North Carolina’s April Sports Betting Handle Reaches $612.5 Million

(AsiaGameHub) –   North Carolina sports betting maintained a strong pace in April, with online sportsbooks accepting more than $600 million in wagers for the seventh time in eight months.

Good to Know

• North Carolina’s online sports betting handle reached $612.5 million in April.
• Gross revenue climbed to $64.5 million, up 37.6% from April 2025.
• The state collected $11.6 million in tax revenue from operators.

North Carolina Betting Revenue Rises Despite Lower Hold

North Carolina sportsbooks experienced a smaller hold this year, yet bettors placed $612.5 million in wagers through the seven licensed online platforms in April 2026.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission announced the figures on Thursday. The handle increased from $576.2 million in April 2025, marking another month exceeding the $600 million threshold.

Revenue reflected a stronger performance. FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, Caesars, theScore Bet, and bet365 collectively generated $64.5 million in gross revenue. This marked the second-lowest monthly profit of 2026, only surpassed by February, though it still represented a 37.6% increase compared to the same month last year.

Operators did not achieve a double-digit hold. Sportsbooks retained 8.2% of all wagers—the first hold below 10% since July 2025 and the sixth-lowest win rate since legal online sports betting launched in the Tar Heel State.

April continued to offer ample sports content, sustaining high betting volumes. MLB completed its full schedule, while the Masters provided an additional major event. The NCAA Tournament concluded in early April, although no North Carolina team advanced to the Final Four. Duke, a top seed, was eliminated by UConn in the Elite Eight, who later lost the National Championship Game to Michigan.

Despite the year-over-year growth in handle, April 2026 fell short of April 2024, the first full month of legal sports betting in North Carolina. That earlier month saw nearly 6% higher betting activity, fueled by NC State’s Final Four run and aggressive promotional offers from sportsbooks.

Promotional wagering totaled $18 million in April. This figure declined from $20.8 million in March but exceeded the $14.4 million recorded in February.

Through the 18% tax rate, North Carolina received $11.6 million in sports betting taxes in April—over $3 million more than in April 2025. The state has now collected more than $50 million in estimated tax revenue in 2026 and over $121 million since the fiscal year began in July.