Thank you to Conferencias iGaming for the invitation to participate in this panel. Thanks to Geraldine for coordinating us, and it was a pleasure to share ideas and opinions with my friend Daniel from BMM Testlabs, who has extensive experience in international regulations and certifications.”
Sponsor Support
The panel has the support of important sponsors who recognize the relevance of regulation in the development of the iGaming market in Mexico. Among them, BMM Testlabs as Gold Sponsor, and Kushki as Silver Sponsor.
Event Details:
Date: November 6
Time: 10:00 a.m. (Mexico)
Registration: Register here
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this essential conversation for the future of the industry. Secure your place and access a key analysis on the dynamic iGaming market in Mexico!
Latest News
Paige Spiranac Expands SportsGrid’s Content Portfolio with Exclusive Sports and Casino-Themed Shows
SportsGrid, the leading free ad supported television network in the sports genre, proudly announces a multi-year partnership with former professional golfer and social media’s most followed golf personality and social media sensation Paige Spiranac. Under this agreement, Spiranac will lead exclusive original casino-themed programming, marking a significant expansion in SportsGrid’s content offerings.
As one of the most recognizable influencers in the world of sports and entertainment, Spiranac brings her signature charisma, deep sports knowledge, and passion for gaming to the new role. She will team with Emmy Award-Winning Executive Producer and EVP of Programming and Development, Scott Lasky, and headline a series of shows featuring engaging sports and casino content, offering fans an unparalleled mix of strategy, insight, and entertainment.
“We are thrilled to welcome Paige Spiranac to the SportsGrid family,” said Jeremy Stein Co-Founder and CEO of SportsGrid. “Her dynamic personality, love for gaming, and connection with sports fans perfectly align with our mission to deliver unique and captivating content. Paige’s presence in our casino programming is a game-changer, and we look forward to seeing her elevate our viewers’ experience as we pioneer this new category.”
The programming will be available across SportsGrid’s platforms, providing fans with 24/7 access to engaging and informative content that blends entertainment with Spiranac’s signature charm and insight.
“I’m thrilled to join SportsGrid and dive into the world of sports gaming with a network that’s truly pushing boundaries in sports and casino entertainment,” said Spiranac. “Creating unique, interactive content for fans who share my passion for gaming is something I’m incredibly excited about. Together with SportsGrid, I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective and delivering the fun, engaging experiences that fans expect and deserve.”
The partnership further solidifies SportsGrid’s position as the leading media platform in the sports wagering and gaming space. With the addition of Spiranac’s unique style and undeniable star power, SportsGrid continues to innovate and set new standards of what’s possible in digital sports entertainment.
SOFTSWISS, a global tech company with over 15 years of experience in iGaming, introduces a new Geo-Distributed Redirect feature of Affilka by SOFTSWISS that helps operators improve engagement and conversion rates by reducing user redirect times.
The Geo-Distributed Redirect feature intelligently routes users to destination landing pages via regional clusters closest to their location. This geo-optimised infrastructure minimises redirect times, increasing successful website visits from referral links. The feature is designed for seamless scalability across multiple regions and enhances performance globally, wherever needed.
With the new feature, Affilka by SOFTSWISS reduced redirect duration by 2.5 to 5 times. At one of the regions, for example, extensive simulated tests showed a decrease in redirect times for users from 1.5 seconds to 300-500 milliseconds – this is one of the fastest responses available in the market. As a result, the feature implementation leads to a 3.5% to 7% growth in users successfully reaching casino sites. This increase in site traffic, in turn, directly contributes to more registrations and deposits.
The Geo-Distributed Redirect feature boosts conversions, accelerates redirects, enhances fault tolerance and high availability, and improves service reliability for users globally. Even during unexpected challenges, the system dynamically reroutes traffic to alternative resources, ensuring a seamless experience.
Gleb Bichan, Product Lead at Affilka by SOFTSWISS, shares his excitement: “With the launch of our Geo-Distributed Redirect feature, we are addressing the needs of clients targeting users worldwide. By reducing redirection times and increasing reliability, we enable our partners to deliver a superior user experience that drives traffic delivery and conversions. This feature is a significant improvement for customers looking to expand their global reach.”
Along with affiliate marketing, SEO website advancement helps operators promote their projects. Considering this, SOFTSWISS issued a comprehensive Casino SEO Audit: The Ultimate Guide, providing tips for increasing any iGaming project’s visibility.
The SOFTSWISS team looks forward to sharing the details of the Geo-Distributed Redirect feature and other product updates at the upcoming SiGMA Europe Expo. Current and potential partners can book a meeting with company representatives at stand 2145 through the contact form.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
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