Delaware Had over $300,000 in Bets on 1st Day of Legal Sports Gambling
Casinos in Delaware accepted more than $300,000 on the first day of legal sports betting in the state.
According to ESPN.com's David Purdum, the Delaware state lottery confirmed a total of $322,135 was wagered at Dover Downs, Delaware Park and Harrington Raceway & Casino on Tuesday.
After the Supreme Court declared the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was unconstitutional last month, Delaware moved quickly to put its sports betting operations in place. New Jersey is expected to follow suit in short order.
Delaware Governor John Carney made the first official bet within state lines Tuesday when he wagered $10 on the Philadelphia Phillies to beat the Chicago Cubs. That gamble paid off, as the Phillies earned a 6-1 win at Wrigley Field.
According to the News Journal's Jeff Neiburg, that bet paid out $20 since the Phillies were 2-1 underdogs.
"For us, it's really an enhancement of our tourism industry," Carney told Purdum. "It will attract a lot of visitors to our state, particularly at this time of year, during the summer, coming to our beautiful beaches south of here. They come here and stop at the casinos and do slot machine and table gaming. This will be another opportunity for them."
