Pennsylvania Sports Betting — Best Sportsbooks and Apps | Outkick

Pennsylvania sports betting has boomed since its launch on Oct. 30, 2017. Since the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board granted licenses to its first operators, options have expanded to 11 legal sportsbooks that you can enjoy. 

Yes, sports betting is legal in Pennsylvania. It has been legal since Oct. 30, 2017. You must have your account verified, be within the state of Pennsylvania, and be over the age of 21 to participate. 

Determining which sportsbook is best for you can be difficult. No matter if you are new or experienced with Pennsylvania Sportsbooks, we have compiled a list for you to evaluate options. Below is a list of the operators of Pennsylvania sportsbooks, including benefits, welcome offers, and any drawbacks to consider. 

Pennsylvania Sportsbooks offer Welcome Offers to new users in an effort to help them get acclimated to an app and sports betting in general. Welcome offers can change regularly, but the common types are bonus bets, first-bet-match, and deposit matches. Bonus bets are not the same as cash, but allow you to wager and collect the winnings. If you lose, it isn’t real money that you’ve lost. 

A first-bet-match offer is provided, so users can place wagers over a day or set period of time and receive the same amount (usually up to $100 per day) back. For example, if you place a $20 wager on day one, you’ll receive a $20 bonus in return. 

Deposit matches provide you with bonus value in the same amount as your initial deposit. Some Pennsylvania sportsbooks offer up to $1,000 in a deposit match. The match is playable but cannot be withdrawn. 

Sports betting became legal in Pennsylvania in October 2017 under Act 42 of 2017. Retail sportsbooks started launching in late 2018. Apps launched shortly thereafter in May 2019. Anyone over 21 and within the state lines can wager on professional and collegiate events. 

There is no shortage of top teams to bet on in Pennsylvania. Having two big cities in the state helps with the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers being prominent teams. Football always tends to be popular among bettors and the recent success of both teams has brought in extra interest. There are also two hockey teams and two baseball teams in the state. For baseball, they have the Phillies and the Pirates, both with plenty of stars. The Penguins and Flyers drive the NHL market in the state. If basketball is your sport, the 76ers can provide you with betting options from October until potentially June.

College sports betting in Pennsylvania is legal. However, you can only bet on sides, totals, and spreads. You can do some props like team totals, and parlays. There are a lot of options but one thing that is prohibited is betting on collegiate player props. You can bet on in-state teams and futures for teams like Penn State or Pittsburgh. This is not legal in every state, but is legal in Pennsylvania. 

There are 12 different retail sportsbooks in Pennsylvania. All of these retail sportsbook locations are found inside of casinos across the state. There are multiple options for placing a wager once you are there. Some provide self-service kiosks, while others also have people taking wagers from bettors.