Massachusetts Record Sports Betting Surges Continue in May

Massachusetts recorded $80.7 million in sports betting revenue in May—its highest monthly figure since January and a 41.6% year-on-year increase—underscoring the continued strength of online platforms in the post-legalization landscape. Nearly the entire total, $79.9 million, came from online wagers, reaffirming digital's dominance over retail betting in the state.

The latest data from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) shows a state growing increasingly reliant on mobile operators, even as total monthly handle slipped 5% from April’s $690.3 million to $655.8 million. The May total, however, still beat last year’s handle by 11.7%, marking steady growth in consumer engagement despite a seasonal slowdown in major sports events.

Retail sportsbooks remain a distant player in the market, generating just $829,605 in revenue from $10.1 million in bets, compared to online’s $645.7 million in handle. The overall hold—the percentage of wagers retained by sportsbooks—stood at 8.69%.

DraftKings, based in Boston, continued to lead the online betting space by a significant margin. The operator reported $41.6 million in revenue from $330.8 million in bets, resulting in a strong 12.58% hold. FanDuel came in a distant second with $23.1 million from $171.9 million in bets (13.44% hold), while Fanatics trailed in third with $5.8 million off $46.3 million (12.53%).

Other notable performances included:

• BetMGM: $4.9 million revenue on $49.2 million handle (9.96% hold)
• ESPN Bet: $2.6 million on $21.9 million (11.87%)
• Caesars: $1.7 million on $20.7 million (8.21%)
• Bally Bet: $211,173 on $4.9 million (4.34%)

Despite being the smallest operator, Bally Bet’s underwhelming 4.34% hold underscores the challenge smaller brands face in capturing meaningful market share in a landscape dominated by a few top-tier players.

 

Retail Betting and Casino Revenues

Among land-based sportsbooks, Encore Boston Harbor stood out with $545,918 in revenue from $5 million in bets (10.94% hold), followed by Plainridge Park Casino at $283,687 from $3.6 million (7.83%). MGM Springfield, while taking in $1.5 million in bets, failed to report any revenue for the month—an outlier that may reflect promotional losses or operational anomalies.

Meanwhile, the state’s casino sector also performed robustly, generating $105.4 million in revenue from slots and table games—a 7.9% increase year-over-year. Encore Boston Harbor led again with $63.3 million, followed by MGM Springfield with $25.4 million and Plainridge Park with $16.6 million (entirely from slots).

Massachusetts collected a total of $46.4 million in tax revenue from betting and gaming in May. Of this, $16.1 million came from sports betting and $30.3 million from casino operations, highlighting the fiscal value of a maturing gambling market.

 

Online betting continues to dominate Massachusetts, accounting for nearly all of May’s $80.7 million in sports wagering revenue.

A Market in Transition

While May's figures didn't quite match January’s record-setting $94.4 million, they cement Massachusetts as one of the country’s most robust sports betting markets just over a year after legalization. With online operators, particularly DraftKings and FanDuel, maintaining dominant positions, the state appears poised for sustained—if uneven—growth as it enters the quieter summer sports calendar.

Still, fluctuations in handle and a clear gap between top and bottom operators suggest a maturing, competitive landscape that may favor the well-capitalized and deeply embedded.