Football season is almost upon us at North Carolina sportsbooks. The first NFL exhibition game takes place next Thursday when the Los Angeles Chargers play the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game. Carolina fans will need to wait a week longer to see their Panthers take the field. They host the Cleveland Browns for their first exhibition game on Aug. 8. A month later, Carolina will start its 2025 NFL regular season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Football season is the biggest season of the year for North Carolina operators. While basketball remains very popular, especially in the Tar Heel State, it’s the gridiron game that generates the most bets. That includes action on NFL and college games as well as parlay bets involving either or both sports. BetCarolina.com’s betting analysts put together a projected handle, revenue and tax profit ahead of the 2025 football season to estimate how much bettors in North Carolina will wager on the games this season.
Bookmark our NFL Betting guide here as well ahead of the opening slates for both NFL and CFB.
Projected Handle | Projected Revenue | Projected Taxes |
$1.9 billion | $207 million | $37.3 million |
A couple of notes to go along with this. We’re basing projected revenue at 10.9% of the handle. Last football season was a tug of war between sportsbooks and bettors, with bettors being successful in October and December on NC betting apps.
We’re also keeping the tax rate at 18%. That’s despite North Carolina state lawmakers not approving a budget for the current fiscal year. The Senate has proposed doubling the tax rate to 36% to provide additional revenue for North Carolina Tar Heels and North Carolina State Wolfpack athletics. The House plan, while also giving money to the state’s two largest schools, keeps the tax rate at 18%.
Our projections also include a modest growth in sports betting across the state from 2024, the first year of legalized wagering in the state. We believe more people will become involved in North Carolina sports betting as the new football season kicks off, along with many who participated last season.
Combined, the college and pro football seasons should generate about $1.9 billion in wagers this season. While most of the action will be placed on the Panthers and other NFL teams, we believe there will be additional interest in college football, especially with Bill Belichick now coaching the Tar Heels.
The NFL and College Football seasons are crucial to the North Carolina sports betting market. The profits that the state coffers earn from the football season are vital for public programs and local universities.
Author
As a writer and analyst for BetCarolina.com, Steve not only covers gaming news and developments in North Carolina but also provides insights into what they mean for bettors, licensed operators and the state. A veteran journalist with 25 years of experience covering sports, politics and business, Steve has reported on the gambling industry intently over the past five years.
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