Why Bet at Legal Online Alberta Sports Betting Sites

In the case of the AGLC, the main reason to wager with them is that 100% of the money stays in the province. Alberta players who wager on PlayAlberta.ca can rest assured that all the revenue stays in the province to benefit all Albertans. More legal options should become available soon. Bettors should avoid offshore sportsbooks as they are unregulated in Canada and do not provide the same protections to consumers in the event of disputes.

Are Mobile Sports Betting Apps Available in Alberta?

Currently, there are no mobile sports betting apps permitted in the province in terms of Alberta gambling. All sports wagers in the province must be made in person. That certainly is expected to change as single-sports betting arrives in the province on Aug. 27. Each of the prevalent online sports betting powerhouses eyeing the Alberta market operates world-class mobile apps.

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Bonuses & Promotions at Alberta Sports Betting Sites.

PlayAlberta offers a $20 signup bonus to new players who join their online site. The leading online sports betting powerhouses looking at entering the Alberta market all offer lucrative signup bonuses much larger than that. These range from no-deposit bonuses to matching first-deposit bonuses and risk-free first bet bonuses.

Alberta Land-Based Sportsbooks & Locations

Currently, Alberta does not have any land-based sportsbooks located in the province. Sport Select WCLC tickets are sold at licensed retailers throughout the province. That figures to be changing with the advent of single-sports betting in Alberta on Aug. 27.

Alberta, CA Online Sportsbooks

As Alberta looks set to launch single-sports betting from Aug. 27, players can anticipate that all the leading North American licensed and regulated sports betting sites will be looking to grab a share of the Alberta marketplace.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Establishing a reputation throughout North American as a daily fantasy sports operator, DraftKings quickly pivoted to sports betting when it was legalized across the USA in 2018. The company has confirmed that it will be arriving in Canada in a big way when single-sports betting launches.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Like DraftKings, FanDuel made its name in the world of DFS. They also moved into sports betting across the USA in 2018 and grew rapidly. Already holding a DFS presence in Canada will give FanDuel brand recognition with Canadian players.

BetRivers Sportsbook

In betting terminology, BetRivers is an impressive underdog. Owned by Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, BetRivers is an efficient operator. Often, it is the first site to launch in a new market. Canadians shouldn't overlook this little sportsbook that could be a big presence in the country.

888sport Sportsbook

Canadian online sports bettors are well-versed in 888Sport. The company has operated in Canada as part of the unregulated offshore betting industry for years. That name recognition should give 888Sport Canada a leg up on the competition as Canada adopts single-sports betting.

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BetMGM Sportsbook

A powerhouse presence in the gaming world, BetMGM recently hired Edmonton Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky as a brand ambassador. There couldn't be a more effective method to become a presence in Alberta gambling then by having The Great One as your point man.

Bet365 Sportsbook

An operation run by the Coates family out of Stoke-On-Trent in England, Bet365 has grown from a few local betting shops into a worldwide online sports betting giant. Bet365 Canada has already infiltrated Canada via the unregulated offshore market. Bet365 transitioned effectively into a regulated sportsbook in the USA and figures to do the same in Canada.

William Hill Sportsbook

A sports betting legend, William Hill opened for business in 1934. The company has remained relevant because it doesn't follow the trends; it sets them. William Hill entered the US market in 2012, opening several retail sports betting sites in Nevada. They were more prepared than any sports betting site to jump into the regulated US market as an online presence. William Hill already operates in the unregulated sports betting marketplace in Canada.

Sport Nation Sportsbook

A company that is based in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Sport Nation has already dipped its toes into the Canadian market via the unregulated offshore sports betting industry. They're part of the Argyll Entertainment AG group, a growing presence in the online sportsbook market. Sport Nation operates as an unregulated site in Canada, offering a rich helping of plays on North American sports.

Karamba Sportsbook

Karamba only recently pivoted into online sports betting. The company made its name as an online casino site. They're already owners of a Canadian presence in the offshore world and have made inroads into the Canadian market.

theScore Sportsbook

A quiet performer in the regulated USA market, there's a sense that theScore is using the USA as a test market in order to prep for a bold move back home. The Canadian company's sports betting app already has over four million downloads in Canada. That's a giant customer list to access when making the move into Canadian single-sports betting.

Prospects Considering the CA Sports Betting Market

Rogers and Bell Media are Canada's telecommunications giants. They control the airwaves and the world of internet service providers. That seems like an ideal combination to make a bold move into sports betting.

Rogers: Sports betting would seem a natural fit for the media conglomerate. Their 24.7 cable sports channel Sportsnet already broadcasts the NHL throughout Canada. The company has proven to be a strong supporter for Bill C-218 earlier in 2021. In Alberta, they partner with the NHL Edmonton Oilers, who play at Rogers Arena.

Bell: While Bell hasn't been as vocal about supporting single-sports betting, Canada's other multi-media superpower will benefit from single-sports betting. Its 24/7 sports channel TSN carries every CFL game. That league - with two teams, the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders in Alberta - figures to garner significant additional revenue from the presence of single-sports betting.

Woodbine: As Canada's largest purveyor of single-sports betting - albeit on horse racing - Woodbine seems a natural to be involved in this new world of sports betting in Canada. Woodbine CEO believes it is natural to be granted a CA betting license. He hopes to use single-sports betting to help grow horse racing into more prominence across Canada.

Alberta Sports Betting Law

Currently, the gaming laws in Alberta only permit the placing of legal sports wagers by betting on the outcome of multiple sporting events at once, otherwise known as parlay betting.

Alberta works in partnership with the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). The WCLC operates Sport Select, where the WCLC game list includes Pro Line, Point Spread, Over-Under, Pools and Props. At the moment, Sport Select wagers are only available at official WCLC retailers throughout Alberta.

Land-based casinos are operated in Alberta via a charitable gaming model. Charitable organizations are given licences to run casino events. The casinos are owned both privately and by First Nations operators. There is also live horse racing in Alberta.

In terms of online gaming, there is PlayAlberta.ca. This site provides casino wagering, as well as a live casino option. As part of the new plan going forward for Alberta sports betting, 2021 will see online gambling in Alberta adding sports betting to the PlayAlberta platform.

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Single Sporting Event Wagers

The passage of Bill C-218 has legalized single-sports betting, which will change how to gamble in Alberta from Aug. 27. The ability to make a wager on one sports event will dramatically improve the odds of winning for players. The AGLC has been a stout supporter of Bill C-218, believing that it will be giving Albertans new and unique options on their favourite sporting events. Players would be able to choose a game or prop bet that gives them greater odds of a successful wager, picking between markets such as the game outcome, point spread betting or how many shots a player registers.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Alberta, Canada?

Alberta online gambling is offered through the AGLC's PlayAlberta.ca, the province's only current regulated betting website. However, it's limited to casino and live casino wagering. The province has indicated that it will be adding sports wagering to the PlayAlberta platform in 2021.

Proline Alberta

Offered across Canada, Sport Select Proline is currently the only legal sports betting offered in Canada. In Alberta, the rules demand that players must wager parlays of a minimum of three legs to participate. While a traditional sportsbook has a vig of 10%, with WCLC Proline, the vig can go as high as 30%, making it a bad play for bettors.

Who Regulates Sports Betting in Alberta?

Across the province, Alberta gaming online and land-based is regulated by Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis. The AGLC licenses, inspects, audits, and investigates all issues involved with online gambling Alberta-wide. They also own and maintain all slot machines, VLTs, lottery terminals and electronic bingo machines. The AGLC works in conjunction with the WCLC to operate Sport Select Proline in the province.

How to Sign up and Make Your First Sports Bet

Expectations are that from Aug. 27 - the date the Liberal government has set for the launch of single-sports betting across the country - Alberta sports betting will change to offer single-event wagers. Once that happens, players will need to sign up with an Alberta sportsbook. This is actually an easy process.

First, players will want to choose which of the best Alberta online sports betting sites fits their needs as a bettor. Be sure to check out the sports betting apps, as mobile betting is extremely convenient. Navigate the sites to make that choice before undertaking the signup process.

To join a site, some personal information will need to be shared. A sign in and password must be created. To place a bet, first the account must be funded. Next, peruse the odds to locate a suitable wager. Click on it to add it to the betslip and then click on confirm to place the wager.

How We Have Chosen the Best Alberta Sports Betting Sites

Only the most reliable and reputable Alberta sports betting sites are featured by Bookies.com. Each of the best sportsbooks in Alberta has been carefully reviewed to ensure that they are of the highest grade, safe and easy to use. Several other key factors are considered to ensure that only the leading Alberta online sports betting sites clear the bar. That means an exciting, secure and hopefully profitable experience is delivered to all Alberta residents. Here are the primary aspects of online sports betting sites reviewed by Bookies.com.

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The Site’s Reputation

The only thing that travels faster than good news is bad news. If a CA sportsbook wants to be considered among the leading Alberta sports betting sites, the first requirement is a sterling reputation. It's easy to talk a good game. Alberta's best sportsbook will back up the talk and deliver on their promises.

Accessibility

It doesn't matter what a betting site promises to deliver or how pretty it looks if players can't easily access all the site has to offer. Alberta's best sportsbooks must upload with the speed of a running back hitting a hole in the line on third-and-5.

Trustworthiness

Do they make it easy to join? Is their signup bonus delivered as expected? Are they living up to all of what they are boasting they will deliver as a betting site? To be considered as Alberta's best sportsbook, a site will adhere to the gaming laws in Alberta.

User Experience

In today's fast-paced world, all the bells and whistles won't matter a bit if the betting site is slow to upload and unwieldy difficult to navigate. The best Alberta online sports betting sites will be quick to provide the odds and the interface will be intuitive to use. As well, there will be advice on how to place a sports bet in Alberta that will enable new players to ease into wagering.

Mobile App

For today's CA sports bettors, perhaps nothing is as vital to customer satisfaction than a stellar mobile app. Most people opting to take part in online gambling in Alberta will be doing so via their mobile device of choice. They'll want an Alberta sportsbook's mobile site to offer everything and work as seamlessly as if they were accessing it via their laptop or desktop computer.

Betting Promos and Offers

The first thing players are going to be coming across once they decide to get involved in Alberta gaming is a site's signup bonus offer. The best Alberta sports betting sites will deliver a straightforward signup bonus package. There won't be details such as wagering limits or rollover requirements hidden away in the tiny fine print.

Available Sports to Bet On

Those who decide to implement their betting strategy in Alberta, Canada will expect that all the popular sports in Alberta will be covered with multiple betting lines. These would include the NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB and CFL. However, Canada is a country with a diverse population. Sports such as cricket, soccer, rugby, golf, tennis, auto racing and UFC are also extremely popular with a segment of the Alberta population.

The Odds

The best sportsbooks in Alberta are those that deliver odds on a variety of popular sports. They will post these odds promptly and adjust them in accordance with the action on each game. Some operators will even offer an odds calculator so you know what to expect. As well, there will be a posting of alternative odds, giving players options on how they want to play a bet.

Payment Options

There are more ways to make payments today than ever before. Cash is no longer king. The best Alberta sports betting sites will provide a long list of options when it comes to deposits and withdrawals. Bookmaker deposit options will include debit and credit cards, bank transfers, wire transfers and online payment methods like PayPal, PayNearMe and Skrill.

Types of Sports Bets Offered in Alberta

Now, there are four types of sports bets that are offered on the WCLC Proline game list. These include over/under bets, in which a bettor wagers on whether a game's total scoring will be under or over a set amount. In point spread betting, favorites are assigned a minus point total and the underdog a plus point total. Players can bet the favorite and give the points, meaning the team must win by a margin exceeding that number. If they wager on the underdog, they get the points. Even a loss suffered by the underdog that finishes with a margin smaller than the spread on the game makes that bet a winner.

With pools, players are given a card with a specific number of games and must correctly the winner of every game on the card to cash a winning wager. Props are wagers related to specific outcomes during a game. All bets made must be parlays of a minimum three legs.

With single-sports betting from Aug. 27, there will be those betting options and more - all without the requirement of parlay betting.

What Sports Leagues Can I Bet On in Alberta?

The NHL is the league everyone watches in Alberta. With two teams - the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames - Alberta is tied with Ontario for the most Canadian NHL franchises. Alberta also goes two-deep in CFL teams with the Calgary Stampeders and the recently-renamed Edmonton Elks. The NFL, MLS, MLB and international soccer are other popular betting markets with Albertans.

Betting On NHL

There's no more intense rivalry in the NHL than the Battle of Alberta between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. It was especially heated in the 1980s, when the two teams combined to win six Stanley Cups. Oilers captain Connor McDavid is a future sportsbook bettor's dream come true. He's annually a top contender for the Hart and Art Ross Trophies. As soon as Alberta sportsbooks open, you can count on NHL betting to be a big deal.

Betting On NBA

Alberta might not be known as a basketball hotbed, but college and minor pro teams populate the province. As the only Canadian NBA team, the Toronto Raptors are basically Canada's team. They draw NBA betting interest nationwide.

Betting On Soccer

There's also a rich tradition of pro soccer teams in Edmonton and Calgary over the years. So many Canadians are ex-pats of another country, and they maintain their allegiances to their old country soccer clubs. That leads to plenty of soccer wagering on international matches.

Betting On MLB

For many years, Edmonton and Calgary were home to AAA farm clubs of major-league teams. That helped to create a following for players who passed through the cities en route to The Show. Like the Raptors, the Toronto Blue Jays are Canada's lone MLB club and draw betting interest across the country.

Betting On Lacrosse

The Calgary Roughnecks give Alberta a presence in pro lacrosse as a franchise in the National Lacrosse League. Once a popular game in Canada on par with hockey, today lacrosse still maintains a following, especially among First Nations people. It's a solid niche betting sport.

Betting On Other Sports

The CFL is massive in Alberta. The Edmonton Elks have won 14 Grey Cups, while the Calgary Stampeders have delivered eight titles. The Edmonton Stingers won the 2020 Canadian Elite Basketball League Summer Series championship. Both Calgary (Cavalry FC) and Edmonton (Edmonton FC) have franchises in the Canadian Premier Soccer League. Curling is popular in Canada, with a huge following on the Canadian prairies. Golf, tennis, UFC, boxing and auto racing also carry solid interest among Albertans.

Popular Sporting Events to Bet On

The Stanley Cup is No. 1 when it comes to Alberta. When the Flames or Oilers make a Stanley Cup run, playoff fever infects the entire city. The Grey Cup is a close second. The celebration of Grey Cup week became an annual tradition when Albertans began trekking East in large numbers to watch their teams battle for the trophy. The Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup, the Brier, the Scott's Tournament of Hearts, rodeo, golf's majors and the tennis Grand Slams will also garner considerable action.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Playing Daily Fantasy Sports is 100% legal in the gaming laws in Alberta. With no traditional sportsbooks options available to Alberta, playing DFS is a method of how to gamble in Alberta. Both DraftKings and FanDuel are prominent within the province. Estimates are that Albertans spend an estimated $49 million annually on daily fantasy sports (DFS) at these sites.

Betting on Horse Racing

Century Mile Racetrack and Casino (Edmonton) and Century Downs (Calgary) are the two biggest tracks in Alberta in terms of wagering on live horse racing. There are also smaller live racing meets at the Track on 2 (Lacombe), Millarville Racetrack, Rocky Mountain Turf Club (Lethbridge) and Evergreen Park (Grande Prairie). Simulcast wagering from tracks around the world is offered year-round. Alberta is also home to the famous Calgary Stampede, offering a variety of horse and rodeo competitions.

Top 4 Alberta Sports Teams to Bet On

Alberta's tradition in sports goes back more than a century. Teams from the province were competing for the Stanley Cup long before the NHL was born in 1917. In 1921, Edmonton became the first Western Canadian city to play for the Grey Cup.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers originally launched as a WHA team in 1972. They joined the NHL in 1979 when the two leagues merged. Edmonton won five Stanley Cups from 1984-90 and most recently played in the Cup final series in 2006.

Calgary Flames

Calgary gained an NHL team when the Atlanta Flames relocated to the city in 1980. By 1989, the Flames were Stanley Cup champions. They made their most recent trip to the final in 2004.

Calgary Stampeders

Lately, the Stampeders are proving to be a CFL powerhouse. They played in five of eight Grey Cups between 2012-19. The Stampeders won their first Grey Cup way back in 1948.

Edmonton Elks

Edmonton was the first Western Canadian city to play in a Grey Cup game. Edmonton won a CFL-record five successive Grey Cups from 1978-82. Only the Toronto Argonauts (17) have won more Grey Cups than Edmonton and only Winnipeg (25) has played in more Grey Cup games than Edmonton (23).

Alberta Sports Betting History

The history of sports betting in Alberta stretches back to the turn of the 20th century when betting on horse racing became popular.

1974: The Western Canada Lottery Foundation (WCLF) is formed.

1984: The Canadian Sports Pool Corporation begins offering sports pool wagering in North American major pro sports to raise funds for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. However, the pool betting system proves unpopular and is dissolved in 1985.

1986: The WCLF is renamed the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC).

1990: Sport Select Proline, a legal form of parlay wagering on sports, is introduced by the WCLC.

2020: Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) launches PlayAlberta.ca, the only regulated, online gambling website available to Albertans. You must be over the age of 18 and physically located within the province’s borders.

2021: The AGLC announces its intention to add a sports betting element to PlayAlberta.ca.

2021: Bill C-218, The Safe And Regulated Sports Betting Act, is passed and granted Royal Assent to become law in Canada. This will enable single-sports betting across the country.

Alberta Online Casinos

There are 25 land-based casinos in Alberta. The first charity casinos began operating in the mid-1970s. Slot machines and table games were originally offered in the 1990s.

As for online casino options, PlayAlberta.ca is the only legal, regulated option currently operating within the province's borders. It offers online slots and table games including blackjack, baccarat, roulette and video poker. There is also a live dealer element featuring blackjack, roulette, baccarat and Texas Hold'Em.

Responsible Gambling

GameSense is a gambling helpline Alberta offers to its players. It notes that in gambling, the result is never certain and losing is always a possibility. The objective is to look at gambling as entertainment, like catching a concert or a movie, and not a way to make money. There are sections on the GameSense site explaining how gambling and betting games work, as well as a self-exclusion option that is available to all players.