Football is the most popular sport for betting in the US, but fans in North Carolina will have to be patient when it comes to NFL betting.
North Carolina online sports betting isn’t legal, but a new bill in the state’s Senate hopes to change that. The goal is for sportsbooks across the state to start taking bets on Jan. 8, 2024, should lawmakers approve legislation and Gov. Roy Cooper signs it into law.
That timeline would put the entire 2023-2024 NFL regular season off the table for betting. However, North Carolinians could be able to bet on the 2024 NFL playoffs.
First NFL playoffs for betting in North Carolina
At the current proposed launch date, sports bettors in North Carolina could be miss out on the entire upcoming NFL regular season.
The most-recent regular season ended on Jan. 8. With a small shift on the horizon for 2024’s calendar, that first Sunday of the month will fall on Jan. 7.
In other words, sports bettors in North Carolina would miss the final batch of regular season games by a day. A painfully close call that would have some fans waiting months before they can place their first bets on their favorite teams.
It isn’t ideal, but at least it leaves betting on the 2024 NFL playoffs on the board. Those high-stakes games will be an exciting way for football fans to kick off sports betting in the Tar Heel State.
Perhaps even more importantly, North Carolinians would be able to bet on next year’s Super Bowl – the biggest single sports betting event of the year.
Of course, none of this matters if North Carolina doesn’t legalize online sports betting. The process is well underway, but there are no guarantees.
Sports betting bill sits in the Senate
North Carolina’s new sports betting bill is halfway through the legalization process. The bill – House Bill 347 – cleared the state’s House last week and is making its way through the Senate.
The proposed legislation has plenty of support throughout the chamber, and Cooper also supports the bill.
Supporters are optimistic about the path ahead, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be changes to the bill coming on the horizon.
For example, the launch date for the state’s industry could still shift. It already has once. The bill originally called for sports betting to begin a week earlier on New Year’s Day.
Changes like that could alter the NFL betting odds North Carolina residents could access. If the launch date shifts again to earlier on the football calendar, that could open up more games for betting.
There’s no way to know what will happen to the bill as it navigates the state Senate. At least for now, football fans can count on being able to bet on the NFL some time in 2024 if the bill becomes law. Whether Super Bowl betting in NC will be on the table in 2024 is still up in the air.
To stay informed of the current developments in North Carolina’s sports betting landscape and access the most enticing NC sports betting bonuses on offer, simply follow the provided link.
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