September was the first full month of action for sports betting operators in states around the US that have legalized and regulated services. Pennsylvania is one such state who saw their betting numbers as well as revenues soar thanks to the NFL season. For the month, sports betting increased by more than 78%, with close to $195 million in wagers placed. Of that number, FanDuel was able to contribute $85 million in bets. They are certainly the powerhouse when it comes to sportsbooks in the region.
FanDuel Domination
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, 81% of the total wagers placed were done so online. Like New Jersey, Pennsylvania is starting to see more online activity as players can place a wager from anywhere instead of having to visit a physical sportsbook to do so. Of the 81% in online wagers, FanDuel Sportsbook contributed to over half. From the $85 million in bets placed, $4.7 million in revenues was generated.
The total amount generated in online sports betting revenues in Pennsylvania came in at just over $9.2 million. With five sites in operation, the remaining four only generated just under $5 million. FanDuel certainly has a leg up on the competition in the state!
Individual Breakdown
Breaking down the online sports revenue totals by operator, really puts things into perspective. As we mentioned, FanDuel saw just over $85 million in bets placed with a revenue total of $4.7 million. Their closet competitor was SugarHouse Casino, who saw $31 million in bets and a $1.8 million revenue total.
Next in line is Rivers Casino, who saw $23 million in bets and $1.9 million in revenues. Lagging on the tail end are Parx Casino with $13.8 million in bets and $1.3 million in revenues. Mount Airy came in last with $4.5 million in bets and $231,536 in revenues.
The Mount Airy online offering is known as Fox Bet and even though the site was pushed hard via promotions, it was unable to gain any solid ground. The site launched on September 4th and did not have a full month of service, but it was only a few days short. The same brand operates in New Jersey and seemed to have done better, but exact totals have yet to be revealed by the gaming board.
Surprisingly, FanDuel is not heavily promoting their online sports book option. However, other competitors are advertising their site and offering special deals for new players. It makes one wonder if the name alone is driving players to visit FanDuel. While the other operators are well known casinos, FanDuel is associated with sports and may just be the go-to option for bettors in the state.
Online Betting
A major takeaway from the September monthly totals is the online betting figures. The majority of players are choosing to bet online rather than to visit a physical sports book. The convenience factor plays a major role as many people are not going to be located near a book when they want to bet. Logging online takes minutes and the outcome can be quite significant if a bet is won.
Like New Jersey, Pennsylvania is proving to be an example as to why states should offer online gambling. Many states choose to pass sports betting in the retail sense but not online, selling themselves short when it comes to revenue potential. Those who have the option to offer online gambling can produce far more in revenues as the industry is open to more people.
