Sports Betting in California

Can I bet on sports in California?

There are no legal physical sports betting venues in California, yet. It’s easy to hop over to Nevada and place a wager in the neighbouring state, but there is another option for bettors that requires no travel time.

Legal Sports Betting in California

Online sportsbooks are a great option for Californian residents because they do not break any state laws (there aren't any gambling laws in place to be broken), are easy to use and the top sportsbooks are safe and secure. Sportsbooks like Bovada and BetUS offer competitive odds and bonuses that will keep loyal bettors happy.

Online sportsbooks can tide over sports bettors until the legalization evidently arrives, whether it’s 2021 or later, you can still get in on the action.

Best Online Bookmakers in California

Here are the top online bookmakers available for bettors in California. We have reviewed them thoroughly and come up with this final list.

1. Bovada - The best known online sportsbook
2. BetOnline - Wide and varied sports betting markets
3. MyBookie - Check out their mobile betting platform
4. BetUS - A great cryptocurrency bonus

Recent California NFL Betting Tips, September 2023

• The San Francisco 49ers have the 4th best odds at +1000 to win Super Bowl LVIII. Led by stars like Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers aim to win it all out of Santa Clara.
• Sean Payton's +900 odds make him the 2nd most likely coach to win 2023 Coach of the Year with the LA Chargers. Payton's experience could quickly elevate the Chargers.
• Patrick Mahomes has the best odds at +650 to win the 2023-2024 NFL MVP award.
• Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are tied for the best Super Bowl odds next season at +800.
• The Los Angeles Rams have +2200 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII next season.

Updated California MLB Betting Tips, September 2023

• The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best odds to win the World Series at +410. LA aims to capitalize on their stacked roster and win their first title since 2020.
• Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has +220 odds to win AL MVP again.
• Logan Webb and the San Francisco Giants have +5000 odds to win the World Series.
• The Orioles have +1000 odds of clinching the championship. Baltimore is thirsty for their fourth World Series title.
• Clayton Kershaw has +9000 odds to win the NL Cy Young with the Dodgers at age 35.

Recent California NBA Betting Tips, September 2023

• Nikola Jokic remains the favorite for MVP with +450 odds. The Joker will try to three-peat and further cement his legacy playing in Denver.
• The Los Angeles Lakers have +1400 odds to win it all next season. Can the addition of Kyrie Irving help LeBron James and the Lakers rebound in LA?
• The Golden State Warriors have +900 odds to win the 2023-2024 NBA Championship.
• The Phoenix Suns are given +600 odds to finally capture their first ever NBA title. Led by CP3 and Booker, the Suns hope this is their year.
• Jayson Tatum has +750 odds to win the 2023-2024 MVP award.

History of California Betting

Here we cover the history of California betting. What have been the main pushes to legalize it in the state and where can we expect to go from here.

A Brief Timeline of the Legality of California Sports Betting

2023

• September 5, 2023 - Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley will cease operations permanently this December. The horse racing track's closure looks to increase the attendance at Santa Anita.
• August 2, 2023 - Native American tribes in California advocated for legislation that would allow them to legally challenge card games such as blackjack offered at casinos.
• July 3, 2023 - The 29 Palms Band of Mission Indians has launched a new social betting platform that allows users to participate in sports wagering without real money. You can earn credits through the platform and use them at the tribe's casinos.
• June 12, 2o23 - The Oakland Athletics announced a preliminary agreement with Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, signaling their intention to move the team to Las Vegas.
• May 5, 2023 - During a conference, Jason Robins, the CEO of DraftKings, expressed his belief that legalizing sports betting in California would take considerable time.
• March 23, 2023 - As lobbyists advocate for the legalization of mobile betting, state representatives are analyzing its widespread success throughout the country.
• February 28, 2023 - Will the pummelling of California sports betting in 2022 stop any upcoming ballot pushes in the future?
• January 27, 2023 - It is expected that California will vote to approve online sports betting – what to expect.

2022

• December 14, 2022 -With the clear rejection of Proposition 27, those in the industry need to change their strategy for working with tribes to legalize online sports betting in California.
• November 23, 2022 – The future of sports betting looks bleak, given the lack of movement in 2022.
• November 9, 2022 – Gambling giants are the losers following California rejecting a betting bill. There is hope for the industry to overturn a referendum outcome in the biggest US market in 2024.
• November 8, 2022 – Both Proposition 26 and Proposition 27 failed to expand legal sports betting in California in the Midterm elections
• October 30, 2022 – Special interest in ballot propositions is making things complicated regarding sports betting legalization in California.
• September 30, 2022 - Dueling California sports betting propositions appear headed for defeat, poll finds.
• August 27, 2022 - California's sports betting propositions break state spending records.
• August 8, 2022 - Analysts have predicted that both California sports betting ballot questions will be defeated.
• August 1, 2022 - Just last week, a Tribe-Sponsored advert aimed at attacking opponents to Prop 27 was published, claiming those opposing the Prop liars.
• July 28, 2022 - A recent lawsuit has come to light that could change gambling in casinos in California.
• July 1, 2022 - In a sports betting spat, tribes tout big backers against online giants, with Dolores Huerta leading things.
• May 18, 2022 - The General Election in the United States and local elections in California with local measures such as the Draft Kings, FanDuel and BetMGM-backed measure for legalizing sports betting in California and a competing measure from the California Native Tribes - both measures collected enough signatures to be on the ballot.
• May 17, 2022 - The Golden State Warriors are the only California team left in either the NBA or NHL playoffs. The Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in 7 games, and Dallas Mavericks beat Phoenix Suns also in 7 games. Mavericks and Warriors will now battle for the Western Conference title and the ticket to the 2022 NBA Finals against the winner of Eastern Conference Finals, Miami Heat or Boston Celtics.
• April 15, 2022 - California voters get their opportunity to legalize sports betting in November, when the California Native Tribes' measure is on the ballot. This would legalize dice games and sports betting at Native American-operated casinos.
• March 8, 2022 - A lawsuit to invalidate a retail sport betting ballot proposal has been filed because the Supreme Court declined to hear it.
• February 25, 2022 - Over a fifth of California voters are undecided on sports betting, according to a survey from UC Berkeley. At least one sports betting option will be on November's ballot.
• February 9, 2022 - Three tribes are looking to bring forward a sportsbook-backed ballot initiative to put mobile sports betting on the November ballot.
• January 18, 2022 - The fight to control sports betting in California gets picked up by an article in the New York Times.

2021

• December 29, 2021 - A pair of California card rooms tried to stop one of the many sports betting initiatives for 2022, via a lawsuit.
• October 19, 2021 - Four leading California mayors voiced their support for the ballot, forcing citizens to vote on sports betting in California.
• August 13, 2021 - One of the three sports betting initiatives for November 2022 faces a tough test to get passed. The California Sports Wagering and Consumer Protection Act must collect 997,139 signatures by April 2022 to be validated for the vote.
• May 28, 2021 - California voters will decide on sports betting at tribal casinos in 2022. The ballot will pose the question of allowing the tribes to offer roulette, craps, and sports betting onsite, though online sports betting will not feature in the proposal.

 

California Sports Betting Timeline

The progress with legal sports betting in California has been a relatively short journey. Here's how things broke down over the years.

First progress with the amendment in 2020

Within days of the PASPA ruling, California Assembly member Adam Gray announced his desire for a pro-sports betting amendment. Shortly after, California State Senator Bill Dodd joined the movement, planning to shape a bill for inclusion on the November ballot. The first sports betting hearing in California was held in January 2020, and it didn’t seem promising in terms of approval in 2020 at least.

Other states have a different approach toward sports betting. You can check out the full list of US states here.

It’s projected that sports betting in California could be worth $2.5 billion per year (including online betting revenue) in California - which is wild to think that there is even an ounce of hesitation from elected officials. There are a number of great sportsbooks near Los Angeles operating today, which provide a great range of betting markets and very competitive odds.

An initiative backed by 18 Native American tribes wants to limit sports betting to physical casinos and racetracks and ban online gambling in California. This is not a shared viewpoint with Dodd and Gray.

2023 and looking forward

It’s assumed that sports betting won’t be legalized until 2024 after the two ballot measures in favor of sports betting were rejected in November 2022, so Californian sports bettors still have a little way to go before they can legally bet on sports in Californian casinos or sportsbooks.

Currently, gambling in the state is regulated and limited to card rooms, tribal casinos, the state lottery, horse racing, and charitable gaming. California has 69 Native American casinos, hosting 70,000 slot machines and more than two thousand table games.

The California State lottery includes Mega Millions and Powerball, which is always well received.

Horse racing is a big deal in California – the home of Del Mar, Hollywood Park and Santa Anita, making horse betting a huge revenue stream left untapped.

So, what does all of this mean? Californian residents love to bet and legal sports betting in California will open up new jobs and significant revenue streams for the Californian government.

California's Tribal Initiatives to Legalize Sports Betting

The main ballot initiative that faced voters in November 2022 was a tribal initiative. It would have allowed for sports betting at tribal casinos and horse tracks throughout the state.

However, one of the major drawbacks of this initiative was that it would not allow for any online sports betting sites to be licensed in the state. Bettors would still have needed to use the same offshore sportsbooks they have been using, but no new ones would be licensed. The timeline set out by this initiative for mobile betting would be five years.

The problem is that California is huge, so getting to a tribal casino is not always practical. Plus, it would not extend sports betting to card rooms, which the tribes have argued violate their compacts.

Current State of Betting in California

The current situation for California bettors is multifaceted. We over here the current gambling laws in California.

Is Sports Betting Legal in California?

There are no legal physical sports betting venues in California, yet. However, you can bet on sports in California. It’s easy to hop over to Nevada and place a wager in the neighboring state, but there is another option for bettors that requires no travel time. As of today, the initiatives proposed in late 2022 have been rejected by the people of California and there still hasn't been a new measure brought forward to legalize sports betting.

What is the legal gambling age in California?

The legal gambling age is 18, but in effect, if you want to visit a casino where they serve alcohol, you will have to be 21 to enter. However, 18-21 year olds can also bet online, as there is no alcohol being served.

How does California compare to other states?

California is not as far advanced in sports betting and gambling as one might imagine. In fact, of all its neighbors, only Arizona is as restrictive as California in that they have also not opened up local sportsbooks.

In fact, neighboring Nevada is the locus of betting in the United States. You would think that some of this attitude would have come into California. However, this has not yet happened.

North of California, Oregon and Washington both have more open systems that in California. All the same, we expect California to catch up soon!

How can people in California place sports bets now?

Despite the fact that they are not yet licensing sportsbooks, Californians can place bets now by signing up at the right places. There are many betting sites for California bettors that are based offshore. Read all about them on this page.

The ones we recommend on this page are all available for California bettors to sign up, log in, deposit, play, and withdraw.

How to gamble online in California

There are currently no online casinos licensed by the state of California. If you want to know how to bet online in California, then you should sign up at an online casino at one of the betting sites we recommend here. They are legally available to California gamblers and have a variety of games including poker, roulette and many different slot games. Many of the best ones will even include live dealers.

How to bet on Sports in California

California has a rich sports betting scene with multiple major league teams in the biggest sports. The main sports for sports betting in California are football, basketball, baseball, mixed martial arts like UFC and finally boxing.

How to bet on football in California?

You can choose to bet on NFL or NCAAF games in California. All of our top Sports Betting Sites feature football bets through out the year, but you will find the most available football bets during the season from August/September to February. The most popular bet types for football betting are the spread and the over/under, but moneyline bets are popular too, especially during the preseason.

How to bet on basketball in California?

Basketball betting in California offers the same options between major leagues and college games as football betting does. The Basketball Season starts in earnest in October, but future betting gets hot before that. The finals are in June, so you can bet on pre-game basketball odds for most of the year.

How to bet on baseball in California?

The baseball calendar is insane. If you live in the Golden State, you can bet on 81 regular season home games for a whopping five teams based in the sunshine state. That's over 400 home games during one regular season in California! If moneyline bets are not your thing, try making it more interesting with spread betting and even player specials.

How to bet on UFC in California

All of our top partners have multiple markets for UFC. You can bet on the winner of a match, or the style of the win (Decision, T.K.O or K.O) or on which round the fight finishes. You can also do futures betting in UFC by guessing which fighters will face each other in future matches.

How to bet on boxing in California

Boxing is one of the most popular sports to bet on in California. Boxing betting is similar to UFC betting: you can bet on the winner, what round the fight ends, or what style the fight finishes. Futures betting is the same in boxing betting as it is in UFC betting.

Betting on California Sports Teams

Host to 18 professional sports teams, the most of any state by 8, California has a huge sports following, and plenty of options regardless of which sport you enjoy.

Not many cities have two teams in the same market. With three NFL teams, the LA Rams, LA Chargers, and San Francisco 49ers, it would be hard to choose a team to root for every Sunday if you live in California! The former Oakland Raiders, now based in Las Vegas but still boasting a big Californian fan base, have won the Super Bowl three times.

NFL

Betting on LA Rams Odds

The Rams relocated to Los Angeles from St Louis. They were able to bring home Super Bowl rings in both St. Louis (1999) and in Los Angeles (2021). They share their stadium with the LA Chargers, making Los Angeles one of two locales in the United States with more than one professional NFL team.

Betting on LA Chargers Odds

The Chargers relocated to Los Angeles from San Diego. They now share the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood with the Rams. They have unfortunately never won a Super Bowl championship. This is despite being division champions more than a dozen times!

Betting on San Francisco 49ers Odds

The 49ers have five wins. They racked up most of these with Joe Montana in the 1980s. Since then, they have had hot and cold seasons, with a particular slump after their 1994 Super Bowl win. The 49ers have been in San Francisco since their founding in 1946.

NBA

The NBA also has four teams based out of California.

Betting on Golden State Warriors Odds

The dominant Golden State Warriors are currently the state’s pride and joy, winning many recent NBA Finals. They paid big to get head coach Steve Kerr, but it is sure paying its dividends. Their name is for the entire state, but this team is based out of the Bay Area.

Betting on Sacramento Kings Odds

The Sacramento Kings enjoyed their golden years in the early 2000s, and are the only professional sports team in the Sacramento market. Before being located in Sacramento, they were in Rochester, NY--another relatively small market for a professional sports team. They are one of two teams in California with Kings as their mascot.

Betting on Los Angeles Lakers Odds

Los Angeles Lakers are likely on their way to a title soon. Having enjoyed a huge amount of success not too long ago, they are no longer burning so bright, but are still heavy contenders. Having had some of basketball's biggest stars, the Lakers are loved all over the country, with fans tuning in from all fifty states.

Betting on Los Angeles Clippers Odds

Los Angeles Clippers are almost always trailing behind the Lakers. They are still without a championship title. The Clippers share their arena with the Lakers, the Sparks of the WNBA and even a hockey team. Keep an eye out for this team as an up and coming super power.

MLB

California is home to five MLB teams, the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants.

Betting on LA Dodgers Odds

The Dodgers have won six World Series titles in LA, and one in Brooklyn. This makes the team one of the most successful franchises in MLB. Their success has been spread out fairly evenly since their first World Series win in 1955. This team is worth keeping an eye on.

Betting on Oakland Athletics Odds

The Athletics have won nine World Series. In fact, they are one of very few teams to have won a World Series threepeat: from, 1972-1974. While they are not always a favorite to win the World Series, it is a good idea to keep an eye on Oakland A's future odds, whatever the season.

Betting on Los Angeles Angels Odds

The Angels only won one back in 2002, making them the least successful of all the California MLB teams. No matter your favorite MLB team, there is no shortage of ball games for sports fans to bet on in the summer months!

Betting on San Diego Padres Odds

A member of the National League West Division, the San Diego Padres are the only team in the four major professional leagues representing the San Diego market. They are the only MLB team in California to have never owned a World Series, but maybe placing a futures bet on this underdog is just what they need to make it all the way.

Betting on San Francisco Giants Odds

The San Francisco Giants moved to the West Coast from New York City and have been one of the most successful franchises in MLB. Barry Bonds, Buster Posey, and  Dusty Baker have been some of the biggest stars to pass through this franchise.

NHL

The National Hockey League boasts three Californian teams: the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks.

Betting on Los Angeles Kings Odds

The Kings were crowned Stanley Cup Champions twice in 2012 and 2014, thanks in large part to Darryl Sutter, the head coach. Gretzky, perhaps the best hockey player ever, is immortalized outside of their stadium.  Gretzky helped raise the popularity of the entire league across the Sun Belt.

Betting on Anaheim Ducks Odds

The Ducks won the tournament in 2007. This happened shortly after changing their name from the Mighty Ducks to the Ducks, and being under new leadership by Brian Burke. They were founded in 1993 by the Disney Corporation, and gained lots of fans with the hit movie The Might Ducks. They are one of the youngest teams in the league.

Betting on San Jose Sharks Odds

The Sharks have made it to the big show, but were unsuccessful in taking home Lord Stanley. Their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final was in the 105/16 campaign, and they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Sharks began their career playing in the Cow Palace before switching over to the SAP Center.

In addition to all of these professional sports, there are many collegiate teams that play out of California including 11 division I college football teams, and 16 division I college basketball teams.

 

Is horse racing betting legal in California?

There are several horse racing tracks in California where you can go and bet on horse races. The four horse racing tracks in California are:

• Santa Anita Park
• Del Mar Racetrack
• Golden Gate Fields
• Los Alamitos Race Course

The Breeder’s Cup, one of the most important horse races in the world, is often held at Santa Anita Park just outside of Los Angeles.

However, many tracks have closed over the last decade or so, leaving Californians with fewer and fewer options for live horse races.

However, you can always visit the racebooks we recommend on this page. Californians can sign up and bet on all kinds of horse races, not just the ones that happen to be at the track.

What are the best fantasy sports apps in California?

Daily fantasy sports allow bettors to bet on fictitious teams. The biggest names in this sector are DraftKings and FanDuel. These sportsbooks do not offer the best odds on other types of sports bets.

California sports betting ballot initiative

There was another similar ballot initiative in 2020. But due to the Coronavirus pandemic, voters never got the chance to decide. So voters will finally have their voice heard this November. While we had to wait two more years, it looks likely to be approved. Maybe it would have been approved two years earlier.

What the Initiative Would Do

This November voters in California will be able to decide the fate of sports betting in the state. Right now, the initiative does not allow for online sports betting. But it would open up the possibility for retail sports betting at tribal casinos.

The full name of the ballot initiative is "Authorizes New Types of Gambling. Initiative Constitutional and Statutory Amendment." A yes vote on the initiative would support the legalization of sports betting, including professional and collegiate sports. Some other states do not allow college betting, but this particular initiative would.

It would also enact an age minimum of 21 years to bet on sports in California. Along with this would be a ten percent tax on profits from sports betting at racetracks. This revenue would then be distributed to different parts of the state government.

Where the Revenue Would Go

Fifteen percent would go to the California Department of Health for mental health. Fifteen percent would go to the Bureau of Gambling Control. The rest, 70%, would go to the general fund.

The initiative would also open up the possibility for dice games and roulette at tribal casinos. However, in order for this to be implemented, the tribal compacts would need to be amended. It would also prohibit the marketing of sports betting and gambling to anyone under 21 years of age.

Looking Ahead

If this initiative is approved, California would join its neighboring states in being progressive on sports betting. California would also likely become the largest legalized sports betting market in the country, bringing in millions in revenue.

California Casinos

There are many Native American Tribal Casinos in the state of California - all of which could host sports betting in the near future.

Future of California betting

In this section, we go over some of the upcoming sports betting events in California.

When is sports betting in California likely to launch?

It is tough to say when sports betting will launch in California, but sportsbooks are looking forward to 2024. That said, long before sports betting is actually launched, a new ballot measure should be brought up–and voters would have to approve it. If a new bill got the people's approval, the exact launch date thereafter will depend on how quickly the state can hand out licenses and the tribal casinos can get operations off the ground.

Will there be online sports betting sites in California?

There are currently many online sportsbooks available in California. Bovada, BetOnline, BetUS, and MyBookie are a few examples. Even after California legalizes retail sportsbooks, we would have to wait even longer for online sportsbooks to be licensed by the state. You can use these sportsbooks that are available in California.

How big is the California sports betting market?

California is easily the biggest sports betting market in the country. As the largest and wealthiest state, they also have the most major league sports teams. If California legalizes and regulates it, experts estimate that it would generate more than $3 billion in tax revenue.

Future of betting in California

The future of betting in California is still uncertain. In November 2022, the citizens of California rejected Propositions 26 and 27, the bills that if approved would have allowed for legal sports betting in California. With the start of 2023, it is still difficult to say when sports betting will become legal in The Golden State. The legalization process has encountered several blockages, mainly due to the ongoing conflict of interest between Native American tribes, government blocs, and lobby groups.

The state's legislature or California residents must implement a new measure to make sports betting legal. Initiating this process would require more than a year. Therefore, if voters approve a new proposition, California could legalize sports betting by 2024.

Top Online Sportsbooks for California

For new bettors looking to dip their toes in on an online sportsbook, we have great sportsbook reviews that can help you find a safe, secure, and easy-to-use place to bet on sports. Our reviews were compiled by experts and are honest because they use these sportsbooks themselves. Criteria reviewed include deposit options, bonuses, betting app, odds selection, sports offerings, and more.

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