North Carolina is now considered a haven for geeks, gamers, otakus, and tech enthusiasts as the Tar Heel State has been ranked as the 11th nerdiest state in the United States.
Home to the annual ‘Heroes Convention,’ which will take place from June 14 - June 16, 2024, the event is one of the oldest and largest independent book conventions in the country. Charlotte, the ‘Queen City’ has hosted the occasion since 1982, becoming a staple for comic con lovers in the
heart of North Carolina.
Along with the iconic ‘Heroes Convention,’ the Tar Heel State also hosts 19 other events with a diverse focus ranging from comic books, pop culture, sci-fi, fantasy, anime, gaming, cosplay, and collectibles.
With the San Diego Comic-Con coming to an end this past weekend, BetCarolina.com, your home to North Carolina sports betting, used data from Comic Cons in United States (USA), Bookstores in America, 2013: A State-by-State Guide (publishersweekly.com), and Google Trends to construct a weighted scoring system based on the number of annual comic book/anime conventions and the number of bookstores per capita (“Cool Things Score”), and Google search volume on queries like “Live Action Roleplaying”, “Comic books stores near me”, “Tabletop Games” (“Average Nerdy Search Volume”) and created a “Nerd Index” by which to rank the states.
The fact that the Tar Heel State hosts a variety of comic cons showcases its status as a popular destination for anime enthusiasts. North Carolina is ranked 11th as the nerdiest state in the country, while having the second-highest “Cool Things Score” at 53 points compiled by the number of bookstores per capita.
With a commendable nerd index score of 66.5 points, North Carolina narrowly misses securing a Top 10 spot, which is led by Alaska, Maryland, Kansas, Wyoming, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Montana, and Georgia. Tennessee currently holds the highest “Cool Things Score” with 57 points, ahead of North Carolina.
Aside from Charlotte’s “Heroes Convention,” the ‘Queen City’ also hosts the nation’s largest trading card, anime, and pop culture convention, the “Collect-A-Con” taking place on Sept. 16 through Sept. 17.
Without a doubt, North Carolina delivers a captivating comic book and fandom experience for worldwide visitors.
Keep tabs on BetCarolina.com for more fun research like this in the lead up to North Carolina betting apps early next year,
Author
Felix Veletanga is an experienced reporter who has covered local news, politics, and sports in Northern New Jersey, and now lends his expertise to the North Carolina sports betting market. He previously covered the Saint Peter’s men’s basketball team’s 2022 NCAA Cinderella run for HudPost. Felix specializes in combat fighting and soccer betting analysis with a focus on the Premier League.
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