Waiting for online sports betting in North Carolina to launch hasn’t stopped North Carolinians from seeking betting information.
Every day, individuals perform thousands of searches on Google for sportsbooks from within North Carolina. We dove into that data from Google Trends to find the most popular searches for betting terms.
Sportsbook terms via Google Trends data
Sports betting will launch in North Carolina in 2024. Perhaps as early as January and in time for the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl betting. The sports betting launch window runs from Jan. 8 to June 14, 2024. Already, North Carolinians are seeking information about sports betting apps in NC.
According to Google search data from July 11 to Oct. 11, DraftKings was the most searched brand name among the sports betting operators likely to be available in North Carolina.
In the last few months DraftKings and FanDuel, who battle each other for dominance in most states, have the number one and number two spots among searches for sportsbook names in NC.
According to Google Trends, DraftKings scored 74 in “Interest Over Time.” That score is on a scale of 1-100, based on the proprietary search data from Google’s search traffic. FanDuel rates at 69, Caesars at 33, and other future North Carolina sportsbook operators far behind.
While search traffic for the term ‘sportsbook promo offers’ has not reached a high level yet in NC, it’s bound to increase when we learn the launch date.
DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and other sports betting operators will reveal their special NC sports betting promo offers in the weeks before the market launches.
ESPN Bet has brand awareness already
It’s interesting to note that ESPN Bet has nearly the same level of search interest as BetMGM and Fanatics. The new sportsbook, ESPN Bet, will not be available in the U.S. until possibly November and only in a handful of states.
Its parent company, PENN, plans to roll it out to replace Barstool Sportsbook. Bettors in North Carolina can expect ESPN Bet NC to be among the sportsbooks they can download next year.
Betting terms searched for in North Carolina
For those with experience with sports betting, it can be easy to forget that many consumers don’t know the terminology. But, some terms have become popular across the country, even in North Carolina where sports betting is not yet available legally.
By far, the most common betting type that NC Google users search for is “parlay.” A parlay is a bet made of other bets. The bettor must win each of the bets to be successful in the overall parlay. Each bet inside a parlay is called a “leg.” Miss one leg of a parlay and the parlay loses. But get them all correct and you win big based on long odds.
Interest Over Time Score from Google
- Parlay … 43
- Prop Bet … 11
- Moneyline … 21
- Point Spread … 15
- Futures Bet … 5
What’s next for NC sports betting?
The state is compiling the process for regulating and implementing its new sports betting market via the North Carolina Lottery Commission. Sports betting operators must partner with a pro sports team, or other specific entities to qualify to apply for a license.
The NCLC has yet to accept applications or set forth rules and regulations for the industry. Once it does, a public comment period will follow before rules get finalized and a launch nears.
The state is expected to have a very active sports betting market, especially for NFL football, college football, and NASCAR. The latter sport is one of the most popular and fastest-growing in North Carolina.