Maryland is one of 38 states that have now legalized online sports betting since the PASPA was overturned in 2018. This means that there are many ways for players in MD, to access a variety of retail betting options. Online sports betting went live in November 2022 after being signed into legislation a year earlier. Since then, the industry has grown and now there are more than ten different sports betting sites and apps available.
As reported by mdbetting.com, there are some top sites available in the state. These include BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanduel, and many others. Each of these sites has a plethora of different betting options, with more sites arriving each year.
Success of betting in MD
Already, despite not being legal for that many years, sports betting in Maryland has grown. As of 2023, Maryland has broken their own record, generating more than $3 million in tax revenue from sports betting. These numbers are now on the rise. In October 2024, the state had generated nearly $600 million from sports betting alone. Importantly, $7 million of this was contributed to the state, which means that the state benefits from sports betting as well as bettors. Each year, the number of bettors goes up too, and this looks likely to continue in the near future.
More events to bet on
One of the factors helping to boost sports betting is the increasing number of events available to bet on. The October of 2024 was a particularly high month in terms of revenue, but it clearly shows the link between the betting options. October is a particularly busy month when it comes to the US sporting calendar. For instance, there are all the major pro leagues in the US operating at the same time. This means that players can bet on baseball and American football in one go. On top of that, the NCAA football season is full swing, so it's not just the major leagues.
A further factor to consider is to think about which sports teams are doing well. For example, the month of October saw a great deal of success for the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. Back then, they were potential Super Bowl contenders, which meant more enthusiasm was generated around them, likely encouraging more betting.
But of course, the rise of other sports is also impactful in this area.
Soccer becomes popular
While soccer has never seen huge popularity in comparison to football, within some states, the sport is gaining traction. Via some serious club efforts, soccer is growing in Maryland. In fact, there have been some major soccer clubs and teams around since the 1940s when the University of Maryland's The Terrapins men's team first played. From then on, the sport continued expanding with a whopping 144 teams playing in the original Greater Baltimore Soccer League at one point. While there are now new leagues, the Maryland Major Soccer League is still one of the top in the states, and has been incredibly successful. What this means is that there are an increasing number of exciting events to bet on.
So, with the increase in different sports, and accessibility of betting platforms, both sports betting and soccer are growing in Maryland.
