In its first full month operating in Washington D.C., Fanatics Sportsbook helped push online sports betting handle to new heights, according to new unaudited data from the D.C. Lottery.
The district reported a record-breaking $65.8 million betting handle for October, up 13.5% from the previous record of $58 million set just the month prior.
While revenue fell short of September’s record $8.1 million, online sportsbooks still generated a strong $6.6 million, their second-highest total to date.
| Operator | September handle | October handle | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $30.5 million | $36.6 million | +20.3% |
| DraftKings | $14.9 million | $16 million | +7.4% |
| BetMGM | $5.9 million | $5.9 million | -0.9% |
| Caesars | $5.8 million | $5 million | -13.6% |
| Fanatics | $728,538 | $2.1 million | +196.4% |
| Sports & Social | $63,693 | $49,760 | -21.9% |
| Total | $57.9 million | $65.8 million | +13.5% |
It’s safe to say that Fanatics' entry helped drive the month-on-month handle increase. With only 19 days of betting activity last month, after making its debut on Sept. 12, the sportsbook generated a $728,538 handle. Fanatics added around $1.4 million to this total in October, reporting 196.4% month-on-month growth.
Three of the six online sportsbooks reported a rise in handle compared to September. FanDuel saw the largest difference of $6.2 million, while DraftKings also collected roughly $1.1 million more in October. Meanwhile, BetMGM, Caesars, and Sports & Social reported month-over-month declines.
The rankings were also the same for revenue. FanDuel led with $4.2 million, DraftKings generated $1.4 million, while BetMGM took third place with $0.6 million. Despite being the latest entrant, Fanatics came next, contributing $154,603 to October’s revenue total. Meanwhile, Caesars Sportsbook brought in $117,849, and Sports & Social saw revenues of $22,029 for the month.
D.C. sports betting transforms
The handle figure also marks a 513.5% rise from October 2023, when D.C. sports bettors spent $10.7 million backing their favorite teams and players. Last October, GambetDC, the official sportsbook of D.C.’s Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG), operated as the sole platform in the district.
Everything changed earlier this year when FanDuel took over from Gambet on April 15, paving the way for the arrival of other leading sports betting platforms. This summer, BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings went live in D.C.
The D.C. sports betting landscape saw another upgrade this week with the introduction of Caesars Sportsbook’s self-service kiosks at 48 OLG-licensed betting locations. These kiosks replace the ones previously operated by GambetDC.
“We appreciate the Office of Lottery and Gaming for providing us the opportunity to further our connection with sports fans in our nation’s capital,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said in a release. “Our self-service betting kiosks are an excellent addition to our sports wagering options in D.C.”
