RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Mobile sports betting launched in North Carolina in March — just in time for the men’s and women’s teams from all of the Triangle’s universities in the Atlantic Coast Conference to make their respective NCAA basketball tournaments.
With the big presence of local teams in the tournaments, combined with the high interest North Carolinians famously have in college basketball and sports in general, it’s no surprise hundreds of millions of dollars was spent on sports betting in a short period of time.
According to a report released by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission last week, Tar Heel State residents wagered $659,308,541 on sports events between noon on March 11 when the apps went live through March 31. From those bets, North Carolinians won $590,750,303.
An 18 percent tax is levied by the state on the gross wagering revenue (the total amount received from sports wagers minus the amounts paid as winnings before deductions for expenses, fees or taxes) made through sports betting activity. The gross wagering revenue collected by the North Carolina Department of Revenue in March was $66,496.213.
The full March sports wagering activity report can be viewed on the NC State Lottery Commission’s website.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission is in charge of regulating sports bets. The legal gambling age is 21 years old.
For those seeking help with gambling addiction, free resources are available online at morethanagame.nc.gov, over the phone at (877) 718-5543, or by texting “morethanagamenc” to 53342
Hannah Leyva
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