Despite just one NFL preseason game to carry football betting, the handle generated by New York’s eight online sportsbooks spiked 17.8% compared to the same week in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- New Yorkers’ sports betting was down 3% from the previous week.
- Gross revenue declined 21.2% week over week.
- Four operators generated double-digit holds.
That week last year featured the first full slate of NFL preseason games. This year, the popularly bet Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals helped the Empire State produce $372.9 million during the week ending Aug. 9.
With MLB providing the bulk of the remaining sports calendar, Thursday's latest report from the New York Gaming Commission showed a 3% week-over-week dip in online New York sports betting handle. The handle also failed to reach $500 million for a fifth consecutive week, which is typical for this time of year.
Gross revenue for operators reached $36.7 million, down 21.2% from the previous week but up 5% from the same week in 2025. Online sportsbooks produced a solid 9.8% combined hold for the week, up from the previous period’s 8.3% win rate.
It’s also the third consecutive week that the hold has stayed below 10% following back-to-back win rates above 14% in July.
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FanDuel hits double-digit hold
FanDuel was one of four operators to post a double-digit hold during the week, winning back 10.7% on a state-best $131.3-million handle. The sportsbook’s $14 million in gross revenue was down more than $4 million from the previous week.
DraftKings produced $11.2 million in gross revenue, its second lowest over the last two months, on a $125.7-million handle. The operator’s hold fell just below 9% for the week.
Trio stays above 10%
BetMGM, theScore Bet, and Bally Bet helped boost the state’s overall hold during the week ending Aug. 9. BetMGM won back 13.8% on a $25.1-million handle, while theScore Bet’s 12.7% hold was its highest in a month. Bally Bet generated an exceptional 18.4% win rate on a $2.2-million handle.
Fanatics had the third-best handle at $48.5 million, but the operator produced a modest 8.6% hold. Caesars stayed above 8% on $25.6 million in wagers, its largest handle since the week of the World Cup Final, while BetRivers had the lowest hold, keeping just 6% of a $9.1-million handle.
