Marylanders’ long wait for mobile sports betting ended Wednesday morning, when sportsbook operators launched in the state beginning at 9 a.m. ET. Maryland voters legalized sports betting in November 2020, and retail sportsbooks went live in Maryland in December 2021. With the majority of bettors using mobile options, Wednesday is a monumental day in Maryland sports wagering history.
Seven mobile sportsbooks went live Wednesday:
Each of those seven mobile operators accepted bets Monday during the state’s eight-hour controlled demonstrations. Operators weren’t allowed to accept wagers Tuesday, as the state lottery audited Monday’s performance.
Many of the operators going live at 9 a.m. Wednesday celebrated the launch with special promotions.
that feeling when online sports betting is live in Marylandpic.twitter.com/DeatSZ6O82
— BetRivers Sportsbook (@BetRivers) November 23, 2022
Nov. 23, 12:50 p.m.
That’ll do it for today’s live blog. Seven operators are now live in Maryland’s mobile market with more to come in the future. A Maryland Lottery meeting next week will include qualification hearings for Bally Bet, Betway, and WynnBET, which are all taking initial steps to enter the state’s mobile betting market.
Thanks for following along.
Nov. 23, noon
Like FanDuel, DraftKings is running a special boost for Maryland users. The operator is offering a “no-brainer” bet on the Ravens scoring one point Sunday against the Jaguars with a maximum wager of $50. The odds for the bet are +100.
Nov. 23, noon
FanDuel told Sports Handle that the first bet accepted on the mobile sportsbook was a $50 “super boost” wager on at least one 3-point shot to be made in Wednesday’s NBA game between the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards. The bet was boosted from -10000 odds to +100. The first bettor wagered the maximum $50 allowed.
MARYLAND – We're back with ANOTHER super boost for tonight 💰
1+ total 3-pointers in Heat-Wizards
Was: -10000
Now: +100🔺Lock in your bet: https://t.co/o5HWeDlV9n pic.twitter.com/rT04BYZXTJ
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) November 23, 2022
Nov. 23, 11:15 a.m.
BetRivers told Sports Handle that the first mobile wager it accepted Wednesday was a $10 live bet on the World Cup match between Germany and Japan.
Nov. 23, 11 a.m.
iGaming NEXT is hosting an afternoon Twitter Spaces to discuss Maryland’s mobile sports betting launch. The virtual discussion begins at noon ET.
We're talking today's long (loooong) awaited Maryland online sports betting launch as well as the announcement of Massachusetts' sportsbook list, plus taking your questions live. Come join us at noon EST / 9 am PST – – >>
https://t.co/SIAZK9G5m4— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) November 23, 2022
Nov. 23, 10:45 a.m.
BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel are all live in Maryland, which means the three operators have mobile offerings across Maryland and Virginia. The three sportsbooks also have retail sportsbooks in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Virginia only has one retail sports betting location, which is at Hard Rock in Bristol.
BetMGM’s retail sportsbooks are at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill and Nationals Park in Washington. Caesars Sportsbook’s retail locations are at Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore and Capital One Arena in Washington. FanDuel has retail sportsbooks at Live! Casino in Hanover and Audi Field in Washington.
Nov. 23, 10:40 a.m.
Barstool Sportsbook tweeted a few reminders that it went live in Maryland, including a post with the head of a Barstool Sports personality photoshopped over a dancing Ray Lewis.
WE. ARE. LIVE. IN. MARYLAND.
— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) November 23, 2022
Barstool Sportsbook also boosted the Ravens moneyline to +100 (from -215) to beat the Jaguars this Sunday. There’s a max bet of $25 on the promotion.
Nov. 23, 10 a.m.
A couple of media members tweeted concerns about problem gambling given the launch of legal mobile sports betting in Maryland.
Maryland residents inundated by Twitter ads trumpeting start of online sports betting in the state. Gov Hogan says it’ll generate $30-million for education. Will he bet on it?
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 23, 2022
One moment in the history of sports betting. Headline today The Times of London, where the sports betting industry has a more than a decade head start, and then on the same day in the United States, FREE BETs ads all over social media re launch of sports betting in Maryland. pic.twitter.com/mXymoFe0CP
— Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) November 23, 2022
A variety of responsible gambling resources for those interested can be found here.
Nov. 23, 9:58 a.m. ET
FanDuel tweets that it is live in Maryland, meaning that all seven mobile sports betting operators expected to launch Wednesday are now operational.
LET'S GO MARYLAND! 🤑
We are officially LIVE across Maryland for mobile sports betting 💰
Get in on the action: https://t.co/o5HWeDlV9n pic.twitter.com/YOduLCgcRX
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) November 23, 2022
FanDuel, like BetMGM and Caesars, has a presence in Washington, D.C., and Virginia as well. The operator is live in Virginia with its mobile sportsbook, and it has a retail sportsbook at Audi Field in Washington.
Nov. 23, 9:50 a.m.
Barstool Sportsbook sends a press release confirming its Maryland mobile launch.
“We are excited to debut Barstool Sportsbook in Maryland and expand our online footprint to our fourteenth state,” Benjie Levy, head of Penn Interactive, said in the press release. “We already enjoy a solid retail presence in Maryland and engage with a large base of fans through our property as well as Barstool Sports and theScore’s powerful digital content offerings.”
The operator shared that as part of its mobile launch, it has committed a donation to the Coppin State University Development Foundation. The primary function of the foundation is to provide scholarships to students who wish to attend the university. Coppin State is an HBCU (historically black college or university) based in Baltimore.
It’s worth noting that Barstool Sportsbook is also running a $1,000 new member retail promotion at its Hollywood Casino in Perryville. Customers who sign up for mychoice can earn up to $1,000 in mycash by signing up to use a mychoice chard. Customers earn $10 of mycash for every $100 bet on their first wager.
Nov. 23, 9:41 a.m.
BetMGM sends a press release confirming that it is live in Maryland. The operator has a strong footprint in the DMV with its mobile platform live in Virginia and retail sportsbooks live in Washington D.C. (Nationals Park) and Maryland (MGM National Harbor).
“This is a significant milestone that elevates our vision to deliver world-class entertainment to sports fans in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) region,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in the press release. “The convenience of our best in-class mobile app connects directly to the engaging atmosphere we’ve created in our retail sportsbooks at MGM National Harbor and Nationals Park.”
The King of Sportsbooks is now live in Maryland! Make all of your favorite sports wagers from your phone 📱
Download the @BetMGM app to get started NOW! 💰
More info: https://t.co/JpsRQxW0Wb pic.twitter.com/JUSQME7zAO
— MGM National Harbor (@MGMNatlHarbor) November 23, 2022
Nov. 23, 9:27 a.m.
Caesars Sportsbook confirms that it’s live in Maryland’s mobile betting market. The sportsbook’s first accepted wager was a $5 moneyline bet on Germany (-800 odds) to defeat Japan in the World Cup. The bet was a live wager placed at halftime. Sadly for that bettor, Japan erased a 1-0 deficit to pull the stunning 2-1 upset over Germany. Japan was +2500 to win the match at halftime.
The whales have emerged in Ocean City. When @CaesarsSports made its mobile debut today in MD, the first bet was $5 on Germany ML (-800 In-game at Halftime to win 63 CENTS). It looked like a smart way to build your bankroll until Japan equalized in the 75th min #GamblingTwitter pic.twitter.com/oAGpvdNkIx
— Matt Rybaltowski (@MattRybaltowski) November 23, 2022
“The launch of the Caesars Sportsbook app in Maryland strengthens our offering for customers in the state,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said in a press release. “With a historically jam-packed sports calendar, customers can now enjoy access to the same unmatched rewards they’ve experienced when betting at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, in the palm of their hands.”
Caesars Sportsbook has a presence in the entire DMV, as it is live online in Virginia and Caesars has a retail sportsbook at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
Nov. 23, 9:15 a.m.
PointsBet announces, through brand ambassador Paige Spiranac, that it is live with its mobile sportsbook. The short video shared on social media includes a viral internet clip from a few years ago of a University of Maryland student breaking open a beer can on her head and chugging the drink. PointsBet is partnered with the University of Maryland’s athletic department.
MARYLAND, LET'S PARTY‼️
It's Your Move, so what are you waiting for: https://t.co/w2QEI7BSIG@PaigeSpiranac pic.twitter.com/hDrYdTHiye
— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) November 23, 2022
PointsBet is live in 13 states, including Virginia. PointsBet has a retail location in Maryland at Riverboat on the Potomac, which launched in the state at the beginning of September.
“Just a few short months after unveiling The PointsBet Retail Sportsbook at The Riverboat on the Potomac, we’re thrilled to now be able to add our market-leading online sports betting product to the mix,” PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken said in a press release. “As one of the few sportsbooks to be on the starting line in Maryland, PointsBet will be delivering sports fans in the state a new way to take part in the action – whether that’s for the NFL, NBA, or NHL. And we’re particularly looking forward to launch just as the 2022 World Cup is starting and showing Maryland bettors why we’re known as the home of live betting through our new suite of Soccer Lightning Bet markets.”
Nov. 23, 9:07 a.m.
The Maryland Lottery sent a press release announcing today’s mobile sports wagering launch.
“We’re excited to reach this milepost and have mobile wagering available to everyone with Thanksgiving Day football games coming up tomorrow,” Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director John Martin said in the press release. “But at the same time, this is only a milepost. There are additional mobile sports wagering entities in the pipeline, and our work is ongoing as we guide them across the finish line.”
Martin and the lottery anticipate more mobile operators going live in 2023, and he expects up to 21 mobile sportsbooks to be live in the state by the spring.
Nov. 23, 9:04 a.m.
DraftKings announces that its mobile sportsbook is live in Maryland. A few of the people in the replies seemed to be struggling to bet via the Android app, although one responded later that the app worked once they deleted it and downloaded it again on their phone. Barstool Sportsbook is also live, and the operator is offering $1,000 worth of bonus cash to bettors in the state.
Maryland, the wait is over.
We are fully LIVE: https://t.co/gDu35Znsqm pic.twitter.com/GOHGOl3jcl
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) November 23, 2022
Nov. 23, 9 a.m.
BetRivers announces that it has launched its mobile sportsbook in Maryland. It appears to be the first sportsbook to launch mobile wagering, or at least the first to post about it. The operator also shared that new bettors can receive up to $500 in free-bet credits if their first wager loses.
👋 Maryland
We are now LIVE in the state of Maryland 🦀https://t.co/gtFBhqQFdO x @markschlereth pic.twitter.com/b2t7jbiUBt
— BetRivers Sportsbook (@BetRivers) November 23, 2022
Nov. 22, 11 a.m.
Prior to Wednesday’s launch, Gov. Larry Hogan and Maryland Lottery Director John Martin held a Tuesday morning press conference. The two spoke for a combined 22 minutes about legal mobile wagering in Maryland, and Hogan announced that mobile sportsbooks could launch at 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Martin discussed the seven operators planning to go live in Maryland on Wednesday, and he also noted that while the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission awarded licenses to Betfred, betPARX, and Fanatics, those operators aren’t ready to go live this month. Betfred, however, did launch its retail sportsbook at Long Shot’s in Frederick earlier this month. The retail sportsbook is a temporary location, as a 6,000-square-foot facility with lounge- and theater-style seating is expected to open in the spring.