Football bettors’ struggles have Nevada sportsbooks in position for record year

November historically has been the worst month of the football season for Nevada sportsbooks. Not this year.

Nevada books won $24.3 million off of football bets in November, a 559.7 percent increase from last November, when the books lost $5.2 million.

This November, the books held 6.84 percent of the roughly $350 million that was bet on NFL and college football at Nevada shops, according to numbers released Monday by Gaming Control. The sportsbooks had suffered a net loss on football in two out of the last three Novembers and have averaged a 2.86 percent hold on football bets in November since 2004. This was the books best November on football since 2006 and helped boost gaming revenue 12 percent statewide.

The state’s books are now up $70.2 million on football through the first three months of the regular season. They won $68.2 million on football in all of 2012. In 2006, Nevada sports books won a record $91.1 million on football, according to numbers from the UNLV Center for Gaming Research.

Overall, Nevada books won $30.5 million in November, $3.2 million of it coming from basketball. Parlays also contributed to the big month. The books held 40.4 percent of the money wagered on parlay cards in November.

Nevada Sportsbooks November Football Winnings

(Numbers in millions and include college and pro football).
Nov. 2013$24.2
Nov. 2012-$5.29
Nov. 2011$10.3
Nov. 2010-$2.4
Nov. 2009$14.8
Nov. 2008$24.2
Nov. 2007$12.2
Nov. 2006$26.5
Nov. 2005-$11.2
Nov. 2004-$6.0