North Carolina sports bettors wagered more than $5 billion in 2024, the first calendar year of legalized online sports wagering in the state.
That total includes both paid wagers ($4.9 billion) and free and promotional bets (more than $450,000) offered by the online operators since betting launched on March 11.
North Carolina reached the $5-billion total without a Super Bowl, typically the largest sports betting day of the year.
In December, more than $629.5 million was bet in the state, the second consecutive month where betting exceeded the $600-million mark in paid and total wagering. The North Carolina Lottery Commission released numbers for December on Friday.
Bettors had their best month in December, winning more than $590 million. Bettors overall still lost money. As a result, the state collected just $6.4 million in taxes, its second-lowest monthly total. The state has now collected more than $100 million in taxes from the operators.
That money is directed to a variety of places, including the athletic departments at UNC System schools that play intercollegiate athletics (except UNC and NC State), Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Amateur Sports, North Carolina Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission, a Major Events, Games and Attractions Fund and the state’s general fund.
The Department of Commerce has not yet awarded any grants from the major events fund. But the first awards are expected to be made sometime before the end of March, said David Rhoades, a spokesman with the department.
State lawmakers passed legislation to legalize online sports betting in 2023 and then-Gov. Roy Cooper signed it into law in June of that year.
Month: Total wagered (includes paid and promotional bets)
December: $629M
November: $657M
October: $589M
September: $575M
August: $370M
July: $340M
June: $398M
May: $525M
April: $648M
March: $659M
Tota: $5.3B
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