Sports betting helps Iowa casinos as they try to re-establish post-closure normalcy

Professional and college sporting events in September helped to drive wagering to a new record high in the state of Iowa. The performance of the sports betting sector was much needed as casinos are still struggling to re-establish some sense of normalcy after being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

September Sports Betting

Most of the sports bets placed last month were done so online. Attendance has dropped at state-licensed venues, but with online wagering as an option, it allowed sports betting to continue. Even though attendance is down, casinos are still on track for a good year in the state, thanks to the online betting options.

Bets were placed last month on a multitude of sports including football, both college and professional, along with the MLB, NBA and NHL. There were also NASCAR bets, soccer and horse racing which brought in over $72 million in betting handle. This was a record for the industry, which was first established in August of last year.

Gambling.com Group, vice president of the US business, Max Bichsel, commented that during September, you had all six major sports leagues playing games in a single day. This certainly helped to fill the sports betting schedule. It’s an odd time for sure and even though some leagues were delayed in playing out the remainder of their seasons, getting back to business has helped sports betting industries like that of Iowa thrive.

In September, net receipts came in at $5.1 million from $50 million placed via mobile apps and $22.4 million via in-person bets.

FanDuel Debuts App

The solid September was most likely boosted in a way by the launch of a FanDuel Sportsbook app in the state last month. As the month began, the FanDuel Group announced its sports betting app in partnership with the Boyd Gaming Cooperation was live.

Players could access an iOS and Android app of the brand to wager on several markets, including tennis, basketball and soccer. Players have to register at the Diamond Jo Casino branded facilities in order to be able to set up an online account.