With college football starting later this year, a 9% dip in August's sports betting handle wasn’t a surprise to New Jersey. A single-digit hold contributed to a steeper decline in sportsbook revenue.
Key Takeaways
- New Jersey’s sportsbook gross revenue was down 25% compared to August 2025.
- The 8.4% hold was the sixth single-digit win rate of 2026.
- Football handle and revenue were both down more than 60%.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) recently reported that the state’s casinos, racetracks, and online partners combined to generate $732.4 million in wagers during the slow month, down from $814.3 million in August 2025.
With NFL preseason, college football’s Week Zero, and MLB to carry action, gross sports wagering revenue was $61.4 million, down 25% year over year.
“The decline for the month primarily reflects a later start to the fall sports calendar for certain sports compared to August 2025, including college football, as well as a lower overall win percentage,” the NJDGE said.
Operators produced an 8.4% hold, below August 2025’s double-digit win rate and marking the sixth single-digit hold in the first eight months of 2026. Gross revenue year-to-date is down 5.3% from the period last year.
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Football drop-off
Without Week 1 of college football, wagers and New Jersey revenue from the sport were both down over 60% year over year. Football generated just $26.8 million in handle.
Baseball generated more than $205 million in handle, while "other" sports accounted for $210.9 million. Parlays accounted for $228.6 million of the total handle and produced a 14.6% win rate, down from last August’s 19% hold.
The lackluster August led to $12.1 million in tax revenue for the Garden State, increasing the year-to-date total to nearly $140 million.
Online sportsbook revenue declines
| Online Operator | August Revenue | YTD Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $22.6 million | $262.1 million |
| DraftKings | $16.9 million | $173.9 million |
| BetMGM | $5.3 million | $54.5 million |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | $4.8 million | $56.2 million |
| bet365 | $4.2 million | $51.8 million |
| Caesars | $1.5 million | $16.9 million |
FanDuel was the only online New Jersey sports betting operator to surpass $20 million in gross revenue during August, but its $22.6 million was down 29% from the same month last year. FanDuel’s eight-month revenue total in 2026 has dipped nearly 7% year over year.
DraftKings produced $16.9 million, a 39% year-over-year decline, and has endured a steeper 13% drop in year-to-date revenue compared to this time last year. BetMGM’s $5.3 million in gross revenue for August was down $2.4 million year over year, while Fanatics posted $4.8 million after reporting a loss in August 2025.
bet365 was the only other online operator to exceed $4 million in August revenue, bringing its year-to-date total above $50 million. Caesars had the largest year-over-year decline among the listed operators, at 52%. theScore Bet and Hard Rock Bet each generated about $1.2 million.
Total gaming revenue
iGaming produced gross revenue of $259.3 million in August, a 4.4% year-over-year increase. Year-to-date revenue surpassed $2 billion after the strong month and is up 13.2% from the first eight months of 2025.
Online casinos accounted for 42% of New Jersey’s $615.7 million in total gaming revenue, which fell 4.1% year over year. All forms of wagering produced $81.5 million in tax revenue for the Garden State, which has filled its coffers with over $674 million this year.
