Maryland sports bettors wagered $32.5 million in the first full month of retail sports betting in January, bringing the total handle to $49.08 million since the Free State launched sports betting late last year.
The numbers reported today by state regulators with the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency show total sports betting handle in the state has doubled since retail sports betting launched at five casinos between Dec. 9 and Dec. 23, 2021. The handle at all five sportsbooks totaled $16.5 million for December.
Maryland sports betting is currently legal at five retail casinos — MGM National Harbor, Live! Casino, Horseshoe Casino, Ocean Downs Casino, and Hollywood Casino. Three off-track betting facilities have been awarded licenses, with all three expected to launch retail sportsbooks in the coming months.
Additional in-person sportsbooks are expected to launch at up to nine other facilities later in 2022, with mobile sportsbooks next in line.
Retail Sports Betting Handle By Casino
Live! Casino and its FanDuel sportsbook have dominated the Maryland market so far. The sportsbook has received $21.45 million of the total state handle to date, including $14.3 million in January alone.
The second top performer has been MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill and its proprietary BetMGM sportsbook, which has reported a total handle of $16.5 million since the state’s Dec. 2021 launch. The sportsbook reported a handle of $10.56 million for January.
Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore City and its Caesars Sportsbooks came in third with a total handle of $7.27 million to date, including $4.68 million in total handle for the month of January. Ocean Downs Casino’s TwinSpires Sportsbook in Berlin and Barstool at Hollywood Casino Perryville round out the list with a year-to-date combined handle of $3.79 million.
The hold percentage for settled wagers at all five sportsbooks since the initial launch on Dec. 9 is 10.61 percent, the MLGCA reported.
The first two months of live sports betting in Maryland contributed $1.1 million in state revenue based on the state’s 15 percent sports wagering tax, with all revenue earmarked for public education.
Play ball, and bet: BetMGM opens retail sportsbook at Nationals Park
When To Expect Maryland Online Sports Betting To Launch
A Maryland mobile sports betting launch is expected sometime in 2022 or early 2023, pending adoption of mobile sports betting regulations by the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission, one of two state regulatory bodies responsible for sportsbook licensing in Maryland.
More detail about plans for mobile sports betting regulations may be available soon. The SWARC is scheduled to meet again on Wednesday, Feb. 16 to take up new business.
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