William Hill launched the first sportsbook in a professional sports venue in the US. The Capital One Arena sportsbook in Washington, DC, has proven to be a profitable bet for the company as it handled $9,130,409 in wagers in August. This was the sportsbook’s first full month of operation.

Eclipsing DC Lottery

The $9.1 million handle at William Hill’s sportsbook was four-times the DC Lottery sports betting app’s total wagered amount. The district made $142,527 in tax revenue for 69.085 bets placed during the month, according to the DC Lottery website.

GambetDC, the sports betting app of the DC Lottery handled 66,831 total wagers in the month of August, with a total handle of $2,132,032. The sports betting revenue is far lesser than the lottery’s projections. The Washington Post reports that the projections for the next fiscal have been reduced as well.

DC Lottery spokesperson Nicole Jordan said that the city is expecting a rise in revenue when the pandemic eases. She highlighted that the August handle was bigger than July, going up to $2.1 million compared to the $750,000 in the previous month.

GambetDC receives a lukewarm response

GambetDC launched on May 28 using Greek company Intralot’s platform. The decision to give Intralot a chance to work on the betting app without a due competitive process also drew some ire. The company has also been criticized extensively for its odds in Montana, where its operated Sports Bet Montana. It is facing similar criticisms in DC as well.

William Hill’s entry into the DC market happened via the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018. The Act allows licensed locations to offer sportsbooks in partnerships with authorized private operators. DC United and The Washington Nationals can still offer sports betting at their stadiums. William Hill opened its sportsbook in NBA’s Wizards, NHL’s Capitals, and WNBA’s Mystics home stadium- the Capital One Arena on July 31. It is currently operating via a temporary site but plans to shift permanently to the site where the Greene Turtle was earlier located.