The launch of legalized statewide sports wagering in North Carolina from smartphones and desktops two weeks ago has been described as having a “strong start” by a state lottery official. The start of sports wagering in the state coincided with the beginning of college basketball’s season, likely contributing to the initial success. Preliminary monetary numbers presented at a meeting of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission showed that over $23.9 million had been wagered in the first day, with almost half of that amount coming from promotional wagers. By the end of the first week, over $198.1 million had been wagered, with $141.6 million in bet winnings paid out. The state will receive an 18% cut in taxes from the gross wagering revenue, which was close to $42.7 million.
Despite the success of the launch of mobile sports wagering in North Carolina, it is still too early to make informed comparisons to other states. However, the executive overseeing sports gambling at the commission stated that North Carolina’s launch appeared to be on par with last year’s rollout in Massachusetts. The early level of winnings has been attributed to the success of N.C. State and North Carolina in the basketball postseason. The 2023 sports gambling legislation, signed into law by Gov. Roy Cooper, also includes provisions for future in-person wagering, statewide betting on horse races, and rules to permit live horse racing. Before this law was enacted, sports gambling in North Carolina was only legal at three casinos operated by two American Indian tribes.
The commission also discussed the early popularity of “digital instants” offered by the North Carolina Education Lottery, which were launched on Nov. 15. These digital instants can be accessed through a log-in protected computer or smartphone screen and play like slot machines, with various number and symbol matchings resulting in cash prizes. Sales of digital instant games have exceeded projections and have helped increase overall lottery gaming revenue compared to last year. The high sales numbers have been attributed to the lottery’s previous experience selling draw-game tickets online and a player rewards program on its website. The education lottery saw record sales of over $4.3 billion in the fiscal year ending last June, resulting in net earnings of $1.015 billion, also a record.
The success of the launch of sports wagering in North Carolina has been attributed in part to the popularity of college basketball in the state, with teams like N.C. State and North Carolina performing well in the postseason. The availability of sports wagering on smartphones and desktops has made it convenient for residents to participate in the activity. The legislation signed by Gov. Roy Cooper also paved the way for future in-person wagering, statewide betting on horse races, and live horse racing. The early success of digital instants offered by the North Carolina Education Lottery has also contributed to the overall increase in lottery gaming revenue. With record sales and earnings in the past fiscal year, the education lottery continues to be a significant source of revenue for the state.
