Maryland Sports Betting Generates $9.1M for State in April 2026; Handle Tops $574M
Maryland bettors wagered $574.2M in April, a +11.8% year-over-year jump that produced a record-pace $9.14M tax contribution to the state; up 43.7% versus April 2025.
Maryland sports bettors wagered $574,228,456 in April 2026, according to figures released by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency on May 11. The state collected $9,140,902 in sports wagering tax; a 43.7% jump compared to April 2025 and one of the strongest single-month contributions since the program launched in December 2021.
Handle grew 11.8% year-over-year. The bigger swing in state revenue came from the mobile tax rate, which increased from 15% to 20% in June 2025. The extra 5% on mobile taxable win flows to the state's General Fund rather than the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Fund.
April 2026 at a glance
Mobile dominates; retail still a rounding error
Mobile wagering produced $566.1M of the April total, or roughly 98.6% of all handle. Retail sportsbooks at Maryland casinos handled just $8.1M. The split has stayed almost exactly there for two years; retail betting in Maryland remains a hospitality experience for casino-goers rather than a meaningful share of total volume.
Mobile operators held 11.0% of handle, slightly tighter than retail's 11.9%. Both numbers sit in the historically normal 10-12% band for US sports betting.
Where the $9.1M actually goes
- Blueprint for Maryland's Future Fund; $6,890,062. Public education programs receive 15% of all taxable proceeds, retail and mobile combined. Since program inception, the Blueprint Fund has received $263.9M from sports betting.
- General Fund; $2,250,841. The additional 5% of mobile taxable win (since June 2025) goes to the state's General Fund. Cumulative contribution: $28.3M.
- Problem Gambling Fund; funded separately via expired prizes (cumulative $5.5M since 2021). Maryland's gambling helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER, plus the Maryland-specific 1-888-238-7633.
Fiscal Year 2026 on pace for record state contribution
Through 10 months of Fiscal Year 2026 (July 2025 - April 2026), Maryland sports betting has generated $114.8M in state tax; already up 59.5% versus the same span of FY2025, with two months still to report. The 5% mobile General Fund kick is the largest driver of the FY-over-FY jump; the underlying handle is up 10.2%.
| Period | Handle | Hold % | Taxable Win | State Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2026 | $574.2M | 11.0% | $45.9M | $9.14M |
| April 2025 | $513.7M | 11.1% | $42.4M | $6.36M |
| Change | +11.8% | −0.1pt | +8.3% | +43.7% |
| Fiscal Year | Handle | Hold % | State Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $5.85B | 11.5% | $114.8M |
| FY2025 | $5.31B | 10.8% | $71.95M |
| Change | +10.2% | +0.7pt | +59.5% |
What this means for Maryland bettors
The hold rate matters more than any single dollar figure. At 11.0%, Maryland's operators retain about $11 of every $100 wagered; meaning Maryland bettors collectively lose roughly that share over time. Sharp bettors operate at a hold rate above 0% (profit). Casual bettors typically lose at or near the headline 11% figure.
- Line shop hard. The 11.0% hold reflects average pricing. Bettors who maintain accounts at 3-5 sportsbooks and take the best available number meaningfully reduce that effective hold.
- Avoid heavy parlays. Most of the 11.0% hold comes from multi-leg parlays where the implied margin compounds. Spread and total bets at -110 carry roughly 4.5% vig per side.
- Use promotions. Welcome bonuses and ongoing odds boosts directly reduce your effective hold. We track current Maryland sportsbook promos on our promos page.
April 2026 was Maryland's strongest April since the program launched. The combined effect of growing handle and the higher mobile tax rate means FY2026 will almost certainly close as the most state-revenue-positive year in program history.
Methodology and source
All figures in this report are from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency's official April 2026 sports wagering data release, published May 11, 2026. Year-over-year comparisons use MDLGCA's published April 2025 totals. Fiscal Year totals cover July 1 through June 30; FY2026 is in progress with two months (May, June 2026) still to report.