North Carolina sports bettors couldn’t produce another record-setting handle in December, despite the rabidly followed college basketball season and the Carolina Panthers winning the NFC South.
Still, the $665.9 million in wagers reported by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission (NCSLC) Friday pushed the state’s yearly handle total to more than $7 billion. North Carolina bettors set a new state record of $811.4 million wagered in October, but quickly surpassed it with $813.9 million in November.
Operators paid the state $14.6 million in tax revenue in December, based on the 18% tax rate. For the year, that figure amounted to about $132 million in taxes.
Handle in 2025 in North Carolina was roughly 6% higher than in 2024.
Inside North Carolina betting figures
According to the NCSLC, $2 million in tax revenue is sent each year to the Department of Health and Human Services for gambling addiction and treatment programs, $1 million to enhance amateur sports programs, $1 million to outdoor youth initiatives, and $300,000 to 13 in-state collegiate athletic departments.
North Carolina mirrors most states in experiencing a spike in wagers made at legal sportsbooks during fall, but the NCSLC does not provide data on what sports are the most popular with bettors. Still, college basketball and the NFL figure to be prime drivers. Through Saturday, the Duke men’s basketball team led the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 15-1 record, with NC State (12-5) and North Carolina (14-2) also crafting strong seasons. The Panthers were eliminated from the National Football League playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
December was also the first month of wagering in North Carolina for theScore bet, which took over the license of the now-defunct ESPN Bet following Penn Entertainment’s decision to shutter the app due to a lack of production.
Sports betting in North Carolina is a mobile enterprise except for retail sites at three tribal casinos. Figures from those venues are not included in the NCSLC totals.
