Barstool Indiana Coming in May

Barstool Sports set to launch in Indiana before Indy 500.

Indiana’s sports betting market is thriving. The 10 licensed mobile sportsbooks currently operating in the state are collectively supporting millions of dollars worth of wagers every month. That’s millions of dollars in revenue that the Barstool Sportsbook (among others) is missing out on. But not for long, if the reports are true.

Earlier this year, Barstool parent Penn National Gaming teamed up with Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg, giving the company a foot in the door. Then on March 23, PNG’s digital wing, Penn Sports Interactive, secured an operator’s license from the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC). All that’s left to do now is launch Barstool Mobile in The Hoosier State. The question is, will it happen prior to the running of the 2021 Indy 500?

Barstool Sports to Launch in Indiana this Month

According to sources, Barstool Indiana is slated for launch in May. With the Indianapolis 500 set to run on May 30, that gives Hoosiers really good odds that they’ll have the option to bet on the big race with Barstool – assuming the launch occurs within the given time frame. That’s certainly what the brand’s head executives are hoping for, based on the initial growth of their betting product in other states.

Barstool is already up and running in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and most recently, Illinois. Penn National Gaming CEO Jay Snowden lauded the brand’s results in Illinois. Over the first 30 days of operation, Snowden says the brand “exceeded our expectations, with better first-time deposit conversions relative to what we had generated in Pennsylvania or Michigan.”

In just 30 days’ time, Barstool “registered over 54,700 new customers and generated total handle and gaming revenue of $67.7 million and $6.5 million, respectively,” said Snowden in the company’s quarterly financial update.”We also experienced high engagement, with 54% of our Illinois customers wagering on Barstool-exclusive bets.”

As wonderful as all that sounds, we don’t yet have information comparing Barstool’s results to any of its competitors in Illinois. That data won’t be available until the state gaming regulator releases betting market revenue for the full month of April. Plus, as Snowden himself pointed out, there’s a big difference between wagers handled, and revenue held. That is, the difference between the money bettor’s wagered, and the money the operator wins.

What’s so Special About Bartsool Indiana?

Truth be told, nothing – at least, not yet. Until Barstool launches in The Hoosier States, there’s no way to rank the operator among its piers. It’s a well-known brand name, which should help generate fanfare. But aside from that, Barstool doesn’t seem to have anything the market’s top-rated sportsbook aren’t already offering.

Based on their status in other states, Barstool Sports will be offering the same range of sporting lines as top operators like DraftKings. Their promotional campaign offers specials on major sports leagues, just like BetRivers. The range of payment methods is as varied as FanDuel.

Realistically, arriving so late could be a detriment to the success of Barstool Sports in Indiana. The retail and mobile betting market is approaching two years of regulated activity in the state. The majority of risk-seeking sports fans already have one or more account with Indiana’s established bookies. Line shopping and exclusive bets will surely get Barstool some action from Hoosiers. But it won’t be easy to gain leverage this late in the game.