Tennessee Sports Betting Handle Hits $588.6M in September

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Wed Oct 28, 2026, 11:00 am ET

Read Time: 3 minutes

Tennessee Sports Betting Handle Hits $588.6M in September

industry

Tennessee's sports betting market recorded another strong month in September 2026, with reported wagering activity rising around 5% year over year. 

Reports mention that the state's sports betting market accumulated a $591.9 million handle, the highest monthly total of the year so far. Meanwhile, figures from the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) put adjusted gross handle at $588.6 million, generating $10.88 million in privilege taxes.

The results arrived as professional and college football returned to the center of the US sports calendar. 

The overlapping schedules gave bettors plenty of opportunities to follow NFL and college matchups, including games featuring Tennessee's most prominent teams.

Tennessee Reports $10.88 Million in Sports Betting Taxes

The SWC's September report provides the regulatory figures behind the state's sports betting performance. It recorded $588.6 million in gross handle after adjustments, with $10.88 million in privilege tax assessed. 

The gross handle figure was up approximately 4.9% from September 2025, according to reporting on the council's figures.

Tennessee assesses a 1.85% privilege tax on gross handle, rather than taxing sportsbook revenue after payouts. The calculation allows specified adjustments, including qualifying cancelled or voided wagers and federal excise tax. 

Winning payouts and promotional wagers cannot be deducted under the state's current framework.

That distinction matters when comparing market activity with tax receipts. Handle measures the volume of wagers, not sportsbook profit, and the tax is calculated using the state's statutory method. 

September's figures therefore offer both a snapshot of wagering demand and a measure of the tax generated for Tennessee.

Football Season Supports Betting Activity

September brought a full slate of NFL games alongside a busy college football schedule. This overlap gave customers using US online sportsbooks a wider range of weekly markets, from game winners and point spreads to totals and player-related wagers.

Bettors following professional football could compare NFL odds across matchups throughout the month. College football fans, meanwhile, had opportunities to assess NCAAF odds as teams established their early-season form. 

However, the statewide figures do not establish how much handle came from any particular sport or matchup.

The month's schedule also featured mixed results for Tennessee's major teams. The Titans lost all three of their September games, falling to the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Their 12-7 defeat to the Giants on September 27 capped a difficult start to the NFL season.

The Tennessee Volunteers began their college campaign more convincingly, defeating Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State. They then lost 20-17 to Texas on September 26. 

Those results gave local fans contrasting storylines, although the state's aggregate data cannot show whether either team's performance directly influenced betting volume.

What the September Figures Mean for Tennessee Gambling

The rise in wagering activity suggests that Tennessee's sports betting market remained active as football season gathered momentum. The SWC's tax figures also show how the state's handle-based system converts betting volume into public revenue.

Nevertheless, the monthly total alone cannot explain which factors drove the increase. Football schedules, individual matchups and broader wagering patterns may all have contributed, but the available figures do not quantify their respective effects.

For Tennessee gambling, September provides a useful benchmark for the months ahead. Subsequent SWC reports will show whether wagering activity remains elevated as the NFL season progresses and college football moves toward its postseason.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.