NFL and mobile drive Colorado's new sports betting handle and GGR record

The Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Gaming reported Tuesday that total wagers in October 2021 broke another record with the highest handle so far to date that the state has seen since legalization on May 1, 2020. Wagers placed on football contributed to the record-shattering month with almost half, 45.4%, of all bets placed in October 2021 on NFL and NCAA football games.  

The total handle was $491.4 million, a 20.36% increase compared to September, and a 133.23% increase from October 2020, when the pandemic still affected the activity. 

Mobile betting continues to account for almost all of the total betting handle, with over 98% of wagers made online and less than 2% of bets placed in retail locations. 25 online operators and 17 retail operators are currently open and running in Colorado.

In October, professional football continued to dominate the total wagers placed for the month, with $171.2 million in bets placed with retail and online operators. Basketball followed in second with $63.3 million; third was NCAA Football with $51.97 million.  The fourth spot went to Baseball with $37.4 million, and Tennis rounded out the top five sports with $14.1 million. Table tennis continues to sit in the top ten list, placing in seventh, with $10.3 million bets placed.

After coming close to setting the gross gaming revenue with $22.7 million in September, October broke the record with $28.6 million. The previous record was $23.1 million in January.

The state collected $1.2 million in state taxes in October. The previous record for state taxes brought in by sports betting was January when it was $1.19 million.