Arizona Sports Betting Handle nears $500 Million in December, Sets State Record


The final month of 2021 was a record one for the Arizona sports betting community, with a handle of $499.2 million.
The December handle broke the previous record of $486.1 million in October and dwarfed the $466.7 million in wagers from November.
Arizona’s sports betting network raked $38.596 million in revenue during December, though after factoring in promotional credits the adjusted revenue was $17.282 million. Taxes fell month-over-month, from $3.2 million in November to $1.7 million.
Arizona Department of Gaming Director Ted Vogt said December’s numbers illustrate the state’s strong sports betting market, giving operators a taste of what’s to come in the new year.
“With a new record for total wagers and payouts this December, I am excited to see the continued strong start to the state’s event wagering & fantasy sports market,” Vogt said in a department press release. “I look forward to seeing the benefits to Arizona as the market further develops.”

Arizona Sports Betting, December vs. November
Total Handle | Mobile Handle | Revenue | |
---|---|---|---|
December | $499.214M | $494.488M | $17.282M |
November | $466.726M | $459.299M | $31.899M |
Change | Up 7.0% | Up 7.7% | Down 45.8% |

Where Arizona Ranked Nationally in December
Arizona’s $499.2 million handle in December ranked sixth nationally, behind New Jersey ($1.23 billion), Nevada ($1.1 billion), Illinois ($789.6 million), Pennsylvania ($750 million) and Michigan ($514.6 million).
The Grand Canyon State ranked ahead of Indiana ($463 million), Colorado ($461 million), and Virginia ($426.6 million), which were the only other states to exceed $400 million in handle during the month.
When January numbers are reported, Arizona will slip at least one spot, as New York did $1.686 billion in handle for the month — its first with mobile sports betting.
To date, Arizona’s sports betting marketplace has raked in north of $1.7 billion in wagers since launching Sept. 9. Big events like the NFL playoffs/Super Bowl and March Madness are expected to help drive the market’s revenue totals in 2022.

About the Author

Christopher Boan has covered sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, with stops at ArizonaSports.com, Tucson Weekly and Green Valley News.
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