Arizona is, yet another, US State where residents are turning into players and embracing regulated sports betting in a big way. In December, Arizona operators took in $499.2 million worth of wagers for a new record that is almost certain to fall in the near future. After all, sports betting has only been legal in Arizona since September, 22021.
December’s massive $499.2 million handle turned into $38.6 million worth of revenue of Arizona operators and $1.7 million in revenue for the State of Arizona. Revenue was down significantly over November’s $50.2 million worth of revenue on a $466.7 million handle. That’s a reflection both of some sharp Arizona players, and the economics of market building. During December, operators handed out $21.3 million worth of free bets to bring in new players.
As is the case with almost every US sports betting market, the vast majority of Arizona wagers were placed online. In December, 2021, that number was a massive 99 percent of all the wagers placed.
BetMGM, FanDuel and DraftKings led the pack as the top three performers in the AZ market. DraftKings led the pack with a $146 million handle and $11 million in revenue; while FanDuel followed as a close second with a $128.5 million handle and $10.7 million in revenue. BetMGM was Arizona’s third most profitable sportsbook with $103.8 million in wagers leading to $8.8 million in revenue. The top three operators combined to bring $1.7 million in tax revenue for the state, according to a report on Legal Sports Report.
The dynamics of the Arizona sports betting market should change considerably in the coming months as the market matures, and operators hand out a lot fewer free bets and other promotions.