Eight online sportsbooks can begin registering customers, offering pre-launch promos and accepting deposits today ahead of the start of legal online sports betting in North Carolina on March 11.
While no bets can be placed until North Carolina online sports betting goes live, customers will have time to become familiar with apps and operators can prepare for a successful first day of wagers.
“Issuing the first interactive sports wagering operator licenses today represents a major milestone in establishing legal sports betting in North Carolina,” Ripley Rand, chair of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, said. “North Carolinians can begin signing up for accounts on their mobile devices on Friday with the confidence they will soon be able to make wagers on their favorite sporting events securely and responsibly. We’re just 11 days away from the start of sports betting in North Carolina and we will be working every day between now and then to see that our launch is a successful one.”
Who made the cut for March 11?
The commission received nine applications for mobile sports operators and expects to approve more licenses in the future. Non-tribal sportsbooks must partner with a pro sports entity in the state to obtain a license. The following mobile operators have the go-ahead from the NCLC to begin taking pre-registrations from patrons.
- FanDuel Sportsbook NC (PGA Tour)
- BetMGM Sportsbook NC (Charlotte Motor Speedway)
- DraftKings Sportsbook NC (NASCAR)
- Bet365 Sportsbook NC (Charlotte Hornets)
- Fanatics Sportsbook NC (Carolina Hurricanes)
- ESPN Bet Sportsbook NC (Quail Hollow Club)
- Caesars Sportsbook NC (partnering With the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- Underdog Sportsbook NC (McConnell Golf/Sedgefield Country Club)
Caesars, which owns the Harrah’s brand, already has a retail sports betting presence in the state via the two Harrah’s casinos on tribal land owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Now the operator extends its reach and partnership with the tribe with an online sportsbook in the state.
The approval of these operators by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission comes after a rigorous vetting process that began in December.
If you are ready to register with one of these operators, pay attention to the terms and conditions of promo offers especially expiration dates, play-through requirements, and responsible gambling resources. The legal betting age in NC is 21.
NC sports betting launch in time for ACC tourney and the Big Dance
With the start of legal sports betting coming ahead of the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament, bettors have plenty of time to get ready for the league tournaments and March Madness betting. Betting on in-state college teams is legal. Unlike in some states, props betting on intercollegiate sports is allowed in NC.
The men’s ACC tournament runs March 12-16 in Washington, DC at Capital One Arena. Currently, North Carolina and Duke sit atop the conference standings at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Wake Forest is at No. 5. Nationally, North Carolina is No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll with Duke at No. 10.
The women’s tournament is March 6-10 in Greensboro at the Greensboro Coliseum. NC State is at No. 3 in the current ACC women’s basketball standings while Virginia Tech is at No. 1 and No. 5 in the AP Top 25.
Selection Sunday for both the men’s and women’s tournaments is March 17. Men’s selection is at 6 p.m. ET on CBS. Women’s selection is at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.