Why Sports Gambling is Popular in Indiana – Records are Breaking

Image source: derivative work: Massimo Catarinella, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Many visit Indiana because of its vast farmlands, its coast, its amazing state parks, or its stunning capital, Indianapolis. But everyone who goes there has to know one thing about the Hoosier state. And it is not that the state’s nickname is the Hoosier state. It is the fact that they are all over about basketball. They even have a saying, that “no one in this state is born without knowing how to play basketball”. So, it is not a surprise that sports are a big thing there, and therefore it is why sports gambling is popular in Indiana. 

How gambling got its way in Indiana

While the expansion of legal online gambling has started to thrive in the US a couple of years back, the Hoosier State did not really want to go with the flow. Indiana defines wagering as “risking money or other property for gain, contingent upon a lot, chance, or the operation of a gambling device,” according to in.gov. This might be the reason why it took more time for the state to adjust to the idea of a wide gambling market. Sports betting – live for both in-person and online wagering – debuted in Indiana in 2019. The first land-based betting places opened in September 2019, the online market opened in October that year. Ever since then these are becoming more and more popular, which is a great thing for online gambling sites in the US, like Intertops. See below how and why sports gambling is popular in Indiana. 

Why sports gambling is popular in Indiana

As we mentioned above, the state is crazy about basketball. For them, it is less like a sport and more like a religion.  The Indiana University Hoosiers basketball program is one of the best you can find in the United States of America. Talking on the NBA level, their team, the beloved Indiana Pacers is highly appreciated and has a massive following. Moreover, the NCAA Hall of Champions is located in the state capital, Indianapolis – which is a clear statement from the state. So, it cannot come as a surprise that Hoosiers are passionate about their basketball, and overall: sports. They bring this passion with them to the online sportsbooks in the US as well, like Intertops. And this is starting to show in their gambling market since they are constantly setting new records each month. 

Setting records: here is why it is good that sports gambling is popular in Indiana

According to the data from the Indiana Gaming Commission, January 2020 was the fifth consecutive month for record betting. The tax revenue was 2.8 million dollars in the referred month, with almost 350 million dollars of the total in wagers. In December it was only 313 million dollars. And as to Jessica Welman from PlayIndiana.com, this is not the peak yet.  “Illinois and Michigan, which were two feeder markets in the early days of sports betting in Indiana, will continue to grow.” This is good for online sportsbooks in the US and their operators. But it is also beneficial for the state, because of the increase in tax incomes. 

Click here to visit the Intertops Sportsbook