Football is back. In a big way. And if you needed any indication of that, look no further than the New Jersey sports betting revenue report for September – which nearly set the industry record for accepted bets in a single month.
According to data from the Division of Gaming Enforcement, NJ sportsbooks combined for $1.299 billion in handle last month. Only two other months in the five-year history of sports betting in NJ have topped that total.
As a result of such a busy month, sportsbooks pocketed over $110 million in gross revenue for only the second time in history.
Football accounted for $486.4M in September NJ sports betting
It is far from a secret that the NFL and college football seasons would bring increased betting to New Jersey. The sport, after all, is the most popular in the country.
This is evidenced in the sport-by-sport breakdown from the DGE. Football betting totaled $33.8 million in August – which featured preseason NFL and some college football toward the end of the month – to account for roughly 4.7% of the overall handle. In September, football jumped to $486.4 million, reflecting 37.4% of the total amount wagered.
Even so, few could have projected the massive spike NJ sportsbooks enjoyed last month.
September stands as the 12th month New Jersey eclipsed $1 billion in handle. Only January 2022 ($1.349 billion) and October 2021 ($1.303 billion) saw more bets placed with NJ sports betting apps.
In turn, sportsbooks in New Jersey grossed $111.1 million in betting revenue, second only to the $114.8 million recorded in November 2021.
MORE INFO ON NJ SPORTS BETTING:
Individual NJ sportsbook breakdown for September
After a 54-month stretch of playing bridesmaid, Resorts grabbed the top revenue spot for the second-straight month.
With $49.89 million last month, Resorts – highlighted by DraftKings Sportsbook NJ under its licentiate – posted its second-best single month for revenue, with only August ($56.99 million) topping it.
Resorts crossed $500 million in revenue as a result, the second-highest lifetime total in New Jersey but still a long way off from Meadowlands at $1.58 billion.
Speaking of, Meadowlands welcomed in a new brand as PointsBet, a Fanatics Experience began in early September. It was a good time to get involved, as Meadowlands, which also features Fanatics Sportsbook NJ, reported its highest monthly revenue total ($34 million) since May.
Elsewhere, Borgata saw its best single month since September, with the $11.5 million in September revenue reflecting the licenseholder’s second-best month. Finally, Hard Rock reported $5.1 million in revenue for its single-best month ever.
| Licensee | Online Brand(s) | Total Revenue | Retail Revenue | Online Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowlands | FanDuel | PointsBet | SuperBook | $34,064,662 | $2,062,878 | $32,001,784 |
| Resorts Atlantic City | DraftKings | Fox Bet | Resorts | $49,894,712 | $43,436 | $49,851,276 |
| Borgata | BetMGM | Borgata | $11,543,807 | $507,100 | $11,036,707 |
| Tropicana Atlantic City | Caesars | Mojo | $3,873,740 | $116,457 | $3,757,283 |
| Freehold | Barstool | PlayUp | betParx | $3,034,185 | $273,086 | $2,761,099 |
| Hard Rock Atlantic City | Hard Rock | bet365 | Unibet | $5,092,058 | $262,219 | $4,829,839 |
| Caesars Atlantic City | WynnBet | ($34,758) | ($34,758) | $ - |
| Monmouth Park | Caesars | BetRivers | $2,404,502 | $797,473 | $1,607,029 |
| Harrah's Atlantic City | Prophet | $293,281 | $231,670 | $61,611 |
| Ocean | Tipico | $703,890 | $316,839 | $387,051 |
| Bally's Atlantic City | Sporttrade | $157,328 | $119,240 | $38,088 |
| Golden Nugget Atlantic City | Golden Nugget | Betway | $117,978 | $49,924 | $68,054 |
| Total | $111,145,385 | $4,745,564 | $106,399,821 |
Landmarks crossed with another sportsbook addition looming
In August, sportsbooks in NJ crossed the $40 billion lifetime handle mark, a total that now stands at $41.5 billion – the highest total in the country since the fall of PASPA in 2018.
On top of that, New Jersey saw its lifetime revenue total surpass $3 billion, inching up to $3.08 billion that is also tops across the nation. (New York is closest at $2.6 billion.)
Within the next few weeks, a highly recognized brand could launch in New Jersey. Analysts from Wells Fargo indicated late last month that PENN Entertainment and ESPN have made it a “priority” to launch ESPN Bet.
As such, ESPN Bet NJ could go live in the Garden State by November.
