Betfair not bothered by New Jersey exchange wagering’s slow start

The US division of betting exchange Betfair says it’s not bothered by the slow start of its New Jersey exchange wagering site.

On May 10, Betfair US launched exchange wagering on 4NJBets, the New Jersey advance deposit wagering site run by Betfair’s TVG racing offshoot. The launch marked the first licensed exchange betting operation in the US and followed years of effort by Betfair to convince regulators and tracks to get with the program.

This week, the New Jersey Racing Commission delivered the goods on the exchange wagering site’s performance in the 13 weeks to Aug. 7. During this period, New Jersey bettors placed exchange wagers worth an average of around $150k per week (some of which was matched with Betfair’s UK customer base).

However, it seems the initial excitement over America’s first betting exchange has already worn off. Average handle over the product’s first seven weeks of operation was $163,175, 8% higher than the 13-week average.