Is Online Sports Betting Legal in North Carolina?

EDITED BY MICHELLE PRADO, COMMERCE CONTENT DIRECTOR

With the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris just a few weeks away, this is the perfect time to explore the sports betting landscape of North Carolina. If you’re curious about sports betting, we’ve got you covered with all the facts you need to know before you get started.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in North Carolina?

Short answer is, yes.

While in-person sports betting became legal in 2019 when Gov. Roy Cooper signed SB 154, the first online sportsbooks weren’t launched until 2021. Online mobile betting had to wait even longer. After years of conversation, Gov. Cooper in June 2023 signed HB 347, which legalized online sports betting in North Carolina. On March 11, mobile apps were up and running in time for college basketball’s March Madness tournament.

With eight sports books licensed to accept wagers, you now have an array of sports betting options at your fingertips.

How Old Do I Have to Be to Wager?

If you’re 21 years or older, you can legally wager on the available sports betting apps. Go to the sportsbook’s website, provide your email address, cell phone number, first and last name, birth date, and last four digits of your social security number. You can deposit and withdraw from your account online.

How Do I Know What Sportsbooks Offer Mobile Betting?

The eight sports books legally accepting wagers in North Carolina are: Bet365, Bet MGM, Caesars, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics, FanDuel and Underdog. Most have promotions for new bettors.

What Sports Can I Bet On?

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission, which oversees online and retail sports betting, allows wagers on all major professional and college sports, boxing, UFC, MMA, NASCAR, WNBA, the NBA summer league, tennis, soccer, golf and the Olympics, which run from July 26 through Aug. 11. This includes in-state Division I college programs.

Sportsbooks can also can offer odds on a variety of less-popular sports, including: Australian rules football, bowling, cricket, darts, jai-alai, table tennis and rugby. Download the North Carolina Sports Wagering Catalog for a complete list of events.

Keep in mind that each sportsbook has its own wagering menu. So, a wager you find in one sports book won’t necessarily be offered at another. It’s always best to shop around for your favorite wagers and odds.

What Kind of Wagers Can I Make?

North Carolina sportsbooks allow exchange wagering (also known as peer-to-peer), future bets, in-game, in-play, money lines, parlays, props, straight bets, teasers and totals.

Do I Have to Live in North Carolina to Bet Online?

No. You must only be physically within North Carolina state lines and have an account with a North Carolina sportsbook.

What’s the Difference Between Online Sports Books?

Bet365 Sportsbook: This UK-based book offers a variety of U.S. and international wagers. Promos include early payouts in baseball and hockey, bet boosts and parlay boosts up to 70%. It features a choice of two new-customer offers: A first-bet safety net of up to $1,000 in bonus bets or a Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets.

BetMGM Sportsbook: The book offers new customers a first-bet promo of up to $1,500 paid back in bonus bets if you lose your first wager. Other promos include: early soccer payouts, the Grand Slam Jackpot--which awards up to $50,000 each weekend during the MLB season, a Swing for the Fences game, and a refer-a-friend promo that’ll get you and a friend $100 each.

Caesars Sportsbook: One of the original books from the golden days of Las Vegas, Caesars features a Get Your First Bet Back promotion. If your first cash bet loses, you’ll get it back as a bonus bet up to $1,000. The book also offers an MLB parlay builder, odds boost bets and a refer-a-friend program where you can earn up to 50,000 in reward credits for sports bets, hotel stays and dining.

DraftKings Sportsbook: Make a $5 bet and get $150 instantly in bonus bets when you sign-up as a new customer. The sportsbook also offers a variety of bar-like pool-betting games, odds boost bets and its own DraftKings network.

ESPN BET Sportsbook: A relative newcomer to the sports-betting scene, this book partners with ESPN celebrities and has a daily cable show, ESPN BET Live. New customer promos offer a first-bet reset up to $1,000 if you lose your first bet, and a first-time deposit match up to $500. Bettors can also earn PENN cash for tickets to sports and entertainment events.

Fanatics Sportsbook: A customizable home page features marquee games, trending bets, promos and rewards based on your betting history. Earn up to 10% FanCash on your bets, win or lose. Spend your FanCash on bonus bets, apparel and more. The book also offers a Last Leg Letdown parlay drawing, daily rewards and a Roommate Podcast giveaway.

FanDuel Sportsbook: Bet $5 and get $200 in bonus bets if your first bet wins. New customers only. The book also has its own network on FanDuel TV.

Underdog Sportsbook: Better known for its fantasy sports, Underdog is a newcomer on the sports-betting scene. It currently offers odds on MLB and MLS. Newcomers who bet $5 get $100 in bonus bets. A second promo offers bettors a free wager when making five wagers in a weekly seven-day qualifying period.

Retail (brick and mortar) sports-betting locations:

• Catawba Two Kings Casino (538 Kings Mountain Blvd., Kings Mountain)

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (777 Casino Dr., Cherokee)

• Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River (777 Casino Parkway, Murphy)

Is Sports Betting Profitable for the State?

Total wagering revenue in March was $659 million, according to the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. Gross wagering revenue was $66.4 million. To see numbers through June, go to North Carolina State Lottery Commission’s Reports page.

Responsible Gambling

Always gamble responsibly. All licensed and legal operators in the United States have resources available to bettors, including educational guides on how to spot problem gaming, links to support services and tools to self-exclude for a set period of time. Support is available at the National Council on Problem Gaming, 1-800-GAMBLER and American Addiction Centers. Be sure to only wager on gambling sites that are licensed and regulated by the gaming regulatory body in your state. That ensures games are fair, bets are honored, customers’ funds are secure and that there are legal protections for the consumer.

Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.