In September, Pennsylvania sports betting apps went all-out with promos, offering a whopping $29.5 million in free bets. This marked the highest month of promotions reported in Pennsylvania since the launch of mobile sports betting over four years ago.
The battle for new NFL betting customers was fierce, with industry giants DraftKings and FanDuel leading the pack. DraftKings took the lead among state sports betting operators, dishing out $11.5 million in September promotions. Not far behind was FanDuel, with a generous $11.1 million in free bets. Both sportsbooks set new records for promotional spending in the Keystone State.
However, despite their impressive promotional efforts, DraftKings couldn’t hold on to the top revenue spot in September. FanDuel reclaimed the crown, reporting $29.9 million in revenue before deductions, with bettors staking a remarkable $253.3 million through its app. This marked a significant shift from August, when DraftKings claimed the top revenue spot.
DraftKings, on the other hand, accepted $228.2 million in online bets, generating $19.9 million in revenue for September before deductions.
The Barstool Sportsbook app faced a challenging September, reporting a loss of $875,000. This was a stark difference from the $3.8 million in mobile revenue reported during the same period last year. The mobile handle also saw a decline of 4.6 percent, amounting to $37.7 million for the month. This decline can be attributed to Penn Entertainment’s decision not to actively promote the app during its rebranding to ESPN Bet, which is set to launch in November.
In September, the Caesars Sportsbook app surpassed BetRivers in terms of handle, accepting $31.1 million in bets compared to BetRivers’ $26 million. However, BetRivers managed to generate more revenue, with a total of $1.3 million after deductions, compared to Caesars’ $1.1 million in taxable revenue.
Rush Street, the owner of both BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse apps in Pennsylvania, saw success with PlaySugarHouse, which brought in an additional $465,400 in taxable revenue on top of $11.6 million in online bets. Meanwhile, BetMGM maintained its position as the third-ranking sportsbook in Pennsylvania, with $52.4 million in online bets.
Last month, Pennsylvania’s total sports betting handle reached an impressive $726.3 million. This marked an 85 percent increase from the slower August period and a 12.5 percent year-over-year growth. The sportsbooks made $66.1 million in revenue before deducting $29.5 million in player bonuses, resulting in $13.2 million in taxes collected by the state.
