- Lottery retailers took 13.9% of Delaware’s September handle but produced 46.2% of the state’s share.
- Handle fell 9.1% to $25.1 million with one fewer NFL Sunday, but the state’s share rose 22.3% to $1.68 million.
- Bally’s Dover was the only sportsbook to grow its handle and the only one to bring in less money.
DOVER, Del. – Delaware’s football bettors are learning the hard way that parlays are expensive. The Delaware Lottery’s September sports lottery report shows lottery retailers, where bettors play parlay cards, kept 24.7 cents of every dollar bet. At the state’s three casino sportsbooks, that number was just 8.4 cents.
Depending on the casino, retail parlay players lost between 2.8 and 3.9 times more per dollar than bettors at the sportsbook window.
- Delaware Park: 8.9 cents
- Harrington: 8.3 cents
- Bally’s Dover: 6.4 cents
That gap matters for the state as retailers took only $3.5 million of September’s $25.1 million handle. Yet they produced $777,101 of the state’s $1.68 million share – 46.2%.
Less Betting, More Revenue
Overall, the amount of money bet on sports in Delaware fell 9.1% from September 2025 and the number of tickets dropped 20.4%.
But bettors lost more often.
Delaware’s hold climbed from 11.8% to 17.3%, pushing sports betting revenue up 30.2% to $2.67 million in net proceeds. The state’s share rose 22.3% to $1.68 million, its best month since December 2025.
And the handle dip isn’t a reason to panic. The Lottery’s September period ran Aug. 31 to Sept. 27, catching only three NFL Sundays. Last year’s period (Sept. 1-28) had four after the season kicked off Sept. 4.
Measured per NFL Sunday, Delaware handled about $8.4 million this year compared to $6.9 million in 2025.
Bally’s Dover Goes The Other Way
Delaware Park and Harrington both took fewer bets but kept far more. Bally’s Dover did the opposite.
| Sportsbook | Sept. 2026 Handle | Change | Sept. 2026 Net Proceeds | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Park | $13.6 million | -11.8% | $1.2 million | +56.9% |
| Harrington | $4.9 million | -13.5% | $410,148 | +133.2% |
| Bally’s Dover | $3.1 million | +21.7% | $197,265 | -17.2% |
Bally’s Dover was the only sportsbook in Delaware to grow its handle. It was also the only one to bring in less, with net proceeds falling from $238,246 to $197,265.
Meanwhile, Harrington’s legal sports betting take more than doubled, and Delaware Park added more than $436,000 year over year.
Bigger Bets
One last note from the September report: Delaware bettors are swinging bigger. The average ticket climbed from $19.16 to $21.90, a 14.3% jump. So even with 294,484 fewer tickets written, legal Delaware sports betting brought in more for the state.
With a full slate of NFL Sundays ahead, October’s report should be an even better test.
