Illinois rode the World Cup to a billion-dollar July, but softer August results in Ohio and New Hampshire show US sportsbooks still cannot completely escape the summer slowdown.
Illinois Gets a World Cup Bump
The 2026 FIFA World Cup gave US sportsbooks something they rarely get in midsummer: weeks of high-profile matches capable of pulling attention away from the usual baseball-heavy calendar.
Illinois made the most of it.
Sportsbooks in the state took roughly $1.05 billion in wagers during July, up 21.7% from the same month last year and marking the 12th straight month above $1 billion. Adjusted gross revenue rose about 30% to $116.5 million as operators held 11.1% of money wagered.
The World Cup ran deep into July, giving bettors a full slate of matches alongside Major League Baseball and the final stages of the NBA and NHL seasons. Across US commercial markets, July sports betting handle reportedly rose 31.9% year over year to $11.6 billion, showing how unusual this summer was for sportsbooks.
DraftKings led Illinois with $382.7 million wagered and $42.5 million in adjusted revenue. FanDuel followed with $286.1 million in bets and $36.9 million in revenue. Retail sportsbooks handled only $13.8 million, leaving online betting to do almost all the work.
August Brings Ohio Back Down
A month later, the mood was different. Ohio bettors wagered $637.6 million during August, down 4% year over year. Sportsbook revenue fell much harder, dropping almost 20% to roughly $58.3 million as statewide hold slipped from 11% a year earlier to about 9.1%.
The gap between handle and revenue tells the better story. Ohio betting volume was only slightly lower, but sportsbooks kept far less of the money. Customers, in other words, had a better month against the house.
FanDuel still generated the most revenue at about $20.7 million, while DraftKings led betting volume and produced roughly $19.1 million in revenue.
A weak revenue month does not always mean betting interest has collapsed. Sometimes the books simply lose more of the close ones.
New Hampshire Cools Off Too
New Hampshire followed a similar path in August, with approximately $66.3 million wagered, down 2.9% from a year earlier. Sportsbook gross revenue came to around $6.45 million, little changed year over year.
The market works differently from Ohio and Illinois because DraftKings operates as the state’s exclusive sportsbook partner. That means less promotional fighting between operators and fewer moving parts when monthly numbers swing.
New Hampshire still generates plenty of betting activity for a small state. In fiscal 2025, bettors placed more than 27 million wagers worth over $815 million, producing roughly $39 million for public education.
Football Will Tell Us More
Put the three markets side by side and the calendar does much of the explaining. Illinois benefited from a World Cup-packed July. Ohio and New Hampshire then moved into the quieter August stretch before NFL and college football betting returned in force.
For players, the headline handle number only tells part of the story. A sportsbook can take fewer bets and still have a strong month if results fall its way. It can also process huge betting volume and keep less of it if customers hit more winners.
September and October should be more revealing. Football is back, weekend betting volume rises sharply, and sportsbooks no longer have the summer schedule as an excuse.
