HARRISBURG — Sports betting in Pennsylvania blew through its previous monthly record with the start of the NFL season.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said Thursday that gamblers bet a record $194.5 million in September at nine casinos and two off-track betting parlors where sports betting is approved. That was above the prior record of $109 million bet in August, a 78% jump.

Valley Forge Casino in suburban Philadelphia dwarfed its nearest competitor, with $88.5 million in bets, practically all of it online. The casinos made $19 million, while $5 million went to taxes.

For comparison, New Jersey’s casino and racetrack-based sports books handled a record-breaking $445 million in bets in September, the largest monthly total in the state since legal sports betting began in June 2018.

— The Associated Press