Delaware’s sports betting market was hit by the coronavirus pandemic in March.
According to figures from the Delaware Lottery, Delaware’s sportsbooks generated $571,486 in revenue in March, a 64.3% drop on the $1.6m generated the same time last year.
However, when looking at March’s Figures on a month-on-month basis, revenue was up 257.6% on the $159,800 generated in February.
Delaware bettors wagered $3.9m on sporting events in March a significant drop on the $10.5m wagered in March 2019. The drop in betting handle can be attributed to the cancellation of sporting events and the closure of casinos amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Breaking down the figures
Delaware Park continued to lead the market in March, after generating $340,100 in revenue from $2.3m in sports wagers. The venue’s betting revenue was down 67.3% year-on-year while betting handle also fell by 65.2%.
Harrington Raceway came in second place after handling $834,824 in wagers and holding onto $105,487. Sports betting revenue at the venue was down 55% on the $279,450 generated last year while handle also dropped by 53.6%.
Dover Downs came in third place after generating $105,487 in revenue from $730,515 in betting handle. Dover Downs’ betting handle was down 65.2% on the year while revenue dipped by 29%.
Sports betting in Delaware
In June 2018, Delaware became one of the first US states to legalize and launch sports betting following the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
When compared to other states, it could be argued that Delaware’s sports betting industry has been struggling. However, it’s important to remember that sports betting in Delaware is currently restricted to three land-based venues – Delaware Park, Harrington Raceway and Dover Downs.
On top of this, Delaware is one of the smallest states in the US and shares borders with New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two states that currently offer online and mobile sports wagering. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see sports fans in Delaware travel across state lines to take advantage of sign-up offers and mobile wagering in those states.
