Online sports betting is now legal in the Empire State. As of May 2023, all of New York’s 19+ million residents (and temporary visitors!) have access to nine of the best online sportsbooks in the business.
Sports betting in New York has never been easier, safer, or more enjoyable. Let’s break down the NY sports betting market in full, including discussion of important legislation, the NY online sportsbooks available right now, bonus offers, account creation, and a lot more.
Betting App Apple Store + Google Play Scores | NY Sign Up Offer |
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Up to $1250 First Bet Bonus | |
No Sweat First Bet up to $1,000 | |
Bet $20, Get $100 in Bonus Bets | |
$100 2nd Chance Bet |
NY sports betting launch
New York’s initial online sports betting launch included the likes of FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, and BetRivers Sportsbook entering the field on January 8, 2022, followed by BetMGM, PointsBet, and WynnBET just weeks later. On March 3, Resorts World Bet also went live in the state. Bally Bet, the ninth and final operator in New York (for now), went live on July 7, 2022, officially rounding out the first wave of licensed sports betting operators in the Empire State.
New York betting history
Before the legislature’s near-miraculous breakthrough in April 2021, the state had been trying to broker an agreement on legal online sports betting for the better part of three years, since before the Supreme Court struck down the 1992 federal ban on sports wagering outside Nevada.
In-person sports wagering has been legal in New York for years thanks to an act passed in 2013 and a regulatory framework established in 2019 for brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. But mobile sports betting has been a bumpier road that finally, in 2021, became a bit smoother, as then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law a budget agreement that included a framework to finally bring mobile sports betting to the Empire State.
The legislation, which former Governor Cuomo signed on April 19, 2021, finally authorized mobile betting in New York. It also put the New York Gaming Commission in charge of all mobile betting operations. On July 9, 2021, more than a week after the July 1 deadline, the New York State Gaming Commission issued a request for applications (RFA) to “select one or more providers to offer mobile sports wagering across the state.” The July 1 date was mandated because releasing the RFA starts the application process for sports betting operators, which proved competitive.
On November 8, 2021, the NYGC met and recommended nine online bookmakers for mobile licenses in the state. After the extensive rule-making process, nine operators were selected, and the market officially opened for wagering on January 8, 2022.
Get in on today’s New York sports action
Ready to place your first mobile New York sports wager on your phone or desktop? Click one of the links located above to receive one of our exclusive bonus offers for the sportsbook of your choice. After creating your account, depositing some cash, and securing your bonus, here are a few things happening today that may be of interest:
Headlines
- The New York Yankees are experiencing an impressive run, having won three consecutive games and showcasing their dominance on the field. They recently claimed a resounding 10-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Demonstrating signs of improvement, the Yankees have emerged victorious in seven of their last ten games. Their relentless dedication has resulted in narrowing the gap in the AL East standings, as they now trail the Orioles by a mere one game in their pursuit of securing the coveted second place in the division. (5/30)
- The New York Mets have experienced an unexpected twist as they faced consecutive losses against the Colorado Rockies. Their latest game concluded in a close 11-10 defeat, highlighting the high level of competition. Currently positioned third in the NL East, the Mets hold a balanced record of 27 wins and 27 losses. Eager to regain their momentum, the team aims to bounce back and make strides toward climbing higher in the division. (5/30)
Upcoming games/events
- The New York Mets will be hosting a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, starting with the first game scheduled for Tuesday at 7 PM Eastern Time. (5/30)
- The New York Yankees have an upcoming game against the Seattle Mariners, which is the second game of their three-game series. This particular matchup is scheduled for Tuesday at 9:40 PM Eastern Time. (5/30)
Online and mobile sportsbook apps in New York
The New York Gaming Commission (NYGC) was required to award licenses to at least two “platform providers”, and four online sportsbooks to run mobile betting in the state. They ended up deciding to license nine books. The state itself does not administer sports betting like in Oregon or Montana, but certainly receives a large share of the generated revenue. The NYGC announced in October ’21 that the state would tax its operators at a rate of 51% of the sportsbooks’ gross gaming revenue (GGR) – that’s a lot of money straight to the state’s coffers. This tax rate is the highest in the U.S. market and has been beneficial for New Yorkers overall, but does make it more difficult for online sportsbooks to turn a profit in the state. Nevertheless, the bigger operators did not shy away from this seemingly unfavorable arrangement and future prospects will likely follow suit if additional NY licenses become available.
Entering the New York market forced the state’s active operators to fork over quite a bit of money, starting with the $25 million license fee paid to the state upon application approval. Other potential operators also submitted applications through the RFA process that detailed how much they were willing to hand over to the state. The Kambi-backed group came in at a whopping 64% – quite a bit higher than the final 51% number. Add the additional expense of housing servers in the state to process all transactions (or paying another company to process the transactions), and smaller books were all but eliminated from applying.
There are several casino locations in NY already offering in-person sports betting, and the companies running them were predicted by many industry observers to offer mobile betting in the state at some point. Their established presence in the state and ties to the local Upstate communities were assumed to be an asset during the application process. This proved true for some, but not all.
Changes in legislation to come?
In March 2022, bills from both the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly were introduced to propose an expansion that would raise the total number of active online sportsbooks in the state from nine to 16 by 2024. If passed, the expansion would automatically lower the state’s online sports betting tax rate of 51% down to a much more reasonable and realistic 25% rate.
The original legislation was largely influenced by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was extremely persistent in making sure the 51% tax rate stuck around. Now that Cuomo is out of office, New York lawmakers hope to shift the state’s online sports betting market back to a more sustainable model.
If and when the changes are approved, adding just five new operators to the existing market would lower the tax rate from 51% to 35% by 2023, with the possibility of adding two more books in 2024. If the total number of operators reaches 16 by then, the tax rate will drop even lower to 25%.
In this proposal, service providers would receive a tax exemption on any revenue attributed to free play or promotional wagers. Furthermore, the proposed budget resolution would also give two minority-owned sportsbook brands the first shot at obtaining two of the available licenses.
It remains to be seen as to whether or not Governor Kathy Hochul would be willing to sign off on any changes to the state’s current online sports betting law, however it seems reasonable given her recent proposal to license three new casinos in the New York City area.
Active NY online sportsbooks
After a lengthy vetting process, the New York Gaming Commission met and issued operator licenses to nine different online sportsbooks on November 8, 2021. Included among them were most of the industry’s largest players. Two months later, four operators launched – officially jumpstarting the New York online sports betting industry on January 8, 2022.
Online Sportsbook | Launch Date | NY License Approval |
---|---|---|
BetRivers (RSI) | Jan. 8, 2022 | Yes |
Caesars Sportsbook | Jan. 8, 2022 | Yes |
DraftKings Sportsbook | Jan. 8, 2022 | Yes |
FanDuel Sportsbook | Jan. 8, 2022 | Yes |
BetMGM | Jan. 17, 2022 | Yes |
PointsBet | Jan. 25, 2022 | Yes |
WynnBET | Feb. 4, 2022 | Yes |
Resorts World Bet | March 2, 2022 | Yes |
Bally Bet | July 7, 2022 | Yes |
As part of the legislation process, two or more providers were required to be selected with at least four books hitting the market between them. In an interesting twist, providers were allowed to partner up and submit bids together. FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Bally Bet joined forces to submit a ‘Super Bid’ that was too good for the NYGC to turn down. Likewise, betting tech provider Kambi headed up a joint bid from Rush Street Interactive (BetRivers / SugarHouse), Caesars, Wynn, Genting (Resorts WorldBET), and PointsBet. Eight of New York’s nine approved operators went live in the state by March 2022 and Bally Bet finished off the list with its launch on July 7, 2022.
The result here is a more competitive market than other states with just one mobile operator (think New Hampshire, Montana, Oregon). This is a much better outcome for bettors than the Cuomo-preferred lottery-run monopoly that was speculated to emerge from the budget negotiations in early 2021.
Sportsbooks left out of New York
The list of approved NY online sportsbooks includes most of the heavy hitters, but there are a few brands that came up short on their bid to enter the Empire State. Notably, Barstool Sportsbook, bet365, and FOX Bet all hoped for better results the first time around. Additionally, Fanatics, the immensely popular sports retailer, attempted to enter the online sports betting space in New York but was ultimately shut out. Since its initial application, the brand has submitted a trademark filing in hopes of securing the name BETFANATICS for its eventual online platform.
Each company mentioned above had submitted an application but were not selected by the NYGC and won’t be accepting bets in the state anytime soon. Barstool in particular will be disappointed in the results, as their company is headquartered in New York City. Similarly, bet365 had been associated with Resorts World Catskills but the partnership didn’t help pave the way for the popular British brand.
If New York lawmakers manage to approve the recently proposed bill amendment that would expand the state’s total number of online operators from nine to fourteen or sixteen, each of the service providers listed above would become eligible to re-submit an application.
Frequently asked questions
Is sports betting legal in the state of New York?
Yes, both in-person and mobile betting are available in New York. Mobile betting went live on January 8, 2022 and in-person betting has been available at a handful of upstate casinos since the summer of 2019.
Who can place a real-money sports bet in New York?
Real-money sports betting is limited to users who are 21+ and physically located in the state of New York. If you’d like to access your account and use other features while not in New York, you’ll have access to those through mobile wagering apps, but you can only place a real-money sports wager when you are in the state.
How many online sportsbooks will be available in New York?
New York is currently limited to just nine licensed online sportsbooks. The state can eventually expand this number and effectively lower the tax rate for all operators, however it remains to be seen if any changes are in the cards anytime soon.
Check out the table above for a complete list of active operators, and keep checking in here for any updates on future expansion.
Do mobile sportsbooks offer bonuses for new players?
Yes. Mobile sportsbooks offer new customer promotions, including bonus bets, deposit match bonuses, and “bonus-back” bets to entice new users to join their service. These promotions vary by operator, so be sure to shop around before signing up for a mobile sportsbook account.
How can I deposit or withdraw funds online?
Depositing online will require you to share some personal information with a potential provider at signup, including SSN and other identifying information. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to make a deposit with a number of banking services, detailed above in the “banking options” section.
What bet types and betting markets are available?
All major bet types and sports are available for wagering in New York, aside from any event involving an in-state collegiate program. Point spreads, moneyline bets, futures, totals (over/under), and props for all major pro sports leagues and most NCAA sporting events will be available on any of New York’s sportsbooks.
NY sportsbook pricing
The viability of an online sportsbook can come down to its pricing. If the odds offered aren’t favorable, then the books won’t get any action. Despite the state’s insanely high 51% tax rate, most New York sportsbooks offer the same exact odds and lines featured on their platforms in other states with reasonable rates. For example, any and all odds offered by DraftKings in New York will mirror their offerings available over the bridge in New Jersey. So contrary to popular belief, New York’s extraordinary gambling tax isn’t going to affect your day-to-day sports betting operations, at all.
Official league data in New York
Official league data is essentially a way for professional sports leagues to gain a financial stake in sports betting. How it works is pretty simple and straightforward. New York online sportsbooks are required to pay various professional sports organizations, like MLB for example, for the right to use their official data and statistics to determine the results of their wagers. While finalizing its laws, the state of New York waffled on the use of official league data. In the end, official league data is required, however, they added a provision that sportsbooks can utilize a different source for data, provided it has been vetted by the NYGC.
Professional New York Sports Teams
Take a look at the odds from FanDuel Sportsbook provided below:
Club | League | Established | Odds |
---|---|---|---|
New York Yankees | Baseball | 1901 | Win World Series +1200 |
New York Giants | Football | 1925 | Win Super Bowl +4500 |
New York Rangers | Ice Hockey | 1926 | Win Stanley Cup N/A |
New York Knicks | Basketball | 1946 | Win NBA Championship N/A |
New York Jets | Football | 1959 | Win Super Bowl +1400 |
New York Mets | Baseball | 1962 | Win World Series +1600 |
Brooklyn Nets | Basketball | 1967 | Win NBA Championship N/A |
New York Islanders | Ice Hockey | 1972 | Win Stanley Cup N/A |
New Jersey Devils | Ice Hockey | 1974 | Win Stanley Cup N/A |
Buffalo Bills | Football | 1959 | Win Super Bowl +900 |
Buffalo Sabres | Ice Hockey | 1970 | Win Stanley Cup N/A |
New York Red Bulls | Soccer | 1994 | Win MLS Cup +4400 |
New York Liberty | Basketball | 1997 | Win WNBA Championship +150 |
NJ/NY Gotham FC | Soccer | 2006 | Win NWSL Cup N/A |
New York City FC | Soccer | 2013 | Win MLS Cup +3400 |
Updated May 30, 2023 – Odds Provided by FanDuel – Subject to Change
You can read more detailed information about professional New York teams in the section below.
New York Yankees
- League: Major League Baseball
- Founded: 1901
- Stadium: Yankee Stadium
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, Bally Bet
As the oldest franchise in all of New York professional sports, the Yankees have set the standard for success in the Empire State ever since their first World Series title back in 1923. From that season up until their last title in 2009, the franchise amassed a record 27 championships, the most in North American professional sports history. The good times may be behind the Yankees, however, as their recent World Series drought from 2010-2020 marked the first decade since the 1910’s that did not feature the Bronx Bombers playing in at least one World Series.
The storied organization recently linked up with DraftKings for its brand new VIP DraftKings Sportsbook Lounge at Yankee Stadium, which opened at the beginning of the 2022 regular season. Although the lounge does not offer retail sports betting at the moment, local officials are working towards eventually adding betting kiosks to New York’s professional sports venues.
New York Mets
- League: Major League Baseball
- Founded: 1962
- Stadium: Citi Field
- Location: Queens, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: Caesars
The Amazin’ Mets are best known for winning a pair of miraculous World Series titles in 1969 and 1986, which remain the franchise’s only championships to this day. From Nolan Ryan to Tom Seaver to Doc Gooden to Jacob deGrom, the Mets’ organization has always had a knack for producing baseball’s best arms. With at least one World Series appearance in each decade of the team’s existence outside of the 1990’s, the Mets have always been primed to compete – usually thanks to a chip on their shoulders.
New York Giants
- League: National Football League
- Founded: 1925
- Stadium: MetLife Stadium
- Location: East Rutherford, NJ
- Partners/Sponsors: DraftKings
The New York Football Giants have forever been one of the National Football League’s proudest franchises. After winning four NFL championships prior to the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, New York would go on to win four Super Bowl titles from 1986 up until their most recent championship in 2011. From Bill Parcells to Tom Coughlin, Big Blue has a history of excellence and hopes to get back on track after falling on some hard times over the past decade or so.
New York Jets
- League: National Football League
- Founded: 1959
- Stadium: MetLife Stadium
- Location: East Rutherford, NJ
- Partners/Sponsors: WynnBET, Fubo Sportsbook, BetMGM, 888
The life of a New York Jets fan hasn’t been particularly easy as of late, with a pair of back-to-back AFC Championship losses over a decade ago being the franchise’s claim to fame in the 21st century. Gang Green is still looking to replicate the magic from “Broadway” Joe Namath’s legendary 1969 upset victory in Super Bowl III over Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts, which to this day remains the franchise’s one and only championship title.
Buffalo Bills
- League: National Football League
- Founded: 1959
- Stadium: Highmark Stadium
- Location: Orchard Park, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: Caesars, FanDuel
They may be located a bit out of the way from New York City and the rest of the five boroughs, but the Buffalo Bills are certainly a New York team and have been since they were established in 1959. The franchise is best known for its near-dynasty in the early 1990’s that produced four consecutive Super Bowl appearances and..well, four consecutive Super Bowl losses to go along with them. After struggling for most of the 21st century, the Bills finally broke their 17-year playoff drought in 2017 and have been among the NFL’s best teams since, reaching the postseason in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
New York Knicks
- League: National Basketball Association
- Founded: 1946
- Stadium: Madison Square Garden
- Location: New York City, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: Caesars, BetMGM, DraftKings
Hailing out of ‘The Mecca of Basketball’ in Madison Square Garden, there’s no question that the New York Knicks are one of the National Basketball Association’s most iconic franchises. After securing a pair of championship titles in 1970 and 1973, New York would fall short on basketball’s biggest stage in both 1994 and 1999 behind legendary big man Patrick Ewing. The organization has struggled to replicate its early success in the 2000’s and beyond and hopes to give the NYC faithful something to cheer about very soon.
Brooklyn Nets
- League: National Basketball Association
- Founded: 1967
- Stadium: Barclays Center
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: Betway
Originally known as the New Jersey Americans for their first season in the American Basketball Association, the team would be renamed the New York Nets for their final eight seasons in the ABA. Following the ABA’s 1976 merger with the NBA, the organization was absorbed into the new league and officially renamed the New Jersey Nets. The branding would last from 1977 up until 2012 when the franchise was officially moved to Brooklyn, New York. The team name remained the same, but a new location and stadium were unveiled along with new colors, uniforms, and logos. The franchise is still in search of its first ever championship title.
New York Rangers
- League: National Hockey League
- Founded: 1926
- Stadium: Madison Square Garden
- Location: New York City, New York
- Partners/Sponsors: Caesars, BetMGM, DraftKings
The New York Rangers are one of the National Hockey League’s Original Six teams and even became the first franchise located in the United States to win the Stanley Cup in 1928. The Blueshirts would go on to win two more titles in 1933 and 1940 before entering a 54-year championship drought that would eventually be snapped by one of the most iconic teams in franchise history, the 1993-94 New York Rangers. That championship remains the team’s lone title in the modern era after the 2013-14 team fell short in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Los Angeles Kings.
New York Islanders
- League: National Hockey League
- Founded: 1972
- Stadium: UBS Arena
- Location: Elmont, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: Betway
The New York Islanders played nearly every home game in their storied history at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY before making the switch to the brand new UBS Arena in Elmont, NY in 2021. The move marked the closure of an iconic venue that saw an expansion team in 1972 go on to win six conference championships and four Stanley Cup titles from 1977 to 1984. It’s been somewhat of an uphill battle for the Islanders since that dynasty ended, as the franchise hasn’t won its own division since the 1987-88 season and only recently (2016) snapped a 22-year drought without a playoff series victory.
New Jersey Devils
- League: National Hockey League
- Founded: 1974
- Stadium: Prudential Center
- Location: Newark, NJ
- Partners/Sponsors: Betway, PlayUp, FanDuel, Caesars
After brief stops in Kansas City as the Scouts and Colorado as the Rockies, the New Jersey Devils finally transitioned to their current name ahead of the 1982 NHL season. The team would spend its first 25 seasons playing home games at Brendan Byrne Arena at the Meadowlands Sports Complex and went on to win three Stanley Cup titles in 1995, 2000, and 2003. The franchise moved to Newark, New Jersey in 2007 and has been playing its home games at the Prudential Center ever since.
Buffalo Sabres
- League: National Hockey League
- Founded: 1970
- Stadium: KeyBank Center
- Location: Buffalo, New York
- Partners/Sponsors: FanDuel
The Buffalo Sabres joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1970, bringing the league’s total to 14 teams at the time. The franchise experienced success early on, winning a Conference Championship in 1974-75 before falling to the Philadelphia Flyers, AKA the “Broad Street Bullies”, in the Stanley Cup Final. The Sabres would eventually make it back to the championship game during the 1998-99 season, but again fell short, this time to the Dallas Stars. The franchise is still in search of its first title.
New York Liberty
- League: Women’s National Basketball Association
- Founded: 1997
- Stadium: Barclays Center
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: FanDuel
The New York Liberty are one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises that were founded in 1997 and have been a key fixture in the league since. The Liberty won three conference titles and played in the WNBA Finals four times from 1997-2022, but fell short all four times, leaving them without a championship to this day. The team’s jerseys are sponsored by FanDuel, with the popular online bookmaker’s wordmark logo draped across the front of each of three colorways.
New York Red Bulls
- League: Major League Soccer
- Founded: 1994
- Stadium: Red Bull Arena
- Location: Harrison, NJ
- Partners/Sponsors: N/A
Founded in 1994 and debuting in 1996 as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, the team would be rebranded to the New York Red Bulls in 2006 after being sold to the popular energy drink company Red Bull GmbH. The Red Bulls made their lone MLS Cup Final appearance in 2008, a game in which they lost to the Columbus Crew. The franchise has played its home games at Red Bull Arena since 2010 after spending its early years playing at Giants Stadium.
New York City FC
- League: Major League Soccer
- Founded: 2013
- Stadium: Yankee Stadium
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Partners/Sponsors: Mohegan Sun
By far the newest New York-based sports team, New York City FC was introduced as an expansion team in Major League Soccer in 2013 and made its league debut in 2015. The club is currently the defending MLS Cup Champion after winning the title in 2021. NYCFC is majority owned by City Football Group, which owns the EPL’s Manchester City. Yankee Global Enterprises also holds a 20% ownership stake in the club and as a result, NYCFC plays its home games at the historic Yankee Stadium.
NJ/NY Gotham FC
- League: National Women’s Soccer League
- Founded: 2006
- Stadium: Red Bull Arena
- Location: Harrison, NJ
- Partners/Sponsors: N/A
Jersey Sky Blue was a professional women’s soccer team founded in 2006 and later renamed to Sky Blue FC from 2008 through 2020. The team spent a few seasons in Women’s Professional Soccer before becoming a founding member of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013. The franchise changed its name for a second time in April 2021, officially becoming NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Betting on college sports in New York
The state of New York imposes some restrictions on betting on college sports. Much like New Jersey, all in-state college teams will be unavailable for betting. This includes all NY colleges, from Syracuse, to Hofstra, to St. John’s University – and everything in-between. If a NY state college is competing, you won’t find action offered on it with a New York online sportsbook.
Once again following in the footsteps of the Garden State, New York will also restrict betting on any college events that are hosted within the state. So if two non-NY colleges square off in a neutral-site game that’s held in New York? You won’t be able to bet that. There is an exception here, however. Where New York diverges from New Jersey is that they did add in a carve-out for tournaments. So, for example, if there are NCAA tournament games taking place at Madison Square Garden, you will be able to bet on those… provided a New York college team is not participating.
Why are there so many caveats surrounding college sports? These sorts of restrictions are seen as a way to protect amateur athletes from being the subject of external sports betting pressures. Whether it’s an effective tool or not remains to be seen, but a handful of U.S. states have elected to impose these restrictions – so keep them in mind while planning your wagers.
Division I College Football Teams in New York
Luckily for New York-based bettors, the Empire State does not feature a ton of high-profile Division I college football programs. In fact, the state is only home to three DI Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams:
- Army Black Knights (Independent)
- Buffalo Bulls (Mid-American Conference)
- Syracuse Orange (Atlantic Coast Conference)
New York is also home to a handful of Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams, which are much less popular from a betting standpoint, but are still offered at the majority of online sportsbooks. The following FCS teams will also not be available to wager on in New York:
- Albany Great Danes (Colonial Athletic Association)
- Colgate Raiders (Patriot League)
- Columbia Lions (Ivy League)
- Cornell Big Red (Ivy League)
- Fordham Rams (Patriot League)
- LIU Sharks (Northeast Conference)
- Marist Red Foxes (Pioneer Football League)
- Stony Brook Seawolves (Colonial Athletic Association)
- Wagner Seahawks (Northeast Conference)
Division I College Basketball Teams in New York
Each of the schools listed above also features a Division I basketball team, along with a handful of other New York-based colleges that do not have a DI football team. The following college basketball teams will not be available to wager on in New York, even if they end up making the NCAA Tournament:
- Albany Great Danes (America East Conference)
- Army Black Knights (Patriot League)
- Binghamton Bearcats (America East Conference)
- Buffalo Bulls (Mid-American Conference)
- Canisius Golden Griffins (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
- Colgate Raiders (Patriot League)
- Columbia Lions (Ivy League)
- Cornell Big Red (Ivy League)
- Fordham Rams (Atlantic 10)
- Hofstra Pride (Colonial Athletic Association)
- Iona Gaels (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
- LIU Sharks (Northeast Conference)
- Manhattan Jaspers (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
- Marist Red Foxes (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
- Niagara Purple Eagles (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
- St. Bonaventure Bonnies (Atlantic 10)
- St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers (Northeast Conference)
- St. John’s Red Storm (Big East)
- Siena Saints (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
- Stony Brook Seawolves (Colonial Athletic Association)
- Syracuse Orange (Atlantic Coast Conference)
- Wagner Seahawks (Northeast Conference)
Sports betting status in neighboring states
Before the state of New York managed to legalize and begin offering regulated sports betting within its digital borders, players who preferred to use legal options were forced to travel to neighboring states in order to place their action. Now that the Empire State is all-in, New Yorkers can wager freely from the comfort of their own home. But in the event that they leave the state, whether it be for work, family, or leisurely travel, or maybe even to wager on a college team that’s forbidden in New York, it’s always important to be aware of the current sports betting landscape in nearby areas. As one of the larger states in the northeast in terms of sheer size, New York is surrounded by five U.S. states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. We’ll break each of NY’s neighboring states down, below.
New Jersey
A true pioneer in the legalized sports betting industry, the great state of New Jersey was the first in history to launch a regulated online sportsbook when DraftKings made its bookmaking debut on August 6, 2018. Since then, the Garden State has rolled out more than 15 different sportsbook brands, offering bettors based in New York a much wider range of options just a short trip over the bridge. When moving from state to state, apps like DK and FanDuel will transfer your balance and allow you to seamlessly wager in any state with their services, from the same account. Other brands like BetMGM, Caesars, and BetRivers/SugarHouse will require players to sign up for a brand new account in each individual state of operation. This hurts these brands in terms of convenience, however it ultimately helps players by allowing them to collect even more bonuses and incentives along the way.
Pennsylvania
Another extremely early participant in the industry, Pennsylvania has always been right behind New Jersey when it comes to developing its iGaming market. As two of the only states in the country that allow online casino gaming and online poker on top of sports betting, both PA and NJ offer a little bit more than New York currently can. Pennsylvania’s list of sportsbooks apps is very similar to the selection available in New York, with six of the nine active NY books also available in PA. Again, only FanDuel and DraftKings will work seamlessly from state to state. New York bettors who wager with PointsBet, BetMGM, Caesars, or BetRivers will need to sign up again if they wish to play from Pennsylvania, this time on the PA version of the apps.
Connecticut
As one of the newer arrivals to the U.S. online sports betting market, the lay of the land over in Connecticut is a bit different than other states. When CT first launched its iGaming market on October 19, 2021, just three sportsbooks were able to open their virtual doors for business in the state: FanDuel, DraftKings, and SugarHouse. To this day, those three remain the only operators in the state, largely in part due to the negotiations between the state’s government and two of the largest Native American tribes in Connecticut. As a result, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe partnered with DraftKings through its Foxwoods property, the Mohegan Tribe partnered with FanDuel through the Mohegan Sun Casino, and the Connecticut State Lottery partnered with SugarHouse to get their share of the action. Due to the state’s unique legislation and a market that isn’t fully open, it appears that Connecticut-based bettors will be limited to just three sportsbook options for the foreseeable future.
Massachusetts
Bettors residing in Massachusetts are still awaiting a change in legislation to allow online sports betting in the state after multiple failed attempts dating back to 2019. After fizzling out in 2020, various sports betting bills were reintroduced in 2021 with serious interest at hand, however, the House and Senate ultimately could not come to an agreement. Efforts were even revamped in July 2021 when the House passed HB 3977 to legalize sports betting in Massachusetts, but the Senate refused to cooperate, thus sending the matter back to square one. Nearly one year later in April 2022, the Massachusetts Senate passed a sports betting bill of its own, SB 2844. But rather than passing on the bill to Governor Charlie Baker for a signature, SB 2844 will be reviewed alongside HB 3977 to iron out any key differences and possibly come up with a consolidated proposal. Given the state’s political timeline and other underlying issues surrounding the legalization, it remains to be seen if and when Massachusetts will launch its iGaming market.
Vermont
Essentially the entire West side of Vermont borders New York, giving residents of the state plenty of opportunity to cross state lines and place a wager via one of the Empire State’s many mobile operators. As of May 2023, Vermont sports betting has been legalized but has not yet launched. We anticipate that VT will go-live sometime in late ’23 or early ’24.
New York land-based sportsbooks
New York had been poised for legal sports betting in one way or another since 2013’s New York Gaming Economic Development Act, which was implemented by constitutional amendment establishing a potential framework that contemplated sports wagering becoming permitted if federal law changed. Which it did: In 2018, the US Supreme Court overturned the federal law prohibiting sports wagering in states outside Nevada (PASPA), and the wheels were set in motion for New York sports betting, and legal wagers in whichever states moved forward with legalization and/or a framework for them.
By summer 2019, the New York State Gaming Commission approved a set of rules for four retail (also referred to as “commercial”) casinos to offer sports betting in-person at upstate locations. Neither the words “mobile” nor “online” were included in these provisions, however.
A month after above’s Part 5239 was added to the NY Code, Rivers Casino opened its first physical sportsbook in Schenectady, and sports wagering in the Empire State began in earnest, with legal betting now allowed at the following commercial locations:
- Del Lago Resort & Casino in Seneca County (DraftKings Inc.)
- Resorts World Catskills in Sullivan County (bet365)
- Rivers Casino in Schenectady County (Rush Street Interactive and Kambi Group PLC)
- Tioga Downs in Tioga County (FanDuel Sportsbook)
In late 2019, three different tribal casinos each opened a brand new retail sportsbook after the Oneida Indian Nation agreed to a deal with Caesars Sportsbook to operate their in-house services. As a result of the deal, Turning Stone Resort Casino, Yellow Brick Road Casino, and Point Place Casino were among the first tribal casinos in the state to open a legalized sportsbook.
The Seneca Nation of Indians followed suit in December 2019, rolling out three brand new brick-and-mortar sportsbooks at their Allegany, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls casino locations in partnership with Kambi.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort was the most recent tribal casino to get in on the land-based sports betting action, opening the doors to their ‘Sticks Sports Bar & Grill’ for the first time ever on January 22, 2020. With their launch, the total number of land-based betting options in the state is now over double-digits.
Retail Sportsbook | Location | Retail Launch |
---|---|---|
Rivers Casino Schenectady | Schenectady | July 16th, 2019 |
Tioga Downs | Nichols | July 19th, 2019 |
Turning Stone Resort Casino | Verona | August 1st, 2019 |
Point Place Casino | Bridgeport | August 1st, 2019 |
Del Lago Resort & Casino | Waterloo | August 23rd, 2019 |
Yellow Brick Road Casino | Chittenango | September 4th, 2019 |
Resorts World Catskills | Monticello | September 5th, 2019 |
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino | Buffalo | December 13th, 2019 |
Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino | Salamanca | December 17th, 2019 |
Seneca Niagara Casino | Niagara Falls | December 27th, 2019 |
Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort | Hogansburg | January 22nd, 2020 |
Empire City Casino | Yonkers | TBA |
The Latest New York News
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State gaming commission has already worked with Fanatics to provide licensing documentation after PointsBet announcement.
New York Regulator Backs Off Of Plan To Ban Third-Party Sports Betting Advertisements
The commission may revisit a ban on third-party sports betting ads if there are signals of a spike in problem gambling cases.
Arrest Of Cyber Hacker ‘Should Be A Huge Wake-Up Call’ For Sports Betting Industry
The arrest of a teenage hacker raises questions of whether sports wagering sites are doing enough to protect bettors from cyber disruptions.
The path to legal sports betting in New York
Assembly Member J. Gary Pretlow and State Senator Joseph Addabbo had consistently been the chief proponents of an open, mobile sports betting market in the NY legislature. Since the legalization of betting on a federal level in 2018, the two have been making the case for online sports betting as a major boon to the New York economy, citing the success of neighboring states’ betting markets with open competition, and New Jersey siphoning dollars from New Yorkers seeking legal betting platforms; FanDuel Sportsbook at the Meadowlands is only eight miles from New York City, and there are plenty of rest stops and gas stations just over the border where patrons can access sportsbooks online within New Jersey.
Former Governor Cuomo’s 2022 budget for New York included proposed revenue from mobile sports betting, a clear indicator that the Governor planned to move forward with some form of online wagering. Again, however, Cuomo was not convinced by Pretlow and Addabbo’s claims that an open, competitive market leads to higher revenues, and argued that the state-run, lottery-managed model as proposed in his 2022 budget was the best for the people of NY.
Budget Director Robert Mujica agreed, estimating the state-run model would bring in ten times the revenue that an open competition model would. Such is politics, with research firms, budget committees, and politicians themselves giving out vastly contradictory figures. As for the numbers, they paint a different picture– that revenues from the lottery-driven model fall short of those from competitive, multi-brand markets.
In the end, a compromise emerged and both sides claimed to be satisfied with the result. The state gets a healthy revenue share and multiple operators are live in the state. It’s not the total state-run monopoly that Governor Cuomo wanted, but it’s not the fully competitive market that Pretlow and Addabbo pushed for either. Such is the way things usually go in state politics.
Tribal agreements and sports betting
The relationship between the U.S. government and the Native American tribes that preceded it is fraught with complexity, and gambling is a core component of that relationship. To put it simply, federal law written in the 1980s indicates that tribes can enter into a compact with state governments to offer gambling, but they’re mostly operating of their own volition.
An aforementioned example of this occurred between the Oneida Indian Nation and Caesars Entertainment, wherein the two entered a partnership to offer sports betting at three Oneida casino locations. There was no specific language or provision in the aforementioned constitutional amendment allowing for tribal casinos, but due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, there doesn’t have to be. Tribes in some cases may have revenue sharing arrangements with the state, but cannot be subject to taxes.
Banking options
Bettors in New York have plenty of options to fund and withdraw money from their online sports betting accounts. Major sportsbooks offer a variety of payment methods, including:
- PayPal: Available through most platforms, you can make deposits and withdrawals with the most popular online wallet in the world, PayPal.
- Credit/Debit Card: If your bank allows it, using a credit or debit card to fund your account may be the most convenient option of them all. But remember, this method does not allow for withdrawals, only deposits.
- ACH/eCheck (VIP Preferred): VIP Preferred is a third-party online check processor and online wallet, and is a secure way to make payments or receive withdrawals from your checking account to/from an online sports betting account.
- Online Banking: Simply log into your online bank account through the sportsbook and make fast transactions with ease.
- Play+ Card: The Play+ card is a prepaid card service offered by many online sportsbooks that works just like a regular debit card at most merchants. This is often the best way to upload funds to your preferred sportsbook if your credit/debit card gets rejected by your bank when trying to deposit.
- Skrill: Skrill, like PayPal, is a third-party online wallet and payment processor. Initially popular in the UK, Skrill often partners with online casinos and sports betting platforms in the US.
- PayNearMe: The following options are in-person banking options. PayNearMe is a service sometimes offered at local merchants, which enables users to visit locations like 7-Eleven, CVS, and more, to make deposits to their account.
- Cash at Cage: If your preferred online sportsbook is partnered with a casino location, you will be able to visit that casino and do your banking in person.
Whenever you’re banking with a real-money online sportsbook, take a look at the terms and conditions. In many cases, you’ll be limited to certain withdrawal methods based on the deposit method you used previously, in addition to terms about bank transfers and other nuggets of useful, necessary information.
Sports betting guides
New Yorkers are still getting used to having legal, regulated sports betting options available in their state, meaning not everyone is fully accustomed to all of the terminology, rules, and other information regarding the industry. Luckily for them, we have a detailed list of comprehensive guides covering a wide range of sports betting topics:
- Sports betting bonuses: Your go-to guide for all information involving sports betting bonuses. The guide breaks down each type of bonus, how new users can take advantage of them, and every term and condition hidden in the fine print.
- Guide to bonus-back bets: One of many different bonus variations, this guide focuses specifically on bonus-back or second-chance bets and all of the details surrounding them.
- Top sports betting podcasts: Need something new to listen to? Check out SportsHandle’s list of recommended sports betting podcasts.
- Expected value: Commonly known as EV, expected value is often overlooked by less-experienced bettors. Read up on it, check out our expected value strategy, and get on the fast track to placing smarter wagers today.
- Top scores and odds apps: Much like our ‘top sports betting podcasts’ guide, this list recommends our top picks for apps that keep track of scores, betting odds, and everything in between.
- Sports betting twitter: With all of the shady and untrustworthy gambling accounts scattered around the Internet, it’s important to follow sports bettors with credibility. Our sports betting Twitter list features all of the best follows within “Gambling Twitter.”
- Get a Grip Podcast: Brought to you by two of our very own, Dave Sharapan and Dan Back, this sports betting podcast delivers all the news and info about the legal sports betting industry like no one else.