New York's Record-Breaking Handle In October
New York bettors wagered a record $2.79 billion on mobile sports betting in October 2026, according to figures from the New York State Gaming Commission.
The total beats the previous high of $2.64 billion, which was set in October 2025, by 5.5%, InterGame Online reported.
Handle is the total amount wagered, so it measures activity rather than operator profit. Gross gaming revenue, the amount sportsbooks keep after paying winnings, is the better guide to operator results.
October By The Numbers
The Commission's statewide monthly report shows handle of $2,787,474,078 for October. Gross gaming revenue was $258.1 million, which is 8.1% above October 2025's $238.7 million.
It is the third-highest monthly figure since reporting began in January 2022, behind November 2025's $280.6 million record and December 2025's $259.7 million.
On those figures, the hold, the share of handle kept as gross revenue, was about 9.3% in October. That is our calculation from the Commission's numbers.
A Strong Autumn Build
Monthly handle in the Commission's report shows the seasonal climb as the football and basketball calendars restart. September handle was $2.40 billion, up from $1.88 billion in July and $1.73 billion in August. Handle in June was $2.25 billion, boosted by the NBA Finals and the World Cup.
The State Comptroller's September report found that betting activity rises from October to March, driven by events such as the World Series, the Super Bowl and March Madness.
It also found mobile sports betting is New York's second-largest source of gaming revenue after the lottery, generating $1.3 billion in state tax revenue in state fiscal year 2026. Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's report put total mobile bets since the January 2022 launch at over $91.2 billion.
Why Hold Swings Month To Month
October's 9.3% hold sits in a normal range, but results can swing sharply with outcomes. The Comptroller's report showed that in June 2026 handle rose over $604 million, or 36.6%, year on year, yet gross gaming revenue fell nearly $90 million, or 43.5%, after the New York Knicks won the NBA Championship as underdogs.
In the first two weeks of June, more than $1 billion was wagered while sportsbooks posted a net loss of $14.4 million, because winning payouts exceeded wagers received.
The World Cup also lifted activity. Between June 11 and July 19, excluding NBA Finals week, bettors placed $2.5 billion in bets, which was $775.5 million, or 45.7%, more than the same period in 2025. October's record shows the football and basketball calendars carrying that momentum into the fall.
Context For Bettors
The same report noted that there were 7.2 million unique mobile sports wagering accounts in New York in 2025, with an average of $3,500 wagered per account and an average wager of $42.
The Comptroller also noted a rise in calls to the state's problem gambling hotline and said the state has doubled funding for problem gambling services from $6 million to $12 million.
Bettors who feel gambling is becoming a problem can use the state's HOPEline for support, and set deposit limits through their sportsbook account.
The record also lands as New York pursues a lawsuit against Kalshi over prediction market sports contracts, part of a wider dispute our coverage tracks in CFTC versus states.
Refer to Cashback Terms & Conditions for full program terms.
