The Montana Lottery reported $852,106 in sports betting revenue for January on Wednesday, as the state agency posted double-digit holds in football and basketball.
Handle totaled $5.9 million, which was down 17.9% from January 2023 but still ranked seventh-highest in 47 months of action. Revenue declined 13% despite the 14.5% hold being eight-tenths of a percentage point higher compared to the opening month of last year. Despite the downturn, the revenue total was eighth-best overall.
Football and basketball handle accounted for 90% of the total action in the Treasure State at $5.2 million. The house posted an 11.2% win rate on football wagers, keeping more than $343,000, and added another $332,000 from basketball bets thanks to a 15.4% hold.
Hockey rounded out the podium spots for revenue, as the $50,000-plus came from a 17.8% win rate on close to $282,000 worth of bets. The “special” category of wagering had a crushing 59.2% hold on nearly $79,000 handle, resulting in operator winnings of $46,504.