It is all Change for Sports Betting in Pennsylvania – This Comprehensive Guide Explains All
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PA online sports betting sites are open and taking bets. These betting sites allow you to bet on major sports, international games and to bet while matches are running with live betting.
Pennsylvania online sports betting is legal thanks to the challenge of the PAPSA laws in the Supreme Court. This challenge resolved years of prohibition – giving the states the authority to regulate their own gambling activity. PA had legislation already in place for regulated sports betting in Pennsylvania. When PASPA was repealed, a clause was triggered, and licensing of live sportsbooks began.
With half a dozen sites already available and more on the way in 2020, you have plenty of options when it comes to bonus offers and apps.
Best PA Online Sports Betting Apps for 2020
Where Can I Bet On Sports in Pennsylvania?
Most of the major casinos have partnered with betting technology provides to bring legal PA online sports betting. Here is a list of the sites offering sports betting in PA and their partners:
- SugarHouse Sportsbook: Philadelphia’s SugarHouse will partner Kambi and their own ‘Rush Street Interactive’ to bring their sportsbook online. Sugarhouse Sportsbook is live.
- FanDuel PA Sportsbook: This casino has already launched a live FanDuel sportsbook. The online version will also partner with FanDuel, who are in turn owned by Paddy Power Betfair. Fanduel Sportsbook is live.
- Bet Rivers: This PA online sportsbook is a joint venture between Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Kambi (who provide lines) and Rush Street Interactive. BetRivers Sportsbook is live.
- DraftKings Sportsbook: Located at the Penn National racecourse in central PA this book will be a partnership with William Hill.
- Harrah’s PA Sportsbook: Caesars Entertainment owned Harrah’s in Chester, just outside Philadelphia. This online site will be a partnership with Scientific Games.
- Parx Sportsbook: Another famous casino located just outside of Philly. Parx will partner with Kambi to bring their sports betting online.
- Unibet Sportsbook: Part of the Kindred Group, Unibet launched both an online casino and sportsbook during the later part of 2019.
- South Philadelphia Turf Club: Another PA book which is partnering with Kambi for online betting.
- Valley Forge Turf Club: This separately located Valley Forge property located in Oaks, PA will launch an online sportsbook with Kambi.
- FoxBet Sportsbook PA – Backed by The Stars Group and Mount Airy Casino, FoxBet launched Sept. 4, 2019.
Is there a PA Sports Betting App?
You won’t need to sit in front of a desktop or laptop to place bets online in PA. New technology makes this possible through iPhones or Android smartphones.
Best PA Mobile Sportsbetting Apps for 2020
All you need to do is access the regular website via your phone. The layout and navigation will adapt automatically to your screen size. Some sites will offer downloadable apps.
- If you are using an iPhone, you will need to bet on the desktop site, since Apple as not permitting gambling apps within the Apple store. There are some exceptions, DraftKings, Fanduel and FoxBet all launched with a native Applie client.
- For Android users, you’ll need to download PA sports betting apps direct from the sportsbooks – as the Google Play store does not support gambling apps.
There are pros and cons to using mobile sportsbooks instead of desktop-based interfaces:
- Pros of Mobile Sports Apps: Bet from anywhere, you can update your bets while watching a match. You’ll never miss a great bet because you could not find a desktop in time. Mobile apps are perfect for live betting. You can watch the action, pick up your phone, and use your knowledge of the current situation to place a bet or hedge an existing position. Mobiles are for personal use. This makes using them for betting a plus for anyone that uses a shared computer – or does not want to use a work computer for betting online.
- Cons of Mobile Sports Apps: If you are using an Android phone, you will need to allow an ‘unknown source’ to download the app. The only real disadvantage of mobile betting is the lack of screen space. You’ll need to practice navigating through the menus to get the right bets quickly. With a lot of experience, the big betting technology companies have made this easy – especially once you get used to the interface.
In-Play Betting at Pennsylvania Online Sportsbooks
Live or in-play betting is new for most sports bettors in PA. This involves placing bets on matches which are already running. The idea is that the lines are adjusted in real-time as the action in a match unfolds. For example, if one team gets an early goal in an NHL match the money line will react accordingly.
While live betting works with most major sports, some games are naturally a great fit. Those games played out over longer time-lines like golf and baseball give you plenty of time to assess. Smart bettors can use additional live bets to lock in profits from their futures bets, or even hedge against losses.
The only major difference when placing a live bet is that it will take a few more seconds to be settled compared to pre-match lines. You’ll find that betting from your iPhone or Android smartphone and live betting go together perfectly.
Pennsylvania Online Sports Betting Bonuses & Free Bet Offers
With legal Pennsylvania sports betting, there are a lot of brands suddenly competing to get your attention. This makes for a great opportunity to take advantage of the bonus offers which are bound to appear.
For new bettors, there are three main forms of ‘welcome bonus’ expected. Note that it is the rewards and ongoing promotions that will keep your bankroll topped up for the long-term. These ongoing rewards are covered below.
Here are the types of bonuses available at Pennsylvania online betting sites:
- Completely Free Bets: Some books will offer you $10 or $20 in free bets just for registering. These offers have some rules to follow. You’ll often need to place the bet in one go – and will not be able to take lines of lower than -200 (no huge favorites). Some sportsbooks will let you keep the stake, while others will only credit what you win to your real money account. Look out for how many times you need to wager your winnings before they can be withdrawn. This will range from zero (after the qualifying bet) to around 5x.
- Matched Welcome Bonuses: This is the most common form of sportsbook welcome offer. All of the Pennsylvania online sportsbooks have this in one form or another. You’ll be given a 100% match to your first deposit, up to around $100. This will take the form of free bets. Again, you’ll need to wager this bonus with odds better than -200. There are big differences between the sportsbooks in the number of times you need to wager your bonus. Make sure you check the fine print – or read our Pennsylvania online sportbook reviews for the details.
- Bet Refund / No-Lose First Bet: The final way online sportsbooks reward new players is to take the risk off the table for their first bet. Offers can be up to $100 (though usually a little lower). The idea is that if your first bet loses, you are refunded the money. This refund can be a betting credit – though the best books will give you this as cash. Look out for terms which give limited time for that bet to be settled (these no-lose bets don’t work for far-off futures bets).
While there are books which do their bonuses differently, these are the primary welcome offers. Below are some of the bonuses and offers which will likely be on offer for regular / loyal bettors:
- Parlay Insurance: Look out for offers where you get your stake back if your parlay bet fails by just one match. While this won’t replace a big win, at least you’ll get another opportunity to land a parlay bet next time around.
- Comp / Loyalty Points Schemes: Many online gambling sites offer points for every bet you make. These can be swapped for bonuses or cash awards. Look out for schemes where you are awarded more points for multiples bets.
- Reload Bonuses: If you need to top up your account, look out for ‘reload’ offers. These work in the same way as matched welcome bonuses – though often offer lower percentage matches.
- Contests: Some Pennsylvania online sportsbooks offer prize giveaways based on picks / sweepstakes style contests. For example, picking the best performing players on match day in a major league.
When the big sporting events like March Madness, the Superbowl or the Stanley Cup come around, you can expect to see competing promotions at multiple books. Look out for enhanced lines, money back offers and special contests. I recommend bookmarking the major sites offering online sports betting in PA and regularly reviewing their promotions pages. You will soon get a clear idea of which books are offering the best value to their loyal bettors.
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Legal Timeline: How PA Sports Betting Became Legal
Two things came together in recent years to allow legal sports betting online in PA. This was the introduction of regulation for online gambling, and the overturning of the federal laws which prevented sportsbooks outside of Nevada.
It was New Jersey that challenged the old federal act known as PASPA. The full name is the ‘Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act’. This effectively outlawed sports betting in all but a handful of states. For decades, Nevada has enjoyed an effective monopoly on live sportsbooks.
In 2014, New Jersey passed an act legalizing sports betting – which was the first direct challenge to this act. This was fought by the sports leagues who won at district and 3rd circuit court level. Only one avenue was left for NJ – the Supreme Court. They won the appeal. In May 2018, PASPA was declared unconstitutional, and jurisdiction on sports betting returned to the states.
The second part of the story is specific to Pennsylvania. This started in 2017 when sports betting was legalized within the state – pending an activation clause (PASPA being overturned). Online gambling was also regulated in 2018. Licenses are available to B&M casinos, covering online casinos in PA, poker and sports betting websites and apps.
Fast forward to early 2019, and the first wave of online sports betting PA sites went live.
Brick and Mortar Sportsbooks in PA
The list below shows the location of the live sportsbooks in Pennsylvania. There are currently 8 locations, with most of them in the Philly area:
- SugarHouse Casino Sportsbook: 1001 N. Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125. Telephone 877-477-3715. Open 10am to 1am Monday to Friday, 9am to 1am Saturday and Sunday.
- Rivers Casino Sportsbook: 777 Casino Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Telephone 412-231-7777. Open 10am to Midnight Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2am Friday, 9am to 2am Saturday and 9am to Midnight on Sunday.
- Hollywood Casino / Penn National Sportsbook: 777 Hollywood Blvd, Grantville, PA 17028. Telephone 717-469-2211. Open 11am to 12am Monday to Friday, 10am to 12am at the weekend.
- Parx Casino Sportsbook: 2999 Street Road, Bensalem, PA 19020. Telephone, 888-588-7279. Open Noon to 11pm Monday to Friday, 10am to Midnight Saturday, 10am to 11pm Sunday.
- Harrah’s Sportsbook: 777 Harrah’s Blvd, Chester, PA 19013. Telephone 800-480-8020. Open 11am to close (last major league game) Monday to Friday, 10am to close at the weekends.
- Valley Forge Casino Sportsbook: 1160 1st Ave, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Telephone 601-354-8118. Open 10am to 1am Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2am Friday, 9am to 2am Saturday, 9am to 1am Sunday.
- Valley Forge Turf Club: 600 Cresson Blvd, Oaks, PA 19456. Telephone 610-650-0100. Open 10am to 1am Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2am Friday, 9am to 2am Saturday, 9am to 1am Sunday.
- South Philadelphia Turf Club: 700 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Telephone 215-551-8270. Open Noon to 11pm Monday to Friday, 10am to Midnight Saturday and 10am to 11pm on Sunday.