The annual NCAA tournament was a huge hit for Iowans in March this year, with numbers showing that $223.5 million was bet on sports in land and online casinos. This was 44% higher than March 2021.
One of the major changes since last year is the fact that players don’t need to first visit a physical casino in order to bet online. This convenience factor clearly played a huge part in getting players to bet on their favorite basketball teams during the tournament, as they could simply play from their home computer or mobile phone.
Industry analysts also believe that sports betting has become much more mainstream in the past year, which explains why nearly 50% more people wagered on the tournament compared to the same month only one year ago.
Sportsbooks also keep upgrading their technology so that their customers can make live bets as the game is underway, adding to the entertainment value.
The majority of bets ($208.2 million) were made using mobile apps, compared with just $25.2 million bet at retail sportsbooks.
The DraftKings-operated Crown Gaming handled $64.8 million of bets, while American Wagering was the second largest handler with $49 million worth of bets put through this platform.
In total, the state garnered just under $1 million in tax revenue in March, 2022.
