North Carolina Sets Another Monthly Sports Betting Record

North Carolina’s sports betting market continued its upward trajectory in November, setting a monthly handle record for the second consecutive month and reinforcing the state’s position as one of the fastest-growing wagering markets in the U.S. The latest figures, released by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, show that bettors placed $814 million in wagers during the month. This edged past October’s previous high of $811.4 million and represented a 23.8% increase compared with November 2023, underscoring sustained demand nine months after the launch of legal online betting.

The November handle consisted of $791.7 million in paid wagering, with an additional $22.3 million logged as promotional betting activity. Promotional volume—often driven by introductory bonuses and retention offers—remained a small but meaningful component of the overall handle. Regulators also voided $3.5 million worth of wagers, a routine part of monthly reporting that covers canceled bets, grading corrections, and other adjustments.

Metric	November	Year-to-date (Jul–Nov)
Total handle	$814,000,000	$3,160,000,000
Paid wagering	$791,700,000	$3,060,000,000
Promotional wagers	$22,300,000	$105,000,000
Player winnings	$717,600,000	$2,830,000,000
Gross wagering revenue	$92,900,000	$314,600,000
Taxes to state	$16,700,000	$56,600,000

Player winnings totaled $717.6 million, leaving operators with $92.9 million in gross wagering revenue for the month. This marked the second-highest revenue figure the state has recorded since launch, trailing only April 2024’s $105.3 million. November’s revenue was 19% higher than both November last year and October of this year, reflecting strong market performance even as operators rely less on heavy promotional spending than during the launch period.

Sports wagering activity also contributed $16.7 million in tax revenue for the state in November. North Carolina taxes sports betting at 18% of gross wagering revenue, directing proceeds toward problem gambling programs, youth sports initiatives, and general state funding. The tax contributions have become a growing source of revenue for state programs as monthly betting activity expands.

 

November’s record handle shows North Carolina’s sports betting market is maintaining strong momentum heading into 2025,

 

Year-to-Date Handle Surpasses $3 Billion

The pace of wagering in North Carolina is also reflected in the broader fiscal-year totals. From July through November, the first five months of the current fiscal cycle, the state recorded a combined handle of $3.16 billion. Of that total, $3.06 billion came from paid wagers, while $105 million was associated with promotional bets. Operators voided $19 million in wagers during the period. Players received $2.83 billion in winnings across these five months, resulting in $314.6 million in gross wagering revenue. At the state level, this activity generated $56.6 million in tax revenue, placing North Carolina on pace to exceed early revenue projections for the fiscal year.

Industry analysts view the sustained growth as a reflection of North Carolina’s large population, strong interest in major college and professional sports, and the early success of online betting platforms in reaching consumers. The market benefits from a full roster of national operators, with major brands such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, ESPN Bet, Bet365, and BetMGM all active in the state. However, the state does not publish operator-by-operator performance data, limiting insight into individual market shares and competitive dynamics.

As North Carolina moves into the peak of the sports calendar, including college football bowl games, NBA and NHL regular seasons, and the NFL playoff push, industry observers expect wagering levels to remain strong. The November results suggest that the state’s market is stabilizing at a high volume of monthly activity, positioning it as a significant contributor to national sports betting totals heading into 2025.