Ahoy, maties. The Shore season is upon us and – checks headlines – yep, I won’t be going in the water anytime soon. But there are many things to do from the safety of the sand or, even better, a cool condo with the Phillies game on. And for those of you waiting… and waiting… and waiting… for online sports betting in Pennsylvania, you can get in the action at The Shore this weekend and all summer long with NJ sports betting sites.

A common misconception is that you have to live in New Jersey to play any of their legal sports betting apps. Not true! You just have to be in the state when you place a bet, much like being at a casino. That’s it– ping your phone’s GPS, see that you’re in New Jersey, bet. You can even view the apps and sign up regardless of location.

What’s more– NJ sports betting apps will be separate from apps in PA, so you’ll need “duel betting citizenship” if you’re someone who frequents New Jersey anyway. Here’s your best bets to get in on the action at The Shore.

Shore betting apps

Most well-rounded

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DraftKings Sportsbook has long been our preferred app partially because we have a longstanding business relationship with them wait, I mean, because DraftKings is probably the most robust and fully featured sports betting app on the market. For real, though, the DraftKings brand speaks for itself.

Powered by the sportsbook provider Kambi, DraftKings Sportsbook offers odds on everything. Everything. Darts, cricket, tennis, you name it. Lines are updated instantly, and in real-time, and you can even “cash out” of a bet before its conclusion to lock in your winnings or losses. They offer a decent array of deposit options – bank transfer, credit card, PayPal, Skrill and prepaid cards – and even casino games and pools (similar to DFS style play), all in a modern interface.

Their deposit bonus isn’t the best around, but right now they are offering up to a $200 deposit match for both new and recurring customers. If you plan on being at the beach all summer, it’s a good way to reload a current account, but it will take quite a bit of betting to earn the full amount.

 

Most exciting

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PointsBet is one of the new kids on the block and looks to be the winner in a very unscientific Twitter poll (in the replies):

What makes PointsBet so good? First off, they are a technology company much like DraftKings and FanDuel, so their app looks modern and works exceedingly well. It’s a pleasure to browse, even when you’re not betting, and it’s my go-to from PA when I just want to check the lines.

They offer all the bets you come to expect from a modern sportsbook, including live betting, alternative lines, cash out, and more.

But they also offer Points Betting– their special sauce that allows you to bet the over or under on a prop and win a multiplier of your bet. It’s fun (and dangerous, too), but adds to the thrill of having action on the game. Pro tip: Wager small amounts on points bets, because you can have A LOT of exposure at a 10x or, gasp, 50x loss. In small amounts, it’s perfectly manageable.

They also offer the best signup bonus in the business: $1,000 in risk-free bets which you can get when you enter code BROADLINES. One is a $500 risk-free regular bet, the other is a $500 risk-free points bet. You are only credited the bets if you lose your first bet in each category. They also routinely offer -105 juice, early payouts, and karma committee refunds.

 

Soon to be a big deal


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BetStars is not particularly popular or well-known in New Jersey. HOWEVER, the sports betting equivalent of PokerStars is about to get a new name thanks to FOX Sports’ investment in them. FOX Bet, which will be heavily featured on FOX Sports properties, will be coming to New Jersey and Pennsylvania later this year (the BetStars app will become FOX Bet, we believe).

While it maybe doesn’t offer the most modern interface, it is clean and easy to use, particularly for novice bettors. It also offers some occasionally divergent lines from the more popular DraftKings and FanDuel sites, giving some added options for your action.  They offer a $500 risk-free bet.

 

Best interface

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FanDuel Sportsbook has dominated the market thanks to a combination of its excellent interface and well-known brand name. I tend to find bets that I like are more expensive on FanDuel, but they are sometimes a bit slower to adjust a line, allowing you to capture some value if you’re quick. They, too, offer a $500 risk-free bet.

 

Anyway, all of these are good options to play at the Shore this summer. I have accounts with each of them. We are an affiliate of these and other legal New Jersey sportsbooks, so if you click any of those links and sign up, we may be compensated (at no charge to you, of course).

 

What about PA?

Well, well, well. A spokesperson from the state told us five weeks ago that testing would begin on the first app (SugarHouse) in 2-3 weeks. Last week, he told us it would begin in a week. Both of those timeframes have been missed, so I don’t know. It’s soon, though, just not in time for this weekend.

If you want to stay updated, just leave your email here and we’ll update you when it launches and as new sportsbooks come online. We also send a betting email several times per week to quickly bring you up to speed on opening action, lines, analysis and more.

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What if I want to bet in-person?

We have a full list of Atlantic City sportsbooks here. You have plenty of options at this point. But I hear the Ocean Resort is excellent. May I recommend heading over to Harrah’s and going to Gordon Ramsey Steak. Get the Wagyu and then hate yourself. Bob and I saw George Lopez there last year, so… cool.