Ranking the top US sports betting states, with surprising omission from top 5

With sports betting continuing to grow by leaps and bounds around the United States, more and more states find themselves moving up the monthly wagering rankings, and the numbers for Feburary of 2025 contain some particular surprises.

Ben Fawkes of Yahoo Sports posted the top 10 states that had seen the most wagering in February of this year.

Top 10 U.S. states by total sports betting $$ wagered, Feb. 2025 (of states reporting so far):

1. New York: $1.98 BILLION
2. Illinois: $1.15B
3. NJ: $989M
4. Ohio: $761.6M
5. Pennsylvania: $757M
6. MA: $628M
7. Nevada: $605M
8. Virginia: $557M
9. NC: $543.4M
10. CO: $497M
— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) April 19, 2025

New York tops the list with a whopping $1.98 billion in wagers in February. While their place atop the rankings isn't a surprise given the size on New York City and the amount of local sports and teams coupled with the massive number of transplants, that they approached $2 billion in wagers on their own is pretty impressive. New Jersey makes sense at number three for a similar reason.

Chicago likewise makes Illinois a logical number two, even if the amount is surprising.

Ohio and Pennsylvania have both shown themselves to be consistent contenders for the top five as well, with the Keystone state likely getting a healthy bump from the Eagles' Super Bowl run.

But the biggest surprise on the board is Nevada sitting seventh. While Nevada doesn't have the kind of population that other states on the list have, it is a state whose entire identity is tied to gambling. They are home to every major traditional sports book in the country, and if you'd expect anyone to be a staple in the top five, it would be them. That they're not might be a sign that fans and bettors are staying home more frequently, happy to make their bets from the comfort of their sofas rather than in a physical sportsbook.

However, given how sparsely populated the state is, even sitting seventh is punching well above their weight. It's a sign that Las Vegas remains a popular destination for bettors, even if they're also spending their money on betting from home.

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