New Jersey sports betting operators took in $1 billion worth of wagers during the month of September. That marks the first time in US history that that amount of cash has been legally wagered on sports over the course of a single month.
According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the state’s 12 licensed operators (nine casinos and three racetracks) booked $1.01 billion in September. It’s a stellar achievement and it’s only fitting that it would happen in NJ, the birthplace of regulated sports betting in the US.
Gross gaming revenue for the month was an impressive $82.4 million. That fell short of the previous single month record of $82.6 million, which was set in January 2021. That number was also up from $45.1 million in September 2020.
September’s rush to the sportsbook reflects the deeply cyclical nature of US sports betting. A full $400.8 million of those wagers were on college or NFL games. By way of comparison, baseball wagers accounted for only $185.2 million of the total for September.
In a statement reported on by SBC Americas, PlayNJ.com analyst David Danzis, described Garden State sports betting saying, “Football wagering is vital in every state where sports betting is legal and necessary for sportsbooks to reach such heights. What’s most impressive is just how much New Jersey has evolved into a market with no equals. The Garden State’s 12 highest volume months happen to be the 12 highest volume months in US history. And all of them have come since August 2020.”
Given that football season stretches into February, it’s very possible that September 2021’s record won’t stand for long.