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DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa sports wagering is down in July
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission shows last month's $89 million was the first time since November of 2020 sports betting dipped below the $100 million monthly mark.
"This is typically a low time of year, from a sports wagering standpoint, and that is just because some of the sports that most of the public is interested in is not being offered at this time," says Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission Administrator Brian Ohorilko.
He says they expect rebound in September.
"College football and professional football is extremely popular in this state--the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones are expected to have very good years, so that will draw a lot of attention, and will draw some of the more casual bettors," Ohorilko says.
He says the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is till trying to figure out what "normal" will look like when it comes to sports betting in the state.
Ohorilko says 2020 wasn't it.
"It is really unreasonable to use those numbers (from 2020) to draw any correlation on what to expect. This year should be that year where we'll try to start getting a better idea as to what is a baseline, and what we would expect," he says.
Ohorilko says casinos and other sports book operators are putting on a big marketing push right now, trying to entice gamblers to download their smart phone apps and place bets online.