Hoosiers Wagered Over $300 Million On Sports During May

Posted on June 10, 2022

Indiana sports betting generated $308 million worth of wagers during May. That number was a step down from the state’s $360 million April handle, but it was still a 21% increase from the same month last year.

Gambling companies were well aware of the incoming drop. Sports betting markets around the country are entering their slow seasons.

Betting handles around the country dip during the summer months since there are fewer major sports to wager on. Even Indiana’s love for basketball can only prop up the numbers by so much.

Hoops were the most popular Indiana sports betting option during May, and now baseball is in the mix to help out with the heavy lifting.

Indiana May 2022 sports betting handle

The latest batch of numbers put Indiana’s market across the $8 billion mark for lifetime wagers.

May’s $308 million handle led to nearly $32 million worth of Indiana sports betting revenue for gambling companies. That translated to a little under $3 million in taxes for the state.

LicenseeOnline Brand(s)HandleRevenueHoldTaxes
Blue ChipFanDuel$91,966,053$12,640,71713.7%$1,200,878
Ameristar East ChicagoDraftKings | theScore Bet$87,608,865$7,665,1678.7%$694,534
BelterraBetMGM | Betway$41,215,725$4,409,92210.7%$386,077
Harrah's Hoosier ParkCaesars$31,195,482$1,960,7056.3%$162,931
Hollywood LawrenceburgPointsBet | Barstool$23,622,459$2,498,06010.6%$229,592
French LickBetRivers$11,227,057$615,4225.5%$57,358
Horseshoe HammondCaesars | Unibet$9,330,498$901,4839.7%$84,631
Rising StarWynnBet | TwinSpires | SBK$3,608,061$232,6256.4%$15,159
Winners Circle Clarksville$2,761,702$495,82018.0%$34,958
Winners Circle New Haven$1,458,917$5560.0%$46
Caesars Southern Indiana$1,329,646$124,5129.4%$10,424
Winners Circle Indianapolis$1,294,451$226,68017.5%$18,837
Bally's EvansvilleBally Bet$983,576$87,8528.9%$8,999
Hard Rock Northern Indiana$437,384$69,40015.9%$6,593
Horseshoe Indianapolis$345,809$22,5446.5%$1,589
Total$308,385,687$31,951,46610.4%$2,912,607

NBA playoffs, MLB season lead the charge

Basketball has been the most popular betting option in Indiana since last December, and that likely won’t change until the NBA postseason concludes. The sport could easily end up being the top dog until NFL action returns in the fall.

Indiana gamblers bet $84 million on basketball last month. The majority of those bets were likely on the NBA playoffs.

According to the latest report, basketball’s handle accounted for about 27% of the state’s wagers during May.

  • Football: $2.3 million
  • Basketball: $84.4 million
  • Baseball: $69 million
  • Parlay: $73 million
  • Other: $77.2 million

Basketball might be the top option in Indiana, but baseball is still playing its part in the state’s market.

Despite Indiana not having an MLB team of its own, plenty of Hoosiers still tune in to support their Cubs, Reds, White Sox and Cardinals.

Baseball betting never reaches the heights of basketball or football in Indiana. Yet the sport still plays an important role in getting Indiana through the slower months of the year. That was certainly the case for May’s handle.

Plenty of room left to grow

Indiana set a sports betting record in January when gamblers in the state wagered over half a billion dollars on sports.

The state won’t be in record-breaking shape again until the next NFL season. However, even during the slow months, all signs are pointing upwards for Indiana sports betting.

May’s $308 million handle was a 21% increase from May 2021. That shows just how much Indiana’s market is growing, regardless of what’s on the sports calendar.

The expansion will help set up Indiana for another record-breaking fall.

Indiana won’t have a new record to claim until football returns, but relative to the time of the year, the state’s sports betting market is in better shape than ever before.

Photo by Dreamstime
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Jake Garza

Jake Garza is a US Gambling Industry Analyst for Catena Media. He specializes in Midwest sports betting and casino content. Prior to covering the legal gambling industry, he spent time as a professional sports writer, reporting on teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers. Garza is currently working as a Managing Editor for PlayIndiana and PlayOhio, with previous stops at other well-known brands such as PlayIllinois and PlayMichigan. He has been covering the gambling industry since 2019, and currently works with a team of other journalists to provide comprehensive coverage of the legal U.S. gambling industry.

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