New Jersey sportsbooks took more than $1 billion in bets in September, the first time any state has eclipsed the billion-dollar mark in amount wagered in a month.
According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, $1.01 billion was bet in September with the state's licensed sportsbooks, breaking the previous high of $996.3 million wagered in December 2020.
The books won a net $82.4 million during the record-breaking month, which featured the start of football season. More than $400.8 million was bet on football -- college and professional -- in September with New Jersey books, which won $10.3 million on the completed football events during the month.
New Jersey has emerged as the largest sports betting market in the nation, overtaking Nevada in the three years since a 2018 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, giving states the power to authorize and regulate sportsbooks. Legal bookmakers are now operating in 28 states and the District of Columbia, with four more jurisdictions, including Florida, gearing up to launch.
"Given New Jersey's perpetually strong handle numbers, it is impressive but not surprising that they were the first to hit this historic, $1 billion milestone," Casey Clark, a senior vice president of the American Gaming Association, said in a statement to ESPN. "In the three years since PASPA's invalidation, more than 120 million American adults now have access to live, legal sports betting in their home market. Today's announcement underscores how New Jerseyans -- and really all Americans -- have embraced legal, regulated sports betting."
New Jersey sportsbooks have taken more than $7.1 billion in bets already this year. Nevada's record for annual betting handle was $5.3 billion in 2019, although the state has already eclipsed that mark this year.
New Jersey has benefited from the lack of legal online betting options in New York and often attracts out-of-state residents from Manhattan looking to place their wagers. New York is, however, in the process of creating the regulations for an online sports betting market that is expected to rival or surpass New Jersey's.
On the year, New Jersey sportsbooks have won a net $526.3 million.
"Sports betting in New Jersey has been a massive success and these newly released figures only further cement New Jersey as a national leader in the gaming industry," Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. "The ability to wager on sports has been a lifeline for casinos, racetracks, and other entities in our state, while generating revenue for the state and providing consumers with more choices. We are looking forward to the continued success and growth of sports betting in New Jersey."