For the first time, sports bettors in the US can place a legal wager with their toes in the Pacific Ocean.
The state lottery rolled out its new betting app on Monday, bringing Oregon sports betting all the way to the West Coast under a partnership with SBTech. The new Scoreboard product makes Oregon the eighth US state with online/mobile betting.
In addition to the online sportsbook, the Scoreboard mobile app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Oregon sports betting launch
Sports betting in Oregon is possible under an existing law under which the state previously offered a form of parlay wagering. Lottery officials moved quickly following the fall of PASPA last year, forging a relationship with SBTech that features traditional sports betting.
The first retail sportsbook opened at Chinook Winds in late August, but the addition of internet betting makes the activity available statewide. There are a few launch hiccups to beware, including an “e-mail in use” issue for some users during account creation.
Still, the Oregon Lottery is officially in the business of bookmaking as of yesterday:
Users might still be running into issues, but the first night of Scoreboard sports betting in Oregon yielded some surprising numbers: 2,300 registrations as of 7 a.m., $80,000 in deposits, more than $15,000 wagered.
— Grant Lucas (@GrantDLucas) October 17, 2019
Though more options would obviously be preferable, early lines on the Scoreboard app are competitive with private sportsbooks in other US markets. Rhode Island is the only other state in which the lottery administers online sports betting directly.
What to expect from OR sports betting
If you’re using the internet to bet on sports in Oregon, there are a few things you should know.
The legal gambling age is 21 and eligible bettors will need to divulge some details during the account creation process.
The setup flow also requires new customers to establish preliminary deposit limits that generate an alert when exceeded. The app accepts wagers up to $250,000, though the lottery reserves the right to limit action.
As with all other state-regulated online gambling, OR sports betting is geo-restricted. Bettors must allow SBTech/GeoComply to verify that they are physically located within the borders of Oregon in order to use the app. There’s an added twist in the Beaver State, too, with sovereign lands also excluded from the virtual fence.
Tribal sports betting is available, but only in the brick-and-mortar setting under existing compacts.
Pro sports only
By regulation, bettors in Oregon have a comparatively concise menu of options available to them.
True “sporting events” are the only events available for wagering — and only professional sports overseen by a “recognized governing body.” That means no NCAA betting, most notably, nor action on novelty markets like the Oscars. While you could argue that something like competitive eating ticks all of the boxes, you won’t find hot dog lines on the board either.
That collegiate betting ban will keep the market from reaching its full potential, but lottery officials still have a rosy outlook. It’s not quite the $100 million originally projected, but $37 million in annual revenue (within three years) would be a decent take for a state with 4 million residents.
According to PlayUSA, sports betting kiosks will start popping up in retail lottery locations in the coming months.
What they’re saying about the deal
Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack:
“This is an exciting time for the Oregon Lottery, as we leverage technology to enable Oregonians to legally and safely bet on their favorite sports. SBTech is an invaluable partner to us, and we look forward to using SBTech’s innovative products to provide an engaging, entertaining and seamless experience for our players.”
SBTech US President Melissa Riahei:
“The Oregon Lottery is a true pioneer in this space, being the first lottery in the US to launch (online) sports betting. We look forward to providing our innovative and experience-driven products, alongside our full range of managed services, to make this endeavor a huge success for the state of Oregon and its citizens.”
Updated map of legal sports betting
Yellow: retail only Green: retail + online/mobile
