AMOUNT OF DEBT OWED. LAST MONTH, PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA SPENT A RECORD AMOUNT OF MONEY GAMBLING ON SPORTS, ACCORDING TO NEW NUMBERS JUST IN FROM THE STATE LOTTERY COMMISSION, WHICH OVERSEES GAMBLING HERE. SEPTEMBER’S TOTAL WAGERING REVENUE WAS MORE THAN $686 MILLION, THE MOST IN A SINGLE MONTH EVER. THAT INCLUDES PROMOTIONAL MONEY OFFERED UP BY LEGAL SPORTS AND GAMBLERS, OWN PERSONAL MONEY. THESE NUMBERS OFTEN GO UP AT THE START OF A NEW NFL SEASON, BUT THIS SEPTEMBER, GAMBLERS SPENT 21% MORE OF THEIR OWN MONEY THAN THEY DID LAST SEPTEMBER. IT’S ALSO WORTH POINTING OUT GAMBLERS LOST CLOSE TO $67 MILLION LAST MONTH, WHICH IS THE FOURTH MOST IN A SINGLE MONTH SINCE LEGALIZED SPORTS GAMBLING CAME ONLINE MARCH 11TH OF 2020. FOR THOSE LOSSES DID, HOWEVER, GENERATE MOR
Online sports gamblers in North Carolina set new record in September
Gambling losses also helped generate more than $12M in tax revenue for state
Updated: 10:24 PM EDT Oct 8, 2025
Online sports gambling has been legal in North Carolina for nearly nineteen months, but so far, the state has never seen a month like this.According to the State Lottery Commission, which oversees legalized sports gambling and its eight licensed operators like DraftKings and FanDuel, total wagering revenue in September 2025 was $686,064,471. This figure includes promotional money offered up by sportsbooks and gamblers’ own money. The September total is the highest it’s ever been, narrowly eclipsing the figure from March of this year, when gamblers, likely fueled by college basketball’s conference tournaments and then the NCAA tournament, wagered a total of $685,003,031.This new record month coincides with the start of the new NFL season, which officially kicked off Sept. 4 and also featured four Saturdays of college football. The total wagering revenue figure for September 2025, which only takes into account the money spent by gamblers but not free promotional money from sportsbooks, was up 21% compared to September 2024.The monthly report also found that gross wagering revenue, or gambling losses, came to $66,763,867, which is not a record but close. It’s the fourth-highest amount for a single month, so far. The losses did still generate $12,017,496 in estimated tax revenue for the state.Earlier this year, WXII examined the massive amounts of money people in the state were spending on legalized sports betting, the potential pitfalls, and the benefits. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here
Online sports gambling has been legal in North Carolina for nearly nineteen months, but so far, the state has never seen a month like this.
According to the State Lottery Commission, which oversees legalized sports gambling and its eight licensed operators like DraftKings and FanDuel, total wagering revenue in September 2025 was $686,064,471. This figure includes promotional money offered up by sportsbooks and gamblers’ own money.
The September total is the highest it’s ever been, narrowly eclipsing the figure from March of this year, when gamblers, likely fueled by college basketball’s conference tournaments and then the NCAA tournament, wagered a total of $685,003,031.
This new record month coincides with the start of the new NFL season, which officially kicked off Sept. 4 and also featured four Saturdays of college football.
The total wagering revenue figure for September 2025, which only takes into account the money spent by gamblers but not free promotional money from sportsbooks, was up 21% compared to September 2024.
The monthly report also found that gross wagering revenue, or gambling losses, came to $66,763,867, which is not a record but close. It’s the fourth-highest amount for a single month, so far. The losses did still generate $12,017,496 in estimated tax revenue for the state.
Earlier this year, WXII examined the massive amounts of money people in the state were spending on legalized sports betting, the potential pitfalls, and the benefits.
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |
Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here