Keystone State sports betting action rose 10.7% during a highly profitable May.
Key Takeaways
- While the year-over-year handle was up, May’s handle fell below $700 million.
- Taxable revenue spiked 34.4%, filling the Keystone State’s coffers with over $20 million.
- Pennsylvania set a new record for total gaming revenue in May.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported that the state’s online and retail sportsbooks generated a $655.3 million handle, up from the $591.9 million produced in the same month in the previous year.
However, May’s handle was the first under $700 million in 2025 and the lowest since $485.3 million was wagered in August 2024. It’s also the second consecutive month with a handle drop-off.
The month featured plenty of NBA and NHL playoff action, but none involved Keystone State pro teams.
Hauling in the profits
The downward trend didn’t affect sportsbooks’ profits. Operators hauled in $76.1 million in gross revenue, a 23.3% year-over-year increase, behind an impressive 11.6% hold.
It was in May that Pennsylvania produced the most gross revenue since January’s $84.3 million. It’s the first double-digit win rate of 2025 and the highest since September 2024. Taxable revenue was up 34.4% to $59.4 million, filling the Keystone State’s coffers with $21.4 million from sports betting.
FanDuel dominates in May
| Online Operator | May Handle | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $250.8 million | $34.5 million |
| DraftKings | $167.3 million | $19.4 million |
| BetMGM | $49.6 million | $3.5 million |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | $42.1 million | $5.4 million |
| BetRivers | $29.1 million | $2.3 million |
| bet365 | $28.2 million | $3.1 million |
Online sports betting in Pennsylvania generated $625 million in wagers and $73.1 million in gross revenue.
FanDuel dominated betting action in May, producing a state-best $250.8 million handle. The online operator’s $34.5 million in gross revenue was nearly $13 million more than April’s haul. DraftKings finished second with a handle of $167.3 million, down from $184 million in wagers generated during the previous month. However, the online operator enjoyed a 6.6% month-over-month gross revenue increase to $19.4 million.
No other operator reached $50 million in wagers, but BetMGM came close with a $49.6-million handle. The online sportsbook finished fourth in gross revenue behind Fanatics Sportsbook, which generated $5.4 million in profits from a $42.1-million handle.
BetRivers rounded out the top five with a $29.1-million handle, but bet365’s 11% hold on a $28.2 million produced $800,000 more revenue than BetRivers.
Surpassing $600 million
All forms of gaming, including fantasy sports contests, produced the best month ever in Pennsylvania. The Keystone State exceeded $600 million in gross gaming revenue for the first time in May, and the $601.8 million in profits were up 15.5% year over year.
iGaming saw an even more significant year-over-year increase, rising 33.8% to $232.8 million. Revenue from Pennsylvania online casinos, including slots, table games, and poker, was also up 2.2% from April. The Keystone State hauled in $104.6 million in tax revenue from iGaming in May.
