North Carolina Sports Betting

Online sports betting has officially arrived in the state of North Carolina. 

It’s been a long wait but players in North Carolina now have access to top legal online sportsbooks like Caesars, BetMGM and DraftKings.

On this page you’ll find all the information needed to get started with North Carolina online sportsbooks plus information on the background to NC legal sports betting.

Best North Carolina Sports Betting Apps And Sites

 

History of North Carolina Sports Betting

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North Carolina sports betting has been in the works for quite some time. After some false starts, HB 347 was signed into law by Governor Roy Cooper on March 14th, 2023.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission is in charge of regulating sports betting in the state. All potential operators must apply for a license with the Commission. 

Each online sportsbook operator have to partner with a professional sports organization in North Carolina. The latest version of the legal rules allows for a maximum of 11 operators in the Tar Heel State. 

Registration for online sports betting began on March 1st with the full launch set for March 11th. That’s just in time for the biggest college basketball events of the year, a fact not lost on many North Carolina sports fans.

 

What Sports Can I Bet Online In North Carolina?

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The short answer is pretty much all of them. Mobile sports betting operators in North Carolina accept wagers on betting markets from all over the world. From the U.S., that includes the NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLS, MLB, NASCAR, and PGA Tour. NCAA BB and NCAA FB will also be available. That’s sure to please North Carolina bettors who will have a particular interest in NCAA basketball and the March Madness tournament.

Internationally, North Carolina bettors have access to international soccer leagues (Premier League, Champions League), MMA & Boxing, tennis, international baseball and basketball, motorsports, golf, Aussie Rules Football, rugby, cricket, and much more.

 

North Carolina Sports Betting Types Of Bets

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All retail and mobile sports betting operators in North Carolina provide access to a full range of betting types. They include:

• Straight bets – money line
• Straight bets – point spread
• Parlays
• Teasers
• Proposition bets
• Futures odds betting
• Round robins
• Live in-game wagering

Each operator sets their own betting limits. Experience from other states shows that the betting limits are quite generous, including seven-figure wagers if preapproved.

 

How Do I Get Started With North Carolina Online Betting?

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You can set up a new account by going to the website of your sportsbook of choice via desktop or laptop and following the steps for new customers. Alternatively you can download the sportsbook’s app on your iPhone or Android device and complete the registration process within the app itself.

Can I place a bet while outside North Carolina?

Not unless you are in another legal state. State and Federal Law prohibits betting on North Carolina online sportsbooks from outside the state. This is enforced by Geolocation Technology. You are however free to register a new account and even make deposits and withdrawals from outside North Carolina.

 

North Carolina Online Sportsbook Banking Options

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There are many options available to online customers such as credit cards, debit cards, eWallets such as PayPal and online banking transfers/eChecks. Operators that are tethered to retail casinos and race tracks can accept live in-person deposits.

Deposit limits are in place to ensure responsible gambling guidelines are followed.

 

Who Is In Charge Of North Carolina Online Sports Betting?

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All sports betting operators in North Carolina are regulated by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. The Commission has been and will continue to establish the guidelines that govern the North Carolina online sports betting industry. They are also the body responsible for managing customer disputes.

Can I Bet On College Sports in North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina sports bettors will be permitted to wager on college sports. Most of the betting activity will be directed to college basketball and college football. Wagering on special college tournaments such as March Madness is also allowed.

 

How Old Do I Need To Be To Bet In North Carolina

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You must be 21 years or older to bet with a North Carolina sportsbook.

 

What Are The Best North Carolina Online Betting Sites/Apps?

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The answer is obviously subjective but, by reputation, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook have highly rated betting platforms and followings throughout the legal US sports betting states. DraftKings is an established favorite while bet365 is a popular up and comer. 

To assist North Carolina sports bettors in making the right choice, it’s fair to assume that each operator is going to offer access to very similar betting markets, betting types, and banking options. With that being the case, prospective customers might want to compare welcome bonus promotions to help break any ties.

When comparing welcome offers, there are two things that warrant consideration. First would be the actual $ value of the offer. Second would be the wagering requirements that are tied to the bonus. Remember, the best bonus offers are not necessarily simply the ones with the biggest dollar amount. They must also have “customer-friendly” wagering requirements.

 

Is North Carolina Online Sports Betting Safe?

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Yes. Retail and online sports betting operators are heavily regulated by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. They have to follow all guidelines and adhere to any requirements related to the advertising of “problem gambling” initiatives and hotlines. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in fines and the potential loss of licensing.

 

North Carolina Sportsbook Promos

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As stated above, each online/mobile sports betting operator will need to offer bonus promotions if they want to compete for business.

New customers can expect to get access to some really interesting welcome offers. These offers might come in the form of “risk-free” initial wagers, free bets, or matching bonuses based on the customer’s first real cash deposit. In most cases, welcome bonuses come with a 1x playthrough/rollover requirement.

Intermittently, most operators will be posting other bonus offers. Sites like Caesars and BetMGM will often post bonuses related to profit boosts on winning bets and free bets as insurance against losing bets. Another popular bonus offer is the requisite “Refer-a-Friend” offer that is extended to customers who bring their friends and family members into the fold.

Most bonuses are awarded as free bets that come with time and odds wagering restrictions.

Here is a comprehensive list of the types of bonuses and promos common in the world of online sports betting:

Free Bets/No Deposit Bonus:

No-deposit bonuses are simple: you sign up to an account and on registration you are given a free bet. You do not need to deposit but it is usually for new accounts only.

Risk-Free Bets:

With a risk-free bet you have the chance to place a wager where if you lose you get credited back the amount you lost in the form of a free bet. They are essentially a bet where you can’t lose, e.g. you place a risk-free $20 bet on the Panthers to win but they lose, you get a $20 free bet.

Deposit/Match Bonus:

Matched Bonuses are usually on your first deposit only. It requires you to deposit and the sportsbook will match your deposit amount or a % of your deposit. There are typically playthrough requirements to release these bonuses. In some cases there might only be a 1x playthrough requirement but others can be up to 50x. The latter makes the offer not as attractive because you will have to make a lot of bets before your bonus money is available to withdraw.

Reload Bonus:

Reload bonus are offered from time to time. You re-deposit money into an already established account and get some form of site credit. It is usually in the form of a matched bonus.

Refer A Friend:

This is a bonus you get for referring a friend to register a new account with one of the sportsbooks or casinos. When they complete their account registration, make a deposit or place their first bet you get credit to your account. The exact form of credit depends on your specific provider’s offer.

Insurance/Refund/Cashback:

Will be a refund/site credit on net losses or a % of net losses. These are usually subject to certain playthrough requirements and a specified timeframe.

Odds Boosts:

The player receives better odds for a particular sporting event.

Example: a boxer who is +120 to win a fight might be boosted to +140 on a particular site. This gives extra value to the bettor.

Loyalty/Bonus Programs:

Bonuses and VIP Awards are given when you play through a certain amount of money and are usually released in small increments. Some sportsbooks may offer these VIP rewards in the form of tickets to sporting events for high volume/ high wagering bettors. Not all sportsbooks offer VIP Rewards.

 

Most Popular North Carolina Sports Teams

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Three of the “Big 4” pro sports leagues have teams based in North Carolina. NFL has the Carolina Panthers. NBA has the Charlotte Hornets and the NHL has the Carolina Hurricanes. Just as importantly, North Carolina sports fans support their college basketball and football favorites from UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, NC State and others. 

Beyond that there is healthy local interest in all sports including NASCAR, golf, tennis, MLS (Charlotte FC), and many international sports.

Here are some of the most popular teams in North Carolina:

Carolina Panthers

Charlotte Hornets

Carolina Hurricanes

UNC Tar Heels

Duke Blue Devils

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

NC State Wolfpack

Charlotte FC

 

How To Sign Up To North Carolina Sports Betting Apps

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Like other legal states, signing up to a new account in North Carolina is simple. To ensure you don’t miss out on a new account bonus, locate a promo code or follow one of the “Get Bonus” links near the top of this page.

– iPhone:

Choose a sportsbook and follow the links to their website. You will be directed to the App Store download page. When you have installed the app on your iPhone or iPad simply follow the registration instructions provided.

– Android:

Real money gaming apps are now also available for Android users in the Google Play Store. Follow the links to your chosen sportsbook’s website and you will be directed to the Play Store. Download and install the app and follow the instructions to complete your registration.

What do I need to set up an online sports betting account?

• Name
• Address
• Date of Birth
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Social Security Number (last 4 digits)
• ID may be required to verify your account

 

North Carolina Sports Betting Guide

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North Carolina bettors have access to the full slate of betting options that their counterparts in other legalized states enjoy. 

Moneyline Bets:

This is the most popular bet type, it is simply betting on a specific team to win. The team with the negative sign is the favorite and the team with the positive sign is the underdog.

Example: New York Jets are @ -165, New York Giants @ +140: the Jets are favorites and the Giants are underdogs. In this example if you bet on the favorite, the Jets, you have to bet $165 to win $100. If you bet on the underdog, the Giants, you’ll bet $100 to win $140. Moneyline bets on solely who wins.

Point Spread Bets:

Also known as betting the spread, this bet is on who wins and by how much. It is used to even out the odds between two unevenly matched teams. The sportsbook estimates which team is expected to win and by what margin. The favorite has a negative sign and the underdog has a positive sign. Players then bet that the team expected to win will exceed the margin of victory and “beat the spread” or players will bet the underdog will lose by fewer points than the margin thus “cover the spread”.

Example: Panthers vs Saints. Panthers are favorites (-5), they have to win by six points or more to beat the spread and the Saints would have to lose by four points or less to cover the spread. If a game results in the exact number e.g. in this case if the Panthers win by exactly five points it would be a ‘push’ and bettors on either side would be returned their original wager. The spread is often expressed in half points to avoid a “push”/tie.

Total Bets – Over/Under:

This is a single wager that the combined score of a game will be over or under what the sportsbook sets it at before the game. The bettor is not concerned about which team will win but is concerned on the combined number of points/goals/scores scored by the teams by the end of the game. Those who think the score will be higher than that set by the sportsbooks are “taking the over”, those who believe the score will be lower are “taking the under”. Normally expressed in half points to avoid ties.

Parlay Bets:

This is a type of wager that combines multiple individual bets into one bet. In order for the player to win, all the individual bets have to win. Despite your odds being lower to win, when you do win your payout is significantly higher. Parlays allow players to risk a small amount to win big.

Teaser/Pleaser Bets:

These are a form of parlay bets. The differences are 1) all bets within Teaser/Pleasers are Point Spread Bets or Total Bets and 2) the spread is shifted either for the bettor (Teaser) or against the bettor (Pleaser). All the lines are shifted in the same direction either for you or against you for the same amount of points.

Teaser: Here lines are adjusted in the player’s favor thus the player has a better chance of winning, however this will be at a lower payout than a standard parlay.

Pleaser: The line is adjusted in the opposite direction of a teaser thus the line is adjusted in the sportsbook’s favor so the player has a lower chance of winning than a regular parlay but the payout will be at a much higher rate than a standard parlay.

Prop (proposition) Bets:

This is a bet on something occurring that is not necessarily directly related to the final score. It is also known as a side bet. E.g. Lebron James Assists in a game 10.5; you could bet the over or under. Patrick Mahomes 3.5 Touchdown Passes in a game; again you could bet the over or the under. Betting on the number of fouls in either half of a game or on someone running a mile in under five minutes would also be examples of prop bets.

Futures Bets:

These are bets on an event occurring in the future. For example, you could bet on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl at the start of the season. These are particularly popular in soccer, golf, tennis and Olympic events.

In-Play/Live Betting:

This is betting on a particular sporting event after it has started. Odds are adjusted in real time depending on score lines, various statistics e.g. possession, injuries etc. Live betting allows continuous betting throughout the duration of a sporting event. Moneyline, Spread Bets, Prop Bets, Totals can all be placed during In-Play betting.

Round Robin Bets:

This is similar to a parlay bet. A parlay is a collection of single bets combined into one bet; a round robin is a collection of parlays placed into one bet. As a result you do not have to win every bet within the round robin to win some money, there is room for some losses. However payouts will not be as high when some of the parlays within the round robin lose.

 

Decimal/European Odds:

These are different formats for expressing odds. The decimal odds number represents the amount a bettor wins for every dollar wagered. For the decimal odds the number represents the total payout including the original wager amount, not just the profit.

Example: Decimal odds of 4.5 and you bet $1. If your team wins you get $4.50 back i.e. $3.50 profit. European odds, also known as fractional odds, are more common in European betting markets.

To convert fractional to decimal, divide the top or first figure by the bottom or second figure then add 1.

Example: 7/2 in fractional odds = 7 divided by 2 = 3.5 then add 1 which results in 4.5 in decimal notation.

 

Best North Carolina Sports Betting Sites

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CAESARS NC

One of the biggest names in the world of gambling entertainment. Rebranded from William Hill in 2021 and is a hugely popular option for US bettors. Easy to use software and favorable odds make Caesars Sportsbook a fan favorite. Excellent bonus available for new users.

⦁ Caesars Sportsbook Review

⦁ Visit Caesars Sportsbook and Claim Welcome Bonus

 

BETMGM NC

The MGM brand needs no further introduction. Since launch, BetMGM sportsbook has lived up to the reputation of its famous name. A highly popular choice across the legalized states, it has an intuitive interface and competitive odds. Already challenging the early dominance of DraftKings and FanDuel in some regions, this sportsbook offers new users a generous bonus to join the action.

⦁ BetMGM Sportsbook Review

⦁ Visit BetMGM and Claim Welcome Bonus

 

DRAFTKINGS NC

DraftKings Sportsbook has taken its Fantasy Sports success to the fully legal sports betting market. The DK platform offers a full range of sports and markets to bet on and the software is easy to use. DraftKings is at the forefront of America’s regulated betting industry and consistently launches on Day One when a new legal state goes live.

⦁ DraftKings Sportsbook Review

⦁ Visit DraftKings and Claim Welcome Bonus