12th Month in a Row: North Carolina’s Sports Betting Handle Surpasses $500M

Incredible feat for North Carolina: the state’s sports betting market, which officially went online in the month of March 2024, has managed to stay above the $500 million mark for a 12th consecutive month in August 2026. This occurred due to wagering activity’s ongoing growth despite the higher tax rate introduced earlier in the year. 40% up from August 2024 Sports bettors in the state wagered $520.5 million during August, according to figures from the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. That was nearly 9% higher than the same month in 2025 and more than 40% above August 2024. The latest figures also pushed North Carolina’s total sports betting tax collections above $300 million since the regulated online market launched. The state has collected an estimated $308 million so far. Since the official launch, bettors have placed no less than $15.7 billion in paid wagers, while promotional wagers added another whopping $780 million to the wild figure. As for operators, they returned around $14.7 billion to bettors in winnings. Tax Hike Wasn’t an Obstacle The market has continued to build momentum despite a significant change to its tax structure. In July, North Carolina increased the tax on sportsbook gross wagering revenue from 18% to 23%. The increase followed months of debate among lawmakers over how much revenue the state should collect from a betting market that had performed strongly since its launch. The final rate is higher than those in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Ohio, where sportsbook revenue is taxed at 19.75%, 20% and 20%, respectively. North Carolina’s rate remains well below the 51% tax applied in New York, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The market’s overall numbers show how quickly sports betting has grown in the Tar Heel State. Bettors wagered $7.2 billion during 2025, while the 2026 total handle already passed $4.8 billion by the end of August. The timing is also critical since the final months of the year are known to be typically some of the busiest in terms of betting activity. Football and basketball seasons will significantly overlap with baseball and hockey, further creating an even larger selection of available sporting events for bettors to take their pick from. North Carolina’s cumulative figures are also becoming an increasingly important source of public revenue. Since regulated betting began, the state has directed money toward areas including collegiate and youth sports, the General Fund and problem gambling programs. With the busiest part of the sports calendar still well ahead, the coming months will only come to prove whether North Carolina can actually maintain the same pace and how much additional revenue the higher tax rate can bring to the state.