Hoosiers have been scratching a serious itch for sports wagering over the past four months.
Data released Friday by the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) show $2.2 billion was bet in Indiana on the outcome of professional and college sporting events between September and December.
That includes $614.4 million wagered in November — the state's all-time monthly record — along with another $563.6 million in sports bets placed in December — the state's new, second-highest monthly handle, dropping October's $537.9 million to third place.
The sports wagering surge likely was due in part to the unusually good football played this season by Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame, and could grow even larger in January as Notre Dame competes for a national championship.
Records show the majority of sports bets were placed through online sports wagering operators, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, that are required to be affiliated with one of Indiana's 13 commercial casinos.
Though several million dollars worth of sports wagers each month continue to be placed in-person at casino sports books, particularly at the four casinos in Northwest Indiana.
Altogether, more than $5.2 billion was bet in Indiana on sporting events during the 2024 calendar year, according to the IGC.
Though when it comes to gaming more Hoosiers still seem to prefer visiting a casino and inserting their money into a slot machine or plunking it down at a table game for a chance at winning big.
IGC data show more than $1.9 billion was wagered at Indiana slot machines ($1.7 billion) and table games ($200 million) in December alone.
As usual, the bulk of that money was returned to players as winnings. Casinos kept a total of $210.3 million, or about 11%, as their "win," and paid $55 million in gaming taxes to the state, along with $3 million in sports wagering taxes, in December.
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana remained the state's earnings leader for a 38th consecutive month, tallying $35.9 million in December win on $55.3 million in table game play and $281.3 million in slot machine play, according to the IGC.
Put another way, an average of nearly $11 million was bet each December day at the Gary casino located adjacent to eastbound Interstate 80/94 at the Burr Street exit.
"December was an amazing finish to our strongest year yet!" said Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.
"While gaming revenues were essentially flat when compared to December 2023, Santa was very giving to many of Hard Rock’s customers. We paid out over $23 million in slot jackpots in December 2024, a monthly record in our less than four years of being open, and we made one lucky guest a millionaire on December 27th during the finale of our Hard Rock Million Dollar Giveaway."
Elsewhere in the Region, December win totaled $20.2 million on $180.4 million in play at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond; Ameristar Casino in East Chicago notched $13.5 million in win on $128.7 million in play; and Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City collected win of $10.8 million from $117.3 million in casino action.
Across the state line, the new Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino in East Hazel Crest reported a win equivalent of $11.2 million in taxable adjusted gross receipts to the Illinois Gaming Board during its first full month of operations in December.
That was more than the $10.3 million taken in last month by Bally's Casino in downtown Chicago, but less than the monthly earnings at smaller casinos in Elgin and Rockford, as well as the $43 million in December win at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, data show.
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