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January delivered another strong month for online sports betting in North Carolina as football wagering continued to drive volume and operator returns stayed elevated.
Good to Know
Football postseason betting continued to anchor activity across the Tar Heel State. With NFL playoff games and college football wrapping up, online sportsbooks processed nearly $687 million in wagers during January, extending a streak of high volume months.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission reported $686.92 million in total handle, up 6.2 percent from January 2025. The result marked the fifth consecutive month with wagering above $600 million since regulated online betting launched.
Strong volume translated into higher operator returns. Gross sports betting revenue reached $80.34 million for the month, a 7.9 percent increase year over year. Sportsbooks have now cleared the $80 million revenue mark in four straight months, all during peak football season.
Bettors again faced a difficult environment. January closed with an 11.7 percent hold, the sixth straight month with a double digit win rate for operators. The figure edged past the 11.5 percent hold recorded one year earlier, reinforcing a trend that has defined the market through the second half of 2025 and into early 2026.
Promotional wagering climbed to $20.2 million in January. The total rose from $14.8 million in December but remained below the $23.6 million spent during January 2025. Despite heavier promotional activity, sportsbooks still maintained strong margins.
Canceled and voided wagers reached $3.6 million, the highest monthly total since October 2025. While bettors cleared more than $700 million in winnings during October and November, January marked the second straight month where payouts finished below that level.
Tax collections again delivered consistent returns for the state. Sports betting operators generated an estimated $14.46 million in tax payments during January, nearly matching December totals. North Carolina has now added at least $12 million to state funding from sports betting for a record fifth consecutive month.
January tax revenue finished nearly $1 million above the same month last year and more than $3 million higher than the average monthly total recorded in 2025. The state receives an 18 percent share of gross sports betting revenue before deductions, keeping public funding tied closely to operator performance.