Rovell: As Expected, New Jersey Betting Handle Tumbles in March

Rovell: As Expected, New Jersey Betting Handle Tumbles in March article feature image
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New Jersey reported its betting handle for March at $181.9 million, a 65% drop from the state’s six-month trailing average and its lowest handle since Sept. 2018, the third month of legalized sports betting in the state.

The disappointment is a direct reflection of sports shutting down for the final two-and-a-half weeks of the month and, most notably, no revenue from March Madness.

Last year, New Jersey’s operators took in $372.5 million in March on the heels of college basketball, its second-biggest month to date.

The way things were tracking, New Jersey could have been on pace to break their record of $562.2 million that was set in November.

In the previous six months, New Jersey’s average handle was $515.4 million.

To fill the void, New Jersey tried to add sports that were playing — Belarusian soccer and table tennis matches, among them — but the niche markets have hardly made a dent.

About the Author
Darren is a Senior Executive Producer at The Action Network, covering all angles of the sports betting world. He spent two stints at ESPN, from 2000-06 and 2012-18, he regularly wrote for ESPN.com and contributed to ESPN shows, including SportsCenter and Outside The Lines. He also served as a business correspondent for ABC News, where he made appearances on the network’s flagship shows, including “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight” and “Nightline.” While at CNBC from 2006-2012, Rovell anchored five primetime documentaries, including “Swoosh! Inside Nike,” which was nominated for an Emmy. Rovell also contributed to NBC News, where he earned an Emmy as a correspondent for the network’s Presidential Election coverage.

Follow Darren Rovell @darrenrovell on Twitter/X.

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