Nevada sports books win record $248.7M in 2017
Nevada sports books won a record $248.7 million in 2017, a hold of 5.1 percent from a record betting handle of $4.8 billion, according to a year-end report released Wednesday by the Gaming Control Board.
The win eclipsed the previous record set in 2015 by almost $17 million. The handle increased for the eighth consecutive year. It has climbed from $2.5 billion wagered in 2009 to $3.4 billion in 2012 to $4.2 billion in 2015 to almost $5 billion last year.
“The mobile app has really brought the sports book to the palm of your hand,” Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. “That’s really helped contribute to the increase in handle across the board.”
A record $1.7 billion was wagered on football (college and pro) at the state’s sports books, and a record $1.4 billion was bet on basketball (college and pro). The books won $76.8 million on football and $87.4 million on basketball.
“You look at the college basketball tournament and the overall atmosphere of the books. It’s contagious throughout the casino,” Esposito said. “It’s become a bigger part of what we have to provide.”
Baseball also generated a record handle of $1.1 billion, with books winning $36.8 million.
The books won $34.5 million overall in December, their 53rd consecutive winning month.
Meanwhile, the race book handle dropped for the fourth straight year, dipping to $280.3 million. Nevada race books won $44.1 million.
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Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
