Indiana sports betting handle hit a new record high in September.

The state of Indiana recorded its biggest single-month haul, accumulating a handle of $207 million.

The previous record was held by February 2020 with its haul of $187 million.

The $169 million handle of August was nicely improved upon in September, and the variety of betting options definitely contributed to this.

Throughout the month, Indiana gamblers had a plethora of high-quality betting options due to the NBA, NHL, and MLB playoffs taking place.

In September, football was the top sport for betting, mainly fueled by the commencement of the NFL season. Hoosiers wagered $48 million solely on football last month, leading to a spike in Indiana’s sports betting revenue.

The handle in September generated tax revenue amounting to $1.3 million for the state, and more than $14 million in adjusted gross revenue for the sportsbooks.

Sports Betting Handle for Indiana in September 2020

Here’s a brief overview of the source of Indiana’s handle in September 2020:

Licensee	Online Brand(s)	Total Handle	Online Handle	Retail Handle	Gross Revenue	State Tax
Ameristar East Chicago	DraftKings | theScore Bet	$95,056,265	$89,825,567	$5,230,699	$3,833,251	$525,710
Blue Chip	FanDuel	$57,696,201	$56,507,126	$1,189,074	$2,409,933	$317,495
Hollywood Lawrenceburg	PointsBet	$16,055,246	$6,196,439	$9,858,806	$1,461,578	$214,609
Belterra	BetMGM	$13,893,605	$13,190,060	$703,545	$1,412,644	$135,001
French Lick	BetRivers	$6,625,020	$6,243,220	$381,799	$370,952	$42,114
Horseshoe Hammond	Caesars | Unibet	$5,193,243	$1,119,147	$4,074,096	$280,245	$0
Indiana Grand		$5,004,782	$0	$5,004,782	$657,620	$58,108
Harrah’s Hoosier Park		$4,047,959	$0	$4,047,959	$434,887	$47,555
Caesars Southern Indiana		$2,047,180	$0	$2,047,180	$109,488	$0
Tropicana Evansville		$1,668,146	$0	$1,668,146	$245,214	$14,803
Rising Star	BetAmerica	$162,459	$88,832	$73,627	$22,454	$1,556
Total		$207,450,106	$173,170,392	$34,279,714	$11,238,265	$1,356,952

PointsBet vs. BetRivers

Unsurprisingly, DraftKings and FanDuel continue to dominate in Indiana.

In Indiana, DraftKings set a new company record in September by attracting almost $90 million in bets.

FanDuel’s handle was slightly lower at $56 million.

BetMGM has firmly positioned itself as the third leading brand in the Hoosier State. With a September handle of $13.1 million, it managed to more than double the earnings of its closest competitor.

The state’s fourth-place spot is still available.

In September, it appeared that PointsBet was poised to surpass BetRivers and establish its dominance, but that did not materialize.

BetRivers’ handle of $6.24 million marginally surpassed PointsBet’s $6.19 million in bets.

The two sportsbooks could effortlessly interchange positions over the next few months.

Given that Unibet is the most significant competitor to both companies, there isn’t much external competition for the fourth position.

In September, Unibet only generated $600,000 in wagers.

theScore Bet arrives

The ninth online betting app in Indiana also launched in September.

On Sept. 17, theScore Bet was launched in the Hoosier State and had a fairly impressive debut even though it only accepted bets for half of the month.

During its first month, the betting app managed to surpass the $400,000 mark.

TheScore Bet outperformed many other recent sportsbook launches in Indiana, including some of the more prominent brands.

Caesars Sportsbook, which opened in May, only managed to generate a modest $8,000 in its initial weeks of operation. This figure is rather unexpected, considering Caesars’ robust casino presence across the state.

After coming online on July 30, Unibet had a significantly improved performance. It generated $10,000 in the initial two business days of July and accumulated over $560,000 in wagers during its first complete month.

The company already had some level of brand recognition in Indiana, given that theScore sports media app is the second-most popular app of its kind in North America.

John Levy, CEO of theScore, aimed to convert some of their media app users into sports bettors. It appears that this strategy has been successful in the initial weeks of the sportsbook’s operation in the state.

Hollywood retail sportsbook shines

It may not be surprising, but in September, Hollywood Lawrenceburg’s retail sportsbook was the most popular in the state.

The retail book remains the leading in-person choice month after month.

Hollywood Lawrenceburg saw a significant increase in wagers in September, with nearly $10 million taken in. This was a substantial rise compared to August’s $7 million and July’s $2.7 million.

As usual, the second most popular retail sportsbook in Indiana was Ameristar East Chicago’s.

In September, the book generated a retail handle of $5.2 million, slightly more than August’s $4.9 million in bets.

None of the other retail sportsbooks were even able to surpass the $5 million mark.

The geographic locations of Hollywood and Ameristar contribute significantly to their consistent monthly success.

Ameristar is conveniently located on the Illinois border, enabling it to attract additional customers from the Land of Lincoln, given its close proximity to Chicago.

Hollywood is in a similar situation.

The casino, which sits on the Indiana-Kentucky border, is just a short drive from Cincinnati.

That geographical advantage has been beneficial for business, but it won’t be permanent.

Indiana losing Midwest advantage

The initiation of sports betting in the Hoosier State occurred at an ideal time.

Last fall, when betting commenced, Indiana was the sole Midwestern state that had legalized betting.

Since that time, Michigan and Illinois have begun conducting business.

Fewer gamblers have been willing to drive into Indiana for betting, as residents in both states can now place their bets at casinos closer to home.

With the passage of time, it is highly likely that retail sportsbooks such as Ameristar’s will begin to experience a decline in bettors from outside the state.

When Ohio eventually introduces sports betting, the same thing will occur at Hollywood Lawrenceburg.

However, Indiana’s future losses will not only result from the retail sector.

Over time, online bets from gamblers outside the state will also diminish.

Currently, if you reside in Michigan, Ohio, or Kentucky, you can simply drive across the border to Indiana and place your bets using your phone.

Online sports betting is expected to launch in Michigan in November, and Ohio legislators are currently resolving discrepancies in their online sports betting bills. This could potentially halt out-of-state betting traffic for Indiana.

A decrease in online betting is not ideal for the state.

Most of Indiana’s bets are made online, with online sportsbooks accounting for 83% of the state’s total handle in September alone.

As more of Indiana’s neighbors develop a sports betting market, Indiana’s Midwest advantage diminishes.

Indiana will be pleased to capitalize on the additional business from neighboring states, even if it may be temporary, for as long as it persists.