Best North Carolina Sports Betting Sites for March 11 launch
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North Carolina is on the verge of launching online sports betting. Gov. Roy Cooper has said he wants the best North Carolina sports betting sites ready for March Madness, which tips off on March 21, 2024.
Eight operators have met the North Carolina State Lottery Commission’s deadline for applications.
These eight include include Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Underdog Sports. Regulators are now vetting the sportsbooks and finalizing state sports betting rules in anticipation of a mid-March launch.
Sports betting sites must partner with a professional sports franchise, league, golf club, or racetrack to get licensed in North Carolina. However, Caesars Sportsbook is getting a sports betting supplier license because it has already partnered with two tribal casinos in the state.
Here's more on why many of these sportsbooks are already considered the best North Carolina sports betting sites, even before launch.
While real money online sports betting is legal in North Carolina, no NC online sportsbooks have launched yet. None of the online sportsbooks discussed on this page are currently live and each are still subject to regulatory approval. Regulators have announced March 11, 2024, as the anticipated launch date for online sports betting in NC.
Table of contents
Best NC sports betting sites
- Best sports betting site for odds: Caesars posts consistently competitive odds for major sports. The site can often be points better on spreads and offer lower vig on moneylines.
- Best sports betting site for promos: BetMGM constantly rolls out promos such as bonus bets, odds boosts, contests, sweepstakes, and betting specials.
- Best sports betting site for bonuses: Fanatics offers daily bonus bets and opportunities to collect FanCash, which you can use to bet or purchase apparel.
- Best sports betting site for contests: DraftKings runs a variety of free contests surrounding the biggest games of the year. You can expect more than just a free bracket challenge for March Madness in North Carolina this year.
- Best sports betting site software: FanDuel is glitch-free, solid, and easy to use, making it the best sports betting site software in the business.
- Best sports betting site for live betting: Bet365 offers an extensive list of live betting and live streaming options. Watching and betting have never been easier.
Top sports betting sites in North Carolina
Here’s a quick look at the best North Carolina sports betting sites and why these sportsbooks make that list, pending regulatory approval:
Caesars Sportsbook NC
Caesars Sportsbook posts consistently competitive odds, making it one of the best North Carolina sports betting sites. It’s always worth a look when shopping for the best lines because it’s possible to find better spreads and moneylines at Caesars. You also earn Caesars Rewards points, adding value to every bet, win or lose.
- Caesars North Carolina sports betting partner: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina (Harrah's Cherokee casinos)
- Current North Carolina welcome offer: TBD
BetMGM Sportsbook NC
BetMGM runs so many lucrative promos that it has to be considered one of the best North Carolina sports betting sites. Regularly available promos include bonus bets, odds boosts, contests, sweepstakes, betting specials, and a referral program. You can hardly get a bet down at BetMGM without landing on some additional value.
- BetMGM North Carolina sports betting partner: Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Current North Carolina welcome offer: TBD
FanDuel Sportsbook NC
Given its incredibly smooth and dependable software, FanDuel has to be considered one of the best North Carolina sports betting sites. The software is practically glitch-free. Plus, it runs so smoothly that browsing the lines and placing bets is easy. FanDuel’s superior software is one of the big reasons it dominates in most state sports betting markets.
- FanDuel North Carolina sports betting partner: PGA Tour
- Current North Carolina welcome offer:TBD
DraftKings Sportsbook NC
DraftKings runs so many contests surrounding big events that it must be considered one of the best North Carolina sports betting sites. DK always has free contests surrounding the biggest games and events across the country, offering a ton of value to every player. You don’t have to bet to make money with the free contests at DraftKings. However, many betting options are available whenever you decide to let any of your contest winnings ride.
- DraftKings North Carolina sports betting partner: NASCAR
- Current welcome offer:TBD
Bet365 Sportsbook NC
Bet365 makes our list of the best future North Carolina sports betting sites based on the strength of its live betting platform. You can stream games and bet on the action as it happens in various ways. Bet365 simply makes watching and betting easy and fun.
- Bet365 North Carolina sports betting partner: Charlotte Hornets
- Current welcome offer:TBD
Fanatics Sportsbook NC
The place to get your favorite team’s gear is now the place to bet on your favorite team, making Fanatics one of North Carolina’s best online sports betting sites. The popular sports merchandise and apparel retailer is now a rising online sportsbook, offering promos like daily bonus bets and a myriad of opportunities to earn FanCash, with which you can bet or purchase merch.
- Fanatics North Carolina sports betting partner: Carolina Hurricanes
- Current welcome offer:TBD
How we rank the top NC sports betting sites
We rank the top North Carolina sports betting sites based on our experience betting with these sites in other states. You can trust our opinions because we have decades of experience testing and reviewing sports betting sites.
We also consider certain categories you’ve identified as important in choosing a sports betting site. We make sure the odds are consistently competitive and that there’s a variety of ways to bet.
We try to identify the sports betting sites with the best bonuses, contests, and promos, offering additional value to new and existing players.
Plus, we look for sites that run on reliable software platforms, with easy-to-use and legitimate baking options and special features that enhance the sports betting experience.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up a sports betting account in North Carolina.
- Click any of the sportsbook app links on this page to ensure you get access to our exclusive welcome bonus offers.
- Fill out the registration forms on the sportsbook website, entering basic information that includes your name, address, and date of birth.
- Check the privacy policy and terms and conditions boxes.
- Submit all your forms and information to create your new account immediately.
- Provide the sportsbook with a copy of your ID to verify your identity, prevent fraud, and ensure access to fast payouts.
North Carolina sports betting sites vs. retail sports betting
The best North Carolina sports betting sites will launch on March 11, 2024, but you can already place bets in person at retail sportsbooks inside the Harrah's Cherokee casinos in Cherokee and Murphy and the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain.
One of the biggest differences between North Carolina sports betting sites and retail sportsbooks is payout speed. It’s hard to beat immediately available cash at the ticket window inside a retail sportsbook. However, North Carolina sports betting sites are more convenient in almost every other way.
You don't have to leave home to bet, you don’t need cash to bet, and the best North Carolina sports betting sites offer you thousands of dollars in welcome bonuses and ongoing promos.
You get bonuses just for signing up for an account, depositing, and betting. Plus, you can take advantage of regular odds boosts, free contests, and other promos.
Retail sportsbooks might run a few promos or contests of their own, but these don't compare to the value you can find at the best North Carolina sports betting sites.
Popular bet types at North Carolina betting sites
The best North Carolina sports betting sites are going to offer you a variety of ways to bet on all kinds of sports. Here are the most popular bet types.
Point spreads
Pick game winners with a point spread set by sportsbooks factored into the final score. The spread works like a handicap, spotting the game’s underdog a few points to even out the odds.
You add the points to the underdog’s final score or deduct them from the favorite’s, using the adjusted final score to determine if your bet wins. Bet on the favorite or the underdog, but all bets are booked at mostly even odds, with a small profit for the sportsbook baked into the odds.
Moneylines
Pick straight-up game winners. There’s no point spread here. You simply book your bet on the favorite or underdog at the currently posted odds. The odds on the favorite have a minus sign out front, telling you how much you must bet to win $100 in profit.
The odds on the underdog have a plus sign out front, telling you how much profit you can earn for every $100 you bet. Winners get paid at the odds as posted when the bet was placed, no matter how much they change after.
Totals
Bet that the total points scored in a game will land over or under a line set by sportsbooks. Sportsbooks set the lines so that the odds on either side are close to even. Again, the common -110 number betrays the slight vig (-10) charged by the sportsbook.
Parlays
Combine two or more picks into one bet to make it a parlay. Parlays pay better than the sum of the individual legs because you have to win every single one to win anything at all.
Same game parlays
Combine two or more picks from the same game into one bet to make it a same game parlay. Same game parlays pay better than the sum of the individual legs because you have to win every single one to win anything at all.
However, same game parlays generally pay less than traditional parlays because the legs can be correlated.
Prop bets
Props let you bet on team and individual stats, accomplishments, and happenings throughout a game, like how many points one player might score, if one team will hit more or less than five three-pointers, or if the game will include an overtime period.
There are all kinds of props available for each game, but they’re generally framed as ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions or over-under-style bets against a line. The odds work similarly to those for moneyline or totals bets.
Live bets
Live bets allow you to bet on games in the middle of the action at odds that are constantly changing based on time, score, and other in-game factors. There are all kinds of live bets available during each game.
Many are the same as the pre-game lines, while others let you bet on individual possessions or drives.
Futures
Bet on outcomes in the near future, like March Madness or NBA Championship winner this season. These odds start long and stay long throughout the year until a true favorite emerges.
Futures betting also includes season-long award and stat leader betting, team win totals, and playoff placement.
Payment and cashout options at NC sports betting sites
Payment and cashout options available at the best North Carolina sports betting sites will include the following.
- PayPal/Venmo/Skrill: Third-party online payment processors
- Affiliated Sportsbook Properties: Cash from the ticket windows at affiliated retail sportsbooks
- Play+: Prepaid credit cards you can also use to withdraw cash at the ATM
- Online Banking: Your online bank account
- ACH/Instant Bank Transfer: E-check and online bank transfers
NC sports betting welcome offers and bonuses
You can expect the best North Carolina sports betting sites to offer you welcome bonuses when they launch. Here’s what the best North Carolina sports betting sites are currently offering players as welcome bonuses in other states.
Are North Carolina best sports betting sites legal?
Sports betting is legal in North Carolina. In fact, you can already place bets at retail sportsbooks inside Harrah's Cherokee Casinos in Cherokee and Murphy and the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain.
The state also passed online sports betting legislation in 2023, and Gov. Roy Cooper hopes North Carolina’s first sports betting sites will launch by March Madness 2024.
With the law already in place, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission is now vetting the first group of sports betting license applicants, finalizing the state’s rules for sports betting, and working toward that mid-March launch date.
Best North Carolina sports betting sites FAQ
What sports betting sites are legal in NC?
North Carolina is in the midst of the state’s first sports betting site licensing process. Seven sports betting sites applied for licenses: Bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Underdog Sports. Plus, Caesars Sportsbook has applied for a sports betting supplier license through its partnership with two tribal casinos in the state.
How can I bet on sports in North Carolina?
You can bet on sports in North Carolina the same way you might in other states. You can already bet at retail sportsbooks inside Harrah's Cherokee Casinos in Cherokee and Murphy and the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain. Other retail sportsbooks are coming, and North Carolina’s first online sports betting sites will launch in time for March Madness 2024.
Is it easy to withdraw money from NC sports betting sites?
NC sports betting sites will make it easy to withdraw money from your account. You can normally get your money off the sites the same way you deposited. Payment and cashout options available at the best North Carolina sports betting sites will include PayPal/Venmo/Skrill, affiliated retail sportsbooks, Play+ cards, online banking, and ACH/Instant Bank Transfer.
What sports can I bet on at North Carolina betting sites?
You can bet on all major US sports with North Carolina sports betting sites, including pro and college sports. You’ll find NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and NCAA basketball and football markets at the best North Carolina sports betting sites. Plus, many will offer betting on a variety of women’s sports, international competitions like the Olympics, and other popular overseas action.
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