Delaware becomes first state to offer sports betting
Legal sports betting arrived in Delaware on Tuesday, making the state the first in the nation to offer it since the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban earlier this year.
People in the state can now bet on professional and college sports at three casinos and through two apps.
The News Journal of Wilmington reported that people were placing bets at Delaware Park Racetrack and Casino as soon as the doors opened at 6:30 a.m.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Terry Jenkins, who was at the casino to bet on the Philadelphia Phillies game against the Washington Nationals.
Delaware is one of six states that have already passed laws to allow sports betting following the Supreme Court decision in May.
New Jersey, where Monmouth Park Racetrack was cleared to begin taking bets within hours of the high court’s ruling, is seen as the most likely place to start offering widespread legal sports betting beyond Nevada, which has offered it for years.
Delaware sportsbooks take in $1.3M in bets on NFL opening weekend
Delaware’s three sportsbooks took in $1.3 million in bets on NFL games over the opening weekend of the season, with the Washington Redskins emerging as the most popular team.
The totals reflect a mix of in-person and online wagers placed at Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino and Harrington Raceway & Casino.
The overwhelming majority of bets were placed on the Redskins, who opened as 6.5-point favorites over the Arizona Cardinals but ultimately lost 24-6. Bettors wagered more than $880,000 on Washington to cover the point spread, while they also put down nearly $290,000 on the over/under (total number of points scored in the game).
Other popular teams among Delaware bettors included the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers opened as 9-point favorites over the Cleveland Browns but failed to cover, with Pittsburgh winning 21-21. Bettors wagered more than $290,000 on Pittsburgh to win straight up and nearly $170,000 on the over/under.
The Eagles closed as 3-point favorites against the Atlanta Falcons but won only by 2 points, resulting in a betting loss for many gamblers. Philadelphia bettors wagered more than $500,000 on their team to cover the point spread, while also putting down more than $220,000 on the over/under.
West Virginia considering mobile sports betting
West Virginia is the latest state considering authorizing mobile sports betting within its borders.
On January 9, West Virginia State Senator Randy Smith introduced Senate Bill 283, which would regulate and tax mobile sports betting in the state. The bill defines a mobile sports betting operator as “a person who engages in the business of accepting wagers from persons located in West Virginia on the outcome of one or more professional or collegiate sporting contests or other events.”
SB 283 would require operators to pay an annual license fee of $50,000, and would impose a 10% tax on gross gaming revenue. Operators would also be required to report certain information to the state’s Racing Commission, including customer information and gross gaming revenue.
West Virginia is not the only state considering authorizing mobile sports betting this year. In December 2018, New York’s Gaming Commission released a report recommending that the state authorize mobile sports betting. In November 2018, Pennsylvania’s Senate approved a bill that would allow casinos in the state to offer mobile sports betting. And in October 2018, Indiana began accepting applications from operators interested in offering mobile sports betting in the state.
Nevada casinos make $10.9M from August sports bets
Nevada casinos won $10.9 million from bets on August sporting events, the state’s Gaming Control Board said in a report released on Tuesday.
The amount wagered was down about 5 percent from the same month last year.
Casinos took in $10.2 million in July from sports bets.
Nevada was the first U.S. state to legalize sports betting following a May 2018 Supreme Court ruling that allowed it in all states.
New Jersey takes in $5M in September sports bets
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement announced Monday that sports bettors wagered approximately $5 million on events in September.
“We continue to see a healthy growth in regulated sports betting, with over $151 million in bets placed since the start of the year,” said DGE Director David Rebuck.
September’s take was down from the $6.7 million bet in August, but up from the $3.2 million wagered in July.
Bettors can gamble on professional and college sports, as well as other events such as golf and NASCAR, at the state’s casinos and racetracks. Monmouth Park Racetrack took in the most money in September – about $2.8 million – while Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa saw the second most action with nearly $1.5 million wagered.
Sports betting has been legal in New Jersey since June 2018, when the US Supreme Court struck down a law that had prohibited it outside of Nevada. New Jersey was one of six states to offer sports betting within its borders following the ruling.