In a meeting that lasted just under 20 minutes, North Carolina Lottery Commission members on Wednesday approved a March 11 launch date for legal online sports betting in the Tar Heel State.
The date dovetails nicely with Gov. Roy Cooper's previously stated desire to have NC online sports betting ready in time for March Madness. The NCAA men's basketball tournament begins March 19-20 with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.
"The plan approved today means that North Carolinians will be able to place bets on their favorite teams in many of this year's college basketball conference tournaments, including men's tournaments in the ACC, Conference USA, the MEAC, and the AAC, as well as throughout out the men's and women's NCAA tournaments," NCLC Chair Ripley Rand said during the meeting.
North Carolina online sports betting to launch March 11; bettors can sign up for new sportsbook accounts March 1
The NCLC also approved March 1 as the start date of "registration and enrollment" for sportsbooks to begin enrolling new customers.
New users can also make deposits starting on March 1 and use the subsequent 10 days to gain familiarity with eligible sportsbooks. Sportsbooks that have received their certificate of compliance can then begin accepting bets on March 11 at noon ET.
“With this proposed authorization, we are telling the public that we are ready for sports wagering," NCLC Deputy Executive Director Sterl Carpenter said. "It’s up to our operator applicants to meet the requirements set by the General Assembly and this commission.”
The NCLC received applications for mobile sports betting licenses from seven online sportsbooks by last month's deadline. Here are those operators and their market-access partners.
- bet365 (Charlotte Hornets)
- BetMGM (Charlotte Motor Speedway)
- DraftKings (NASCAR)
- ESPN Bet (Quail Hollow Country Club)
- Fanatics (Carolina Hurricanes)
- FanDuel (PGA Tour)
- Underdog Sports (no partnership announced)
North Carolina is on the cusp of a long-awaited launch of legal online sports betting.
“Bets on sporting events have been made for as long as those events have taken place, but this time they will be legal, they will be done securely and fairly, and they will be made under rules designed to encourage responsible gaming,” Rand said.
What are the best sportsbooks for new users in North Carolina?
You can read our official reviews on the best sportsbooks in the Tar Heel State below. Caesars Sportsbook will also be among the online operators based on a pre-existing tribal pact with the Cherokee Nation.
RELATED: ESPN Bet review | FanDuel review | bet365 review | BetMGM review | Fanatics review | DraftKings review | Caesars Sportsbook review
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