From the Bronx to Yonkers, New York’s sports betting market is smashing records nobody expected, and your favorite teams play a big part in that.
If you live in Yonkers or anywhere in the New York metro area and you’ve put money on the Knicks or Yankees lately, you’re far from alone. New York State went from quietly joining the betting world to leading it loud and clear. The numbers are wild, the fans are fired up and the teams at the center of it all are the same ones New Yorkers have obsessed over for years.
New York’s out in front
Let’s start big, because these numbers are huge. In 2025, people in New York wagered $26.3 billion online, nearly 16% more than the year before, and the biggest jump the state’s ever seen. The state charges sportsbooks a 51% tax on gross gaming revenue and the market just keeps growing.
In 2025 alone, New Yorkers poured over $1.19 billion in tax money into state coffers through mobile betting, a lot of it going straight to education. Like it or not, New York nailed the blueprint for large-scale sports betting.
Platforms that have it all
With so much going on, finding a platform that covers everything matters. Betway is one to check out if you want more than the standard American options. Do through the Betway registration and you’ll get betting options on tons of sports, live action, plus casino games like slots, poker and blackjack.
They also help users learn about bets and handle deposits and withdrawals, with a real emphasis on keeping gambling responsible. Just keep in mind, Betway is licensed in multiple African countries mostly, so it’s more of an international platform.
October 2025 was a month like no other
If one month sums up where New York betting stands, it’s October 2025. Online sportsbooks processed an eye-popping $2.64 billion in bets, brought in $238.7 million in gross gaming revenue and delivered $121.8 million in taxes to the state. Those are records, plain and simple.
Why did October go so crazy? It wasn’t only football season, but that helped. The Yankees’ playoff chase and the Giants rebounding brought in more fans, while Knicks and Rangers games kept bettors active. People in Yonkers, just down the highway from Yankee Stadium, really felt it as the Yankees fought for the postseason, and it showed up in the numbers.
The Yankees is still the bettors’ favorite
When it comes to baseball betting in New York, the Yankees are still the main draw. With 27 World Series titles, they’re one of the most bet-on teams in the state. The weight of that history gives every single regular season game a certain energy that goes straight into betting action.
Their 2025 playoff push only cranked the excitement higher. As the Yankees rolled deeper into the postseason, betting activity spiked across New York. For fans in places like Yonkers and Westchester who have been going to games for generations, betting on the Yankees isn’t just about money, it’s about pride.
The Knicks are back and bettors are watching
The Yankees might be the foundation, but the Knicks are the hottest new story. In 2025, the Knicks finally made the Eastern Conference Finals, breaking a long stretch of playoff misery and reigniting the NBA’s most intense fan base.
That run had a real effect on betting. Jalen Brunson is the kind of star you build futures bets around, and Madison Square Garden is buzzing again. For Knicks fans in Yonkers who’ve waited years for May basketball to matter, this is huge.
Who else are people betting on?
Sure, the Knicks and Yankees get the headlines, but New York bettors have tons of choices. Local sportsbooks let you bet on the Mets, Giants, Jets, Rangers and Islanders, basically every major league team around. Football always brings in the biggest numbers, especially during NFL season or months when all the sports overlap, like October.
The Mets draw heavy action when they face the Yankees, and hockey fans back the Rangers with a vengeance when they make playoff runs. No other state gives bettors as many options as New York does right now.
What’s fueling growth into 2026
This thing isn’t slowing down. In March 2026, New Yorkers wagered $2.33 billion and generated $111 million in taxes, setting another monthly record. February 2026 saw an increase of over $107 million compared to last February. The Knicks’ playoff run is already keeping bettors locked in, and with the Yankees gearing up for another strong season, 2026’s numbers are only going higher.
Governor Kathy Hochul even included instructions in her 2026 agenda for the State Gaming Commission to look into using biometric tools to better manage access to sports betting sites. So New York’s thinking about how to keep the market strong for years, not just squeezing it for cash now.
