Share 
Sports wagering saw a seasonal slowdown in May, with Pennsylvania sports betting handle dipping below $600 million for the first time since February.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, bettors wagered $595.6 million during the month, generating $67.6 million in gross revenue and $52.6 million in taxable revenue. The state collected nearly $17.9 million in taxes.
While handle declined 7.2% from April’s $641.6 million, revenue only fell 12.3%, showing Pennsylvania sportsbooks continued to benefit from favorable hold percentages despite a lighter sports calendar.
Despite that, handle was down 9.1% year-over-year, showcasing a similar trend to March and April, which decreased 12.2% and 9.8%, respectively.
May sports betting at a glance
- Handle: $595.6 million (7.2% month-over-month decrease; 9.1% year-over-year decrease)
- Revenue: $67.6 million (12.4% MoM decrease)
- Adjusted Gross Revenue (taxable): $52.6 million
- Hold: 11.3% (down from 12% in April)
- Percent of bets placed online: 96%
- Promotional credits: $15 million
- May sports betting tax revenue: $17.9 million
- State and local entities tax revenue: $1.1 million
- Top sports betting app by handle: FanDuel Sportsbook with $201.1 million
- Top sports betting app by revenue (taxable): FanDuel with $21.6 million
Handle trends downward after March Madness
May’s total marks the second consecutive monthly decline following March’s $730.9 million handle.
Platforms processed $641.6 million in wagers in April before falling to $595.6 million in May. Revenue also decreased from $77.2 million in April to $67.6 million last month.
The slowdown is not unusual, as operators move beyond the peak betting periods tied to March Madness and the NFL offseason schedule. With football still months away, operators typically rely on MLB, NBA playoffs, and NHL postseason betting to sustain wagering activity during late spring.
FanDuel remains Pennsylvania’s market leader
Valley Forge Casino, home to FanDuel Sportsbook, once again led the market by a wide margin.
The property reported $201.1 million in handle and $28.4 million in revenue during May. After spending on PA sports betting bonuses, Valley Forge generated $21.6 million in taxable revenue.
Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, which partners with DraftKings Sportsbook, finished second with $189.1 million in handle and $18.5 million in revenue. Taxable revenue reached $15.1 million.
FanDuel’s market share dipped to 33.8% after it was 34.2% in April. DraftKings improved to 31.7% in May from 29.8% in April.
These two operators are clearly leading the market. NFL betting is going to determine whether FanDuel hangs onto the No. 1 spot or whether DraftKings takes it over.
The rest of the summer will consist mainly of just FIFA World Cup and MLB betting. June could see a boost in handle because of the biggest soccer tournament in the world, which is taking place all across North America, including in Philadelphia.
