Washington D.C. Betting Sites

Looking to place a bet from the nation’s capital? Unsure how D.C.’s unique geopolitical status impacts online sports betting? You’re in the right place. 

Not only is it legal to place bets from Washington D.C., but this page will run through everything you need to know in order to do so successfully. Covering popular sports to wager on, the markets available to you, and the best mobile sportsbooks around, read on to get your first taste of D.C. betting. 

Is Online Betting Legal in Washington D.C.?

Yes – both land-based and online sports betting is legal in Washington D.C. The district does not belong to any US state, which means it sets its own rules on online betting. Following the repealing of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, D.C. made the decision to legalize online gambling within the district. 

Legislation was introduced in September 2018 before being signed into law by mayor Muriel Bowser in January 2019, effective from May of that year. You must be 18 or older to place a bet and you must do so from within the District of Columbia. 

College sports betting is permitted but only on matches that are not taking place in D.C. and do not involve any D.C. college, regardless of where the game is being played. Online casinos do not have a license to operate in Washington D.C.

Popular Sports to Bet on in Washington D.C.

You’ll be impressed by the range of sports on offer at the best D.C. sportsbooks, covering both the most popular leagues here in the US and those further afield. Washington is one of the few cities in the US that has representation in all of the country’s biggest competitions – let’s take a look at the leagues and sports that attract the greatest betting activity. 

NFL

The Washington Commanders are one of the 32 teams competing in the NFL. The team has been known as the Redskins for the majority of its history but changed its name in 2020. There’s a high concentration of NFL teams in the D.C. area, with the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles all nearby. NFL betting fans can wager on 272 games in the main season from September to January, before gearing up for the playoffs and the Super Bowl in February. 

NBA

Most basketball fans in D.C. back the Washington Wizards during the NBA season, which runs from October to April. Each team plays 82 games in the regular season, which means there are over 1,200 NBA matches fans can wager on. That doesn’t even take the playoffs into account, which crown the best teams from the eastern and western conferences. These teams then compete for the NBA championship in June. 

MLB

D.C. is also represented in MLB through the Washington Nationals. Baseball franchises in MLB play a mammoth 162 games during the regular season, leading into the postseason playoff rounds for those that qualify. The crowning event of MLB, the best-of-seven World Series, usually takes place in October and November. 

NHL

The Washington Capitals is the district’s NHL team, competing in the Metropolitan Division of the eastern conference. Each team plays 82 games in the main season from October to April, before the three-highest placed teams from each division qualify for the playoffs. Those teams are joined by four wild card entries – two from each conference – in a bid to win the Stanley Cup at the end of the season.

Horse Racing

You might not be surprised to know that there are no horse racing tracks within Washington D.C., but there are a number of well-known racing locations nearby. Maryland is home to Laurel Park and Pimlico, which hosts the Preakness Stakes – one of the three Triple Crown events. You don’t need to visit a race track in order to place horse racing bets, of course – all D.C. sportsbooks will offer excellent coverage of the latest horse racing events.

Betting Markets Available in Washington D.C.

It’s important to know the types of bets offered at betting sites and the vocabulary around them. There are many different types of bets – from outrights to in-play to parlays. Let’s take a look at what all this means. 

Moneyline

The most straightforward bet you can place at a D.C. sportsbook is a moneyline wager – a simple prediction on which team will win the game. In sports where draws are possible, such as soccer and MMA, moneyline bets come with this as a third option.

The moneyline itself refers to the abstract line of parity between the two teams, as determined by the bookmaker and the overall balance of wagers placed on the game. The team above the moneyline is considered the underdog and will have odds prefixed by a +. The team below the moneyline is considered the favorite and will have odds prefixed by a -. Sportsbooks take $100 as their betting unit when presenting moneyline odds, giving punters an idea of what they’d win if they were to stake $100. Here’s an example:

• The Commanders (+150) are playing the Dallas Cowboys (-100)
• A $100 wager on the Commanders to win would generate $150 in profit
• A $100 wager on the Cowboys to win would generate $100 in profit

Parlays

A parlay is a bet that combines multiple selections into one bet slip. For the overall parlay to win, each component of the bet must also win. Parlay odds are calculated by multiplying each individual selection together, generating much larger potential returns than single-prediction bets. Until recently, same-game parlays were a rare thing at US betting sites, but the best D.C. sportsbooks now offer these. 

Over/Under

Over/under wagers are proposition bets that target statistics within the game, as opposed to the overall outcome of the game itself. The sportsbook will present bettors with a statistic and a number – let’s say eight corners in the MLS game between D.C. United and Inter Miami – and will invite punters to bet on whether the actual number will be over or under that amount. This market can be applied to a host of stats across many sports. 

Against the Spread (ATS)

The spread is used by sportsbooks to give betting fans an incentive to wager on games with one overwhelming favorite. Let’s say the Detroit Pistons are playing the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. The Bucks are the clear favorites, so betting sites might offer a points spread of ten. In this scenario, a bet on the Bucks would only win if they won by ten points or more; conversely, a bet on the Pistons would win if they win the game outright, or lose by a smaller margin than ten. A wager on the Pistons here would be betting against the spread, while a wager on the Bucks would be betting with the spread.

Betting Apps Available in Washington D.C.

We always recommend downloading sports betting apps whenever possible due to improved functionality and special perks. This includes faster loading times due to locally-stored data on your device, the ability to stay up to date with all bonuses and promotions through push notifications, and snappier, customizable interfaces that better organize your favorite bets and markets.

There are currently three betting apps available for residents of Washington D.C., one of which, GambetDC, is operated by the DC Lottery. BetMGM and Caesars are the other two, but be aware that there are severe geolocation restrictions when betting on these apps – you must be within two blocks of your registered home address in order to place a bet. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer at BetMGM and Caesars. 

BetMGM

When you first sign up to BetMGM you’ll receive a huge $1,500 first bet offer, insuring any first wager up to that amount. The insurance comes in the form of free bets at the site, so don’t go thinking this is $1,500 of free cash. You’ll need to use the bonus code BETMGMBONUS during the sign-up process, after which you’ll be free to place bets on all your favorite teams and sports. 

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars has partnerships with both the Wizards and the Capitals, which means members can expect regular promos when these two teams are in action. There’s a $1,000 first bet offer for new customers, returned in the form of free bets if your first wager loses. You’ll also find a brick-and-mortar Caesars sportsbook in Capital One Arena. 

Payment Methods Available at Washington D.C. Betting Sites

One of the main things you need to consider before signing up to a new D.C. betting site is how you’ll fund and withdraw money from your account. There are many different payment options at D.C. sportsbooks, each with their own pros and cons. Here are some of the most popular. 

Bank Cards

Debit cards are available at every betting site in the US, offering complete access to bonuses and promotions. Credit cards, however, are on the demise in this area, with some banks no longer approving bets placed on credit – just check the terms and conditions of the betting site to see whether credit card deposits are accepted. 

e-Wallets

e-Wallets like PayPal and Skrill are favored by many betting fans due to their ability to process withdrawals at faster speeds – processing checks are quicker, which means you could receive your winnings instantly after request. Availability is very good, but e-wallet deposits are often excluded from accessing bonuses. 

Prepaid Cards

Prepaid card providers are revered in the sports betting world for their inherent money management benefits. Users can’t overspend when using a prepaid card, since only preloaded funds can be spent. Paysafecard is a leading provider in this space, running on vouchers that can be bought either online or in retail locations. Withdrawals aren’t usually available with this payment method. 

Wire Transfers

Those looking to place large bets should consider wire transfers – comfortably the most suitable payment option for high rollers. Limits are higher than all other payment methods, but you may encounter some processing fees along the way. Payments are also slow on both the depositing and withdrawing end. 

Wahington D.C. Betting Timeline

Interested to know the series of events since PASPA was overturned? Here’s the story of Washington D.C.’s gambling timeline over the last five years. 

• May, 2018 — PASPA is judicially-overturned, paving the way for individual states to enforce their own gambling laws. 
• January, 2019 — Mayor Muriel Browser signs new gambling legislation, legalizing sportsbooks to operate in D.C. This new law comes into effect in May of that year.
• May, 2020 — The pandemic delays the launching of sportsbooks in D.C., but GambetDC receives a license to operate from the DC Lottery. 
• July, 2020 — Caesars launches a retail sportsbook inside Capital One Arena.
• December, 2020 — Caesars launches its online betting platform in D.C.
• June, 2021 — BetMGM launches its online betting platform in D.C. Both of these sportsbooks massively outperform the state-run GambetDC. 

Compare Washington D.C. Betting Sites and Sign Up

There isn’t an awful lot of choice when it comes to betting sites in D.C., which makes your decision a lot easier! BetMGM and Caesars are two reputable operators in the industry, so compare welcome bonuses, betting odds and market spread, before clicking through and signing up. 

Frequently Asked Questions