The Massachusetts Gaming Commission reported on Monday $57.1 million in gross sports betting revenue for August as sportsbooks in the Bay State combined for their fourth consecutive double-digit monthly hold.
Operator winnings climbed 65.6% compared to last year as this August’s 10.5% hold was more than 2.75 percentage points higher than in August 2024. Revenue gains easily outpaced the 21.9% increase in handle to $545.3 million as total wagering in the 2025 calendar year topped $5 billion.
The state was able to levy taxes on $55.8 million in adjusted gross revenue, re-directing $11.1 million into its coffers. Massachusetts has collected $104.7 million in taxes in 2025, including $20.7 million in the first two months of Fiscal Year 2026. That is running $5.9 million ahead of the pace in FY 2025.
DraftKings reclaims marketshare benchmark
Much is made about mobile sports betting in Massachusetts because it is the home of DraftKings. The digital behemoth climbed back above 50% for market share in August, accepting $275.9 million of the state’s $537.4 worth of online wagers among the seven operators.
DraftKings’ handle was up 20.2% compared to last year, and with a 10.6% win rate up 3.3 percentage points, revenue surged 74.7% to $29.4 million. It was the fifth straight month DraftKings produced a double-digit hold, and its $286.2 million in winnings the first eight months of 2025 is up 41% versus last year.
FanDuel was a distant second in both categories, fashioning a 10.9% hold in keeping $14.1 million of its $129.3 million handle. It has a streak of four straight 10%-plus holds and is within $503,000 of $15 million in winnings for 2025.
The tug-of-war for the final podium spot between Fanatics and BetMGM in August went to Fanatics, but both had solid months. Fanatics claimed $5.1 million in revenue with a 10.3% hold on $49.5 million handle, while BetMGM trailed close behind at $4.8 million with $46.2 million worth of wagers.
Like FanDuel, BetMGM ran its streak of double-digit holds to four months, while Fanatics crested 10% for the third time in that span.
Sink or swim for ESPN Bet?
ESPN Bet enters arguably the most critical period in its existence with mixed results from August. The good was its $1.6 million in revenue being up 13.7% from last year, but that was thanks to a 9.8% hold, as handle slipped 5.4% to $15.8 million.
The Penn Entertainment-run sportsbook has seen year-to-date handle slide 25.3% in Massachusetts this year, but revenue has tailed only 6.3% due to an 8.7% win rate. That is nearly 1.8 percentage points higher compared to the first eight months of 2024.
Increased overall hold this year aside, ESPN Bet has had only one month with a double-digit hold in the Bay State dating back to its first full month of operations in December 2023. Only Caesars, which has failed to notch a 10% win rate, has fewer, and FanDuel has the most in that span with 14.
