MA Online Sports Betting Launch: 6 Best Sportsbook Apps & Promos
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🇺🇸MA Online Sports Betting |
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| 🗓 Projected MA Online Sports Betting Launch | 👀 Q1 2023 |
| 📲 Top Potential MA Sportsbooks & Promos | 💰 Caesars Sportsbook: $1,500 on Caesars 💰 Barstool Sportsbook: $1,000 First-Bet Insurance 💰 FanDuel Sportsbook: $1,000 No-Sweat First Bet 💰 DraftKings Sportsbook: $1,050 Sportsbook Bonus 💰 BetMGM Sportsbook: $1,000 Bet Insurance 💰 PointsBet Sportsbook: $2,000 Second-Chance Bets (2) |
| ⏰ Bonuses Last Verified (for available states) on | April 19, 2024 |
| ✍️ Written by | Russ Joy |
| ✅ Provided by | Crossing Broad |
MA online sports betting is nearly a reality. On Aug. 1, 2022, Massachusetts House Speaker Ronald Mariano announced that the state’s Sports Betting Conference Committee had come to an agreement on legal sports betting legislation:
I am proud to announce that the Sports Betting Conference Committee has reached an agreement on legislation that will legalize wagering on professional and collegiate sports in Massachusetts, bringing the immense economic benefits of a legal sports betting industry to MA. (1/2)
— Speaker Ron Mariano (@RonMariano) August 1, 2022
Now all that remains is for Governor Charlie Baker to sign House Bill 5164 into law. Given that Baker has publicly stated his support for the Bill, it stands to reason that his signature is a mere formality. As for when Massachusetts online sports betting will go live, opinions are all over the place.
While some have publicly stated the desire for a launch during football season, it’s more likely that an official launch could come as early as Q1 2023. That would be a rather ambitious target window, as many states typically require a six-to-eight month turnaround from the moment legislation is signed into law until sportsbooks are given the green light to accept wagers.
If Massachusetts were to get things up and running within a six-month timeframe, it’s conceivable that the state could be live by the Super Bowl. It’s important to note that this is all just speculation based on past precedent.
Let’s take a look at how Massachusetts has gotten this close to legal online sports betting, as well as which online sportsbooks could launch in the Bay State.
💰 Bettors located in an already live and legalized online sports betting state can take advantage of any one of the promos available on this page (where applicable):
Table of Contents
The Best Online Sportsbooks That Could Launch in Massachusetts
Below you will find our picks for the top legal online sportsbooks that could launch in Massachusetts. Users will do well to register with any of these Massachusetts sports betting apps for live online wagering.
Note: all of the new user promos on this page are only available to bettors in states where legal online sports betting is available.
1. Caesars Sportsbook
21+ and present in participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1 - 800- GAMBLER.
The top pick on our list of MA online sports betting apps is Caesars Sportsbook. No other sportsbook on this list has seen as fast of a rise to prominence over the past year than The Emperor’s sportsbook.
Since acquiring William Hill PLC in April 2021, Caesars Entertainment threw a ton of financial resources into rebranding and spent copious amounts of money on advertising. Last football season, Caesars had ads all over the radio, TV, and internet.
Caesars Sportsbook has routinely had the largest new user promo offers in the industry since rebranding, which has caught the eye of bettors across the country. While most sportsbooks will offer anywhere from $500 to $1,000 in first bet insurance, Caesars comes to the table with an enormous $1,500 risk-free first bet.
It remains to be seen what other promos Caesars could bring to Massachusetts. Depending on the launch window, it’s possible they’ll roll out a free jersey promo, as they’ve done in the past with the NFL and NBA seasons.
Click here and enter Caesars promo code BROADXL15 for a $1,500 risk-free bet.
2. Barstool Sportsbook
STATES: OH, MD, AZ, LA, CO, IL, IN, MI, PA, VA, NJ, TN, IA, WV
$1,000
NEW PLAYER BONUS!
One of the best legal online sportsbooks in the business is Barstool Sportsbook. Featuring some of the most popular Barstool Sports personalities, this sportsbook app gives players a wide array of pre-game and live, in-game betting markets. New players in the Bay State would likely get fired up for this app due to Barstool’s connections to Massachusetts.
Players could potentially get a $1,000 risk-free first bet offer that would back their first wager with up to $1,000 in sportsbook bonus cash. The app also offers Barstool Exclusives and promos, including odds boosts and more.
Click here and use Barstool Sportsbook promo code BROAD1000 for a $1,000 risk-free bet.
3. FanDuel Sportsbook
Must 21+ and present in participating state. Gambling problem? Call 1 - 800 - GAMBLER.
Widely considered as one of if not the very best sportsbooks on the market is FanDuel Sportsbook. Prospective bettors in Massachusetts will absolutely need to consider signing up for arguably the sleekest app on the market. FanDuel also has some of the most intriguing new user promos in the industry. This includes a $1,000 No Sweat first bet, which will refund a player’s account up to $1,000 if their first cash wager loses.
Perhaps even more intriguing would be an odds boost promo, which FanDuel has offered consistently since launching in other states. Typically during the NFL season, FanDuel will offer a 30-1 odds boost on any NFL team to win its game. That means there’s a chance that bettors could turn a $5 wager on the New England Patriots into a $150 cash bonus. It remains to be seen if this type of offer will be available at launch in Massachusetts.
Click here for a $1,000 No Sweat first bet from FanDuel Sportsbook.
4. DraftKings Sportsbook
States: AZ, CO, CT, IA, KY, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY
One of the most recognizable names on this list from a national perspective is DraftKings Sportsbook. Bettors in Massachusetts could potentially pick up one of a few new user promos, depending on when the state gives online sports betting operators the green light. Throughout the year, DraftKings Sportsbook offers a $50 free bet, as well as a deposit bonus of up to $1,000.
DraftKings also typically offers a variety of odds boosts on NFL action. In the past, this has included various Bet $5, Win $100/$150/$200 promos. It stands to reason DraftKings Sportsbook could look to do the same if Massachusetts goes live ahead of the Super Bowl.
Click here to get a $50 free bet and a deposit bonus of up to $1,000 from DraftKings Sportsbook.
5. BetMGM
STATES: OH, MA, MD, LA, AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, NJ, PA, TN, WV, VA
$1,500 FIRST BET BACK BONUS
BetMGM is another high-quality legal online sports betting app. If you’ve watched almost any live sports event over the past year or so, chances are you’ve seen a commercial for “The King of Sportsbooks” featuring the distinct black and gold that’s become synonymous with the brand. BetMGM has a ton of great features, in-app promos, and huge odds boosts. Signing up with a promo for BetMGM Massachusetts is a very simple process, even for the most novice of bettors.
Traditionally BetMGM has offered a $1,000 risk-free bet for all new users who sign up for an account. The app also usually offers a Bet $10, Win $200 promo for users, paying out a 20x return on the player’s first wager if their selected team scores a touchdown, goal, three-pointer, or hits a home run.
Click here for a $1,000 risk-free bet from BetMGM.
6. PointsBet
The final app on our list is PointsBet. This sports betting app doesn’t have the same recognition as other apps on this list, but that doesn’t make it any less appealing. In fact, PointsBet has a feature that no other legal online sports betting app offers: Points Betting. This feature gives players the chance to earn a massive payout depending on how much their initial prop bet wins by.
PointsBet has rolled out risk-free bet wagers in the past. This has included a risk-free bet on a traditional market, as well as a second offer for Points Betting. Currently, PointsBet has an offer of five $100 risk-free bets for bettors who sign up in other states where the app is live.
Click here and use promo code CBXL500 to get five $100 risk-free bets from PointsBet.
Possible Massachusetts Sports Betting Promos
While MA online sports betting still hasn’t been signed into law, it appears to be heading in that direction. Based on current offers and those available at launch in other states, we can project potential sports betting promos that could be available to bettors in the Bay State.
Let’s take a look at some of the possible sports betting promo offers that could be available to Massachusetts sports bettors:
- Caesars Sportsbook: $1,500 risk-free bet
- Barstool Sportsbook: $1,000 risk-free bet
- FanDuel Sportsbook: $1,000 No Sweat first bet
- DraftKings Sportsbook: $50 free bet + $1,000 deposit bonus
- BetMGM: $1,000 risk-free bet
- PointsBet: 5 x $100 risk-free bets
Which Other States Have Access to Online Sports Betting?
Legal online sports betting is available in more states than ever. While it hasn’t spread throughout all of New England, there are other states in the Northeast where sports betting has taken off in a big way. This includes Massachusetts’ neighbor to the west, New York, which burst onto the scene early in 2022.
Here are the states where online sports betting is available:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Arizona
Bettors in the Grand Canyon State can learn more about betting with our Arizona online sports betting guide.
Colorado
Players in the Centennial State can get more information about Colorado online sports betting by checking out our betting guide.
Illinois
Illinois online sports betting is available to bettors in the Prairie State.
Louisiana
Any player interested in learning more about Louisiana online sports betting should check out our guide.
Michigan
The Great Lakes State has had access to legal online sports betting for quite some time. Bettors can learn more with our guide to Michigan online sports betting.
New Jersey
Bettors in the Garden State can learn more about NJ online sports betting via our guide.
New York
The most massive sports betting market is the Empire State. Bettors can get more information about NY online sports betting with our betting guide.
Pennsylvania
One of the larger sports betting states is the Keystone State. Bettors can get more information about PA online sports betting with our comprehensive guide.
Tennessee
Bettors in Tennessee have access to a plethora of sportsbooks. Take a look at our Tennessee online sports betting for more information.
How Can Bettors in Massachusetts Sign up for Legal Online Sports Betting Apps?
Assuming that Massachusetts goes forward with the proposed legislation, bettors will likely follow a similar path to sign up as has been the standard in other states. Players will need to meet a number of eligibility criteria, including being physically located within the state limits and at least 21 years of age.
Players who sign up will also need to provide some combination of the following:
- Full legal name
- Phone number
- Residential address
- Date of birth
- Email address
- Social security number
- Credit or debit card number
How to Bet on Sports in Massachusetts
Online sports betting is not yet legal in Massachusetts. The hope is that bettors in the Bay State will have access to a number of legal online sportsbooks by the Super Bowl, though that has not yet been confirmed.
The number of online sportsbooks as outlined in House Bill 5164 has been set at 15. Each of the state’s three casinos will have the chance to work with two online sports betting skins apiece, while both of the state’s racetracks can pursue a deal with one each. There are also seven untethered online sports betting licenses expected to be available.
Deposit Methods
Many of the top legal sportsbooks offer a number of the same deposit methods across the board. These include:
- Online banking
- Wire transfer
- Debit card
- PayPal
- Cash at Cage
- Prepaid cards
It’s critical to note that House Bill 5164 has a provision that prevents players in Massachusetts from using a credit card to fund their account. This stands in stark contrast to what’s been seen in other states.
Types of Bets to Place
Prospective bettors should eventually have the chance to place a variety of wagers on domestic and international games. It’s important to identify the various types of markets, as well as what they mean. Let’s take a closer look at some popular bet types.
- Moneyline: The standard bet. Choose which team or player you believe will win their game.
- Point spread: Sportsbooks will set a number of points that could separate the teams. You then choose which team will cover the spread. Keep in mind that a number of sportsbooks offer alternate spreads.
- Total points: Sportsbooks will set the number of total points to be scored by both teams. You then choose whether more points will be scored (over) or fewer points will be scored (under).
- Teasers: This allows you to add points in your favor on a 2+ leg wager.
- Prop bets: These are tied to a team or player to reach a stat or total. This includes a player scoring a certain number of points, recording a number of assists/rebounds/steals/blocks, scoring a touchdown/goal, hitting a home run, etc. Team bets can include a race to the first 20 points, which team will score more points in a quarter, and more.
- Parlays: These bets feature multiple legs across a number of different games. Parlays can be comprised of team, game, and player prop bets.
- Same game parlays: These bets are similar to parlays, except all legs in the bet must be placed on the same game rather than multiple games.
- Live, in-game betting: This type of betting occurs after the game begins. Players can wager on a number of game and player props that will move depending on game events.
- Future bets: These bets are based on individual awards and tournaments/divisions/conferences/championships.
Sports for Players to Bet on
Players can wager on domestic and international sports leagues alike. Each sportsbook offers action on many of the same sports, though some sports betting apps offer more niche sports as well. Bettors in Massachusetts should have the opportunity to bet on:
- Aussie Rules
- Auto racing
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Football
- Golf
- Hockey
- MMA/UFC
- Rugby league
- Rugby union
- Soccer
- Tennis
Massachusetts Online Sports Betting History
- March 29, 2021: H506 introduced & S269 referred to the committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies
- July 21, 2021: H3977 created and amended
- July 22, 2021: H3993 published as amended
- April 25, 2022: S269 accompanies H3993
- May 19, 2022: Committee of conference appointed
- June 2, 2022: Governor Charlie Baker publicly supports legalization of sports betting
- August 1, 2022: H5164 reported on, amended, enacted by House and Senate, and laid before the Governor
As is often the case with sports betting legislation, the road to this point has been bumpy. Multiple bills were either scratched or amended over the past 14 months.
The House Makes Progress
Bill H506 was initially introduced on March 29, 2021, only to accompany a new draft, H3974 nearly four months later. That bill only lasted two days before being substituted by H3977. Within a day, H3977 had amendments adopted and was published as amended as H3993.
H3977 was published as amended by the House on July 22, 2021. The bill was read and referred to the Senate Ways and Means on July 26, 2021. It took nearly nine months for progress to be made on the bill.
The Senate Works on Their Own Bill
The Senate initially referred S269 to the committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies on March 29, 2021. The House concurred on the same day. This bill was accompanied by S254, S257, S263, S264, S278, and S281, then reported favorably by committed and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means on July 21, 2021. Eventually on April 25, 2022, S269 accompanied H3993.
The Final Push
From April 25, 2022 until May 19, 2022, the House and Senate went back and forth on the language used in the sports betting bill. This led to a committee comprised of both the House and Senate to work on the final language of the bill.
The Governor Weighs In
On June 2, 2022, Governor Charlie Baker publicly stated his support for legalization of sports betting following the Boston Celtics’ Game 1 win in the NBA Finals.
H5164 Makes It Across The Finish Line
H5164 was initially reported from the committee of conference on August 1, 2022. It was then referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling before the House suspended rules and accepted the committee of conference report. The Senate also suspended rules and accepted the committee of conference report. An emergency preamble was adopted by both the House and Senate. The House then enacted the bill 151-2, followed by the Senate enacting the bill and laying it before the Governor.
What’s Next?
Governor Charlie Baker must make a decision on whether or not to sign the bill into law. If he does, the application process for licenses can begin.
Potential Massachusetts Sports Betting Tax Revenue
H5164 outlines a difference in sports betting tax for in-person retail sports betting versus online sports betting. Retail sports betting will be taxed at a 15% rate, as opposed to online sports betting’s 20%. It’s also worth noting that there will be a Public Health Trust Fund established, which will be funded by 9% of the sports betting tax revenue collected. Each online sports betting operator will also pay a $1 million annual fee, which will also go to the Fund.
It’s difficult to know how much revenue will come from online sports betting in Massachusetts, due in part to the unknown launch date. However, if the state were to give operators the green light in January 2023, it would come at the perfect time for betting on the college football playoff as well as the NFL Playoffs. For some perspective, Michigan pulled in a total handle of nearly $533m in January 2022, which generated $36.6m in revenue.
Indiana did nearly identical numbers, bringing in $35.6m in revenue on a $500m handle. The hope for Massachusetts is that sports betting will drive revenue somewhere closer to Michigan and Indiana more than a state like West Virginia, which only brought in $4m in revenue on a total handle of nearly $59m.
Potential Sportsbook Locations in Massachusetts
Encore Boston Harbor
- Website: https://www.encorebostonharbor.com/
- Twitter: @EncoreResortBH
- Instagram: @encorebostonharbor
- Facebook: @EncoreBostonHarbor
- Address: 1 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149
- Contact Phone #: (857) 770-7000
- Mobile App: iOS (App Store), Android (GooglePlay)
- Review at TripAdvisor
MGM Springfield
- Website: https://mgmspringfield.mgmresorts.com/
- Twitter: @MGMSpringfield
- Instagram: @mgmspringfield
- Facebook: @MGMSpringfield
- Address: 1 MGM Way, Springfield, MA 01103
- Contact Phone #: (413) 273-5000
- Mobile App: iOS (App Store), Android (GooglePlay)
- Review at TripAdvisor
Plainridge Park Casino
- Website: https://www.plainridgeparkcasino.com/
- Twitter: @PlainridgePark
- Instagram: @plainridgepark
- Facebook: @PlainridgeParkCasino
- Address: 301 Washington Street, Plainville, MA 02762
- Contact Phone #: (508) 576-4500
- Mobile App: iOS (App Store), Android (GooglePlay)
- Review at TripAdvisor
Raynham Park
- Website: http://www.raynhampark.net/
- Facebook: @www.raynhampark.net
- Address: 1958 Broadway, Raynham, MA 02767
- Contact Phone #: (508) 824-4071
Suffolk Downs
- Website: http://suffolkdowns.com/
- Twitter: @SuffolkDowns
- Instagram: @suffolkdowns
- Facebook: @TheHometownFavorite
- Address: 525 William F McClellan Highway, Boston, MA 02128
- Contact Phone #: (617) 567-3900
- Review at TripAdvisor
FAQ
Is Sports Betting Legal In Massachusetts?
No, sports betting is not yet legal in Massachusetts. House Bill 5164 is expected to be signed into law by Governor Charlie Baker.
Is Massachusetts Sports Betting Live?
No, Massachusetts sports betting is not yet live. Once the bill becomes law, Massachusetts will set a date for sports betting to go live.
Will There Be Eligibility Requirements for Bettors in Massachusetts?
Yes. Prospective bettors in the Bay State will need to be physically located within the Massachusetts state limits. This will be verified via a geolocation tool. Players must also be at least 21 years of age.
How Many Online Sportsbooks Will Be Available in Massachusetts?
House Bill 5164 states that each of the state’s three casinos can work with two online sportsbooks. Each of the two racetracks can work with one online sportsbook each. Plus, there will be seven untethered licenses given to online operators.
Where in Massachusetts Will Bettors Be Able to Bet on Sports?
Given the nature of the online sports betting licenses, it’s likely that each casino and racetrack will have some form of a physical sportsbook. Bettors will also have access to bet from anywhere within the state via legal online sports betting apps.