Keystone State sportsbooks have failed to record a year-over-year wagering increase in the first three months of 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Pennsylvania’s sports betting handle fell from $842.8 million last March to $730.8 million this year.
- This March was much more profitable for sportsbooks.
- Promotional credits were up from the Super Bowl month.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported a 13.3% handle decrease in March, which followed a 14.4% dropoff in January and a 21.7% year-over-year dip in February. The $730.8-million handle during March fell from the $842.8 million generated in the same month in 2025.
The latest decrease came during one of the busiest sports months of the year, especially in non-football months. In a month highlighted by the NCAA and conference basketball tournaments, Pennsylvania's online and retail sports betting operators had eclipsed $800 million in handles in each of the last two years.
Keystone State operators haven’t topped an $800-million handle since December 2025, which had marked the fourth straight month they reached that benchmark.
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Revenue rises
Pennsylvania gross revenue of $67.7 million, however, increased 37% year over year for online and retail sports betting operators. It’s the third March in the last four years that sportsbook revenue reached $60 million.
More upsets and fewer No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four compared to 2025 produced the profit surge. The 9.3% hold was up from the 5.8% produced in the previous March, and the average win rate for the first three months of 2026 remained over 10%.
Sports betting operators paid out $16.3 million to the state from the $47.8 million in taxable revenue.
FanDuel stays on top
| Online Operator | March Handle | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $241.8 million | $26 million |
| DraftKings | $210.3 million | $19.1 million |
| Fanatics | $63.9 million | $4 million |
| BetMGM | $51.9 million | $4.2 million |
| bet365 | $44.4 million | $4.6 million |
Pennsylvania online sports betting accounted for $700.6 million of the total handle, over $100 million less than the previous March, and nearly $65 million of the gross revenue. Promotional credits rose from $16.6 million during the Super Bowl month to $19.8 million during the March Madness one.
FanDuel was one of the few online operators to turn a double-digit hold during March. The sportsbook generated $26 million in gross revenue from a $241.8-million handle, both state highs for the month.
DraftKings finished second with a $210.3-million handle and used a 9.1% hold to record $19.1 million in monthly profit. Fanatics failed to produce a 7% win rate on a $63.9-million handle.
BetMGM won back 8.1% of $51.9 million in wagers, while bet365’s 10.3% hold led to $4.6 million in gross revenue, $1.5 million more than in February.
iGaming revenue spikes
iGaming generated $254.7 million in revenue in March, a 6.9% year-over-year increase, up from February’s $239.9 million. Revenue for total gaming, which also includes in-person slots, table games, online poker, video gaming terminals, and fantasy sports, reached $602.4 million, a nearly 5% spike from March 2025.
The Keystone State collected $259.2 million in gaming taxes, more than double the state’s February tax cut.
