Betting News 
Massachusetts wrapped up summer with a strong performance in sports betting, recording $447.3 million in total handle for August 2024, according to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The state reported more than $33.3 million in taxable gaming revenue for the month, with a hold of 7.7%, and collected $6.6 million in sports betting tax revenue.
Massachusetts Sports Betting Growth
The total sports betting handle in August marked a 36% increase compared to August 2023, which saw a handle of $305.7 million. This growth led to the state collecting an additional $2 million in tax revenue compared to last year, bringing the total for August 2024 to $6,601,433.
The summer months are generally slower for sports betting, but Massachusetts ended the season on a high note, preparing for the lucrative football season. Historically, the majority of sports betting revenue is generated in the fall and winter months when NFL and college football seasons are in full swing.
Since its launch in January 2023 (in-person) and March 2023 (online), Massachusetts has collected approximately $173.25 million in total sports betting taxes.
DraftKings Maintains Dominance in Massachusetts
DraftKings, headquartered in Massachusetts, continued its dominance in the state’s online sports betting market. The operator reported an impressive $229.4 million in online sports betting handle for August 2024, nearly double FanDuel’s $118.2 million handle.
DraftKings also led in taxable gaming revenue, reporting $16.2 million, edging out FanDuel’s $10.7 million. In terms of tax contributions, DraftKings generated $3.2 million for the state, while FanDuel contributed $2.1 million.
Other Operators’ Performance
While DraftKings and FanDuel led the market, other operators also contributed to the state’s robust sports betting activity. Here’s a breakdown of the online sports betting handle and taxable gaming revenue for August:
- BetMGM: $31,118,524 in handle, $2,274,818 in taxable gaming revenue
- Caesars Sportsbook: $15,998,314 in handle, $674,279 in taxable gaming revenue
- ESPN BET: $16,679,915 in handle, $1,322,444 in taxable gaming revenue
- Fanatics Betting and Gaming: $25,859,712 in handle, $1,551,728 in taxable gaming revenue
Caesars Sportsbook and Bally Bet were the only two operators generating less than $1 million in taxable gaming revenue, with Caesars posting a 4.46% hold on $15.99 million in handle.
Looking Ahead to Football Season
With football season now in full swing, Massachusetts is well-positioned to see further growth in both handle and tax revenues in the coming months. The state’s gaming commission and operators expect a surge in betting activity as NFL and college football dominate the fall sports calendar.
