COVER STORY

Did you know Arizona's online and retail sportsbooks officially stretched their unprecedented start into a third month with nearly $470 million in wagers and more than $50 million in gross gaming revenue in November? By doing so, Arizona became the quickest to reach $1 billion in wagering after launch.

Arizona online and retail sportsbooks attracted $466.7 million in wagers in November, down 4.0% from the $486.1 million in bets generated in October, according to official data released by the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG). A modest drop from October, which had five full weekends of NFL and college football games, follows national trends. Average betting volume remained high as the state's sportsbooks averaged $15.6 million in wagers per day in November, down slightly from $15.7 million in wagers per day in October. Arizona's operators added to what was a record-shattering $723.7 million win for U.S. sportsbooks in November. Sportsbooks in the Grand Canyon state won $51.4 million in gross revenue, which was up from $37.5 million in October. After $18.4 million in promotional credits, the state taxed $31.9 million in gross event wagering receipts. That produced $3.2 million in privilege fees for the state.

Arizona has now shattered nearly every U.S. revenue record for a state through its first three months, even if those records will be short-lived following New York's launch in January. Still, through three months, Arizona's sportsbooks have generated: • $1.2 billion in wagering, making Arizona the quickest to $1 billion in U.S. history. • $121.2 million in gross revenue, easily the most of any state

over its first three months. • $4.2 million in privilege fees for the state.

$459.3 million in wagers, or 98.4% of the state's handle, came through online sportsbooks in November. Retail sportsbooks accounted for the remaining $7.4 million in wagers.

Plan on placing a wager during the college basketball tournament? Make sure to bet legally and responsibly. “Whether you are participating in a sports pool or placing a bet with a legal sportsbook operator in the state, make sure to keep the game fun and legal” said Ted Vogt, Director, ADG.

Here’s how to keep your pool legal: • Gambling cannot be conducted as business, which means that hosts cannot receive financial benefit, unless they are participating in the game, • Hosts pay out all pool money to the winner(s), • Only participants can win, and • Players compete on equal terms with each other.

Lookout for the following that indicate illegal gambling: • Paying a fee to participate in the game, including “suggested” or “voluntary” donations. • A host who keeps a percentage of the pool for administering the game. • A required minimum purchase to participate (food or drink). • Unequal odds. • Underage participants (under 21 years of age).

With sports betting now legal in the state, it is important to know how you can bet responsibly. As part of the American Gaming Association’s Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ campaign, here are some tips so you can have a game plan if you are going to place a wager: • Set a Budget – While not everyone will have the same budget, it’s important to never play beyond your means. Make sure to set a limit – and stick to it – if you plan on wagering. • Keep it Social – All gambling, including sports betting, is a form of entertainment. It is not a way to make money. By playing with friends and family, you keep it fun and responsible. • Know the Odds – What’s a parlay? Over/Under? Moneyline?

These are all key terms you should know before placing a sports bet. Before wagering any money, make sure you are informed and know the basics of sports betting. • Use Legal Sportsbooks – Whether you are placing a wager on your phone or at a physical sportsbook, make sure you are using a legal operator in the state. Legal operators provide important player protections that are not found in the illegal market. The alphabetical list of legal operators in Arizona are:

Barstool Sports, Betfred, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, Fan-

Duel, FFPC, Fubo Gaming, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock Digital, Rush Street Interactive, SaharaBets, Superbook, Twin-

Spires, Underdog Sports, Unibet, WynnBet, and Yahoo. $

ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF GAMING NEWS

Arizona Clears $1.2 Billion in Total Event Wagering Handle in Less Than Three Months After Going Live!

ADG released the event wagering and fantasy sports revenue reports for the month of November recently. Through the first three months of operations, Arizona has had over $1.2 billion dollars in wagers, highlighting the strong start to the event wagering and fantasy sports market in the state.

“Arizona has exceeded expectations and is already a top ten market nationally,” said Ted Vogt, Director, ADG. “Revenue from these new games is strong and will only get stronger as the market develops.”

Arizona operators accepted over $466 million dollars in wagers during the month of November, resulting in approximately $3.2 million dollars in privilege fees contributed to the state.

Sources for this article include press releases, commentary, and analysis from the gaming industry websites PlayAZ.com, BetArizona.com, and Gaming.AZ.gov.