CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mobile sports gambling officially launched in North Carolina on Monday, following months of anticipation from lawmakers, sports fans and sports franchises across the state.
Eight licensed sportsbooks will be allowed to operate in North Carolina. Those sportsbooks include the biggest names in sports gambling, from FanDuel and DraftKings to BetMGM, ESPN BET and Caesars.
Users can download one of those apps and create an account. From there, you can deposit money and gamble on sporting events. The apps are based on your location, meaning if you drive to South Carolina (or any other state where online gambling isn't legal), you won't be able to wager on games. If you're in a state where it's legal, you can place bets if that sportsbook is licensed to operate there.
Playing the lottery is a form of gambling. If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
What we've learned after the first day
A day after sports betting launched in North Carolina, no major technical issues have been reported as fans begin making live bets on the mobile apps.
Many fans are banking on the home team.
“Expect this to be the most bet March Madness in BetMGM history," John Ewing, PR Manager with BetMGM, said.
North Carolina bettors remain faithful to the Tar Heels. According to BetMGM, the first bet in North Carolina history was a person who placed $100 on UNC to win the NCAA tournament.
First 24 hours of action on NCAA Tournament:
- Most bet on teams in North Carolina to win the tournament (tickets):
- North Carolina 47.9%
- UConn 9.5%
- Houston 8.1%
- Fun fact: 4.2% of bets (7th most) in North Carolina are on Duke to win the tournament
Bettors are keeping sports books busy early on.
“Comparing it to Massachusetts, which launched at the same time last year, North Carolina has exceeded our expectations,” Ewing added.
BetMGM hopes to maintain the engagement for fans across the state.
"Continue to see customer acquisition continue to get new betters experienced with our app, and we look forward to them wagering on March Madness," Ewing added.
Sports betting 101
Steve Bittenbender from BetCarolina.com said there are three common types of bets you'll typically hear about: Points spreads, money lines and totals.
The points spread is a handicap of the two teams playing.
"If you bet the favorite, that means you're betting on them to win by more than that," Bittenbender explained. "If they're an underdog, you're expecting them to cover that spread or potentially win outright."
Next is the money line or "straight up" bet. You're picking a winner of the game. This is more advantageous for bettors who believe an underdog is going to pull off the upset. If you pick the favorite to win, you won't win as much but the only thing that matters is winning the game.
"The odds are going to be shorter than they would be with a point spread, but for an underdog, you're going to have more lucrative odds," he said. "They have to win outright. They can't just cover, but you get a bigger payout."
The third type of bet is the total bet. This refers to the amount of points scored for both teams combined. You can also bet on single-team totals if you prefer.
"That is what a lot of people refer to as the over-under," Bittenbender said. "A lot of people like to bet the over because it's more of a psychological thing where people want to see something exceeded. So in basketball, you may see a total college basketball that exceeds an over-under of like, 150 points."
As of Monday, bettors can wager on who wins the NCAA Tournament. Bittenbender said while the full field isn't set, you can still place a bet on several contenders in the futures market.
"I was checking odds this morning before everything went live, and I was seeing North Carolina at 18-to-1 and Duke around 20-to-1," he said. "There opportunity there to bet on your favorite team to see if they will win the NCAA Tournament."
If you want to make bets but don't know much about sports, there are still opportunities to play by placing what's known as a prop bet. That's where you bet on a specific outcome to happen, say a player scoring 10 points or kicking a field goal.
When it comes to gaming practices, Bittenbender says it's best to start small and keep it there.
"If you put $100 into an account, don't look to bet more than $3 or $5 on a game," he said. "That way it helps keep you in this game longer. You know, sports betting really is meant to supplement your experience with sports, not supplant it. So it's a good way to stay engaged with the game from start to finish. You're probably not going to make a lot of money on this, but it's a way for you to test your knowledge, test your skill and have some bragging rights with your friends time to time."
Franchises team with sportsbooks for online gambling
Under North Carolina law, sportsbooks must have an agreement with a sports franchise or league to operate in the state. That's why BetMGM partnered with Charlotte Motor Speedway, for example. The Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Hornets all signed deals with official betting partners, allowing those companies to advertise to fans during games.
The following eight sportsbooks were awarded licenses in North Carolina and have partnered with a sports franchise or league in the state.
- bet365: Charlotte Hornets
- BetMGM: Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Caesars Sportsbook: Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise Cherokee
- DraftKings: NASCAR
- Fanatics: Carolina Hurricanes
- FanDuel: PGA Tour, Carolina Panthers
- ENN Sports Interactive (ESPN BET): Quail Hollow Club
- Underdog Sports: McConnell Golf
Where's the money going?
Sports wagering operators have to pay a tax rate of 18% for the privilege of being licensed, which results in more revenue for the state.
The North Carolina General Assembly's legislative fiscal note breaks down the money like this:
- $2.0 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for its gambling addiction education and treatment programs.
- $1.0 million to North Carolina Amateur Sports for local governments or nonprofits to purchase youth sports equipment or to provide for public facility upgrades or improvements that would benefit youth sports.
- $300,000 each to 13 University of North Carolina constituent institutions to support college athletic departments.
- $1.0 million to the North Carolina Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council for grants to assist sports teams with travel expenses and incentive grants to attract sporting events for nonprofessional athletes.
- Of the remaining amount:
- 20% to be distributed equally among the 13 UNC institutions discussed earlier to support, not supplant, their collegiate athletic departments
- 30% to the North Carolina Major Events, Games, and Attractions Fund
- 50% to the General Fund
“Let’s put aside some of this money to make sure people can get the treatment they need, and so that the revenue goes to the people who need it the most," NC State Representative Wesley Harris said.
Harris said, while the new money is benefiting the state, in the grand scheme of things, it won't solve all the gaps in the state budget.
“Our state budget is $33 billion a year," Harris said. "It’s not a huge amount of money.”
The first year of sports betting in the state is projected to reach more than $6 billion, with one in six North Carolinians planning to bet once a week, according to Bet Carolina Survey.
“You should feel confident that your money is safe with these operators,” Eric Ramsey a lead writer for Legal Sports Report, said.
If you find yourself wanting to place a bet with a licensed sportsbook, experts offered some advice.
“Use those bet credits to practice making bets with low risk and find a sweet spot, "Tyler Andrews, the managing editor for NC Sharp, said.
“Most people watching this aren’t going to get rich from sports betting," Ramsey said.
Timing of the launch
"This is too big of a state," Robert Linnehan, the editor of Sports Betting Dime, told Ben Thompson on WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint ahead of Monday's launch. "It's too big of a market for these operators not to be on top of their game."
While fans were disappointed mobile sports betting didn't launch in time for the Super Bowl, state lawmakers made it a priority to have things up and rolling in time for March Madness, well ahead of the June 15 deadline. Early estimates suggest online betting will generate nearly $65 million in additional tax revenue for North Carolina in the first year.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed sports gambling into law last June in Charlotte, alongside lawmakers who pushed the bill through the General Assembly. The North Carolina Lottery Commission was then tasked with creating the rules and regulations before granting licenses to sportsbooks.
The Catawba Two Kings Casino is still awaiting a license. According to WRAL, the casino is the only group that applied for a sports betting license that wasn't approved.
In addition to mobile gambling, North Carolina law allows for in-person sports betting parlors. Several sports arenas have been approved for in-person sportsbooks, including Bank of America Stadium, Spectrum Center, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Quail Hollow Club. There's currently no launch date for the expanded launch of in-person sports betting.
Are professional athletes allowed to bet on sports?
The answer varies based on what league they play in. Here are the basics for each of the teams and leagues represented in Charlotte.
Panthers / NFL
Players are not allowed to bet on any NFL games or any NFL events like the NFL Draft or NFL Combine. There have been several players suspended for as much as a full season for breaking the NFL’s sports gambling policies.
All NFL personnel other than players are not allowed to bet on sports at all.
NFL players are allowed to bet on other sports, but cannot do so from a team facility or NFL venue.
The league reviews its policy every year with its personnel.
Hornets / NBA
No one affiliated with the NBA can bet on the NBA or any of its properties, including the G-League, WNBA or NBA2K League. Players can bet on other sports as long as they are doing so legally, and in a location where it is legal.
Being inside of an NBA facility is not a factor when it comes to players being allowed to bet on sports.
The Hornets tell WCNC Charlotte it provides education to players on the league’s policies several times a year, and has a specific person dedicated to all sports betting matters. That person is VP & Senior Associate Council – Legal Affairs, Shannon Gilligan.
Charlotte FC / MLS
MLS players cannot bet on any MLS matches, or on soccer of any kind.
For instance, a Charlotte FC player could not bet on a Premier League match, or World Cup match. In summary, no betting on soccer at any level.
MLS players can gamble on other sports if it’s legal and if they are in a legal place to do so.
NASCAR
Drivers, or any members of a NASCAR team or NASCAR itself, cannot bet on races, even on their own driver/team, but they can bet on other sports outside of NASCAR.
NASCAR employees received a memo on Monday reminding them of the policies.
Charlotte 49ers / NCAA
NCAA athletes cannot bet on a sport at any level – amateur or pro – that has an NCAA-sanctioned championship. This prohibits college athletes from betting on most sports since most sports are included in NCAA championships.
For example, a Charlotte 49ers athlete could not bet on college baseball or Major League Baseball, because there is an NCAA-sanctioned baseball championship.
The Charlotte 49ers educate players on each team at the beginning of every year, and athletes have to sign off on their understanding of the NCAA policy regarding sports gambling. They also send reminders to staff and athletes about every major sporting event.
Addiction concerns
The excitement for sports gambling has its critics, though. Concerns about addiction have been raised with sportsbooks running swaths of ads to promote their business, many offering promos bonus bets and other incentives to lure new customers.
"Online gambling, sports gambling is the equivalent of gambling heroin," Les Bernal with Stop Predatory Gambling, said. "You are going to unleash an incredible epidemic of child gambling because of the amount of advertising that comes along with online sports gambling."
Betting apps have warnings encouraging users to limit their gambling with users able to adjust the settings to limit how much they can bet, deposit into their account and the amount of time they can spend using the app.
Playing the lottery is a form of gambling. If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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