As the NFL season kicks off, the first retail sportsbook at a football stadium is open for Arizona sports betting.
BetMGM announced last week it opened its retail sportsbook at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, just in time for NFL betting to begin. The BetMGM outlet is the first retail sportsbook at an NFL stadium.
“The BetMGM Sportsbook at State Farm Stadium is one of the most revolutionary additions an NFL stadium has seen in decades and unlike anything fans have encountered on gamedays,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a release. “BetMGM shares the Arizona Cardinals’ vision in pursuing new ways to break barriers and entertain fans.”
The news comes on the eve of the first anniversary of AZ sports betting, a market that has taken more than $5 billion in wagers, according to an Arizona Department of Gaming report released last week.
BetMGM AZ retail sportsbook first of its kind
The BetMGM Sportsbook in Arizona is a two-story, 17,000-square-foot building at State Farm Stadium’s The Great Lawn. Along with a 265-square-foot video wall near trading windows, there are kiosks throughout the facility.
The first game day was Sunday as the Arizona Cardinals took on the Kansas City Chiefs. Aside from football game days, the State Farm Stadium sportsbook will be open year-round, including an outdoor amphitheater.
“We are proud and thrilled to be the NFL’s first team to offer its fans this type of unprecedented amenity and innovative experience,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a release. “The BetMGM Sportsbook at State Farm Stadium gives us a chance to engage current and potential fans on a year-round basis in a fun, entertaining and responsible way.”
Earlier this year, BetMGM opened a sportsbook at Nationals Park for DC sports betting.
Retail sportsbooks grow in Arizona
The BetMGM stadium sportsbook joins FanDuel and Caesars with open sportsbooks at professional sports venues in Arizona. There is a retail FanDuel Sportsbook at the Footprint Center, while nearby the Caesars Sportsbook is open outside Chase Field.
There are plans for a Barstool Sportsbook at Phoenix Raceway, while a DraftKings Sportsbook is slated to open at TPC Scottsdale.
According to the ADG, there are 25 retail sports betting locations in Arizona, including tribal casinos and off-track betting facilities.
Arizona sports betting bounces back
Arizona sportsbooks took $290 million in bets during July, according to the ADG report.
The state performed better than most other US sports betting markets in July, dropping just 9% from June compared to the national average of 18%. That is a rebound from its performance in June, where it turned in a month worse than the national average.
Since its launch Sept. 9, 2021, Arizona established itself as a top US sports betting jurisdiction. Arizona handle has regularly been among the top six markets since the market opened.
“With Arizona already a top-ten sports betting market in the US, I am excited to see the positive impact these new games will make on the state as we move past our first year of legal wagering,” ADG Director Ted Vogt said in the release. “Sports betting gives another opportunity for tourists to visit our state, particularly for major sporting events. For example, ADG is preparing for Super Bowl LVII next February, which will be the first time the event is held in a state with legal sports betting.”
Arizona revenue rebounds too
After dipping to a low sports betting revenue of $15.4 million in June, Arizona sportsbooks generated $22.7 million in July, a 7.8% hold. It was still the second-lowest revenue in the state’s short history of sports betting.
It is also well below the $55.2 million record revenue, a 12% hold, in May.
The state collected $1.5 million in July taxes, bringing the total since launch to $18.5 million.
Online continues to dominate in Arizona
Online sports betting continues to account for approximately 99% of the July action in Arizona. FanDuel and DraftKings remain clear-cut market leaders, securing 32% and 31% market share, respectively.
FanDuel took $91 million in bets, holding 10.3% for $9.4 million in revenue. DraftKings handled $90.2 million in wagers, generating $3.4 million in revenue, a 3.7% hold.
BetMGM was the only other sportsbook to secure more than 10% market share, taking $53.6 million in bets for 19% of the overall handle.
| Brand | Online Handle | Revenue | Hold | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $91.0 million | $9.4 million | 10.3% | 32% |
| DraftKings | $90.2 million | $3.4 million | 3.7% | 31% |
| BetMGM | $53.6 million | $5.7 million | 10.6% | 19% |
| Caesars | $27.1 million | $2.6 million | 9.6% | 9% |
| Barstool | $9.1 million | $798,499 | 8.8% | 3% |
| WynnBet | $7.0 million | $186,577 | 2.7% | 2% |
| BetRivers | $3.3 million | $183,422 | 5.5% | 1% |
| SuperBook | $1.9 million | $76,649 | 4.0% | 1% |
| Hard Rock | $1.5 million | $68,083 | 4.6% | 1% |
| Betfred | $1.3 million | $76,093 | 5.7% | <1% |
| Desert Diamond | $731,754 | $1,010 | 0.1% | <1% |
| Unibet | $505,962 | $49,281 | 9.7% | <1% |
| Bally Bet | $335,434 | $24,695 | 7.4% | <1% |
| Fubo | $210,377 | $6,464 | 3.1% | <1% |
| TwinSpires | $173,063 | $1,951 | 1.1% | <1% |
| Betway | $162,584 | $6,239 | 3.8% | <1% |
| SaharaBets | $39,907 | $3,625 | 9.1% | <1% |
| Golden Nugget | $39,369 | $9,824 | 25% | <1% |
