North Carolina Sports Betting: Top NC Sportsbooks & Betting Sites Jun 2023

When will North Carolina Betting Sites Be Legal?

North Carolina retail sports betting is legal at two Native American casinos, and now online sports betting in North Carolina will soon be legal after House Bill 347 passed through the House and Senate.

All that's left is for Gov. Roy Cooper to sign the bill into law, which he's expected to do in the coming days.

This particular bill will allow up to 12 operators and will include college betting, which was removed from Senate Bill 688 at the last minute last year. The tax rate will be 18% and operators would pay $1 million for five-year, renewable licenses.

Keep this page bookmarked for the latest North Carolina sports betting updates.

North Carolina Betting Sites Likely To Launch

These are the North Carolina sportsbooks expected to apply for a license in North Carolina if and when online sports wagering is legalized:

Caesars Sportsbook North Carolina

The most obvious candidate to join the ranks of North Carolina betting sites since Caesars manages the state’s two Native American casinos and operates the lone in-person sportsbooks. Caesars is one of the most recognizable names in the gambling industry and Caesars Sportsbook North Carolina is expected to offer the most lucrative sign-up bonus offers.

• Read our Caesars Sportsbook NC Review

DraftKings Sportsbook North Carolina

DraftKings is one of the leading online sports betting providers in every state in which it operates and DraftKings North Carolina would be a favorite among NC sportsbooks. A giant in daily fantasy sports, DraftKings has quickly become one of the nation’s online sports betting heavyweights due to its aggressive promotions and contests.

• Read our DraftKings NC Sportsbook Review

FanDuel Sportsbook North Carolina

Like rival DraftKings, FanDuel has grown from daily fantasy sports operator to one of the biggest and most successful online sports betting providers. The FanDuel North Carolina app is one of the most player-friendly and downloaded in the industry. It offers one of the best sign-up deals in the nation.

• Read our FanDuel NC Sportsbook Review

BetMGM Sportsbook North Carolina

Online betting division of gambling giant MGM Resorts International continues to expand and is a major online player in neighboring Virginia and Tennessee. BetMGM traditionally offers an extensive betting menu and wide range of daily promotions, and BetMGM North Carolina sportsbook will likely do the same as it tries to establish itself among other NC betting sites.

• Read our BetMGM NC Sportsbook Review

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in North Carolina?

Not yet, but online sports betting in North Carolina will be legal as soon as Gov. Roy Cooper signs HB 347 into law. The bill passed through the House and Senate in early June. The launch date is set for Jan. 8, 2024. There are expected to be up to 12 online sportsbook launching on or around that date.

NC Sports Betting Legislation Updates 2023

June 7: The NC House votes to concur with amendments made by the Senate to HB 347. The bill will now be sent to Gov. Roy Cooper, who is expected to sign it in the coming days.

March 16: Lawmakers introduce House Bill 347, which will allow up to 12 online sportsbook and will also include college betting.

March 3: GeoComply reports 1.75 million transcations (attempts to access sports betting sites) from North Carolina. A new sports betting bill is expected to be introduced this spring and there is a lot of support behind legal North Carolina sports betting. The chances a bill passes this year are fairly strong, according to Gov. Roy Cooper.

June 30: The 2022 legislative session ends without a passage of sports betting legislation, which means North Carolina sports betting won't be legalized (if at all) until at least 2023.

June 22: North Carolina sports betting will likely not be legalized until at least 2023 after a late collapse of Senate Bill 688. Senate Bill 688 and SB 38 both passed through the three committees, but SB 688 failed in the House (it was previously approved by the Senate) by a 51-50 vote. It's unclear if there will be progress before the June 30 deadline, but legal NC online sports betting might have to wait until 2023.

June 21: Senate Bill 38 and Senate Bill 688 pass through the House Commerce Committee by a vote of 6-3-1.

May 22: Sen. Paul Lowe tells WRAL (Raleigh) he believes they have the votes to pass Senate Bill 688. The deadline for North Carolina sports betting to be legalized in 2022 is June 30.

November 4: House Commerce Committee passes SB 688 by 12-4 vote. Legislation moves to House Judiciary Committee, the first of three more committees the bill must pass.

August 19: SB 688 passes state Senate by 26-19 vote.

April 7: Senate Bill 688 is filed, which would legalize sports betting both online and at one of the state’s major sports facilities. Online wagering licenses would be granted to up to 12 operators, who would pay an 8% tax on adjusted gross revenue, one of the lower tax rates in the U.S.

North Carolina Sports Betting History

2021: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee accepts first legal retail sports wager in March. In August, an online sports wagering bill is approved by NC Senate and sent to the House. That bill is approved by House Commerce Committee in November and moved to House Judiciary Committee.

2019: Gov. Roy Cooper signs bill permitting retail sports wagering and horse racing betting on the state’s tribal lands.

2018: U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, giving all states the opportunity to legalize sports betting.

North Carolina Sports Betting Law

Here are a few highlights of House Bill 347:

• Sports wagering would have been regulated by the North Carolina Lottery Commission.
• There would be at least 10, but not more than 12, online sports betting licenses. The licenses are valid for five years and require an initial application fee of $1,000,000
• Wagering is authorized within one half-mile of a North Carolina sports facility with minimum seating capacity of 17,000, or a facility that hosts an annual pro golf tournament with more than 50,000 spectators.
• A 18% “privilege tax” on gross wagering revenue, minus winnings paid out (also minus deductions on promotions and bonus credit, which expires in five years). This is a departure from the previous tax rate of 8% that was in SB 688.
The Department of Revenue and the North Carolina Lottery Commission would have received some of the taxable income, and the subsequent $2 million in taxes goes to the Department of Health and Human Services for gambling addiction education and treatment programs. That was double the amount of the previous bill. There was then a 50-50 split between the newly-formed North Carolina Major Events, Games and Attractions Fund and the state’s General Fund.
• All betters must be at least 21 years of age.
• Sports wagers allowed on pro and college sports, eSports and other domestic and international sports, including the Olympic Games.
• Individuals could have voluntarily excluded themselves from placing sports wagers through a voluntary exclusion program established by the North Carolina Lottery Commission.

Bonuses & Promotions at NC Sports Betting Sites

In general, there are three types of signup bonuses that North Carolina sports betting sites will be offering to customers. There is a risk-free bet offer. In this instance, if a player's first wager loses, it will be refunded in the form of free bet credits up to a predetermined amount.

Another popular form of welcome bonus is a matching first deposit bonus. In this case, the North Carolina sportsbook agrees to match a percentage of a new player's first deposit, again up to a predetermined amount. These bonuses typically carry a wagering requirement, which can be as low as 1x.

The third most common signup offer is a no-deposit bonus. Just as it sounds, this is money presented to a new player just for signing up. It's generally a small stipend, usually between $10-$25 but it's free money to bet.

The top North Carolina online sports betting sites will continue to reward customers for their loyalty. They will offer such perks as reload bonuses and refer-a-friend bonuses, interspersed with regular and rotating promotional offers such as odds boosts and parlay insurance.

Top Features of North Carolina Sports Betting Sites

Intuitive User Interface

Simplicity is the key to NC online sports betting. Bettors are not people who want a lot of fuss and fancy gadgets. They want to get in, find the right game and get their bet down. Bells and whistles aren't what most bettors are looking for in NC betting sites.

List of Betting Odds

What's the line? When betting in North Carolina, that's the first question a bettor will want answered. The odds on all events should be up quickly and updated regularly. And they should be easy to locate and decipher.

Live Betting and/or Live Streaming

Live betting is the hottest trend that a North Carolina online sports betting site should be delivering. The best online sports betting NC locations will provide a dedicated link that takes players directly to all the current live sports betting NC opportunities.

NC sportsbooks will also offer live streams of most of the events upon which they are providing odds. Live sports betting NC is going to be a difficult play without the accompanying live stream to follow the action in real time.

Great Customer Service

Options. When sports betting online in North Carolina, that's what players will be seeking in terms of customer support. Sports betting websites NC should provide an extensive menu of FAQs to help players find answers to all of the standard issues that might come up when sports betting online NC. For further help, live chat, email, social media channels and even old-school telephone calls are all part and parcel of what sites involved in sports betting in NC should offer their customers.

Sports to Bet on North Carolina Betting Sites

When discussing how to wager at an online sportsbook, North Carolina bettors should expect all of these options to be available.

• Moneylines are the most popular wager. Based on a $100 wager, if Duke is -115 against North Carolina, it means that the NC sports betting site has set the Blue Devils as favorites and a player would need to wager $115 to realize a $100 profit. If the Tar Heels are at +110, they're the underdog. A successful $100 wager on them would return a $110 profit.
• Point spread wagering at a North Carolina sports betting site adds a twist to moneyline wagering. Instead of a straight won-loss wager, each team is assigned a positive or negative number. This type of wager will be commonplace with online football betting NC. The favorite at NC betting sites might be -3. That means they must win the game by more than three points. An underdog could be +3, meaning an outright win or a loss by less than three points is a winning wager on this club.
• Totals are also known as over-under betting. NC sportsbooks are asking bettors to choose whether the final score of a match will go above or under a specified number.
• Prop bets are placed on specific outcomes by a player or during the course of a game. It could be a bet on how many TD passes a QB might throw. It might be a play on the total yards rushing gained by a team.
• Parlays are high-risk, high-return wagers. They combine multiple bets into one wager in which all plays must hit. If they do, the winnings can be massive.
• Futures, or outrights, are long-range bets on outcomes involving both teams and players, such as divisional winners or MVP. These type of bets are common in NFL Futures.

What Sports Leagues Can I Bet On in North Carolina?

• NFL
• NBA
• NHL

North Carolina's betting market will all hold a place of prominence at NC sportsbooks, considering there are teams from each league that reside in North Carolina.

College sports betting was initially permitted under the legislation, but that changed late in the process. It's a disappointing result for a state that loves its college basketball. Aside from the NFL, NBA and NHL, Golf, tennis and especially NASCAR are other sports that will figure prominently when it comes to betting in North Carolina. Bookies.com will keep you updated on eSports legislation.

When Can I Play Daily Fantasy Sports in North Carolina?

Daily fantasy sports are as commonplace as a ham sandwich on the American landscape. Playing DFS is popular in football, baseball and basketball, and even in sports such as golf and NASCAR. While it technically has never been officially legalized in North Carolina, estimates are that there are 1.6 million betting in North Carolina on DFS games. All of the popular sites, including DraftKings, FanDuel and Monkey Knife Fight, have a presence in the Tar Heel State.

How to Sign up and Place a Sports Bet in North Carolina

Setting up a North Carolina sports betting account will be a relatively easy and pain-free exercise. Let's look at the step-by-step process that signing up for sports betting in North Carolina figures to be.

1. Read our reviews and choose the North Carolina online sports betting site that fits your needs.
2. Get to know the new betting platform by poking around for a few minutes.
3. Provide the necessary personal information (address, gender, first and last name, email address, mobile number, last four digits of your SSN).
4. Create a unique username and password.
5. Verify your account following the requirements for sports betting in NC .
6. Fund your account and collect a welcome bonus.
7. Place your first bet.

How We Pick the Best NC Sport Betting Sites

Bookies.com reviews all legal and regulated sports betting sites based on the following criteria in order to recommend the best ones.

How are NC Sports Betting Sites Regulated?

The North Carolina Lottery Commission will be in charge of regulating sports betting in the state. It's important that a strong regulatory and licensing entity be present to ensure that all North Carolina sports betting sites are following the letter of the law and protecting players.

NC Sports Betting Sites Reputation

The best sports betting sites NC will operate above reproach and have spent years garnering a sterling reputation in order to get the seal of approval from Bookies.com. Finding a winner when wagering your hard-earned money is enough of a challenge. Battling to get paid on a winning wager is never acceptable practice for a betting site.

Accessibility

To qualify for status as the best online sportsbook NC, this is a box that must be checked off. It should be easy for players to locate the event upon which they wish to wager. Getting a bet down should always be a painless process.

Reliability

The world wide web may be a crowded place, but that's no excuse for a betting house to be slow on the uptake when a player attempts to download it. The best sportsbook app NC platforms are going to be the ones that are always there for their customers. They will deliver competitive odds promptly and in a variety of markets.

Site and Mobile Experience

The best North Carolina sports betting apps will provide a mobile experience that rivals the desktop site for quality, ease of use and intuitiveness. It isn't enough to simply provide mobile access. Mobile sportsbooks must offer a top-notch product that enables a bettor to do what they desire without it feeling awkward or causing frustration to mount because the site won't load or is slow to respond.

Generous and Ongoing Sports Bet Bonuses

Top online sports gambling NC sites are going to offer generous bonuses. There will be a lucrative signup bonus, for starters. But the best North Carolina sportsbooks will also keep their customers happy by delivering a steady supply of ongoing promotional and bonus offers that ensure long-time customers never feel that they're being taken for granted.

Payment Options

Once online betting is up and operational in NC, a key element to be considered a recommended site will be when it comes to banking options. There needs to be access to a variety of payment methods. These will include traditional forms such as credit and debit cards, fresher possibilities such as e-wallets and online banking, as well as Play+ and prepaid cards.

Variety of Games to Bet On

All North Carolina sports betting operations are going to offer wagering on the big-ticket, popular sports like the NFL Super Bowl, NBA games, NCAA basketball and the NHL. The best NC sportsbooks are going to be the ones that go deeper, providing wagering on soccer, tennis, golf, boxing, MMA and even quirkier sports such as cricket and rugby. In many states, NASCAR wagering will be a minimal portion of the handle. With North Carolina sportsbooks, it will need to prominently be covered in both betting markets and lines.

Better Odds

When it comes to the odds, there are two elements that will make a site offering legal sports betting in North Carolina stand out in the crowd. Speed is of the essence. Bettors want the odds posted quickly. Being competitive with other North Carolina sportsbooks is also mandatory.

Deposits and Withdrawals

When talking funding, one factor takes priority. A variety of banking options is an essential quality to be considered a leading North Carolina online sports betting entity. The same holds true when it comes to withdrawals - the more options, the merrier.

Payout Process

When betting in North Carolina, players want their money, and they want it now. Whether depositing or withdrawing, the process should be quick and painless.

Security at Online Sportsbooks in North Carolina

In the online world, whether it's shopping, banking or betting, customers want to rest assured that their information and their money is safe and being well-protected. The top sites for sports betting in NC will all provide state of the art encryption and security tools.

Top 5 North Carolina Sports Teams to Bet On 2023

College basketball would have been huge since the original legislation allowed for college sports betting, however an amendment was added to make it illegal. It's unclear if that will remain in place going foward, however. What is certain is NASCAR is among the more prominent sports in North Carolina sports betting. There's also a powerful presence in the NFL, NBA and even the NHL.

Duke Blue Devils Basketball

Duke's men's basketball team is the fourth-winningest college basketball program of all-time, particularly since 1980 under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. They have won the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship five times, all under Coach K. They have appeared in 16 March Madness Final Fours.

North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

The six NCAA Tournament Championships won by the Tar Heels are third-most in tourney history. UNC has also won 18 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament titles. The school shows an all-time winning percentage of over 70% and sent both Michael Jordan and Vince Carter, among dozens of others, to the NBA.

Carolina Panthers

Joining the NFL games as an expansion franchise in 1995, the Panthers reached the NFC Championship Game in their second season of existence. Carolina went to Super Bowls 38 and 50, posting a 15-1 regular season behind quarterback Cam Newton in the latter season. They are the only NFL team to lose Super Bowl games to both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Charlotte Hornets

This team is the second rendition of the Hornets. The original Hornets operated from 1988-2002, when the club relocated to New Orleans. Charlotte was given a second NBA expansion franchise in 2004. Originally dubbed the Bobcats, in 2014 they were renamed the Hornets and adopted all of the history and records of the original Hornets.

Carolina Hurricanes

Raleigh gained an NHL franchise in 1997 when the Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina and were christened the Carolina Hurricanes. In 2002, the Canes reached the Stanley Cup Final. Four years later, they won the Cup. They've become famous for their quirky post-game celebrations, dubbed the Storm Surge.

Responsible Gambling

The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program (NCPGP) provides and supports effective problem gambling prevention, education, outreach and treatment services throughout North Carolina. They provide statewide treatment services, training and technical support, both in-person and online, for prevention and provide education and outreach to promote awareness through media, partnerships and integration.