GeoComply Data: US Bettors Choosing Legal Sports Betting Market

Sports Betting Explodes in NFL Opening Weekend

Data supplied by GeoComply Solutions Inc. shows that in just one year, the legalized online sports betting market has more than doubled. As the NFL season just kicked off on September 9, GeoComply has reported that the past weekend was a massive success with a high player volume recorded.

As the report summarizes, this is excellent news for legalized operators and bad news for the illegal market, as more players are shifting to state-approved and regulated sportsbooks.

Over the past few years, online sports betting has become big business across the United States, since the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018. As part of the legalization process, operators use geolocation technology to determine an individual’s location inside a state to ensure that players are legally allowed to access betting services. GeoComply provides this service to legalized sports betting markets, and the data they collect shows just how successful the industry is.

Weekend Sports Betting Boost

The most recent data compiled by Geocomply comes from September 9 to September 12, Thursday to Sunday. During that time frame, 58.2 million geolocation transactions took place within 18 states and the District of Columbia. This is a massive 126% increase from the same period last year when the tech provider noted just over 25 million transactions.

The top-performing state for the weekend was New Jersey, of course. The Garden State continually stays at the top of the list regarding betting handle and online sports betting earnings. Next up on the list was Pennsylvania, followed by Michigan.

Surprisingly, Arizona sportsbooks hit the fourth spot, even though the industry just launched on September 9. Illinois sportsbooks rounded out the top five.

According to GeoComply Managing Director of Gaming, Lindsay Slader, Arizona’s totals are a prime example of the pent-up demand for sports betting services in this section of the US. During the four days, the state saw over 6.1 million geolocation transactions take place. More than 270,000 accounts were created within that time frame as well.

Slader pointed out that GeoComply has never seen a state boost to the top of the transaction list in its first weekend. GeoComply expected to see a high volume, but the weekend was still surprising. Slader stated:

“The level of demand across new markets, such as Arizona, indicates that consumers have long waited for the option to legally place a sports bet. The data tells a remarkable story about the growth of the industry over a short period of time. This success is a credit to all our clients and state regulators, who have worked tirelessly to prepare for the start of the new NFL season.”

During the 2021/2022 calendar year for sports, GeoComply plans to release data regularly. The goal is to provide more insight into the sports industry within the US and host discussions on a variety of topics associated with the industry.

Operators Launch Quickly in Arizona

Once sports betting went live in Arizona on September 9, operators were out in full force. Many of the top brands dropped apps and websites early so players could register and be ready to wager once services launched.

The biggest names in US sports betting offer services in Arizona. These brands helped the state’s new industry reach such tremendous heights during the first weekend of operations.

To try and stand out in the new market, a few sportsbooks offered special deals during the NFL opening weekend. FanDuel Sportsbook supplied a 40 to 1 odds promo that would pay out $200 for every $5 money line bet.

DraftKings Sportsbook offered a special $200 in bonuses for a $1 bet. BetMGM provided something similar with a $10 bet providing $200 if the bettor’s team scored a touchdown.

It will be interesting to see if the momentum in Arizona will carry over throughout the NFL season or if the newness will wear off, with bet and revenue numbers dropping. By October and November, regulators will release revenue reports, and we will have a good idea of what the state is capable of with its new sports betting industry, both online and offline.   

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