North Carolina just missed out on another $600-million monthly sports betting handle, but wagering jumped 13.3% year-over-year in February.
Key Takeaways
- North Carolina operators’ gross revenue was up 4.5% compared to the previous February.
- Promotional spending was way down.
- The Tar Heel State completed its second year of online sports betting.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission reported on Friday that the eight online sportsbooks generated $596.1 million in wagers, ending the five-month handle streak. Still, the Winter Olympics helped increase betting from the $525.9 million in February 2025.
North Carolina revenue, however, grew at a lower rate of 4.5%, as the hold fell from 10.2% in February 2025 to 9.7% in the latest reported month. Operators claimed $58.1 million in gross revenue, which was down 27.6% from January.
| N.C. Sports Betting | Handle | Revenue | YoY rev. change |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | $596,137,211 | $58,058,337 | +4.5% |
Promo spending drops
Promotional spending of $14.4 million by North Carolina online sports betting operators for the Super Bowl month was down $3 million from the previous year and fell off by nearly $6 million compared to January.
Bettors won back $535.2 million of the total amount wagered, and there were over $2.8 million in voided and canceled bets for the month.
The Tar Heel State filled its coffers with $10.4 million from the 18% tax rate on sportsbooks. The first two months of 2026 have led to nearly $25 million in tax revenue for North Carolina.
Year 2 in the books
February was the 24th month of online sports betting in North Carolina, which hasn’t introduced retail sportsbooks outside of three in-state tribal casinos. The first two years have produced just under $14 billion in mobile wagering.
North Carolina operators have won back $1.47 billion in gross revenue since sports betting went live in March 2024. The Tar Heel State has hauled in $260 million in estimated tax revenue during that time.
