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Over the past several years, sports fans in several states have gotten to become more than just viewers. That includes right here in New York. N-C-C’s Ronnie Parrillo joins us now live from the place where sports betting began — the Las Vegas Strip — to tell us what fans are jumping into… Ronnie?
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James Scott is like millions of Americans…
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“For me, football, the NFL, that’s what I love. You get a little basketball here and there, but football, I just love it. I’ve been sports gambling for about two, two-and-a-half years.”
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He loves to watch sports. But more recently, Scott has become more than just a viewer…
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“I’ve been sports gambling for about two, two-and-a-half years.”
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And here in the city that’s known for high bets and low chances, Scott crosses state lines from California to Nevada often to put money on his teams…
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“Well, California is much more strict. I mean, it’s basically casino cards, that’s it. No sports betting. California, that’s all you got.”
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But Nevada isn’t the only place that’s seen an increase in sports betting. In fact, New York rushed past the Silver State to claim the number one spot for bets placed in 20-22. According to state tax data, New York has collected over 825-million dollars in tax revenue from the activity, while Nevada has made just over 100-million. And some of that Empire State revenue comes right from Central New York. Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Oneida County has contracted with Ceaser’s Sportsbook for online and in-person bets. Fans can now place bets in-person or on the mobile app. New York rolled the dice on sports betting, and if the state can attract people like Scott from Vegas, revenue will hit like triple sevens… Ronnie Parrillo, N-C-C News.
LAS VEGAS, N.V. (NCC News) — Over the past several years, sports fans in several states across the country have gotten the chance to become more than just viewers of the game. In Las Vegas, a city known for rolling the dice and dealing the cards, visitors enjoy wagering on big games. James Scott, a California resident who drives across the line to Nevada, is one of them.
“For me, football, the NFL, that’s what I love. You get a little basketball here and there, but football, I just love it. I’ve been sports gambling for about two, two-and-a-half years.”
Scott places his bets in Nevada due to sports betting being illegal in California. Nevada was the first state to legalize sports betting in 1931 and dominated the scene for decades up and down the Las Vegas Strip.
But now, it has a new competitor: the state with Wall Street.
New York State leads the nation in bets placed on sports games with over $14.6 billion wagered. From those bets, the state has collected over $824 million in tax revenue. Nevada has only collected $110 million in revenue. The Empire State opened the door for mobile sports betting in 2022, which has bolstered tax revenue due to its convenience for avid sports fans.
Central New York casinos are cashing in on the latest trend, too. Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Oneida County contracted with Ceaser’s Sportsbook for online and in-person bets. Other popular sites include BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings, which make up 93% of the online sports betting market, according to Legal Sports Resort, an online sports betting news site. Much like casinos on the infamous Las Vegas Strip, there are dedicated areas in Turning Stone for those who want to put money down for the higher score. More states are looking to legalize sports betting in the future and are hoping to bring in revenue much like New York.
