Arkansas is on track to see $500 million in betting handle this year, breaking its record for the amount wagered on sports in a year, predicts Scott Hardin, director of communications at the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
After three months of sports betting this year, Arkansas’ handle has reached $141.6 million. Its best year was 2023 with $404 million total.
Sports betting figures comprise handles from retail sports betting, which has been available in the state since July 2016, and mobile sports wagering, which began in April 2022. Arkansas is home to three land-based casinos, which also reported a strong 2023.
In two out of three months in the first quarter, Arkansas has reported a handle exceeding $50 million. During the same period last year, the highest monthly handle was $37.4 million, set in February. Hardin said that an average of $1.5 million was bet on sports per day in the first three months of this year.
January saw the highest handle this year of $50.6 million, which fell short of the all-time monthly record of $54.7 million set in November 2023. March’s handle also exceeded $50 million, with more than $13 million more bet than in March 2023. This handle resulted in $510,000 in tax revenue for the state during March.
