Rhode Island’s income from sports betting dropped by 24.7% in April, totaling $3.2 million in state-earned revenue. In March, the industry had recorded an upsurge in betting activity thanks to March Madness. In turn, the state earned $3.9 million in the moth, a significant increase from the $1.5 million income total recorded in February.

While the revenue recorded from sports betting has been inconsistent this year, it shows a growth curve compared to the same period last year.

Increased Betting Handle

Sports punters in Rhode Island have been spending more at betting companies this year compared to last year. In January, the players wagered $39.8 million. This was a 74.6% surge compared to the amount wagered in December last year.

On the other hand, it was a 48% growth compared to the amount wagered in January last year. Interestingly, $21.9 million of the nearly $40M gambled in Rhode Island in January came from mobile betting.

In February, the betting handle decreased to $34.1 million. But this was still a 21.8% increase compared to the $28.1 million gambled in February 2020. In March, bettors swung back to action with the hopes of profiting from March Madness.

The result was that some $38.6 million was wagered in Rhode Island during the month. Online sports betting accounted for $16.1 million of the wagered amount. Compared to 2020, the betting handle in March was a 331.1% rise.

Rhode Island sports betting, and you can learn more from here, took a sharp drop in betting handle in April. The total wagered amount amounted to $29 million, which was a 24.7% decline. All the same, this was a growth of 4,811% compared to the same month in 2020.

Soaring Revenues

Along with climbing betting handle numbers, the revenues from sports betting in Rhode Island have also been climbing. The state earned $3.7 million from the industry in January—an increase of $400,000 compared to December.

More than half of the amount–$2.1 million—came from mobile betting while $1.6 million came from in-person betting companies. Unfortunately, this income fell by 33% in the following month to stand at $1.5 million.

February was such a poor month for the sports betting industry in Rhode Island that it didn’t match the figures collected the same month last year. Luckily, the industry bounced back in March.

Total income jumped from $1.5 million in February to $4 million, a surge of 155.6%. Compared to March last year, this was a growth rate of 372.4%. As we mentioned, revenues dropped by 20.3% in April to stand at $3.2 million. But it was a whopping 11,472% rise compared to the $27,000 collected by the state in April last year.

How to Join the Party

Sports betting has a bright future in Rhode Island. It might be experiencing inconsistencies in revenue and betting handles presently. But over time, especially post-pandemic days, Rhode Island could climb to become one of the biggest betting markets in the country.

That said, joining the sports betting party in Rhode Island is easy:

• Choose a Betting Partner

There are two ways to bet on sports in Rhode Island. You can join the state’s official mobile betting website—it has a sportsbook supplied by William Hill and IGT. Or you could register an in-person account at the Twin River Casino n Lincoln or the Twin River Tiverton Casino.

Evidently, the variety of betting companies in Rhode Island is small. What’s more, the available betting operators are either controlled by the state or tribes. While this isn’t a bad thing, it reduces competition, which works efficiently in improving the quality of services offered.

All the same, pick an option. Over 50% of Rhode Island bettors prefer to use the betting app. It’s more convenient, safe and saves you from the hassle of leaving your house every time you want to place a bet.

• Add Money to your Account

If you plan to bet at one of the two casinos that provide sports betting, you don’t really need to create an account. Instead, the only requirement is a form of identification and money to bet. The only time you could need an account is if you want to benefit from the casinos’ reward programs.

On the official Rhode Island app, you can deposit from $10 to $10,000 through a variety of payment methods like Visa, MasterCard and PayPal. With money in your account, you can wager on thousands of betting markets in the US and around the world.

You can bet on all the major leagues: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and the MLS. You could also bet on international sports leagues like the English Premier League Gamers Arenas. What’s more betting on college sports is allowed except where colleges based in RI are involved.

• Do Your Research

Betting on sports is simple. You can pick a game and back one of two teams. But this doesn’t guarantee you will win. Winning in sports betting requires extensive research. You have to look at every team’s squad, stats, form and play styles.

Some people even pay for betting tips but this isn’t always recommended. Tipsters, the people who sell betting tips, do the same type of match analyses you can do to bet and win. So, if you have to use betting tips, do your research and compare with professionals.

• Take Profits and Manage Risks

After you place a bet and win, you have the choice of betting again or taking profit. Most people prefer to take profit. However, there’s no harm in re-investing some of the money back, especially if your aim is to compound your profits.

All the same, have a risk-management program in place. You don’t want to spend more than you can afford. And you don’t want to lose all your profits. Create a budget to guide you on the amount of money to spend on every bet, every day.

If you exceed your daily or weekly budget, quit betting. Likewise, take profits after you have a goal. This way, you’ll enjoy sports betting more than if you kept wagering your money until you lost it.