DC Sportsbooks Get Revenge On Sports Bettors With Big November Take

Written By Dann Stupp on December 16, 2021
November 2021 sports betting

In November 2021, sports betting in the capital of the nation experienced a decline in overall wagering, although certain sportsbooks within the district were unaffected.

Furthermore, even though there was a decrease in total handle month after month, all four sportsbooks in Washington, DC managed to achieve a double-digit “hold” percentage in terms of revenue.

In November 2021, the sports-betting operators in DC handled a total of $21.4 million in wagers, marking a decrease of 18.7% compared to the exceptional $26.3 million wagered by bettors in October.

At present, Grand Central, the newly established sports bar in DC, holds the title of being the smallest operator. Nevertheless, in its second month of operation, the establishment experienced a significant surge in wagers, resulting in more than a doubling of its monthly handle.

Big take for DC operators with November 2021 sports betting

October presented sportsbook operators with a valuable chance, thanks to the five weekends of football lined up on the calendar. Various states in the US, including Virginia, witnessed record-breaking levels of sports betting activity. Washington, DC followed suit in this regard.

In October, DC sportsbooks managed to accumulate over $26 million in wagers. However, their earnings were only 6% ($1.6 million) of the total amount, as DC sports bettors had a higher-than-average winning streak for the month.

However, in November, the books had their revenge by achieving an impressive 20.7% market share, equivalent to $4.4 million. This represents a remarkable 182% surge compared to the previous month of October.

In November, GambetDC, the sole mobile betting platform supported by the DC Lottery, secured the second position yet again, with over $5.2 million in wagers across the entire district.

Caesars by William Hill, a prominent retail sportsbook located at Capital One Arena, reigned supreme once more. With restricted online betting options in the vicinity, it managed to amass an impressive $13.9 million in wagers. This facility boasts a retail sportsbook reminiscent of the vibrant atmosphere found in Las Vegas.

However, both operators managed to retain over 20% of the betting dollars as their earnings for the month, surpassing the industry average of 6-8% and exhibiting a significant rise compared to October.

The complete sports betting statistics for Washington, DC in November 2021 are as follows:

Operator Handle Hold Revenue Market share
Caesars by William Hill $13,917,000.73 21.8% $3,035,428.97 65.0%
GambetDC $5,244,958.60 20.5% $1,075,999.78 24.5%
BetMGM $1,762,497.03 14.5% $256,418.33 8.2%
Grand Central $494,997.61 13.6% $67,075.00 2.3%
Totals $21,419,453.97 20.7% $4,434,922.08

Big month for BetMGM and Grand Central

DC’s smaller operators had a significant month in November.

In October, BetMGM, the provider of a physical betting location at Nationals Park, accumulated $1.5 million in wagers. However, in the following month, that figure increased to almost $1.7 million.

Furthermore, BetMGM experienced a significant loss of approximately $31,000 in October as a result of unusually high player winnings. However, the company managed to retain more than $256,000 in November, representing a holding percentage of 14.5%.

Grand Central, which happens to be the inaugural Class-B licensee in the district, experienced a month filled with positive developments.

In October, Grand Central, situated in the Adams Morgan district, generated $207,355 in wagers while maintaining a hold of 20.7%. This marked their inaugural month of sports-betting activities.

In November, the total amount rose significantly by 139% to reach $494,998. The hold for the month was calculated at 13.6%.

The third- and fourth-place operators in DC cannot always rely on high hold percentages like the top operators. Nonetheless, as long as the overall betting volume continues to rise, the sportsbooks are making progress in the right direction.

Photo by Shutterstock / Karsten Jung
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Dann Stupp

Dann Stupp, residing in Lexington, Virginia, is an experienced sports journalist with a prolific career contributing to various outlets including The Athletic, USA Today, ESPN, and MLB.com.

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