State sports betting surges
Bettors wagered nearly $590 million in June, up 36% from a year earlier
Carolina Hurricanes fans gathered outside the Lenovo Center during the Stanley Cup finals as part of a watch party in Raleigh. The arena was sold out.
Spending on sports wagering in North Carolina in June surged by 36% compared with June 2025.
The rise is likely due to betting on the NBA and NHL championship rounds and World Cup matches.
The state Lottery Commission reported Thursday that total wagering revenue was $589.6 million during June, compared with $578.1 million in May and $433.2 million in June 2025.
The commission discloses the monthly report without comment.
Thomas Leary, editor at BetCarolina.com, said that "June, July and August are notoriously quiet for sportsbooks. If there's a wildcard to insulate us from the typical summer slump, it's June's massive sports calendar."
Betting in N.C. likely benefitted from the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup.
Other analysts said they were curious to see whether the FIFA men's World Cup, being played in the United States, Canada and Mexico, moved the wagering needle in North Carolina.
The German national team's base was in Winston-Salem and Wake Forest, Norway's in Greensboro and UNC Greensboro, and Scotland's in Charlotte.
Leary also mentioned North Carolina's runner-up finish in the 2026 college baseball championship series.
Sports betting history in NC
Legalized betting began in the state on March 11, 2024. The monthly record is just under $814 million. That amount was wagered in November 2025
The eight sportsbooks operating in N.C. provided a combined $18.8 million in promotional funds in May, compared with $16.9 million in May and $12.4 million in June 2025.
The commission tracks betting based on the state fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30.
For fiscal 2025-26, $7.82 billion was wagered, up 14.9% from $6.63 billion wagered in fiscal 2024-25.
Jim Tomlin, an analyst at BetCarolina.com, said that even with a smaller wagering total, the base of active bettors is growing and more engaged than it was a year ago.
"The volume is stabilizing, but the fact that we're still clearing the half-billion mark in a nonpeak month proves that North Carolina has quickly become one of the heavy hitters in the national landscape."
Core June details
Bettors won $530.3 million in June, up from $510.2 million in May and from $372.2 million a year ago.
The monthly record is $729 million in October 2025.
Gross wagering revenue to the sportsbooks was $54.1 million, down from $64.3 million in May and down from $58.1 million a year ago. The monthly record is $92.9 million in November 2025.
Gross wagering revenue is defined as the amount operators receive from sports wagers, minus the amounts paid out as winnings, after deducting expenses, fees and taxes.
Since the start of legalized mobile sports wagering, state residents have won $14.67 billion through June 30.
Meanwhile, bettors have spent $16.3 billion on wagers, also through June 30.
rcraver@wsjournal.com 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ
