Best North Carolina Betting Sites

At a Glance: North Carolina Betting

• In-person sports betting has been legal since 2019. Online sports betting was legalized on June 14, 2023, and betting launched on March 11, 2024.
• North Carolina betting legislation permits up to 11 licensed bookies, excluding tribes. Fanatics Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, bet365, and ESPN Bet lead the way for now.
• Legal battles are the norm here. The Seminole Tribe’s exclusive rights have been a hotbed for contention, leading to all sorts of courtroom drama changing the landscape.

Top 3 NC Sportsbooks 2024

As online sports betting takes over the Tar Heel State, several players have already emerged and are making their mark on the market.

Best NC Betting Apps

If you asked most folks you know, the best app across NC, and all of the States for that matter, is usually FanDuel. However, the best is subjective. We like FanDuel as much as he next guy, but each of the major players all have their own kicker:

Best North Carolina Betting Sites for Beginners

New to the game? Well, some sites go an extra step to accommodate new players with either larger bonuses, betting guides, or simpler interfaces.

New Betting Sites in North Carolina

Well, they’re all new, really. You know the premier operators in the market, but there are a few lesser-known books like Catwba Two Kings and Underdog Sports.

All Betting Sites Available in North Carolina

• FanDuel: Partnered with the PGA Tour and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Offers a user-friendly experience and competitive odds​​.
• BetMGM: Partnered with the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Known for a deep menu of betting markets and features like Edit My Bet​​.
• Bet365: The first sportsbook to partner with an NC sports organization, specifically the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets​​.
• DraftKings: Entered the market through a partnership with NASCAR​​.
• Caesars Sportsbook: Expected to pair with Tribal Casino Gaming Cherokee. Known for in-play betting, market depth, and loyalty rewards​​.
• ESPN Bet: Partnered with Quail Hollow Club. Notable for its best same-game parlay (SGP) odds​​.
• Fanatics Sportsbook: Partnered with the Carolina Hurricanes. Offers a customer behavior-driven app to recommend bets on favorite teams​​.
• Underdog Sports: Partnered with Sedgefield Country Club (Greensboro)​​.

Bonuses and Promotions

Being the new market in the game, the sportsbooks will be aggressive in the acquisition of you, so be sure to browse the best NC offers and promotions across all the books.

Types of Bonuses and Promotions in North Carolina.

To find the best bonuses and promotions, you need to know what you’re looking for. Here are some of the most popular bonuses to look for out in NC.

• First Bet bonus:  Sportsbooks will reward first-time depositors the value of their initial real money wager in bonus bets should that first wager lose.
• Deposit Match Bonuses: Users who deposit for the first time will have their deposits matched in bonus funds. The key here is to check whether the bonus is paid as a site credit or bonus bet.
• ‘No Sweat’ Bets: Risk-free opportunities to place bets
• Loyalty & VIP Programs: Rewards for regular bettors or players who have bet above a certain threshold.
• Odds boost: Odds boosts are promotions that increase the odds for a particular market or event.
• Profit boost: Profit boosts are designed to increase the profit you stand to gain if the outcome is settled in your favor. If you bet $20 on the Heels at +110 odds on a moneyline and use the 20% boost, your profits will rise from $22 to $26.4 if NC wins. 
• Insurance bets: Insurance bets are mostly related to parlays. Namely, if you miss one leg of your qualifying parlay on, the sportsbooks may give you back a portion of your stake in the form of bonus bets. 

Types of Bets Available in North Carolina:

The betting markets in North Carolina are standard with the rest of the nation and industry.

• Moneyline: Straight-up betting on the outright winner of a game or event.
• Point Spreads: Betting on a winner and the margin of victory adds a layer of strategy (or cushion) to your bets.
• Totals: It’s a numbers game—will the total score be over or under what’s predicted?
• Props: Dive deep into the intricacies of sports by wagering on the specific achievements of players or teams.
• Futures: Looking ahead? Place your bets on events down the road, like championship outcomes.
• Parlays: Level up your potential winnings by bundling several bets into one. For a win, each leg must hit to win the parlay.
• Same Game Parlays: It’s a parlay that allows you to combine player or team props in the same game.
• Teasers: Tweak the point spread to your advantage, accepting lower payouts for a higher chance of winning (or vice versa).

Popular Sports & Leagues in North Carolina

North Carolina’s professional teams may need a little help, but NC runs the collegiate game. Luckily, your hometeam doesn’t have to be good for you to be a good bettor. Here are the most popular sports in NC:

• NCAAB: March Madness is the epitome of competitive basketball, and the Tar Heels are college ball royalty.
• NFL: Fade the Panthers, and make some cash in the long run…
• NBA: The NBA offers season-length and deep betting props, making it an SGP wonderland.
• NHL: The Carolina Hurricanes are competitive this year, and so are the odds around them.

Starting Your NC Betting Journey:

Getting started with NC sportsbooks is usually pretty straightforward. You’ll create an account consisting of your name, username, email, and password, and if you’re geographically allowed to play, you are usually then allowed access to the site. Next comes the deposit, which will give you full access to the site, markets, and promotions. However, you’ll need to verify your information before you can withdraw, particularly on a licensed book. This usually requires a government-issued ID and proof of residency.

Funding your Betting Account

Whether you’re team PayPal or prefer the simplicity of credit/debit cards, getting your bankroll sorted is easy. Or at least, it should be since they’re taking your money.

Popular Deposit Methods Among NC Bettors:

• PayPal & E-Wallets: Quick, secure online payment method for both deposits and withdrawals.
• Credit/Debit Cards: Plastic. Usually hassle-free with reasonable withdrawals.
• Cryptocurrencies: Fast and anonymous.
• Cash-at-Cage: The fastest form of withdrawal, provided you’re physically present at the sportsbook.

North Carolina Sports Betting Breakdown

Here’s the then, now, and next for all things sports, betting, and North Carolina.

North Carolina’s journey into sports betting began with retail sports betting confined to tribal casinos in the western part of the state.

• Pre-2019: North Carolina had no form of legal sports betting.
• July 2019: North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed a bill into law that allowed sports betting at two tribal casinos.
• 2019-2021: Efforts to expand sports betting to include online wagering were discussed but did not come to fruition during these years.
• June 2023: Governor Roy Cooper signs HB347 into law, officially legalizing online sports betting in North Carolina. The legislation allows for wagering on professional, college, and amateur sports, including horse racing​​​​.
• March 11, 2024: Online sports betting officially launches in North Carolina​​.

Online Sports Betting in NC Today

In June 2023, Governor Cooper signed House Bill 347, legalizing sports betting throughout North Carolina. You may be wondering, “Why the heck would I bet on the Panthers or Hornets this season?” Carolina separates itself from some other states by allowing wagering on amateur sports, so go Tar Heels. 

There are now more than 8 licensed online sportsbooks operating in NC. That offers users a plethora of operators to choose from, enabling you access to a wide odds market and every betting prop imaginable.

What’s Next for Sports Betting in North Carolina

Growth. North Carolina is unique in that it excludes tribes from its licensing cap, creating an avenue for new operators to enter the NC Betting market. Unlike users in Jersey or Florida, NC bettors can bet on collegiate sports. With the launch of NC betting directly before March Madness 2024, it’s reasonable to expect tons of money invested and more operators looking to partner with a tribe to get in on some of the Tar Heel gold.

Betting Responsibly in North Carolina

No longer just a game?

If you think your gambling has become a problem, there is hope. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Talk, text, or chat with a trained, licensed clinician who can provide free counseling services.

• Talk: 877-718-5543
• Text: “morethanagamenc” to 53342
• Chat: morethanagame.nc.gov

NC Sports Betting Tax

The law dictates that the NC sports betting tax is a flat 5.25% rate, applying to any winnings (deducting losses) at betting apps in NC, including land-based casinos and the NC education lottery. After taxes, you will still be taxed on any winnings at your relative tax rate to your total income when you combine all forms of your income… Uncle Sam wins too. Long story short, NC users will be taxed at both the state and federal levels in NC. Well, that is, if you win enough, you will be taxed.