Best North Carolina sports betting sites

The era of North Carolina online sports betting is here! Bettors in the Tar Heel State now have a wide selection of online sportsbooks to choose from.  

North Carolina online sportsbooks officially launched on Monday, March 11, just in time for the March Madness. Bettors may now sign up to take advantage of NC sportsbook promos. 

Our team of experts has extensive familiarity with all of them, as you’ll see in this comprehensive guide to North Carolina sports betting sites. Read on for all you need to know about online sports betting in North Carolina to ensure you sign-up for the best NC sportsbook to suit your needs.

Table of contents

• Best NC sports betting sites’ welcome offers
• Top sports betting sites in North Carolina
• Other NC sports betting sites
• Popular bet types at North Carolina betting sites
• Payment and cashout options at NC sports betting sites
• North Carolina sports betting sites vs. retail sports betting
• How to sign up for a North Carolina sports betting account
• Best North Carolina sports betting sites FAQ

Best NC sports betting sites’ welcome offers

Online sportsbooks typically feature welcome offers to attract new users. These offers can include both no-deposit bonuses (given simply for registering) and bonuses linked to deposits and wagers. The new North Carolina sportsbooks will be eager to attract new sign-ups, meaning you can expect lots of great welcome offers.

Here is where you can find all the latest NC sports betting sites’ pre-launch welcome offers.

RELATED: North Carolina sportsbook promos

Top sports betting sites in North Carolina

The best online sportsbooks operating in other states are all converging on North Carolina this spring. Here’s a rundown of our picks for the top sports betting sites in NC. 

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook welcomes North Carolina sports bettors with a bonus worth up to $1,000. If your first bet with Caesars is not a winner, you'll receive the stake back as betting credit.

Caesars Sportsbook is one of the most popular online sports betting sites in the country. It arrives in North Carolina thanks to its partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who operate two Harrah’s casinos (and sportsbooks) in the western part of the state. The Caesars Sportsbook site and app feature tremendous coverage of all the popular sports and leagues with a wide selection of pregame bets, props, futures, and live betting opportunities.

Besides the great welcome offer, Caesars offers plenty of ongoing promos for regular bettors, including “no sweat” same game parlays, daily odds boosts, sweepstakes drawings, reload bonuses, refer-a-friend bonuses, and more. There’s also the much-vaunted Caesars Rewards program, which offers rewards every time you wager.

• Caesars Sportsbook pros: Competitive odds, market depth, site design, rewards program
• Caesars Sportsbook cons: Fewer wagering opportunities on less popular sports

FanDuel North Carolina Sportsbook

FanDuel has had a presence in North Carolina for many years via its popular DFS site. Today, FanDuel Sportsbook is the number-one choice in many states. Users frequently praise the easy-to-use interface and available betting options, including the very popular FanDuel same game parlays. FanDuel has partnered with the PGA Tour to operate in NC, and once again, players can use their same account for both DFS and sports betting at FanDuel.

FanDuel Sportsbook offers all the standard bets, plus seemingly endless alternate lines, props and parlays, futures, and more, including great live betting options. FanDuel isn’t shy about offering promos, either, with daily profit boosts, “no sweat” SGPs, refer-a-friend bonuses, free contests, and more. 

• FanDuel Sportsbook pros: Terrific and consistently well-reviewed betting platform, frequent promos, great same-game parlays
• FanDuel Sportsbook cons: Lack of loyalty rewards program, some odds boosts come with low maximums

BetMGM North Carolina Sportsbook

BetMGM Sportsbook describes itself as “The King of Sportsbooks.” It has become a favorite option in many of the states where it operates. Partnering with the Charlotte Motor Speedway to launch in NC, BetMGM offers wagering opportunities on more than 20 sports through an intuitive, well-designed interface. The “Edit My Bet” and early cash-out options add greatly to the user experience.  

Ongoing promos include odds boosts tokens, plus profit boosts and parlay boosts on a regular basis. BetMGM Sportsbook features other fun features, like free-to-enter contests, sweepstakes drawings, and benefits via the BetMGM Rewards program.

• BetMGM Sportsbook pros: Range of sports and bet types, user-friendly platform, banking options
• BetMGM Sportsbook cons: Lack of phone support (live chat and email only)

Bet365 North Carolina Sportsbook

A major sports betting brand in Europe and the UK, Bet365 Sportsbook has become a favorite in the US as well, thanks to its great market coverage (including for international sports) and live betting platform. Bet365 has joined up with the Charlotte Hornets to operate in NC and is likely to prove a top pick among Tar Heel bettors thanks to its many attractive features.

All the top sports and leagues are covered at Bet365. Bettors particularly like the early payout offers, free-to-play Daily Lineups tournaments, bet boosts, and parlay boosts. Live betting is where Bet365 especially excels, thanks both to its many years of experience developing the platform abroad and the deep selection of wagering options for in-game betting. 

• Bet365 Sportsbook pros: Superior live betting platform, market coverage, live streaming of selected events
• Bet365 Sportsbook cons: Lack of loyalty rewards program 

DraftKings North Carolina Sportsbook

North Carolinians already know DraftKings thanks to its popular daily fantasy sports site. Meanwhile, the DraftKings Sportsbook has become a major player in online sports betting across the country. The site is partnering with NASCAR to operate in NC. At DraftKings, bettors will enjoy a tremendous range of wagering options on all major pro, college, and international sports (and many minor ones, too). 

Users will like using the same account both for DFS and sports betting at DraftKings. The welcome offer is generous, and ongoing promos include odds boosts, parlay insurance, bet-and-get offers, and free-to-enter pools and contests. You can also participate in the Dynasty Rewards program to earn even more benefits as you bet. 

• DraftKings Sportsbook pros: User-friendly platform, live betting options, extensive market coverage
• DraftKings Sportsbook cons: Line shoppers typically find DK’s odds fair but not especially advantageous

Other NC sports betting sites

In addition to these five standout North Carolina sports betting sites, there are more options available.

• Fanatics: Partnering with the Carolina Hurricanes, Fanatics adds NC to the growing list of states where it operates. The site features a decent range of sports and leagues with lots of live betting, props, and futures. It also enrolls users in its loyalty program that awards FanCash every time they bet. FanCash can later be redeemed for bonus bets or official apparel in the Fanatics Store. 

• ESPN Bet: The most-watched sports network now offers sports betting, after acquiring Barstool Sportsbook in 2023. ESPN Bet comes to NC via a partnership with Quail Hollow and offers a solid site and app with a nice range of wagering options and especially competitive odds for certain sports and leagues (e.g., NFL and NBA). 
• Underdog Sports: The least-known operator coming to North Carolina is Underdog Sports, which has partnered with the Sedgefield Country Club to launch its first US online sportsbook in NC. We’ll be curious to see what Underdog Sports has to offer and how it compares to its popular Underdog Fantasy product.

As noted, each of the North Carolina online sportsbooks is required to partner with an NC professional team, venue, or tour. The state’s two federally recognized Native American tribes can also partner with operators. Here’s the current lineup of sites and their partners.

Popular bet types at North Carolina Sportsbooks

You can wager on sports in many ways at NC sports betting sites. Here are some of the most common and most popular ways to wager.

Moneylines

A moneyline bet is a “straight” bet on a side to win with no regard for the margin of victory. Say you place a moneyline bet on UNC to beat Duke at -120 odds. If the Heels beat the Blue Devils, you win $100 for every $120 you wager. If you bet Duke to win at +115 and they win, you’d get $115 for every $100 wagered.

Point spreads

Making a spread bet is different from a moneyline bet in that the margin of victory does matter. In the above example, let’s say UNC was a favorite at -2.5. That would mean if you made a spread bet on the Heels, they’d have to win by 3 or more for you to win your bet. If you bet Duke at +2.5, you’d win if Duke wins or if Duke loses by 2 or less.

Totals

Totals bets are “over/under” bets on whether the total points scored will go over or under a certain line. The UNC-Duke line might be 174.5, meaning if the teams combine for 175 points or more, bets on the “over” would win, and if they score 174 or less, the “under” bets win. 

Parlays

A parlay is a wager that combines multiple bets into one, and you have to get every “leg” of your parlay correct in order to win your bet. Parlays can be hard to win, but they often have long odds and nice payouts when you do. 

Same game parlays

A same game parlay is a parlay in which all the legs of the bet come from the same game. You could (for example) combine a moneyline bet and a couple of player props all from the same game to create a three-leg same game parlay. Many online sportsbooks offer pre-built “SGP” wagers, but it is easy enough to create your own.

Prop bets

A prop bet refers to a “proposition” wager on an outcome not directly connected to the game result. You can bet player props or team props. An example of a player prop would be to bet on how many points a player scores or rebounds the player collects. A team prop could involve betting on how many total yards the team gains or how many sacks the defense records. There are also game props, such as betting on whether the game goes to overtime. 

Futures

A futures bet is a wager on an outcome that won’t be determined until a later date. For example, you can place a futures bet on a team to win the Super Bowl before the season starts (or during the season). You can also make a futures bet on a player to win MVP or lead the league in scoring. 

Live betting

Live betting, also called “in-game betting,” refers to wagers placed on a game while it is in progress. You can make live bets on the moneyline, the spread, or the total, with the odds changing in response to how the game is going. You can also make lots of prop bets when live betting, including game props on what the next play will be.  

Payment and cashout options at NC sports betting sites

North Carolina online sportsbooks offer several ways to deposit funds into an account and withdraw them later. Deposit methods typically include using debit cards, credit cards, prepaid cards, PayPal or Venmo, ACH (e-check) and online banking, PayNearMe, and wire transfers. Each of these methods (aside from wire transfers) usually processes instantly, meaning you can start betting right away. 

For withdrawing, you can usually use all of those above-listed methods except for credit cards or PayNearMe. The fastest methods are typically prepaid cards, debit cards, PayPal, or Venmo. You can also usually request a check by mail, although that obviously can take some time.

North Carolina sports betting sites vs. retail sports betting

Currently, the only retail options for legal sports betting in NC are the two Harrah’s Cherokee casinos (in Cherokee and Murphy) and the Two Kings Catawba Casino (in Kings Mountain). The newly expanded sports betting legislation allows NC to open up to eight more retail sportsbooks at NC sports venues and racetracks, but there are no firm details on venues or dates. 

Betting on sports online has some advantages over betting at retail sportsbooks, although some prefer placing their wagers in person. Here are the pros and cons of each.

How to sign up for a North Carolina sports betting account

Registering a new account at a North Carolina sports betting site is a quick and simple process. Remember you have to be at least 21 years old to wager on sports in NC. Here are the account-creation steps at most NC sportsbooks.

• Visit the site or download the app, then find the “Sign Up” or “Register” button and click it.
• Create a username and password (this may come first or later on).
• Follow the prompts to enter your personal information, which will likely include providing your full name, email address, physical address, phone number, date of birth, and last four digits of your Social Security number.
• Enter any promo code you have where asked to do so, as that will ensure you receive any welcome offer.
• Agree to the site’s terms and conditions and tick any other boxes (e.g., confirming the information you’ve provided is accurate, reconfirming your age, etc.).
• Click “Create Account” or “Submit” (or something similar), and you’re done.

From there, you can visit the cashier page, deposit funds, search the lobby for different games and bets, and start wagering.

Best North Carolina sports betting sites FAQ

Can you bet on sports online in North Carolina?

Yes, online sports betting is legal in North Carolina. You must be at least 21 years old and physically located within the state to place real money wagers at NC online sportsbooks. 

Where can I bet on sports in North Carolina?

You can wager on sports at NC online sports betting sites from anywhere in the state. That is to say, you need not be present at a casino to place your bets. You can also bet on sports in person at the retail sportsbooks at the three NC tribal casinos. 

What is the best sports betting site in NC?

That’s a question that different bettors are likely to answer differently. Some bettors prefer certain sites for certain sports or types of wagering (e.g., live betting). We recommend Caesars, BetMGM, Bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel as the best options in NC. While you might decide to stick with one site, there are benefits to having accounts at multiple sites (e.g., comparing odds or “line shopping,” taking advantage of different bonuses).

Do NC sports betting sites offer mobile apps?

Yes, all of the North Carolina sports betting sites discussed above can be accessed via apps for Apple and Android devices. The apps are free to download and typically offer all the same betting and banking options as their web-based counterparts.