Delaware’s First Three Weeks of Legal Sports Betting Bring in $1 Million in Revenue

From June 5 to June 24, nearly 70,000 wagers led to the state making $1 million.

Patrons wait in long lines inside Vegas Sports Betting at Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton, DE on June 10, 2018. In May, the US Supreme Court overturned a 1992 federal law that banned commercial sports betting in most states. Delaware became the first state to take advantage of the ruling, beginning June 5. (Photo by Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Patrons wait in long lines inside Vegas Sports Betting at Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton, DE on June 10, 2018. In May, the US Supreme Court overturned a 1992 federal law that banned commercial sports betting in most states. Delaware became the first state to take advantage of the ruling, beginning June 5. (Photo by Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Boston Globe via Getty Images

Whether it’s moral or not is up for debate, but there’s no doubt about one thing legalized sports betting definitely is: profitable.

Delaware, the first state outside of Nevada to legalize sports betting following a landmark decision by the Supreme Court, has just gotten its first revenue report following legalization.

According to the numbers, about 70,000 wagers for a total of just over $7 million in bets were placed across three locations from June 5 to June 24. Gamblers won back about $6 million, leaving the state with nearly $1 million in revenue.

Breaking it down to a daily rate, the state made about $52,600 per day from legal wagering.

Baseball accounted for 75 percent of the wagers, with the World Cup (10 percent) and NBA Finals (8 percent) making up the lion’s share of the remaining bets.

“We were pleasantly surprised,” said Delaware Lottery Director Vernon Kirk. “I’m cautiously optimistic, but check back with me when football season starts. No matter how you look at it, we have a good first few weeks, but I’d be surprised if it stayed that strong.”

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