The NFL season has ended for the Indianapolis Colts, but now it is basketball season and Hoosiers are still betting.
The Indiana Gaming Commission reported that the Hoosier State accepted $503.1 million in December, down from the $513.6 million in November.
While the operators saw less action, their hold percentage increased leading to a jump in revenue. In November, the sportsbooks kept 6% of the bets they wrote, but in December that increased to 10%. From that hold, revenue climbed by nearly 65%, from $30.7 million to $50.6 million and the state claimed $4.8 million in taxes.
Things are still looking up in the Hoosier State. Compared to 2022, December 2023 has seen better numbers in every category. Handle last month was 16.6% higher, revenue was 18.5% better, and taxes collected jumped 20%.
DraftKings still No. 1 as operators vie for third
Sportsbooks don’t usually see a change in popularity after they launch in a state. But in December, three operators are essentially tied for third place in Indiana.
DraftKings still saw the most action in Indiana with $177.9 million in bets while FanDuel is right behind them with $171.2 million. After a large drop-off in wagers, the next three operators were neck and neck.
BetMGM, who has been a constant third around the U.S., is still hanging on with $33.6 million. However, Caesars is creeping up with $33.3 million in bets, followed by ESPN Bet at $33 million.
On the revenue side, FanDuel led all books with $20.8 million, followed by DraftKings at $19 million. ESPN Bet was third with $3.7 million, beating out BetMGM’s $3.6 million. Caesars was well behind them with $2.1 million.
Basketball remains top sport
For the second month in a row, Hoosiers showed that Indiana is a basketball state. This time, the NBA in-season tournament showcased the Indiana Pacers around the league. Therefore, it’s no shock that basketball bets were popular last month.
The state saw $133.1 million in basketball wagers in a month where the Pacers beat the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks to make it to the final game.
Football (college and NFL), for comparison, saw just $118.1 million.
