It’s been 169 days since SuperBook Sports launched their Arizona sports betting mobile application, becoming the 12th of 18 licensed operators to do so in the state.
Fast-forward nearly six months, and the Grand Canyon State has become a bellwether of sorts for Jay Kornegay, who serves as the Vice President of Race & Sports Book Operations for the Vegas-based operator.
Kornegay said SuperBook Sports — which previously launched operations in Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey and Tennessee — has been thrilled with its early results.
“We need more states like Arizona,” Kornegay told BetArizona.com. “Arizona has really, in the early stages, treated us very well. And it’s one of the better performing states that we’re in.”
Arizona Sports Betting Handle by Operator
Where SuperBook Sports Plans to Go in Arizona
To Kornegay’s point, so far SuperBook Sports has raked in roughly $3.7 million in handle between its Dec. 21 launch and the end of March (the most recent data made available by the Arizona Department of Gaming.)
SuperBook’s month-to-month breakdown has ebbed and flowed so far, spiking from $171,091.94 in December to a high of $1.415 million in February, offset by a 21.9% drop to $1.104 million in March.
Nonetheless, Kornegay sees SuperBook’s operation gathering steam, with a full NFL season ahead of them and months’ worth of ad-spend building the company’s name recognition in a highly competitive market.
“As we grow, just like we have done in other states, our strategy is to pick up our marketing spend,” Kornegay said. “Maybe not during the pre-summer months, but during the mid-and-late summer months into the fall as football season returns. We look to pick that up, to gain our desired market share (in Arizona).”
How SuperBook Sports Plans on Growing in Arizona
It’s no secret the biggest names in the mobile sports betting industry —DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM Arizona and Caesars Sportsbook — have been well ahead of the competition, handle-wise, in Arizona.
The aforementioned quartet of Arizona betting apps has raked in between $495.3 million (Caesars) and $1.079 billion (DraftKings) in bets since September.
The rest of the top 10 in handle (Barstool Sports, WynnBET, Rush Street Interactive, TwinSpires, Unibet Arizona and SuperBook Sports) have combined to take in $279.038 million.
Kornegay isn’t daunted by that gulf, however, touting the institutional advantages SuperBook Sports has at its disposal and the growth they’ve seen since launching in Arizona.
“It’s really all about trying to get the word out of how we differentiate ourselves from the others,” Kornegay said about growing market share in Arizona. “And like we do in other states, SuperBook’s strengths are its reputation and brand — the experience that we have under our belts, because we have something like 130 years of bookmaking experience — and running our show.
“So, it’s important for us to get the word out. When Arizona bettors are looking to place bets, it’s best for them to shop around and maybe have three or four different apps and take a look at the pricing and splits that operators offer, because there’s certainly an advantage of betting into events with favorable pricing.”
Where SuperBook Sports Can Go in Arizona
Kornegay declined to cite any specific handle figures for SuperBook Sports but said the operator can expect to see multiples of what they’re currently pulling in once football season arrives.
In total, Kornegay estimated SuperBook Sports’ sports betting handle could double from its average of $1.235 million this fall, which would put it on par with operators like WynnBET and Rush Street Interactive (BetRivers Arizona).
“I expect to see the continued growth that we’re seeing in Arizona to continue moving forward,” Kornegay said. “I know a lot of people are surprised with the early figures coming out of Arizona, as were we to a certain extent. But the number of bettors and the number of tickets that we’re writing in Arizona are very favorable in our eyes.”
All in all, Kornegay expects Arizona to be a cornerstone for SuperBook Sports’ operations.
“We’re looking to invest more time and resources in Arizona because we're bullish on the state,” Kornegay said. “With the growth that we see, we expect it will continue, in the near future.”
Kornegay and his team hope to ensure the company is set up for success when the NFL season kicks off in September.
“We've always viewed this as more of a marathon than a sprint. We want to make sure that we do it right,” Kornegay said. “We want to make sure that it makes sense for not only SuperBook Sports, but for our customers, so that we're able to offer them a brand that they're familiar with.”
