Sports betting operations in Virginia recorded an uptick in wagers during the first quarter of the year.
Going, Going, Gambled! Virginia's April Sports Betting Report Reveals a Sizzling Hot Industry
Buckle up, Virginia! The latest sports wagering report from the Virginia Lottery, the sinister masterminds behind the state's betting scene, paints an exhilarating picture of wrangler-like bettors and record-shattering numbers. From the first to the last day of April 2025, the Commonwealth of Virginia's sports fans raked in a mammoth $609.7 million on sports bets, smashing last year's April figures and falling just short of the astronomical March 2025 handle[1][3].
April Showers Bring Betting Gains
The report, a detailed analysis of the month-long betting jamboree, illustrates a growing appetite for all things wager-related[2]. Virginia's betting aficionados skew young and tech-savvy, with $603.7 million of the total handle placed through mobile sportsbooks[1][3]. The humble retail counter, meanwhile, only saw $6 million in action, indicating a trend of punters preferring the cozy confines of their homes to the bustling betting shops[1].
Now, you might be wondering, what happened to the rest of the money? Well, my friend, dreams do come true! A whopping $546.9 million wound up in the pockets of lucky players, thanks to the fickle fingers of fate[1]. Retail bettors were seemingly blessed with a stroke of luck, scoring a total of $6.4 million in winnings, more than what they'd staked[1]. Mobile bettors, no slouches themselves, enjoyed $540.5 million in winnings[1].
This torrent of winnings resulted in a combined 10.30% operator win percentage (hold), with an adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of $56.1 million for the month[1]. The mobile operators' AGR soared to $56.6 million, but the retail casinos reported a loss of $473,390, presumably due to the impressive customer win rate[1].
Cashing in for Virginia: The Tax Man Cometh
The Virginia Lottery was kind enough to dish out more details about the taxes paid by the state's sportsbook operators[1]. Under the watchful eye of the law, a hearty 97.5% of the tax proceeds are deposited into the state's General Fund, with the remaining 2.5% rolling into the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health's Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, a much-needed resource for troubled gamblers[1].
The Virginia Lottery also dropped a bomb shell: 11 operators reported net positive AGR for April, raking in a grand total of $8.5 million in taxes[1]. Most of this, $8.3 million, headed straight for the General Fund, while the remaining $212,945 trickled into the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund[1].
[1] - Virginia Lottery - April 2025 Sports Betting Report[2] - InsideVirginia.com - Virginia Lottery sales boosted by sports betting surge[3] - WAVY-TV - Sports betting in Virginia completely legal for online bets[4] - Richmond Times-Dispatch - Virginia sports betting generates $87 million in revenue in January 2025
Sports enthusiasts in Virginia flocked to sports-betting platforms, with mobile sportsbooks recording a staggering $603.7 million in sports bets during the month-long betting extravaganza in April 2025. This sports-betting frenzy resulted in a casino industry that thrived, with a record-breaking $546.9 million in winnings for lucky players.
