The state of New York has a long relationship with gambling, dating all the way back to the 1650s. In more recent times, specific legislation has opened things up for residents to be allowed to place bets on sports.
In 2013, New York lawmakers opted to permit sports betting at physical sportsbooks, before online wagering was legalised in January 2022. We’ll talk more about this later, as well as revealing the most popular sports, bet types and bonuses found in the state.
But first, we’ll reveal some of the best places at which to place your wagers. Our top-rated New York sports betting sites have all been vetted to ensure they are safe, that their odds are competitive and their payment methods are secure. So you can rest assured that you’re in for a first-class experience.
Before we learn more about the current state of New York sports betting, here are our recommended sportsbooks.
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BetMGM review | ||
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Fanduel review | ||
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PointsBet review | ||
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Caesars review | ||
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DraftKings review | ||
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BetRivers review | ||
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There are the topics we’ll discuss in our guide to New York sports betting:
Online sports betting is exactly what it sounds like: placing bets on sporting fixtures through the internet.
Gambling is one of the oldest pastimes, with ancient artefacts confirming that even our ancestors enjoyed a flutter. But since the birth of the internet, its growth has exploded to new levels. When the very first internet sportsbooks appeared online in the mid-1990s, as exciting as it was, they were primitive. But today, there’s a whole world of sports betting possibilities.
It used to be the case that if you missed the start of a game, you could no longer place bets. However, in-play betting now makes up the majority of a bookmaker’s business. Online betting has driven all kinds of other innovations too. Cashout, request a bet and same game parlays are just a handful of creative ways to bet on sports which evolved thanks to online sportsbooks.
Smartphone and tablet technology has made online gambling more accessible than ever. If you’re enjoying the big game on your couch with a beer, you don’t even need to get up to place a bet. Simply use your mobile browser or download the latest sports betting app and place your wager. It’s just so convenient.
In this next section, we’ll take a look at the most popular wagering opportunities offered by top New York sports betting sites. It’s true that some sportsbooks offer a wider variety of betting lines than others. But all bookmakers in NY permit the following bet types as an absolute minimum.
This is the most basic type of bet. Here you simply need to pick which team will win, with no handicaps or terms attached. With US sports, that’s a straightforward choice between two teams. But with European sports like soccer, you can also bet on the tie.
With a points spread, the idea is still to pick which team will win, but the underdog is given a handicap. If the spread is +5, for example, then the favorite is theoretically starting the game 5 points behind. So they need to win by 6 or more to “cover the spread”.
These bets are sometimes referred to as Over/Under bets. That’s because the aim is to predict whether the outcome will be higher or lower than the projected total. Let’s say an NBA line has a points total of 202.5, for instance. You need to decide whether the combined scores of the two teams will be over that value or under it.
A parlay requires you to pick multiple selections and if they all win, you multiply the payouts. So if you have three teams you like, instead of betting on them individually, you can parlay them to increase your returns. Naturally, since all of the picks must win, they can be difficult to land.
A teaser is a special type of parlay which allows you to adjust the points spread in your favor. As a result, the potential payout is lower than if you placed a regular parlay. The most common variation is a 6-point teaser, which means you can modify the spread by 6 in either direction.
Most New York sports betting sites allow you to bet on events far into the future. That could be anything from predicting the winner of next year’s Superbowl or Kentucky Derby, to the winner of the NBA MVP award. Sometimes called “outright” markets, these are more commonly known as futures.
There are many reasons why the good people of New York enjoy sports betting so much. Here are a few of the main factors:
Below I will go into details per reasons a bit more.
New York is home to some extremely well known teams, many of which have enjoyed a lot of success over the years. So it’s no wonder that the locals are so passionate about sport. And it’s not much of a leap to think that they’d want to put their money where their mouths are when bigging up their favorite teams.
The New York Yankees are one of the most famous baseball teams in the world, but the Mets have also claimed two World Series titles. In ice hockey, the Islanders dominated the NHL during the early 1980s, while the Rangers have plenty of history too. They also have four Stanley Cup triumphs to their name.
In football, the New York Giants have won four Superbowl championships since the mid-1980s. The Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets are among the biggest NBA franchises in the league. Even in soccer, the New York Red Bulls are regularly challenging for honors.
Although gambling is obviously a way to win money, it’s primarily about entertainment. If there’s a game on the television that you don’t really care about, a small bet will give you more of an interest.
Further, many a heated sporting discussion has broken out over a beer, culminating in a friendly but competitive wager. The extra edge makes a big game even bigger. And it’s a great way to prove who really does know the most about a sport.
Sports betting in New York is just so accessible these days. You can visit a sportsbook at any time of day or night, whether you’re sitting at home, in the office or on the Amtrak. You don’t even need to be anywhere near a computer, thanks to the many user-friendly mobile betting sites and apps.
Adding to the convenience is the sheer wealth of information out there. Many bookmakers offer statistics to help you make the right bets. Either on the sportsbook itself, or as part of a blog site which offers insight, analysis and even betting advice.
You can literally bet on dozens of different sports these days. All of the USA’s most popular events are covered, including the NFL, NBA, MLB and college sports. But international competitions in sports like soccer, cricket, golf and tennis are also options. Not to mention boxing, MMA, horse racing and motorsports.
On top of that, you can wager before the game on traditional markets like the moneyline or point spreads. Or alternatively, bet live once the game is already underway. You can even gamble on futures, attempting to predict what will happen many months, or even years from now.
The sheer number of props at New York sports betting sites today is simply phenomenal. At every level of a game, there’s something to bet on. Individual player performances are available, such as the number of three-point shots attempted or the rushing yards made. Similar props are offered for team totals too.
We all love getting something for free and New Yorkers are no different. New player bonuses at betting sites are more generous than they’ve ever been, in what is a competitive business. By joining a new bookmaker, you can collect hundreds of dollars in free bets and bonuses. Sometimes even thousands!
It’s not restricted to new registrations either. Loyalty programs look after frequent bettors with promotional rewards. While many sportsbooks run regular reload bonuses, odds boosts and free bet promotions for their existing customer base.
Sports betting was legalized in the state of New York back in 2013, although the first physical sportsbooks didn’t open until 2019. From that point, online bookmakers seemed inevitable and the legal framework was set up quickly.
In January 2022, the first licensed online betting sites launched in NY. So as long as you are old enough to gamble, you can now legally bet with world-class brands like FanDuel, Draftkings and BetMGM. Such sites are licensed and regulated by the New York State Gaming Commission, so you can be sure of a safe experience.
There are many offshore sports betting sites which also operate. Although these are not technically legal, many New Yorkers safely gamble at such sites every day. As they are not based on US soil, there is very little the authorities can do to prevent them from accepting NY-based players. And as long as they are licensed by respectable gaming boards like the MGA, UKGC or the government of Curaçao, you will be perfectly fine.
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The growth of New York sports betting has been rapid. Although the state legalized the practice back in 2013, punters were forced to wait until gambling was approved at federal level. The earliest legal sportsbooks eventually opened in NY on June 16, 2019.
However, it wasn’t until online sportsbooks were permitted that business really began to boom. The land-based sites took a little under $1.37 million worth of bets in their first full month of operation. This grew to a peak of almost $25.57 million by October 2021. But in January 2022, when the first online bookies launched, this figure exploded to more than $1.68 billion.
These numbers put New York ahead of Nevada, home to the country’s gambling capital Las Vegas. Nevada sports bettors spent a little under $1.02 billion in December 2021, for comparison.
In New York, sports betting bonuses are just as common as anywhere else. The gambling industry is a competitive one and companies need to do all they can to stand out and attract new customers.
Here’s a quick runthrough of the top promotions you can expect to find at bookmakers in the Empire State.
The most common type of bonus found at online gambling sites is the first time deposit match. As the name suggests, it’s only valid if you’re a new player making your first ever deposit at the site. And when you do, you’ll receive a bonus equal to the size of that transaction.
The reload bonus is similar to a first time deposit match, only the values tend to be smaller and you can claim them any time. You can expect a reload bonus to be anywhere from around 20% to 75%. It’s essentially a reward for loyal bettors who choose to top up their accounts.
A free bet is when the bookmaker gives you a credit to stake on the event of your choosing. If the bet loses, it hasn’t actually cost you anything. But if it wins, you’ll get to keep all of the profits, though not the initial stake.
This is not to be confused with a free bet, as it requires a real money wager to be placed first. You bet as normal and if the wager is successful, that’s great news. But if it loses, you’ll be compensated with a free bet credit worth the same amount as the real money stake. That why they call this a risk-free bet.
There are two types of odds boost to be found at online sports betting firms. One is where the odds setters elect to enhance the price on a given market, making it bigger than usual for everyone. That could be for a limited time only, as some sort of “happy hour” promotion, or it could be permanently. However, some bookmakers allow players to choose their own selections to boost.
It’s extremely hard to land a parlay and it can be very frustrating when just one of your picks lets you down. Many bookmakers offer some type of insurance against this, often by issuing a free bet when it happens.
Most betting sites today offer some sort of VIP or loyalty rewards program. They encourage repeat business by giving you points as you place bets. These can be exchanged for gifts, such as free bets or even physical prizes such as tickets to sporting events. As you accrue points, you can also benefit from better customer support, more favorable limits and other perks.
As you might expect, US sports are the most common subject of betting in New York. But residents don’t just want to back their favorite MLB, NFL and NBA teams. You’ll find all kinds of betting opportunities from across the country, and indeed the world.
Here are the most popular sports with bettors in NY:
Ready to get started playing at one of the top sports betting sites in the Empire State? Great! You’ll be happy to learn that the process is extremely simple. Check out our step-by-step guide to signing up:
All of our recommended sportsbook sites employ a simple signup process which shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. But in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, you can always speak to the friendly customer support staff. Reach out by live chat, email or telephone for assistance and they’ll be happy to help.
An online betting site is only as good as the deposit and withdrawal options. After all, if I can’t fund my account, I can’t place a bet! The best bookmakers in NY ensure that players have access to a wide variety of secure, convenient and fast payment methods. These include:
Unfortunately, for a minority of people, sports betting can become problematic. Bookmakers have a duty of care to their customers and the best sportsbooks will offer support tools to help people stay in control. These include:
Absolutely. You have been allowed to place bets in physical sportsbooks in the state since July 2019. Since January 8, 2022, it has also been legal to bet online.
Although the minimum legal betting age is 18 in NY, many casinos and sportsbooks specify that you must be 21. This is usually due to liquor laws.
Yes. Locally licensed sites do not accept bets on college teams from the state of New York. However, you can still bet on college teams from outside of the state. Further, offshore casinos have no such restrictions, so you can always place your bets that way.
Technically, it’s not legal to use offshore betting sites. However, it’s perfectly safe to do so. These operators are not based in the USA and so are not subject to local laws. Many Americans use them to place bets and there’s no record of anyone ever having been punished.
There are many excellent places at which New York residents can enjoy sports betting. Ultimately, it comes down to your own personal preferences. However, all of the sportsbooks named on this page are definitely in contention.
In addition to responsible gambling controls, many New York betting sites also partner up with organizations set up to help with addiction. These include international groups such as Gambler Anonymous (gamblersanonymous.org) and local bodies like the New York Council on Problem Gambling (nyproblemgambling.org).
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