8 Sportsbooks Apps Launch Today In NC, Just In Time For March Madness

Launch day is here, folks.

North Carolina residents can start placing bets on up to eight legal and licensed NC online sportsbooks, just in time for the ACC Tournament and March Madness. North Carolina is now the 30th state to offer regulated online sports betting.

State law allows for up to 13 mobile sportsbooks. But, as of today, there are eight options.

Those eight options are:

The industry heavyweights

If a new state legalizes sports betting, there are four household names you can be sure will launch there: FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook. We expect these brands to offer great apps and the best NC sportsbook promos.

The first three almost always sit at the top of a state’s market, usually in that exact order. Caesars, meanwhile, doesn’t even crack the top five in some of its states. But still — you can’t think of US gambling without picturing the iconic Caesars brand.

Caesars Sportsbook Logo

Caesars North Carolina enters the North Carolina market through an existing partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, with whom it operates two retail sportsbooks. Caesars Sportsbook will also be the exclusive online sportsbook for anyone betting on EBCI tribal lands in western North Carolina. To claim your bonus, don’t forget to use the Caesars North Carolina promo code when signing up.

FanDuel Sportsbook logo

FanDuel North Carolina has hovered at the top of the US sports betting market since its inception. FanDuel enters North Carolina through a partnership with the PGA Tour. It has also formed a sports betting partnership with the Carolina Panthers. NC residents have already seen lots of FanDuel on TV, social media and numerous other apps. With industry-leading same-game-parlay options, FanDuel is a rock solid sportsbook. Be sure to enter the FanDuel NC promo code during registration to claim your bonus.

BetMGM logo

BetMGM North Carolina will launch its newly upgraded app in North Carolina today. The app, powered by Entain, will feature an upgraded user interface, more in-game betting options and, eventually, live streaming of games from within the app. BetMGM partnered with Charlotte Motor Speedway to gain market entry. Make sure to apply the BetMGM NC bonus code when you sign up to unlock your bonus.

DraftKings Sportsbook NC

DraftKings North Carolina has consistently challenged FanDuel as the top operator in the country. After a record year, DraftKings will enter NC on a hot streak. They’ve made some app upgrades, including an excellent responsible gambling component called My Stat Sheet, where bettors can track how much they’ve spent, how long they’ve been on the app, how much they’ve won and lost and a few other key data points. DraftKings has partnered with NASCAR and bettors can expect to see plenty of DraftKings marketing during this NASCAR season, including DK-branded racecars! Don’t miss out—use the DraftKings North Carolina promo code at sign-up to claim your bonus.

The up-and-comers

These are the challengers, the dark horses, the upstarts (albeit very wealthy upstarts): Bet365, ESPN Bet, and Fanatics.

bet365 logo

In terms of intriguing upstarts, Bet365 North Carolina could rock the boat. The British brand makes North Carolina its 10th US launch, and it has made a significant push to expand market share in the past two years.

With a wide betting catalog, including broad esports betting markets (which won’t be available in North Carolina…yet), Bet365 is a seasoned operator. Bet365 NC sportsbook promos are some of the best in the industry, but the only downside to the platform is their app. It’s not as smooth as some of the industry heavyweights, and that holds it back a step.

Bet365 has partnered with the Charlotte Hornets to enter the NC market.

ESPNBet logo

ESPN Bet used to be Barstool Sportsbook before PENN Entertainment parted ways with Barstool and partnered with ESPN in late 2023.

Early returns in states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey suggest the widespread brand recognition ESPN has is paying dividends in sports betting. NC will be the first state where ESPN Bet launches at the same time as its competitors. It enters North Carolina through a partnership with Quail Hollow Club, It enters North Carolina through a partnership with Quail Hollow Club, with promising ESPN Bet NC promos expected for new bettors.

Fanatics Sportsbook Logo

Fanatics Sportsbook is also a challenger to the Big Four’s stranglehold on the sports betting market because of its brand recognition and massive customer database from the apparel and merchandise arm of its business. With Fanatics NC Sportsbook promos, new users can enjoy great bonuses. It is also the only operator actively pursuing a retail sportsbook through its partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The wild card

There’s one true newcomer to the North Carolina sports betting market.

Underdog Sportsbook

Underdog Sportsbook NC has, until now, only been a daily fantasy sports operator. But it has long been developing its sportsbook product, and North Carolina will be its first state for sports betting. It has a loyal base of users already in North Carolina, thanks to its DFS presence. Underdog Sports enters the NC market through a partnership with Sedgefield Country Club. Underdog NC sportsbook promos could be a key factor in attracting new bettors, but we’ll see if that’s enough for Underdog to carve out any significant share of the market.

About the Author

Matthew Bain

News Content Manager
Matthew Bain served as News Content Manager at Catena Media, overseeing news content for the network’s highest-priority regional sites. With North Carolina launching sports betting in 2024, NCSharp was one of his priority sites.Prior to joining Catena Media in 2022, Matthew won 10 statewide and national journalism awards during six years as a reporter and editor for the USA TODAY Network. Matthew’s work primarily appeared in the Des Moines Register, but he was also featured in the Detroit Free Press, Indianapolis Star, Arizona Republic, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and USA TODAY. Throughout his career, Matthew’s bylines have also appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Seattle Times, and Orange County Register.