Despite Maryland’s relatively temperate climate of late, state residents want to go someplace even more pleasant when they travel. In many of those destinations, folks using Maryland sportsbook apps can also turn to those sites to place bets, if those operators are legal and regulated in those states.
For some perspective on Maryland weather and how it might influence travel plans, consider that in central Maryland, where most of the state’s residents live, there hasn’t been a significant blizzard since 2016.
In 2010, Maryland endured back-to-back blizzards that dumped 40 inches of snow on the Free State. And during a stretch from 2013-14 through 2015-16, Maryland was hit with an average of 34 inches of snow during those three winters.
Perhaps those memories of shoveling and scraping are driving folks’ travel plans even now. Though from 2016-17 through 2021-22, the state has gotten an annual average snowfall of just 10.6 inches of snow.
In any event, Marylanders’ top destinations for travel are all locales known for warmer climes, as well as major teams that folks using Maryland sports betting promos will recognize.
Here’s how BetMaryland.com examined Marylanders’ travel habits. We used Google Trends to determine the most searched cities by each state, using the term “Flights To” and finding the most often searched city at the end of the phrase.
After completing the trends over a span of 12 months (from June 25, 2022, to June 25, 2023), BetMaryland.com found results to get the top three cities for the state of Maryland. Cities within the state were not included.
And to end the suspense: The winner of our examination of state residents’ travel preferences was Miami, Florida, one of the warmest popular vacation destinations in the country.
Miami was followed by Las Vegas, Nevada, which has its obvious appeal along with usually sunny weather, and Atlanta, Georgia.
Miami gets high marks not just for year-round balmy weather but for its beaches and the clear, turquoise Atlantic. Along with relaxing days, the city has a vibrant vibe driven, in no small part, by the Cuban influence that infuses Miami’s food, music and daily life.
Folks who follow sports and wager on Maryland sports betting events for the Ravens, Wizards, Orioles and Capitals will no doubt be familiar with south Florida’s teams – in those sports, the Dolphins, Heat, Marlins and Panthers, respectively.
The No. 2 city most favored by Marylanders was Las Vegas, and that includes politicians and government representatives extolling the charms of Maryland, Baltimore and some of the state’s counties at the International Council of Shopping Centers. They make pilgrimages to Vegas to boost business back home, often getting attention in the local press.
The Old Line State has six casinos of its own plus online and retail sports wagering (but no Maryland online casinos) and Atlantic City is several hours away by car. Yet BetMaryland.com research shows that Marylanders don’t mind flying the 2,400 miles to take in Las Vegas’ critical mass of gambling, entertainment and dining.
Despite the Vegas promotional images of palm trees, the city does get cool – usually too cool for pool swimming – in winter. However, there is the promise of sunshine all year – an average of more than 300 days annually.
Atlanta, as the No. 3 choice of Marylanders, attracts visitors who want both warm weather and the vibrancy of an urban setting.
Nicknamed “Hotlanta” (to the apparent chagrin of some in the Georgia city), just a few of the city’s most popular attractions are Centennial Olympic Park with the Fountain of Rings show; the SkyView Atlanta observation wheel, and a homage to an American classic, the World of Coca-Cola.
Author
A longtime reporter and editor who began writing on casinos and gaming shortly after Atlantic City’s first gambling halls opened, Bill covered the World Series of Poker and wrote a syndicated column on travel to casino destinations for a decade.
Cited by leading media organizations, such as:
