March Madness put Maryland sports betting in high gear

Maryland’s retail sportsbooks and sports betting apps handled almost $100 million more in wagers in March than they did in February, largely from interest in March Madness betting.

Total sports betting in Maryland in March was $537 million, up 21.3% from February and 39.1% more than sports wagering in March 2023 when there were fewer retail and app-based options.

The momentum may not let up just yet.

“Men’s and Women’s Final Four and National Championship games landing in April could provide a decent boost for state coffers,” Chris Boan, an analyst at BetMaryland.com, said.

“Orioles fans could play a major role in Maryland’s sports betting revenue during the spring and summer months, when there is typically a downtick in amount waged with sportsbooks,” he said.

Sports wagering in Maryland last month contributed $4.8 million to the state. During the first nine months of Maryland’s current fiscal year, sports wagering has contributed $41.9 million to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund.

The vast majority of sports wagering in Maryland is done through apps.

Gamblers won $491.6 million in prizes in March. Sportsbooks pay a 15% tax on the balance remaining after prizes are deducted from the handle.

Retail sports and mobile sports betting apps gave away almost $11 million in free promotional wagers last month.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up