Pennsylvania Sports Betting

Online sports betting has been live, fully legal and regulated in Pennsylvania since July 2019. Pennsylvania’s sports betting market continues to grow each month and has a ton of options both retail and online. This page is a comprehensive guide to all things PA sports betting including where you can bet, where you should bet and all the best promos and bonuses in the Keystone State.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Information

• Sports betting is fully legal and regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) for both online and retail, the same department that regulates retail casinos.
• Wagers are accepted on professional and collegiate level sporting events.
• Sports Betting licenses and fees
  • Sports Wagering Certificate – $10 million
  • 34% tax on gross gaming revenue
  • 2% local share tax
  • .25% excise tax on handle revenue
• One sportsbook skin per license
• Wagering on sports only, so no award shows, presidential election, etc.

Active Pennsylvania Online Sportsbooks

BetRivers Online Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Rivers Pittsburgh
• Retail Sportsbook: Yes
• Tech Partner: Kambi
• Mobile Launch Date: June 2019

BetRivers online sportsbook is owned and operated by Rush Street Interactive, which also owns Rivers Philadelphia and Pittsburgh casino locations.

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FanDuel PA Online Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Valley Forge Casino
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: FanDuel
• Mobile Launch Date: July 2019

FanDuel online sportsbooks seems to dominate every US market they enter, and for good reason. FanDuel has some of the best promos, best betting lines and offers a wide array of betting options for both pregame and in-game betting. 

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FOX Bet PA Online Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Mount Airy Casino
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: The Stars Group
• Mobile Launch Date: September 2019

FOX Sports and The Stars Group have teamed up to bring you the FOX Bet online sportsbook. Combining FOX Sports, of the biggest names in sports, and The Stars Group, parent company of PokerStars, is a match made in heaven. FOX Bet has paired up with Mount Airy Casino and shares a wallet with PokerStars PA and Stars Casino. FOX Bet is one of the most fun sportsbooks in the industry bringing a ton of prop bets, custom bets and the most odds boosts in PA.

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DraftKings Online Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Meadows Casino
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: Kambi
• Mobile Launch Date: November 2019

DraftKings, one of the biggest names in Daily Fantasy Sports has found their path into the PA online sportsbook market via Meadows Casino in Washington, PA. DraftKings online sportsbook offers daily odds boosts, in-game betting and all the major markets. DraftKings also has a large lineup of constantly changing promotions, so be sure to check back to see the latest offers and deals. They also launched an online casino in PA that’s become very popular with many players.

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Unibet Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Mohegan Sun
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: Kambi
• Mobile Launch Date: November 2019

Unibet may not be a household name in the US market just yet, but they are one of the biggest online gaming companies in the world, with over 11 million customers worldwide in over 100 countries. Unibet first made their entry in the US market via New Jersey and have partnered with Mohegan Sun Pocono to bring their product to Pennsylvania.

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betPARX

• Casino Partner: Parx Casino
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: Kambi
• Mobile Launch Date: June 2019

Parx was not fully on board with online gambling, but once online sports betting launched, they jumped in with two feet and were one of the first to go live.

Caesars Sportsbook PA

• Casino Partner: Harrah’s Philadelphia
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: Scientific Games
• Mobile Launch Date: March 2020

Caesars owns Harrah’s Philadelphia and actually had a sportsbook in PA prior to its big re-launch after taking over William Hill in 2021. It was subpar, to put it nicely, so the new Caesars Sportsbook is a welcomed change that is worthy of a spot on any bettor’s smartphone. Prior to Caesars Sportsbook going live online, Harrahs retail sportsbook opened its doors in January 2019, just a few months after sports betting was legalized in the state.

BetMGM PA Online Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Hollywood Casino Morgantown
• Retail Sportsbooks: No
• Tech Partner: GVC Holdings
• Mobile Launch Date: December 2020

Hollywood Casino is owned by Penn National Gaming, which also owns Barstool Sportsbook. Therefore, BetMGM is an online-only license because Penn owns several casinos in the state. Regardless, this is good news for bettors in PA because BetMGM is one of the best online sportsbooks out there.

Barstool Sportsbook

• Casino Partner: Hollywood Casino at Penn National
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: SportGenius
• Mobile Launch Date: September 2020

Speaking of Barstool Sportsbook, they are live in PA as well, and doing quite a brisk business thus far. Since going live in 2020, Barstool has been toward the top of the revenue charts in PA, carving out a sizable chunk of the sports betting market in the state. While the Barstool personalities may be at times off-putting, the sportsbook product is sound and the promotions are generous.

PointsBet

• Casino Partner: Hollywood Casino York
• Retail Sportsbooks: No
• Tech Partner: Banach Technology
• Mobile Launch Date: January 2022

PointsBet has brought its intriguing, high-risk, high-reward PointsBetting system to PA through a partnership with Hollywood Casino York. The sportsbook is based in Australia but has made a splash in the US, due in part to its partnership with NBC Sports. Marketing aside, the product itself is above average and worth checking out, particularly the bonus bet promotion for new customers.

Betway

• Casino Partner: Live! Casino Philadelphia
• Retail Sportsbooks: No
• Tech Partner: SBTech
• Mobile Launch Date: June 2021

Betway has arrived in the US after becoming a massively successful brand throughout Europe. Other companies can say the same thing, and none of them, including Betway, have really caught on here. But, like the others, Betway is a good sportsbook worth checking out, particularly for their generous bonus bet promotion.

PlaySugarHouse

• Casino Partner: Rivers Philadelphia
• Retail Sportsbooks: No
• Tech Partner: SBTech
• Mobile Launch Date: June 2021

PlaySugarHouse and BetRivers are owned by the same company (RSI) and are both available in PA. This is rare but does happen, generally because the two brands were separate before being joined together and each have a strong brand presence. This is true of PlaySugarHouse, the sportsbook offshoot of the popular SugarHouse casino in Philadelphia that is now known as Rivers Philadelphia.

Sportsbook at Wind Creek powered by Betfred

• Casino Partner: Wind Creek Bethlehem
• Retail Sportsbooks: Yes
• Tech Partner: Scientific Games
• Mobile Launch Date: December 2020

Yes, that is the real name of this sportsbook operated by the Wind Creek Bethlehem casino. They partnered with Betfred, a popular British sportsbook, but didn’t want to be known as Betfred in PA. Whatever the name, the product is great; Betfred is known for its competitive lines and wide variety of wagering opportunities.

Betting Options at PA Online Sportsbooks

If you are new to sports betting or just need a refresher, you may not be sure what to expect when signing up at an online sportsbook. One of the many upsides of betting online versus at a retail location is that online sportsbooks can be more innovative when it comes to betting options and promotional offers. Let’s take a look at the most popular bet types you will see:

• Moneyline: A moneyline bet is most simply put as just picking who you think will win. Each team is assigned odds based on if they are a favorite or underdog. For example, if you are betting on the Celtics(+145) vs the Sixers(-170), the Celtics would be the underdog and the Sixers would be the favorites. Your $100 bet on the Celtics would return $245 ($100 bet +$145 profit) where as that same $100 bet on the sixers would only return $158 ($100 bet + $58 profit). To win $100 profit on the Sixers, you would need to bet $170 when the odds are -170.
• Point Spread: To bring a game back to even, teams are assigned a point spread and offered close to even odds on the bet. In that same example from above, the spread is -3.5 for the Sixers and +3.5 for the Celtics. If you bet the Celtics +3.5, they can lose by 3, and you would still win the bet. On the flip side, if you bet the Sixers, they would need to win by 4 or more in order for you to win the bet.
• Over/Under (Totals): The Over/Under or totals bets is just picking how many points will be scored in a game. If the O/U is set it 152.5, you would win the Under bet if there are 152 points or less, and win the Over if there are 153 points or more scored between both teams.
• Parlays: Parlays are a combination of two or more bets, where you get increased odds but the risk is higher as all of the legs of the parlays must win for you to be paid.
• Futures: Futures bets are just as they sound, betting on outcomes that will take place in the future. For example, if you bet the Phillies to win the world series back in March, that would be a futures bet.
• Prop Bets: Prop bets are any bet that is based on a team or individual performance, such as Ben Simmons to have over 9.5 assists or Rafael Nadal to serve over 10.5 aces in a match.
• Ingame or Live Betting: Ingame bets are placed after the match or game has started. The odds are constantly updating based on the action and depending on the site, you may have access to all the same bets listed above during the game.

Pennsylvania Online Sportsbook Banking

Knowing your money is safe is top priority in a legal and regulated sports betting market. Along with keeping your money safe, making it easy to move money on and off the sites in a timely manner is another great benefit. Below is the most popular banking options in Pennsylvania.

• Visa/Mastercard (deposits only): Use your credit card to instantly deposit money into your account.
• PayNearMe (deposits only): Choose PayNearMe from the list of deposit options and you will receive a barcode that can be scanned at a 7-11, CVS or Family Dollar. Make a cash deposit and you will see the funds in your account within 15 minutes. 
• PayPal: Use the world’s most popular E-wallet to safely and securely load money on and off a variety of sites.
• Online Bank Transfer: Use your online banking bill pay options to transfer funds on and off the various sites.
• Wire Transfers: Transfer money directly from your bank account using wire transfer option.
• Cash at the casino cage: Bring cash and your ID to the affiliated brick-and-mortar casino to make deposits, or request a withdrawal to the cage and bring your ID to easily get cash out of your account.

Available Platforms

Whether you like to bet from your couch or on the go, online sportsbooks give you a variety of options to place your bets including:

• Desktop/Mac: Place your bets from desktop, laptop or Mac computer by going directly to the online sportsbook’s website.
• iOS App: Most online sportsbooks offer an iOS app for your iPhone or iPad and can be downloaded from Apple’s App store. 
• Android App: Either download the app directly from the website or app store.

Pennsylvania Retail Sports Betting Locations

• Hollywood Casino at Penn National
• Hollywood Casino York
• Hollywood Casino Morgantown
• Live! Casino Philadelphia
• Parx Casino
• South Philadelphia Turf Club
• Rivers Casino Philadelphia
• Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
• Valley Forge Casino
• Presque Isle Downs
• Mohegan Sun Casino
• Mount Airy Casino
• Meadows Casino
• Harrah’s Philadelphia
• Wind Creek Bethlehem

Pennsylvania Gambling History

Up until 2004, the closest Pennsylvania had to gambling was the lottery, but that all changed when the state approved slots machines to be installed at the states seven racetracks. Fast forward to 2010, the state looked to raise the stakes and take in more revenue to fill the budget gaps by adding table games and poker rooms. Pennsylvania quickly rose to the second largest gaming state behind only Nevada bringing in over $3 billion a year in gross gaming revenue.

In 2017, the Keystone State once again looked to expand their gambling revenue, this time in the form of iGaming. After years of debate, the state finally passed a massive gaming expansion package that led to legalizing online poker, casinos and sports betting. Sports betting was a placeholder pending a federal case regarding the legality of sports betting outside of Nevada. 

In May 2018, the United State Supreme Court declared PASPA, a 1992 law that prohibited full-scale sports betting outside of Nevada, unconstitutional, giving the green light for states to regulate and legalize sports betting within their own borders. 

Given that the 2017 gaming expansion package had language for legal sports betting, Pennsylvania was well set up to be one of the first states to get up and running. We saw the first retail bets being placed at Hollywood Casino in November 2018 and the first online sports bets being placed at an online sportsbook in May 2019.

PA Online Sports Betting Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to bet on sports in Pennsylvania?

Yes! Betting on sports in Pennsylvania is legal both in person and online.

How do I know my money is safe in an online sportsbook?

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) oversees and regulates online sportsbooks the same as they oversee retail sports betting and all casino activities. This is one of the biggest benefits of legal and regulated sports betting is peace of mind that your money is safe and games are fair.

Who can place a bet at a retail or online sportsbook in Pennsylvania?

Anyone who is 21 years of age or older and is physically located in the state of Pennsylvania.

What can I do if I have a gambling problem, need a time out from sports betting or want to limit my betting activity?

All legal online sportsbooks in New Jersey have responsible gaming tabs on their site. Go to the “Responsible gaming” page on the individual site and you can set deposit limits, spending limits, time limits, temporary self-suspensions, and total lifetime self-exclusion. For more help, you can call 1 800-GAMBLER.

Is live in-game betting available in Pennsylvania?

Yes! All sites have their own live in-game betting options.

How can online sportsbooks verify if I am in Pennsylvania?

Geolocation technology uses your computer’s IP address, phone’s GPS and available Wi-Fi networks to pinpoint your location and verify that you are physically located in Pennsylvania. If a site is having trouble verifying your location, check to be sure that you are allowing the app to find your location and that your Wi-Fi is turned on. When using the desktop, be sure to have and VPN turned off and be connected to Wi-Fi.

Deposits and withdrawals can be made from outside of the state, but to place a bet, you must be physically located in the state. You do not have to be a Pennsylvania resident to bet.