Handle

Handle is the dominant top-line reporting metric in US sports betting, used by state regulators in monthly market data releases and by operators in earnings disclosures. Combined with GGR (sometimes called "revenue" in US reporting), handle gives the picture of both volume and margin: hold percentage (GGR divided by handle) signals trading efficiency, market type mix, and player sophistication. The metric's prominence in US reporting reflects the regulatory framework's heritage in older horse racing pari-mutuel concepts, where turnover was the natural unit. European reporting tends to emphasize GGR/NGR as the primary commercial metric, with handle as a supporting figure. Cross-market analysis benefits from looking at both: a market with high handle and low hold may have efficient pricing and sophisticated players; a market with lower handle and higher hold may have less efficient pricing and more recreational players.