As one of the biggest sports states in the country with professional and collegiate teams galore, there’s no question that there’s a promising sports betting market in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting News

May 4, 2023

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Revenue Continues to Rise in 2023

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Mar 17, 2024

How Much is Florida Online Sports Betting Worth to The Sunshine State?

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Mar 17, 2024

FanDuel President Says California Sports Betting Won't Be Legalized Before 2026

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Mar 17, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the Launch of North Carolina Sports Betting

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Can I bet on sports in Pennsylvania?

With 12 casinos in the state, six of which being Racinos, there are plenty of options to play, whether you prefer a resort-style casino, or standalone. The casinos in the state bring in a whopping $3.2 billion in revenues and that number is growing.

Those six racinos are located at the racetracks and offer thoroughbred and harness racing. These locations offer Simulcast wagering for those who want to bet on races that aren’t occurring within the state.

SportsbookAvailable In Pennsylvania
FanDuel
DraftKings
Caesars
FoxBet
BetRivers
BetMGM
PointsBet
UniBet

A Brief Timeline of the Legality of Pennsylvania Sports Betting

2024

  • February 15, 2024: According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the Super Bowl betting handle in the state reached $71.6 million, reflecting a 15% decline from the previous year when the Philadelphia Eagles participated in the game.
  • February 9, 2024: Projections from LSR indicate that Pennsylvania’s Super Bowl betting handle could potentially hit $85.2 million, positioning it among the top five states in the United States.
  • February 2, 2024: Micro-betting app Betr has reportedly gained access to the Pennsylvania sports betting market through Cordish Gaming Group. Betr plans to launch an online casino and a sportsbook in 2024.
  • January 23, 2024: The sports betting handle in Pennsylvania slightly decreased to $925.6 million in December, marking a 0.9% decline from November. Despite this, December’s handle was the second-highest ever recorded for the state.
  • January 22, 2024: Fanatics officially launched in Pennsylvania, replacing PointsBet in the state.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Timeline

Pennsylvania has a healthy relationship with sports betting and it can be seen through its lengthy period of sportsbooks operating legally.

Legalization in 2018

Pennsylvania legalized sports betting in November 2018, and quickly sportsbooks started popping up all over the state. The first land-based sportsbook opened in November, not long after betting was legalized, at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and partnered with William Hill Sportsbook.

In December 2018, two more sportsbooks opened at the Rivers Casino and the SugarHouse Casino, partnered with Kambi sportsbook. There are now eight land-based state-run sportsbooks in the state of Pennsylvania.

While having brick-and-mortar sportsbooks is great to have in the state, some prefer online sports betting to the real deal because it’s fast, convenient and you can participate in live betting. There are so many perks to online gambling that many don’t know about.

The current state of play and offshore bookmakers

Luckily, the casinos and sportsbooks are allowed to operate online sportsbook apps that residents of Pennsylvania can download from their smartphones and bet online from the comfort of their homes.

With betting now fully legal in Pennsylvania, the local authorities are pushing to teach bettors in the state how to navigate the illegal betting sites and find the right site for them. This kind of support in 2021 shows how far the state has come since legalizing online sports gambling a few years before.

pennsylvania betting sites

Pennsylvania Sportsbooks and Casinos

Currently, the following casinos have obtained sports betting licenses in Pennsylvania and offer sports betting on site:

Pennsylvania Casinos with Sportsbooks

  • Hollywood Casino at Penn National Racecourse. Home to major horse races. Located near Philadelphia in Grantville. Offers sportsbook, racebook, casino, and poker room.
  • SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. Located on the Delaware River. Prepared sportsbook with experience from New Jersey. Offers slots, table games, entertainment, and in-house sportsbook.
  • Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. One of the first sportsbooks in Pennsylvania (December 2018). Introduced the BetRivers app in June 2019. Offers slots, table games, poker room, and mobile betting
  • Parx Casino and Racing. The largest casino in the state. Features a horse racetrack, sportsbook, and facebook. Located in Bensalem, PA, with numerous gaming options.

Philadelphia Sports Betting Options

  • South Philadelphia Turf Club. An off-track racebook offering sports betting. Located in downtown Philadelphia. Expanding access to sports betting in the city.
  • Harrah’s Philadelphia in Chester. Operated by Caesars Entertainment. Offers racebook, sportsbook, slots, and table games.

Valley Forge Locations

  • Valley Forge Race and Sportsbook. A Parx-licensed off-track betting location. Situated in Oaks, Pennsylvania, with similar amenities to Parx.
  • Valley Forge Casino. Located in King of Prussia. Partners with FanDuel for its sportsbook product.

Sports betting apps available in the state are:

  • DraftKings Sportsbook
  • FanDuel Sportsbook
  • BetRivers Sportsbook
  • Unibet Sportsbook
  • Parx Sportsbook

pennsylvania

Betting on Pennsylvania Sports Teams

In the NFL, Pennsylvania is home to two great football teams: The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Steelers were founded in 1933, are the oldest franchise in the AFC. They hold the record for most Super Bowl wins with six, and have played in more conference championships than any other NFL team.

The Eagles won their first Super Bowl in 2017, after a miracle season with Nick Foles coming in to lead the team to greatness. Established in 1933, they haven’t had any notable seasons until now, and are hoping to keep the momentum up and capture another title.

The resident NBA team in Pennsylvania are the Philadelphia 76ers, and they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA. They have captured three NBA titles – but not for awhile – their last NBA title was won in 1983.

Baseball Teams

There are two MLB teams in the state, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Founded in 1881, the Pirates are one of the oldest teams in the league and have won five World Series championships. The Phillies have been around almost as long and won two World Series championships and seven National League pennants. They went 77 years before winning their first title.

Ice Hockey Teams

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the state’s shining star when it comes to the NHL. Founded in 1967, the team was the first of the league's big expansion – where they added six new teams to the league bringing up the total from six to 12. The Penguins have hoisted the Stanley Cup five times, two of which have been in the past decade under the leadership of Sidney Crosby.

Another team from the 1967 NHL expansion, is the Philadelphia Flyers, who were the first expansion team to win a Stanley Cup. They won back-to-back titles in ’74 and ’75, and have not won a title since.

Top Online Sportsbooks in Pennsylvania

It’s important to choose an online sportsbook that meets your individual needs. We have compiled a list of the top sportsbooks for U.S. bettors and have evaluated them on several important criteria that we feel are the most important and overlooked.

Having the deposit options that suit your needs, fast cashouts and big bonuses are important factors to consider before signing up at an online sportsbook, so take a look at our reviews and decide which sportsbook is right for you.

Legal Sports Betting States