Hot town, summer at the sportsbook.
The temperatures aren’t the only thing that’s sizzling in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) reported a record-breaking month for sports betting. The fervor for online betting is real, as more than 40% of the money wagered in the state in June came via sportsbook apps and websites.
The numbers are coming in hot. Especially considering only one online operator was open for the full month.
Sports betting generated $46.3 million in bets in June, shattering the previous best month by more than $10 million. The bets were placed during one of the traditionally slowest sports months of the year, which probably means that the record won’t stand for too long.
Revenue numbers were a bit cooler at $2 million. But don’t take the number too seriously. It only included three days of online betting for Rivers Casino and Parx. It knocks the hold out of whack as unsettled and futures bets meant minimal monthly returns for the two new ventures.
“The amount of wagering we have seen being done is significant. Similar to [what] New Jersey has found right now, online sports wagering is going to be where a larger amount of the handle occurs,” said PGCB Director of Communications Doug Harbach.
Pennsylvania Sports betting revenue and Handle for June
Here’s a look at how every sportsbook performed in June.
| Casino or Off-Track Betting Facility | Retail Handle | Land-Based Revenue | Online Handle | Online Revenue | Total Handle | Total Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SugarHouse Casino | $5,160,836 | $467,016 | $18,170,689 | $465,096 | $23,331,525 | $932,112 |
| Parx Casino | $5,175,829 | $367,206 | $307,011 | $18,432 | $5,482,841 | $385,638 |
| Rivers Casino | $6,203,733 | $247,309 | $848,520 | -$114,395 | $7,052,253 | $132,913 |
| South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook | $2,462,294 | $161,001 | 0 | 0 | $2,462,294 | $161,001 |
| Valley Forge Casino Resort | $2,291,020 | $149,621 | 0 | 0 | $2,291,020 | $149,621 |
| Harrah’s Philadelphia | $2,251,714 | $135,421 | 0 | 0 | $2,251,714 | $135,421 |
| Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course | $2,410,357 | $83,520 | 0 | 0 | $2,410,357 | $83,520 |
| Oaks Race and Sportsbook | $1,052,241 | $76,594 | 0 | 0 | $1,052,241 | $76,594 |
| Statewide Total | $27,008,024 | $1,687,686 | $19,326,220 | $369,133 | $46,334,244 | $2,056,819 |
Inside the numbers
PlaySugarhouse.com was the only operator that was open all month. Rivers and Parx for just a couple of days All three were only available on desktop or Android due to the Apple problem.
On July 17, a solution appeared to arrive in the form of GeoGuard Location Validator, an app produced by GeoComply. SugarHouse launched its online casino and iOS users who download the third-part app GeoGuard, are able to play at the online casino, PlaySugarHouse.com, and BetRivers (its sister brand.)
With SugarHouse already leading the pack in terms of revenue, the addition of iOS users should only pad their lead.
Bear in mind that June is an especially quiet month for sports betting. The NBA Finals ended on June 13th. Other events that piqued bettors interest in June were the US Open and MLB action.