Sports betting in NC: When does it start?
Next month, online sports betting is set to take over North Carolina.
The North Carolina Lottery Commission announced sports betting will go live at noon March 11, with early registration to sportsbooks beginning Friday, March 1.
Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347, otherwise known as the Sports Wagering Bill, into law in June. The North Carolina sports betting bill permits up to 12 online sportsbooks to launch in the state.
Those who are eager to bet on their favorite teams and players may be wondering how they can participate. Here is how the state was able to raise the stakes and how you can take part.
Isn't sports betting already legal in North Carolina?
It’s already legal to wager on sporting events in tribal casinos in the state. State legislators voted to allow sports betting on tribal land in 2019.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened the state’s first sports betting site in March 2021 at two Harrah’s Cherokee casino locations in western North Carolina. The Catawba Nation also allows sports betting at their Kings Mountain casino, the Two Kings Casino.
Where can I place a sports bet?
The country's most popular sportsbooks are preparing to launch in the state. Sportsbooks partner with groups in hopes of advertising and expanding their market. These are the eight online sports betting apps that have been approved to operate in North Carolina in March:
- BetMGM - Partnered with Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Caesars Sportsbook - Partnership TBA
- FanDuel - Partnered with PGA Tour
- DraftKings - Partnered with NASCAR
- Fanatics Sportsbook - Partnered with Carolina Hurricanes
- bet365 - Partnered with Charlotte Hornets
- ESPN BET - Partnered with Quail Hollow Club
- Underdog - Partnered with Sedgefield Country Club
What sports can I bet on in North Carolina?
Betting on professional and college sports has been legalized by the Sports Wagering Bill. Operators will cover more than 20 sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, golf, MMA, tennis, boxing, college sports, NASCAR and eSports.
Gamblers can choose from hundreds of betting options, including:
- Spreads, where bettors predict the margin of a victory or loss.
- Totals, where bettors predict the combined score, or over/under.
- Moneylines, where bettors place bets on a game or a match's conclusion.
- Props, where a bet is not tied to the outcome of a game or match.
- Parlays, where bettors combine two or more bets on the same ticket to create a larger bet.
- Round Robins, a form of parlay that automatically creates smaller parlays from a larger list of bets.
- Teasers, which are bets that adjust multiple spreads or totals to the advantage of the bettor.
- Futures, which are bets in which the outcome will take an extended amount of time to be decided.
How old do I have to be to bet in North Carolina?
You must be 21 or older to bet on sports in the state. An online sports betting site or mobile sports betting app will be required to verify your age before creating an account, making a deposit or claiming sportsbook promotion codes.
How will North Carolina benefit from sports betting?
An article from North Carolina State University states that the legalization of online sports betting could bring substantial tax benefits over the long term.
"The privilege tax is projected to provide $42.6 million in North Carolina tax revenues starting in 2027-28," the article states. "However, in the early years, this number is expected to be much lower due to the deductions for bonus and promotional credits: $13.2 million in 2023-24, $22.2 million in 2024-25, and $31.4 million in 2025-26."
The article also predicts the tax proceeds will be allocated to state departments, such as Health and Human Services, Parks and Recreation, and the Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council, as well as select North Carolina Universities.
