New York may brag that its sports betting numbers will be king of the hill once their mobile sportsbooks open for business, but until then, New Jersey remains the king. The Garden State broke its own record in October by posting a handle of $1.3 billion plus. In September, New Jersey set a national record of $1.01 billion in sports betting from nine casinos and three horse tracks.
Over the first 10 months, New Jersey took in nearly $8.5 billion in bets, according to the Associated Press.
“Sports betting has swelled with the start of the NFL season…,” said Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University, which studies the Atlantic City gambling industry. “October record proves that September was not a flash in the pan, but rather the first sign of a new level of sports betting participation, at least during the NFL season.”
Figures released November 17 by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement show a win of more than $448 million which includes brick- and-mortar casinos, iGaming, and sports betting. That marks a 33 percent increase from October 2020.
Internet gambling brought in $127 million, a gain of some 36 percent from a year ago, and sports betting revenue topped $84.1 million, up about 44 percent.
“Atlantic City has effectively extended its momentum from the summer into the fall season,” said James Plousis, chairman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. “Five casino-hotels surpassed results from October 2019, and the other four were within striking distance.”
In-person casino winnings rose 28 percent compared to 2020 with revenue at $237 million.
Hard Rock President Joe Lupo said his casino posted the biggest increase in in-person gambling revenue in the city in October compared to pre-pandemic October 2019. Hard Rock was up $13 million, Ocean was up $12 million, and Borgata was up $10 million over that time frame.
