Strong progress
It didn’t take long for FanDuel to make its mark after taking over as the only districtwide sportsbook operator in Washington D.C. The total handle across the region for April was $26.6m, which beat the jurisdiction’s previous record of $24.9m set in October 2021, and revenue reached $3.5m.
FanDuel’s online platform accounted for over 80% of the total handle
These figures include the results of retail sportsbooks in the area; FanDuel’s online platform accounted for over 80% of the total handle.
Perhaps more noteworthy was the volume of bets that FanDuel accepted during its first 16 days in charge. It processed 685,797 wagers in April, which surpassed the 559,553 that GambetDC processed in 2024 before the handover.
Optimism runs high
The D.C. Lottery also provided data on the first 30 days of FanDuel’s operations – the operator handled about $30m and generated $5m in gross gaming revenue (GGR). These results represent 673% and 887% increases year-on-year, respectively.
The lottery estimates that the per capita sports betting revenue could be more than $19 based on the initial 30-day results. According to the press release, this would put it “among the highest revenue generating markets in the country on a per capita basis.” The same metric was just $2.71 for the region between September 2023 and February 2024.
A necessary change
The D.C. Lottery saw poor results from the Intralot-operated GambetDC sportsbook for almost four years before selecting FanDuel in March to take over the job. The Flutter Entertainment-owned brand rolled out its app on April 15 in return for guaranteeing $5m in first-year revenue for the lottery and giving it a 40% cut of gross gaming revenue.
sports betting now has “long-term viability” in the district
D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming Executive Director Frank Suarez said on Tuesday that the initial results exceeded expectations and that sports betting now has “long-term viability” in the district.
Other sportsbook operators are still fighting for an open market in Washington D.C., with lawmakers filing legislation supporting this type of framework as they believe that competition would be more beneficial.