New York State has raked an astronomically high amount in sports wagers.
LAS VEGAS, N.V. (NCC News) — Over the past several years, sports fans in several states across the country have gotten the chance to become more than just viewers of the game. In Las Vegas, a city known for rolling the dice and dealing the cards, visitors enjoy wagering on big games. James Scott, a California resident who drives across the line to Nevada, is one of them.
“For me, football, the NFL, that’s what I love. You get a little basketball here and there, but football, I just love it. I’ve been sports gambling for about two, two-and-a-half years.”
Scott places his bets in Nevada due to sports betting being illegal in California. Nevada was the first state to legalize sports betting in 1931 and dominated the scene for decades up and down the Las Vegas Strip.
But now, it has a new competitor: the state with Wall Street.
New York State leads the nation in bets placed on sports games with over $14.6 billion wagered. From those bets, the state has collected over $824 million in tax revenue. Nevada has only collected $110 million in revenue. The Empire State opened the door for mobile sports betting in 2022, which has bolstered tax revenue due to its convenience for avid sports fans.
Central New York casinos are cashing in on the latest trend, too. Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Oneida County contracted with Ceaser’s Sportsbook for online and in-person bets. Other popular sites include BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings, which make up 93% of the online sports betting market, according to Legal Sports Resort, an online sports betting news site. Much like casinos on the infamous Las Vegas Strip, there are dedicated areas in Turning Stone for those who want to put money down for the higher score. More states are looking to legalize sports betting in the future and are hoping to bring in revenue much like New York.