New York Betting Laws & Guide

There may not be a state in the US that values sports as much as New York, with a ton of teams, rich history, and fierce rivalries both interstate and regional. Betting is an extension of that, and although retail betting was legalized in 2019, being able to bet from home is much more convenient.

Is sports betting legal in New York?

Sports betting is fully legal and operational in the state of New York. Mobile betting launched in the state at the beginning of 2022 and has been going strong ever since. With plenty of sportsbooks to choose from, New Yorkers wagered billions of dollars in mere months.

What betting sites are legal in New York?

There are nine sportsbooks with licenses to operate online in New York. Each comes with a unique sign-up bonus, so check them out and get the most out of any experience.

Caesars Sportsbook

Quickly partnering with MSG, Caesars took a swift edge over the competition for the crown among New York sportsbooks. The deal massively increased their exposure and will soon include a Caesar betting space at Madison Square Garden. They already had three casinos upstate, and their online sportsbook went live the first day online betting went live in New York on January 8, 2022.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Also going live the first day online betting was launched, FanDuel was familiar with New Yorkers already due to DFS. FanDuel’s partnership with the NFL allows them to provide exclusive stats and content, while their relationship with the NBA continues to flourish. Fanduel also has a multi-year deal with the Buffalo Bills as their official mobile sports betting partner, which provides them direct engagement with Buffalo fans.

PointsBet

PointsBet was a bit late to the game, arriving in late January 2022, but has plenty of unique features to separate from the pack. For starters, they’re partnered with the NFL, NASCAR, PGA Tour, and Curling Canada. They have a wide variety of sports and the unique Pointsbetting option, exclusive to their sportsbook.

New PointsBet players get 4 x $200 in free bets when they join here

BetMGM

Launching on January 17, 2022, in the Empire State, the King of Sportsbooks also partnered with MSG in 2021 in anticipation of online sports betting sportsbook launching in New York. They’ve also partnered with the NBA, Yahoo Sports, and Turner Sports since then. Their brand is massive, reputation stellar, and exposure widespread.

BetRivers

BetRivers made the cut as one of the initial sportsbooks to launch in New York the day online betting went live. They have a casino in Schenectady, and will probably look to make more local connections.

New BetRivers players get up to a $500 free bet

DraftKings

DraftKings is one of the leading sportsbooks nationwide and has been available to New Yorkers since day one. They’re also partners with the NBA and have arguably the most well-known DFS on the planet. Their app also doesn’t require state-specific downloads, so travel won’t be an issue if you still want to bet.

BallyBet

On July 7, 2022, BallyBet became the last approved sportsbook operator to go live in New York. They quickly became a betting partner with the New York Yankees. Bally’s also has roughly 20% ownership of the YES Network.

New York Sports Betting Rules and Regulations

To legally bet in New York, bettors must be at least 21 years old. Requirements to register on an online sportsbook include:

1. Name
2. Email
3. Date of birth
4. SSN
5. Phone number
6. Address
7. Password

From there, all that’s required is a deposit, and then everything should be ready to go. Most betting options should be available, such as:

1. Spreads: A bet on the margin of victory
2. Moneylines: Wagering on who will win
3. Totals (over/under): Bets on the final score
4. Futures: Predictions on season results and awards
5. Props: Wagers on things not necessarily connected to the results of the game

Unlike other states, New York has restrictions on collegiate gambling. For New Yorkers looking to bet on Syracuse or St. John’s, unfortunately, they won’t be able to.

No Betting on New York Colleges

There is a strict restriction on betting on in-state colleges and universities. Whether they’re playing in New York or Bermuda, if they’re a New York school, it’s not allowed. Schools from other states are allowed, however, barring this other restriction.

No Betting on Collegiate Events in New York

For college sports held in New York, New Yorkers can’t bet on them even if neither team is based in the state of New York. This eliminates bowl games, such as the Pinstripe Bowl, and college basketball games, such as the entire Big East Tournament, among other events.

Best Mobile Sportsbooks available in New York

Based on reviews from the Apple App Store and Google Play/Android Store, here are the top six mobile sportsbooks based on performance in New York.

1. FanDuel Sportsbook: Best Android reviews and stellar Apple reviews too.
2. DraftKings Sportsbook: Better ratings on iOS than Android, but positive marks on both.
3. PointsBet Sportsbook: Second-best Android app and great Apple reviews.
4. Caesars Sportsbook: iOS was glitchy but fixed, Android is still a bit glitchy, but the app has good reviews and is widely considered easy to use.
5. BetMGM Sportsbook: Android users experience performance issues, but the app is renowned for great promos and bonuses.
6. WynnBET Sportsbook: Tie-in with Wynn Hotels is considered a huge plus, but the sportsbook has limitations.
7. BetRivers Sportsbook: The app is slow on both platforms but offers nice promos.

New York Sports Betting Promos

Caesars New User Promo

Caesars offers first bet insurance for new users, up to $1,500. If the first bet wins, the money is won. If not, they will refund the amount wagered as a free bet.

Up to $1,250 back on your first bet when you join Caesars here

FanDuel No Sweat First Bet

Similar to Caesars, FanDuel offers first bet insurance for new customers. Theirs work the same, except the offer only extends up to a $1,000 bet.

Get your $1,000 No Sweat First Bet by clicking here and joining FanDuel

DraftKings First Deposit Bonus

For bettors who register for DraftKings for the first time, they offer to match 20% of the initial deposit, up to $1,000. So, for a $100 deposit, the bonus will be $20. For a $5,000 deposit, it’ll be the max of $1,000.

New DraftKings players get a deposit bonus up to $1,000

PointsBet Risk-Free Bets

What PointsBet does for new users is offer two risk-free bets that can total up to $2,200. For a wager using Pointsbetting, they offer up to $1,600 back if the wager loses. For a fixed-odds bet, it’s up to $600 risk-free.

Get your first bet risk-free (up to $500) when you join PointsBet here

BetRivers Deposit Match

The first deposit a new customer makes with BetRivers will be matched per dollar, up to $250. If the initial deposit is $200, the bonus will be $200. If it’s $300, it’ll cap at $250.

What are the sports to bet on in New York?

The following sports can all be bet on at New York sportsbooks legally:

1. Auto-Racing: Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR
2. Baseball: MLB
3. Basketball: NBA, WNBA, International
4. Boxing
5. College: Basketball, Football (unless a participating team or event is based in New York)
6. Football: NFL and CFL
7. Golf: PGA, LPGA
8. Hockey: NHL, International
9. Rugby
10. Soccer: UEFA Champions League, MLS, Premier League,
11. Tennis

New York Sports Betting Tips

Learn Terms

Don’t learn what things mean after betting on them. Check out an overview of betting basics, and common terms before putting money down on them.

Manage Bankroll

For anyone, especially a bettor, keeping their money in check should be a top priority. Nobody should wager money they don’t have, and doing so may be a sign of addiction.

Favorite Teams Are Fun, Not Necessarily Fruitful

Let’s face it, millions of people may want the Knicks to go 82-0, but it probably won’t ever happen. Most people try not to let their emotional investment in their favorite teams become a financial burden also.

New York Sports Betting Tax Rates

For operators, the tax rate in New York is steep. They face an extreme 51% tax rate, yet because of the massive population and significance of sports, books want to have a firm footing long-term. They also hope that the tax rate will drop when more operators enter the fray, down to possibly 35%.

For bettors, any winnings from sports bets that exceed $600 are taxed in the state of New York. It doesn’t matter how the bets were made or how many it took to earn that much, once the threshold is exceeded, it must be reported.

The federal government taxes money won from gambling at 24%.

Sports betting losses can also be deducted as an itemized deduction. The gambling losses can’t exceed the amount of reported gambling income.

Is DraftKings sports betting legal in New York?

DraftKings is fully legal and operational in New York since the day online betting went live in the state.

Is FanDuel sports betting legal in New York?

Yes, as of January 8, 2022, sports betting through the FanDuel sportsbook is legal, provided you meet the legal requirements to wager in New York.

New York Sports Teams

NFL

1. New York Giants
2. Buffalo Bills
3. New York Jets

Bet $10, win $200 if either team scores a touchdown for new BetMGM players

NHL

1. New York Rangers
2. Buffalo Sabres
3. New York Islanders

MLB

1. New York Yankees
2. New York Mets

NBA

1. New York Knicks
2. Brooklyn Nets

MLS

1. New York City FC
2. New York Red Bulls

WNBA

1. New York Liberty

Latest New York sports betting news

1. The Giants open their preseason Thursday, August 10, 2022, against the Patriots. They have the longest odds in the NFC East.
2. The Jets have their first preseason game Friday, August 11, 2022, against the Eagles. They have the worst odds in the AFC East.
3. Buffalo hosts their preseason opener against the Colts on Saturday, August 12, 2022. They’re favorites to win their division.
4. The New York Yankees have lost two 1-0 games this month. They only lost two games by that score between April 2016 and July 2022.
5. The Mets have covered the spread in five consecutive games during their active five-game winning streak.