New York Sports Betting: Top 6 Sportsbooks Available

In May 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that PASPA undermined states’ rights, and was thus unconstitutional. This allowed New York to establish legal sports betting and flung open the door for other states to do the same. As of early 2022, nearly thirty states have jumped at the opportunity. 

Our New York sports betting guide looks at which sportsbooks are available to bettors, how to open accounts and place bets along with a detailed look into the story of New York sports betting. 

New York Sports Betting: Where Can I Bet? 

New York’s first in-person sportsbooks opened in July 2019 (there are now 11), more than a year after neighbors New Jersey successfully led the charge against the federal ban on sports betting. 

New York sports betting online launched in January 2022, initially with four apps. There are now six mobile sportsbooks available in New York. Sports betting in New York hit the ground running, with a handle of nearly $4 billion in just 10 weeks!

Anyone who is at least 21 years of age and physically in New York can place bets via New York’s half-dozen online sports betting apps. That is, of course, provided you’re not a so-called “principal actor” – player, referee, coach, etc. – in a sport, in which case you cannot bet on your own sport.

If you meet this criteria, you can place a wager via any of the online sports betting apps active in New  York. Here are our picks for the best New York sportsbooks: 

Caesars Sportsbook New York: 

• Excellent loyalty incentives such as event-specific odds boosts
• Very generous referral bonuses ($100, plus $50 in free bets for the person you referred)
• Breezy signup and banking process

FanDuel Sportsbook New York: 

• Extensive variety of betting markets and products such as Same Game Parlays
• Wide range of payment options including Venmo
• Outstanding mobile app - one of the best in the industry on both iOS (4.7/5.0) and Android (4.8/5.0)

PointsBet Sportsbook New York: 

• Greater focus on "non-major U.S. leagues” than most sportsbooks
• Unique PointsBetting wagering, in which winnings and losses are based on how “right” or “wrong” the bettor is, relative to the original line
• Clean and easy-to-use interface on mobile apps, with solid ratings on both iOS (4.7/5.0) and Android (4.4/5.0)

BarStool Sportsbook New York: 

• Great for beginners and casual bettors
• Generous welcome offer (risk-free bet up to $1,000)
• Easy to sign up and deposit/withdraw funds
• Excellent iOS app (4.8/5.0 on Apple’s app store; Android app: 3.6/5.0)

BetMGM Sportsbook New York: 

• Backed by one of the top brands in gaming
• Among best in class for sign-up (risk-free bet up to $1,000, with a playthrough requirement of just 1x), deposit and withdrawal
• Top-tier international wagering selection
• Live stream select games from major U.S. and international leagues
• Excellent iOS app (iPhone app: 4.8/5.0; Android: 4.2/5.0)

BetRivers Sportsbook New York: 

• Excellent welcome offer (first deposit match, up to $500, with a playthrough requirement of just 1x)
• The expansive selection of sports and wager types, including same-game parlays
• Very competitive vig/juice on points spreads and totals
• Mobile app ratings: Apple/iOS, 3.2/5.0; Android, 3.1/5.0

DraftKings Sportsbook New York: 

• Outstanding mobile app - one of the best in the industry on both iOS (4.7/5.0) and Android (4.8/5.0)
• Widely regarded as having one of the most intuitively designed and easy-to-navigate mobile apps
• Extremely competitive pricing on NHL hockey lines
• Welcome bonus of $50 free bet on any deposit of at least $5, and a 20% deposit match, up to $1,000 (5x playthrough requirement)

When did Sports Betting Become Legal in New York? 

October 1992: George H.W. Bush signed into law the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) – also known as the “Bradley Act”, as its greatest champion was New Jersey Senator and former New York Knick Bill Bradley – which was aimed explicitly at curbing sports betting in the United States.

January 1993: The only legal ways to bet on sports in the U.S. were to get yourself to Nevada, wager in very specific ways in Oregon, Delaware or Montana, or take up jai alai or horse or dog racing. In 2014, New Jersey repealed a law banning sports gambling. All of the major leagues and the NCAA successfully filed suit, claiming a violation of PASPA.

May 2018: The Supreme Court ruled that PASPA undermined states’ rights, and was thus unconstitutional. This allowed New Jersey to establish legal sports betting and flung open the door for other states to do the same. As of early 2022, nearly thirty states have jumped at the opportunity.

July 2019: Rivers Sportsbook is the first retail sportsbook to open its doors to players. Major brands like Caesars, FanDuel and Draftkings followed in their footsteps. 

April 2021: The state budget bill is passed which opened the door to online sports betting in New York. This was under a $212 billion budget deal agreed with an estimated $500 million being generated annually from sports betting. 

January 2022: Online sports betting has been launched with a handle of nearly $4 billion being wagered in just 10 weeks. There are only a handful of sportsbooks which hold the appropriate licenses. 

Opening a Sports Betting Account in New York 

Getting started at a New York online sportsbook is easy. All you’ve got to do is register for an account with the sportsbook(s) of your choice, make your initial deposit, and start surveying the lines!

Be aware that a sportsbook may require additional documentation before allowing you to withdraw funds. Also, note that, if you’re verifying a bank account that’s held by more than one person, you’ll likely need to provide an ID from everyone listed on the account.

We’re big advocates for signing up to multiple sportsbooks to take full advantage of these offers, you can read more about individual bonuses here. 

New York Sportsbook Payment Methods: 

You’ll have plenty of options when it comes to payments, the leading operators tend to use the following methods:

Bank Wire Transfer: Bank wire transfers are still one of the most secure ways to deposit and withdraw funds from online sportsbook accounts. However, they are also much slower for funds to be processed and cleared than newer payment methods.

Debit Card: Debit cards are also a simple way to manage your online sportsbook funds, with instant deposits and funds are withdrawn quicker than a wire transfer.

Apple Pay: iPhone owners can also use their Apple Pay accounts to deposit funds into online sportsbooks, although withdrawals are not often supported.

Google Pay: It’s a similar case for Android mobile owners, with Google Pay the fastest payment method for those betting on sports with their smartphone or tablet. Like Apple Pay, withdrawals are not often supported.

eWallets: eWallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller have changed the game for online sports bettors. Customers can deposit funds from bank accounts into their eWallets, making it easier to set betting budgets. eWallet withdrawals are also processed much faster than conventional methods.

New York Sports Betting Promotions

With so many promotions available, it can be tricky to understand what you actually stand to get. We’ve done an in-depth guide into sportsbook bonuses previously, so here are the basics:

Matched Deposit Bonuses: 

These will trigger upon your initial deposit, and are a commitment to match your initial deposit, typically up to a certain value. 

Free Bets: 

A good incentive for new players, free bets provide a wager to players to test the waters. The credit will be added to your account and then you’re free to bet with this as you please. 

Risk-Free Bets: 

Upon depositing or placing a wager, you’ll receive the free bets as a refund on your initial stake. These tend to be of a similar value, hence the low risk… 

Popular Sports to Bet on in New York

Betting markets for all major (and some less-than-major) sports are available in New York, though wagering on college games involving teams from the colleges located in New York (most notably Syracuse, St. John’s and the University of Buffalo), regardless of where those games are played, is prohibited. 

Despite these rules, bettors in the Empire State have plenty of markets at their fingertips: 

• Badminton
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Cricket
• Darts
• Football
• Handball
• Hockey
• MMA
• Motorsports
• Snooker
• Soccer
• Tennis

…and more! You name it, you can probably get action on it!

For fans and bettors looking to experience online sports betting, New York-style, the range of local options is staggering:

There are the New Jersey-based New York Jets and New York Giants and the only NFL that actually plays its home games in the Empire State, the Buffalo Bills.

In the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks. 

In the NHL, the New York Rangers and Islanders, the New Jersey Devils, and the Buffalo Sabres.

In Major League Baseball, we’ve got the Mets and the Yankees.

And, in Major League Soccer, there are the New York Red Bulls and NYCFC.

And, of course, there’s plenty of horse racing action to be had as well, either online or at one of New York’s four Thoroughbred tracks and seven Standardbred (harness) tracks, which include the historic Aqueduct Race Track in Queens.

The Pros and Cons of New York Sports Betting

The upsides of legalized online sports betting in New York (beyond the simple fact that it’s actually here!) are significant:

With eight mobile operators active in the state, players aged 21 or older in the Empire State can place bets from homes, hotels, sports bars, stadiums, arenas… anywhere inside the state, really!

The process of opening, verifying and funding a mobile sports betting account in New York is straightforward and can be completed remotely.

Operators offer pre-game, in-game, prop and futures lines or contests in virtually all domestic sports leagues and a massive range of foreign leagues, so just about any event is in play!

At the same time, there are a couple of potential annoyances and downsides that players should be aware of:

Players in the huge New York City market can only make their bets via mobile apps, since, as of early 2022, retail sportsbooks are only available in Upstate New York.

Given operators’ massive tax obligation (up to 50% of all revenue goes to the state!), online sportsbooks may not be able to offer the best lines and odds to bettors.

How To Begin Online Sports Betting in New York

If you meet the criterion above It’s easy to get started! Here's how:

Choose your preferred sportsbook. New York has a number of sportsbooks, so you can shop for the best lines and welcome and loyalty offers 

1. Sign up. Once you’ve found your preferred book, follow the (generally very user-friendly) prompts to set up your account. You’ll probably be asked for your social security number or driver’s license, to verify your identity and age.
2. Deposit. Once you’ve got an account, it’s time to fund it! In most cases, once you create an account, you’ll be directed to a deposit screen. You’ll be asked to select a payment method - “direct deposit via bank account” is something to consider, since, when you cash out, the money is sent right to your checking account.
3. Verify Your Location. New York online sports betting apps require users on desktop computers to download a location-tracking software, GeoComply, while mobile users must simply allow the app to “track location”, with no download(s) required.
4. Start wagering!

Conclusion

There’s our full look into New York sports betting. Hopefully we’ve helped you identify the best sportsbooks available along with bonuses to get the most from your bankroll. Check out our odds comparison tool - The Index to help you find the best value across the top sportsbook. 

Online Sports Betting New York FAQs

Is sports betting legal in NY?

Yes, sports betting is legal in New York. In-person wagering has been available since 2019, and mobile sports betting arrived on Jan. 8, 2022.

How do you gamble on sports in New York?

Bettors in New York can place bets online with one of eight legal mobile sports betting operators or at one of the state’s 11 casinos - most notably bet365’s brick-and-mortar sportsbook at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello.

What kind of sports betting is legal now?

Bettors in New York can place any type of wager (moneyline, point spread, total, prop, futures, parlay, teaser) on just about any domestic and foreign sporting event. A notable exception is betting on college games played within state borders, which is prohibited.

Can I make bets online or on my mobile device in NY?

Yes. Mobile betting has been legal in New York since Jan. 8, 2022.

Are the odds for NY the same as in Las Vegas?

Yes. The odds in New York tend to match the Vegas lines.

What’s the minimum age to bet?

You must be at least 21 to bet on sports or play casino games in New York, though individuals 18 and older can bet on horse races or play the lottery.

Can you bet on New York-based teams in New York?

You can place wagers on New York-based pro teams. However, you may not bet on in-state college teams or any college games played within state lines.

Do you have to live in New York to bet online?

No. Anyone, resident or visitor, who’s at least 21 years-old and physically in New York can bet with a New York online sportsbook.

What are the biggest sports betting cities in New York?

New York City (by some margin), Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester are the state’s big sports betting markets.