NORTH CAROLINA SPORTS BETTING: BEST SPORTSBOOKS AND PROMO OFFERS
Sportsgrid-Staff
North Carolina sports betting began its journey towards legislation in 2019 when the state initially passed sports betting at tribal casinos that were located on tribal lands. Making history, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who own and operate Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, were the first to offer sports betting in NC.
In 2021, North Carolina lawmakers began to push forward again with further legislation to allow sports betting online. They succeeded in 2023, making sports betting legal across the state, including online and via mobile apps. With the introduction of mobile apps, sportsbooks started popping up in the Apple and Google Play Stores, and promo offers for new usersstarted to come with them.
Fast forward to the summer of 2024, and DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN Bet, and Fanatics all have operations in North Carolina. With seven different online sportsbooks to choose from, each has its pros and cons and should be examined closely. Some sportsbooks are better than others in North Carolina, depending on how you intend to use them, and what features you are specifically looking for.
As we dive into the best sportsbooks and promos for North Carolina sports betting, also take a look at our North Carolina Sports Betting Apps and North Carolina Promo/Bonus Pages.
List of Online Sports Betting sites in NC
All of the best betting sites in NC are listed below, highlighting the best promotional offer available. The following online sports betting sites, along with their mobile apps on iOS and Android devices, are available for residents and visitors of North Carolina.
Top-Rated North Carolina Sportsbook Sites
This section will cover the best sports betting sites in North Carolina, breaking down each of them in order of our rankings.
With seven online sportsbooks in NC to choose from, there is no shortage of options for North Carolina bettors. Because of this, we thought it would be important to detail each of their offerings, listing the promotional offers to expect, local partnerships, mobile app useability, payment methods, customer service options, and other user benefits.
Below, we dive into the sign-up bonus, payout process and variety of bet types for each sportsbook before reviewing the overall popularity of each. Let’s take a closer look at the Top-Rated North Carolina Sportsbook Sites, in order.
BetMGM Sportsbook in NC
BetMGM comes in as our #1 top-rated sportsbook in NC, as a result of the comprehensive betting experience they offer users. For starters, new customers can receive a generous bonus bets offer if their first wager is not a winner. The promos don’t stop there for BetMGM Sportsbook in NC, however, as they offer recurring promotions including odds boosts, a great referral program, and of course, the highly touted BetMGM Rewards.
The BetMGM Sportsbook mobile app is also highly rated, coming in with a 4.8 in the Apple iOS Store and a 4.5 in the Android Store. As an official partner of Charlotte Motor Speedway, locally, BetMGM Sportsbook in NC is quickly becoming one of the Tar Heel State’s favorite online sports betting sites and betting apps.
North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 9/10
As an official partner of NASCAR, which calls the nearby Charlotte Motor Speedway home, DraftKings Sportsbook in NC is a favorite amongst auto racing bettors in the Tar Heel State. Starting off with their success in the daily fantasy sports (DFS) space in the early 2010s, DraftKings Sportsbook in NC has turned into one of the most successful sports betting apps in both the Apple and Google Play app stores, with an average rating across the two of 4.7. Thanks to the backing of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, DraftKings Sportsbook in NC offers amongst the best payment methods when it comes to depositing and withdrawing into your sportsbook account. In terms of their welcome offer, DraftKings Sportsbook in NC offers new users bonus bets when they sign up and deposit at least $10, and make a qualifying wagering of $5 or more. Lastly, DraftKings Sportsbook has made a name for itself with its iconic Same Game Parlay, a unique bet type that allows bettors to parlay multiple events within the same game. North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 8.5/10 Competing with DraftKings for the biggest sportsbook brand in the United States, FanDuel Sportsbook was amongst the first batch of commercial online sportsbooks to go live in NC in 2022. From the start, FanDuel has offered one of the best welcome offers in the state, giving users bonus bets simply for signing up for a new account and making a $5 wager. The FanDuel Sportsbook mobile app is highly coveted throughout the country in both app stores and is known for being amongst the most intuitive betting apps in the country. As a local partner with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and the PGA Tour, FanDuel Sportsbook in NC is here to stay. North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 8/10 Caesars Sportsbooks in NC is best known for it’s Caesars Rewards programs which give customers points for every bet placed both on their online sportsbook and in-person at their Harrah’s properties in North Carolina. Caesars Sportsbook in NC can also claim to be the first sports betting operator with a presence in the state, as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina (Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos) opened the first-ever North Carolina sportsbooks in 2019. A lucrative welcome offer is also on deck for newcomers to Caesars Sportsbook in NC. With more than 50 years of experience when it comes to gambling in the United States, Caesars Sportsbook in NC has one of the best products in the NC sportsbook scene today. North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 8/10 The long-time sports apparel and merchandise company, Fanatics, ventured into the sports betting industry in 2024 after closing on the acquisition of PointsBet. Following a rebranding and working with state regulators, Fanatics Sportsbook in NC opened its (virtual) doors in 2024 and quickly became a favorite amongst bettors in the Tar Heel State. Fanatics Sportsbook in NC offers all of the same great features of the competitors in a sleek and easy-to-use mobile app. In their first year of existence, Fanatics Sportsbook in NC even secured an official sports betting partner in the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s worth noting that Fanatics is best used on Apple devices, as their Android product has gotten some bad reviews in the Google Play store. North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 7.5/10 Another late entrant to the North Carolina sports betting scene, bet365 sportsbook made their debut in 2024. As an official partner of the Charlotte Hornets, bet365 sportsbook in NC is one of the best NBA betting sites in the state and offers fans odds boosts and other Hornets-specific promotions. Just like much of their competition, bet365 sportsbook in NC offers new users bonus bets. The promotions don’t stop there, as there is no shortage of ongoing promotions for users to take advantage of. Another area bet365 sportsbook in NC excels is its live betting menu, which features real-time odds and scores across a multitude of sports both foreign and domestic. North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 7.5/10 Media behemoth ESPN ventured into sports betting in 2023, as ESPN Bet Sportsbook rounds out our top seven online sportsbooks in NC, launching officially in the state in March 2024. Owned and operated by PENN Entertainment, PENN dropped Barstool for ESPN, but their product hasn’t lost a step. Now available in nearly 20 states, ESPN Bet is still working out the kinks compared to other sports betting apps that have been around for many years, with odds slightly less competitive than much of their counterparts. North Carolina Sportsbook Rating: 7/10 Starting their journey to full legality in 2019, sports betting in North Carolina was first introduced to the North Carolina General Assembly with the passing of Senate Bill 154 on July 26, 2019. This bill allowed for sports betting only at the tribal casinos in the state, operated initially by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. It did allow for both in-person (retail) and online sports betting, but registration had to be completed at the casino. The next phase of the legality of sports betting in North Carolina came in 2021, as lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 688 in April. This bill proposed up to 12 licenses for national online sports betting operators, with a set tax rate of 8% on gross gaming revenue. Despite passing in the Senate, it failed to pass the House and was kicked down the road as a future topic to discuss. Everything came to a head for sports betting in North Carolina with the introduction and eventual passing of House Bill 347. Building on the foundation laid out by SB 688, HB 347 would legalize online and mobile sports betting throughout the state, with a standard tax rate of 10% on all gross gaming revenue. Officially passing on June 23, 2023, Governor Roy Cooper signed the bill and paved the way for operators to go live in early 2024. With the legal and authorized sportsbooks in North Carolina laid out above, SportsGrid has secured welcome offers from each for you to take advantage of. Let’s take a closer look at each, including if they have a mobile app, the year they received their license, the odds provider, and details of the welcome bonus. Here is the filled-out table for the legal and authorized sportsbooks in North Carolina: Sportsbook Mobile App Year Licensed Sportsbook Provider Bonus Bets Welcome Bonus Claim it Android / iOS 2022 BetMGM Yes $1,500 Android / iOS 2022 DraftKings Inc. Yes $150 Android / iOS 2022 Flutter Entertainment Yes $250 Android / iOS 2022 Caesars Entertainment Yes $1,000 Android / iOS 2024 Fanatics Holdings Inc. Yes $1,000 Android / iOS 2024 Bet365 Group Ltd. Yes $1,000 ESPN Bet Android / iOS 2023 PENN Entertainment Yes $1,000 The steps are simple for placing a bet on a mobile device in NC, with the straightforward process laid out below. Let’s take a closer look at how to use the mobile to place a bet in North Carolina. North Carolina has some very friendly legislation when it comes to the available betting markets in the state. Below is a comprehensive list of the sports you can (and can not) wager on when gambling in the state, as we take a closer look at the top available betting markets in NC. Sports You Can Bet On: Sports You Cannot Bet On: The following dynamic list notes the top North Carolina sports teams and their current odds across multiple betting markets. This list will update in real time to provide the most recently available betting information, making sure you have the most up to date odds when you decide on your bet. Thanks to the regulation and oversight provided by the North Carolina Lottery Commission, there is a number of banking and payment options available in North Carolina. Let’s dive into the top options available for funding and withdrawing funds from your newly set up North Carolina online sports betting account(s). Since going live in 2024, NC mobile sports betting has shown no signs of slowing down as more and more sports bettors in the states are flocking to mobile. All major sportsbooks noted today have highly rated sportsbook apps for both iOS and Android devices, offering the same great features that can be found on the desktop versions of the signs. Some features that make NC mobile sports betting so attractive are live betting on the go, push notifications for bet updates, and the ease of access to customer service. These are the states where sports betting is legal in the U.S.: When it comes to betting at North Carolina sportsbooks and taking advantage of the handsome welcome offers, there are some tips and tricks every bettor should be aware of. For the best odds and betting tips, check our news, tips, and picks page on the main site of SportsGrid. Caesars Sportsbook in NC
Fanatics Sportsbook in NC
bet365 Sportsbook in NC
ESPN Bet Sportsbook in NC
Legality of Sports Betting in North Carolina?
Legal & Authorized Sportsbooks in North Carolina
How to use the mobile to place a bet in North Carolina
Available Betting Markets in NC
Top North Carolina teams odds
Banking and Payment Options available in North Carolina
Deposit Options:
Withdrawal Options:
NC Mobile Sports Betting
Legal U.S. sports betting states
Best odds and betting tips