Maryland sportsbooks handle record $559M in December, nearly $6.5M goes to state

BALTIMORE — In a record month, sports wagering in Maryland contributed over $6.5 million to the state’s coffers in December, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission said Wednesday. 

The state’s 13 retail and 12 mobile sportsbooks handled $559 million in wagers last month, with mobile sportsbooks doing the heavy lifting at $541 million handled. 

The December contribution tops last October’s record of $5.8 million for the state, and also surpassed last November’s handle of $550.7 million. 

“The numbers we’re seeing over the last six to 12 months reflect the maturation of the market,” Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin said in a statement. 

“Initial projections were that sports wagering would generate $25 million to $30 million annually for the state as the market was ramping up,” Martin continued. “We’ve now had more than a year of mobile wagering, and we expect the annual contribution to settle in at more than $40 million.”

Of that handle, sportsbooks paid out $497 million in prizes. Each sportsbook contributes 15% of its taxable win to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs.

Maryland’s sports wagering program has contributed $52.7 million to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund since its inception in December 2021, officials said, along with $2.7 million to the Problem Gambling Fund. 

More retail locations and mobile sportsbooks are expected to launch soon, the commission said.