Last year, the Supreme Court did gamblers across America a major solid when it finally legalized sports betting in a landmark ruling that opened the door for states across the country to rake in some extra revenue.
The game-changing victory was made possible thanks to New Jersey, which filed the lawsuit that successfully challenged a 25-year-old congressional ruling that had previously banned sports betting in the country (with the exception of Nevada).
It didn’t take long for Jersey to legalize betting and the gambling industry was quick to take advantage by opening a number of physical and online sportsbooks in the state, and over the past year, people have wagered almost $3.5 billion within its borders.
While Nevada had previously had a stranglehold on the sports betting industry, The New York Post reports New Jersey is now poised to surpass Las Vegas as the sports betting mecca of the United States as more and more people flock to the state to get their wager on.
According to the outlet, New Jersey managed to box out Vegas in the months of May and July as far as total revenue was concerned and experts say it’s on pace to overtake Sin City as we head into the NFL season as more and more people prepare to flock from the surrounding areas to get in on the action.
Gambling analyst Chris Krafcik provided some insight into the major reason why New Jersey has become such a powerhouse, saying:
“[It’s] inevitable the New Jersey sports betting market, in terms of handle generated, will surpass the Nevada market. New Jersey, after all, has an appreciably larger local population—and a far more robust online marketplace—than Nevada does.”
As The Post notes, New Jersey is much less of a pain of the ass to get to than Las Vegas, as residents of Philadelphia and New York City don’t have to travel very far if they feel like putting some money on the line.
The times they are a-changin’.