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DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is ready for a big sports betting month as the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament gets under way on Thursday.
"This typically is a very popular time for the sports wagering industry. Last fiscal year March was the largest month in terms of handle of any of the months that we saw," says Commission Administrator Brian Ohorilko.
He says they're already seeing trends that this month could exceed the $161 million bet on sports in Iowa last March.
Ohorilko says 90 percent of sports betting in Iowa is done online.
"There are 18 companies that are licensed to operate online sports betting in Iowa. Those companies provide a number of incentives and promotions to get customers to be on their app," Ohorilko says.
He says the NCAA Tournament could also mean more people in Iowa casinos that offer sports betting.
"It's these big events where operator have an opportunity to engage customers that maybe don't go into a casino as much and get them to buy beverages, buy food," Ohorilko says.
The Iowa and Iowa State men's and women's basketball teams as well as the Northern Iowa women's teams are competing in the NCAA tournaments.