NC sports betting operators and their suppliers are gearing up for Monday’s online launch.
DraftKings announced Thursday its plan for the debut of online NC sports betting. The operator is one of eight operators preparing for Monday.
Also on Thursday, Sportradar announced it received a sports betting supplier license in North Carolina. It is the 56th such license in North America for the sports technology company.
DraftKings ready for NC sports betting
North Carolina will be the 27th US sports betting market for DraftKings. To secure a North Carolina sports betting license, DraftKings partnered with NASCAR for market access.
“With the NCAA Tournament right around the corner and the NASCAR season in full throttle, we are thrilled to be launching our top-rated sportsbook app in North Carolina,” DraftKings President Matt Kalish said in an announcement. “The Tar Heel State is home to a passionate fanbase and some of the most iconic college basketball programs of all time, making this an exciting time to introduce legalized online sports betting.
“We’re proud to be working alongside NASCAR as our market access partner and look forward to enhancing the fan experience across North Carolina with a fun, safe and seamless sports betting product.”
To celebrate the first day of sports betting, former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen will make the ceremonial first bet Monday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.
Operators ready for North Carolina
FanDuel announced its second sports betting partnership earlier this week with the Panthers. The operator partnered with the PGA Tour for access to the Tar Heel State.
Operators began user signups March 1. The other operators preparing for Monday’s launch:
- Bet365
- BetMGM
- ESPN Bet
- Fanatics
- Underdog
- Caesars (a supplier for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
The Catawba Two Kings Casino also applied for a sports betting license, but regulators have not issued a license to the tribal entity yet.
The Underdog sportsbook app in North Carolina will be the first for the company, which operates DFS in many states.
Path to NC sports betting
Gov. Roy Cooper signed sports betting into law in June 2023, with regulators beginning the rulemaking process in earnest after lawmakers further changed the law during the budget process in September 2023.
The change required sports betting operators to partner with professional sports organizations in the state to qualify for a license.
Monday’s launch is in time for operators to capture March Madness betting during the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament starting on Tuesday and the NCAA Tournament, which kicks off with Selection Sunday on March 17.
