Italy’s online gamblers spent a record sum on sports betting in 2017, accounting for over half of all betting wagers.

Figures reported this week by Italian gaming news outlet Agimeg show Italian sports bettors wagered a record €9.9b in 2017, up from €7.5b in 2016 and just €5.5b in 2015. Roughly 56% (€5.65b) of 2017’s betting handle was wagered via Italian-licensed online betting sites.

The 2017 figures were goosed by a 287% rise in December’s betting handle, attributable in part to Serie A football staging matches through the holiday season for the first time, delaying players’ holiday break until the end of January. Also bringing joy to operators’ faces was December’s 75.5% payout ratio to bettors, the lowest figure all year.

Italian-licensed operators’ full-year sports betting revenue surged 44.5% year-on-year to €1.34b. Online betting revenue was up 59.4% to €555.6m, including €82m in just the month of December.