Adjusted gross receipts from sports betting in April was comfortably higher than $2.7m in March. Incidentally, March’s total was the lowest monthly amount since Maine launched legal sports wagering in November last year.

Maine calculates adjusted gross receipts by subtracting voided and cancelled bets, federal excise tax and player winnings from handle. Void bets in April totalled $173,638, with federal excise tax at $93,326, and player winnings $33.9m.

The revenue increase came despite a 19.5% drop in total handle to $38.3m. Players in Maine wagered $47.6m in March, a monthly record for the state.

DraftKings out in front in Maine

At present, sports betting is only available through two licensed operators in Maine: Caesars and DraftKings. To date, DraftKings has eclipsed Caesars, drawing significantly more wagers and turning a much higher revenue.

In April, DraftKings, partnered with the Passamaquoddy tribe, generated $3.8m in adjusted gross receipts. This came after players wagered $31.6m through the partnership.

Turning to Caesars, the operator is working with three Wabanaki nations: the Houlton band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq nation and Penobscot nation. Caesars posted $342,841 in adjusted gross receipts during April from $6.7m in bets.

As for the calendar year to date, adjusted gross receipts in Maine for the four months to April stands at $16.5m. Players have wagered a total of $157.8m.

Maine misses out on online casino

Despite the recent introduction of legal sports betting, Maine had no such success in also launching online casino.

Talks were ongoing with tribes to roll out online casino in the state, with a bill having been put forward to pave the way to a legal market.

However, last month, the bill was declared all-but dead. In an unusual move, after the bill tribes failed to pass the house, it was still moved over to the senate. A day later, the senate declined to pass the proposal and then voted to table the issue.

This meant it could technically revisit the bill before the end of the session. However, the bill eventually died between houses in mid-April.

SEARSPORT, Maine (WABI) – Community members from the town of Searsport gathered at the community building this evening to hear what offshore wind could do for their community.

The Searsport Workforce Development event invited the public for conversations surrounding union jobs, workforce training opportunities and discussions around economic development.

When it comes to offshore wind many worry about where it gets cited.

The director of policy for the Maine Labor Climate council said that part of the project is out of their control due to separate processes through the federal government and the state.

However he wants communities to understand no matter where the port is, it can benefit the workforce of Maine.

“We have a fantastic opportunity in the state of Maine to really give a brand new birth to an industry in the mid-coast and to do it with union wages and benefits for all workers who work on it whether they’re union or not,” said Scott Cuddy.

“We’re talking about an opportunity that we haven’t seen before in the state of Maine.”

The meeting had knowledgeable panelists to answer any questions community members may have.

To keep up with offshore wind progress in Maine you can head to the Maine Offshore Wind Initiative website.

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A Deer Isle man is facing multiple charges after allegedly leading police on a chase in a stolen vehicle before crashing it.

The Driver Had a Suspended License, Which Added to His List of Charges

Jon McDowell, 27, of Deer Isle is charged with theft by unauthorized taking or transfer, driving to endanger, operating after suspension, and failing to report an accident.

A Deer Isle Resident Reported Their SUV Missing Monday Afternoon

The incident began at approximately 3:17 Monday afternoon when the Hancock Regional Communications Center received a call from a Deer Isle resident reporting their red Chevrolet Equinox had been stolen. Two Hancock County Sheriff’s Office members tried to get the vehicle to pull over on Surry Road, but the driver, who officials say was a white male in a black hooded sweatshirt, refused to stop. Due to the danger to the public posed by the pursuit, officials broke off the chase.

Deputies found the Crashed Car and the Suspect Was Not Far Away

Shortly after losing sight of the vehicle, deputies learned of a crash involving a vehicle matching the description of the missing SUV. As Hancock County officials investigated the crash site, they found the SUV had overturned off the roadway. No one was inside, but a man fitting the suspect’s description emerged from nearby woods. He disappeared before deputies could contact him, but they soon learned he had entered a nearby home. He was transported to the Hancock County Jail without incident.

We’ll update this story as more details become available.