DC Sports Betting 2024 — Top Washington DC Betting Apps
DC sports betting is live. You can book your action at any of five online sportsbooks while in Washington, DC.
FanDuel Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars are now available district-wide, all offering weekly promotions and welcome bonuses. There is retail betting available at some locally owned establishments, as well.
Here’s everything that’s happening with DC sports betting.
As seen in
DC sportsbook apps in 2024
- Bet $1, Double Your Winnings 10 Times
- Stream NFL Games In-App for Free
- 21+ Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- Use Promo Code: LSRDYW
- Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Doesn't Win*
- *Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l terms. 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- Use Bonus Code: PLAYLSR
- Bet & Get up to $150 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
- PLUS up to $1,000 Deposit Bonus
- PLUS $50 Bonus Bet on Deposit
- PLUS Weekly King of the Court NBA Prop Token
- Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- Bet and Get up to $1,000 in No Sweat Bets
- Earn FanCash & Spend it on Team Swag or More Bets
- 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
- To Claim: Click Play Now
What’s happening in DC sports betting right now
- Oct. 9, 2024 — DC sports betting handle was $40.5 million in August, up 48% from July and 400% year over year.
- Sept. 16, 2024 — The DC Office of Lottery and Gaming announced Caesars as the company to take over sports betting kiosks from Intralot in the District.
- Sept. 12, 2024 — Fanatics Sportsbook launched in DC. There are now five online sportsbooks in the district.
- Aug. 27, 2024 — Intralot is under investigation by DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb on suspicion of possible False Claims Act violations.
- Aug. 27, 2024 — DC’s sports betting handle in July fell to $10.7 million. That total was down 63.8% from June.
- Aug. 14, 2024 — Intralot, the former DC sports betting monopoly provider for GambetCD, could be under investigation by the district’s attorney general, according to a recent court order.
- July 26, 2024 — DraftKings Sportsbook announced that it has launched across Washington, DC, through a partnership with DC United. There are now four sportsbook apps available district-wide.
Washington, DC, sports betting sites
The history of Washington, DC, sports betting has been unique and imperfect.
After specific restrictions and limitations designated by DC sports betting law made entering the market a tricky proposition for most online sportsbooks, 2024’s new budget brought an expansion of sports betting services. The maximum number of sportsbook apps that can set up shop in our nation’s capital is seven.
At present, there are five active online sportsbooks offering the top sports betting promotions in the district, and more are on the way.
Caesars DC
Caesars Sportsbook operates in DC through a partnership with the ownership group for Capital One Arena (the home of the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards), Monumental Sports and Entertainment. The company operates a land-based sportsbook at the arena itself and is now available throughout DC. Bettors can participate in a solid app with a depth of experience and options, including some of the more interesting wagers and markets.
Caesars Sportsbook bonus code: Bet $1, double your winnings on next 10 wagers. Use the promo code LSRDYW.
BetMGM DC
BetMGM Sportsbook operates in Washington, DC, through a partnership with the Washington Nationals. The sportsbook was formerly only available at a retail location inside Nationals Park or within a few blocks of the stadium. The app expanded across the district in July 2024. One of the most significant differences you’ll notice about this app is your flexibility on open bets. The Edit My Bet feature takes the cash-out option and expands it to allow for swapping portions of the wager, changing the bet amount, or, in some cases, canceling part of the bet.
BetMGM Sportsbook bonus code: Up to $1,500 in bonus bets paid back if your first bet does not win. Use the code PLAYLSR.
DraftKings DC
DraftKings Sportsbook went live on July 25 after a 2024 budget approval paved the way for an expanded DC sports betting industry.
New users can sign up now for a DraftKings Sportsbook promo, and get up to $1,200 in bonuses plus the king of the court profit boost. No code is necessary; click to claim.
Fanatics Sportsbook DC
Fanatics Sportsbook is the latest app to launch in DC, going live on Sept. 12. The retail giant’s sportsbook app enters the District through a partnership with the Washington Spirit, DC’s National Women’s Soccer League team.
New users in DC can sign up now for the latest Fanatics Sportsbook promo and get up to $1,000 in no-sweat bets. No code is necessary; click to claim.
FanDuel DC
The DFS pioneer launched in the district on April 15, 2024, following a long period where it operated solely as a retail sportsbook at Audi Field, home of partner DC United of Major League Soccer. Bettors who visit FanDuel will find one of the smoothest and easiest navigation experiences in sports betting, and you can even watch select games live through the app to keep tabs on your open wagers or place new in-play ones.
GambetDC (no longer active)
GambetDC was the sportsbook app owned and operated by the DC Lottery itself. From 2020 to 2024, GambetDC was the only sportsbook available throughout the entire district. Its design and operation were the subject of tremendous disparagement and frustration for its owners and the public. DC Lottery provider Intralot won a no-bid contract to provide the app’s platform and operations after a process that drew claims of corruption, bribery, and cronyism.
In March 2024, the DC Lottery announced that FanDuel would replace GambetDC as the sportsbook available throughout the district.
Legal sports betting basics in DC
With the district’s new budget in effect, upwards of seven sports betting apps can provide betting options from anywhere in Washington to anyone over the age of 18 with an internet-connected device.
Retail sports betting locations in DC
DC sports betting law allows for three classes of licenses. The first — Class A — is designated for the four sports team venues located within the city. The second — Class B — has a much broader reach and is available for any type of business in the district, so long as it is not simply a sportsbook. Naturally, bars and restaurants are good possibilities for sports betting. Class B licensees cannot operate within two blocks of a Class A facility. The third — Class C — was created with the approval of the district’s new budget in July 2024. Class C licenses allow sports franchises in the DC area to partner with sportsbooks and offer online sports betting.
In practice, there haven’t been nearly as many locations approved for service. Not every Class A location has a sportsbook yet, and there are only a few Class B locations in operation. Nevertheless, here are the six ways you can place bets in person in Washington, DC.
- Audi Field — Open. Home of the DC United of Major League Soccer, Audi Field has a FanDuel Sportsbook retail location open for business. The 2,550-square-foot, full-service sportsbook is home to three betting windows and plenty of self-serve betting kiosks.
- Capital One Arena — Open. The Caesars by William Hill Sportsbook opened its doors in May 2021. The onsite sportsbook is 18,000 square feet and has 17 betting windows and 12 betting kiosks. Although the Wizards or Capitals will not be playing every day, the book is accessible daily via the entrance on F Street.
- Over Under Sportsbook Rooftop Lounge (located above the Cloakroom Gentlemen’s Club) — Open. Cloakroom received a Class B license to offer onsite sports betting to its patrons in late 2022 and opened in early 2023.
- Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe — Open. Grand Central became the first Class B licensee to open for business in the district when it cut the ribbon in October 2021. Since the sportsbook’s operations are restricted to the restaurant’s premises, its footprint is much smaller than a commercial sportsbook. In partnership with Elys Game Technologies, the restaurant has kiosks and a staffed teller window onsite for betting.
- Grand Central Sportsbook on H Street — Open. Elys Game Technology expanded its presence in the DC sports betting scene by opening a third in-person location in the district in early 2024. The Grand Central Sportsbook is located at 625D H Street NE.
- Nationals Park — Open. While BetMGM launched its online app for DC residents in June 2021, the physical sportsbook did not open at Nationals Park until 2022.
How to bet on sports in Washington, DC
If you live in or plan to visit Washington, DC, and would like to try out one of the district’s sportsbook apps, here’s what you need to do to get started.
- Download and install. The best way to download a DC sportsbook app is to click one of the links above to claim any bonus offers. Make sure to note any bonus codes, then proceed to the app download page itself.
- Register for an account. The registration screen(s) will ask you for various pieces of personal information, like your legal name, email address, Social Security number, and date of birth. Make sure to enter any bonus codes accurately and exactly, as they are both case-sensitive and typo-sensitive.
- Fund your account. Every sportsbook offers several banking options, including e-checks, PayPal, credit cards, and prepaid cards, among other methods. Choose the one that works best for your personal situation.
DC sports betting law
The format of the sports betting law in Washington, DC, is like no other in the US. The lack of gambling locations within the district presented a particular issue for its council to resolve. Councilmembers also endeavored to produce a system that would protect the city’s market access (via the DC Lottery) from outside competition as much as possible. At first, just one sports betting app (GambetDC) was available district-wide, while other apps were limited to specific geographic locations in the city. Caesars was only available in and around Capital One Arena, and BetMGM was only available within a few blocks of Nationals Park.
The DC Lottery acted as both the regulator for the industry and the only provider permitted to offer online sports betting citywide. That changed in 2024 when FanDuel took over from GambetDC as the only sports betting app available throughout the district, and again when sports betting expanded with a new budget in July 2024.
Here is a deeper look at the three-class system now in place in DC:
Class A makes four major sports venues eligible to host sports betting on their premises and partner with qualified companies to offer branded apps. FanDuel (Audi Field), Caesars (Capital One Arena), and BetMGM (Nationals Park) are all Class A license holders through their existing deals. Here are the four eligible stadiums:
- Audi Field (home of DC United)
- Capital One Arena (home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals)
- St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena (home of the Washington Mystics)
- Nationals Park (home of the Washington Nationals)
Under the new system, Class A license holders will pay 20% of their gaming revenue in tax to the city.
The law also calls for the issuance of Class B licenses to bars, restaurants, and taverns throughout the district. A Class B license has a lower fee but also restricts online sports betting services to the premises of the establishment.
Class C licenses allow sports teams in the district to partner with online sports betting providers and offer betting across the city. DC United, for example, partnered with DraftKings to facilitate the sportsbook’s launch.
Each online sportsbook applying for a license will have to meet these conditions:
- Prove that the sports betting site has been subcontracted by a DC-area team.
- Prove that the company is licensed and operating a sportsbook in at least five US jurisdictions.
- Pay 30% of the company’s gross gaming revenue to the city.
- Pay a nonrefundable $2 million application fee for the five-year license.
- Pay a $1 million renewal fee once the license expires following the first term.
DC sports betting restrictions
DC sports betting law is rather prohibitive when it comes to amateur and college sporting events. The law restricts bettors from placing bets on colleges that are located within the city limits of Washington, DC, or college events that occur inside the district. There are also prohibitions in place for events that involve a majority of participants under the age of 18.
How DC sports betting compares to Virginia and Maryland
Washington, DC, does not offer sports betting in a vacuum. The two states surrounding the district, Maryland and Virginia, allow sports betting throughout their borders. Let’s take a look at how DC sports betting stacks up to the sports betting happening nearby.
Market eligibility and openness
DC and Virginia are somewhat similar in terms of which types of businesses can offer sports betting. They give priority to the professional sports teams that reside within their borders. This priority stems from the fact that neither DC nor Virginia had much in the way of dedicated gambling locations when they launched sports betting.
Maryland, on the other hand, is home to six casinos and an active jockey club that owns two prominent horse racing facilities. Maryland also has several pro sports teams itself and has allotments for them, too. A few casinos have since opened in Virginia, and each location also has a sports betting license. Both DC and Maryland have provisions for non-gambling establishments to operate onsite sportsbooks, but DC stands alone in its lack of caps for those licenses. In theory, there could be thousands of DC sportsbooks under the law.
Betting restrictions
Where many variations occur is in whether legislators and regulators seek to limit or prohibit wagering on college sports.
Both DC and Virginia do not permit betting on colleges and universities located inside their city limits or state lines, respectively. The location of the game is irrelevant. If it involves one of the native collegiate teams, it is off-limits. DC takes the prohibition a step further by banning wagers on college events inside the district, regardless of the participants. Virginia has no such restriction on games inside state lines but does not permit live betting on college games whatsoever, no matter which teams are involved.
Maryland does not have any such restrictions written into its sports betting law. In the Old Line State, you are able to bet on the University of Maryland, the United States Naval Academy, or any other homegrown college team that you like. Neither Virginia nor Maryland allows college prop bets.
Most popular sports to bet on in DC
Even though the district has a fairly small geographic footprint, there are plenty of big-name sports teams that call Washington, DC, home. Here are some of the most popular sports and teams to bet on in the nation’s capital.
- Washington Commanders (NFL): FedEx Field, 1600 Fedex Way, Greater Landover, MD 20785
- Washington Wizards (NBA): Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
- Washington Nationals (MLB): Nationals Park, 1500 S Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Washington Capitals (NHL): Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
- DC United (MLS): Audi Field, 100 Potomac Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024
Colleges and universities
Washington, DC, is home to several prominent universities and institutions of higher learning. Four DC-based schools — Georgetown, George Washington, Howard, and American — play at least one sport in the NCAA’s Division I. However, because of the prohibitions on college wagering in the district, you will need to visit sportsbooks in Virginia or Maryland if you want to bet on one of these colleges.
Legal betting options in Washington, DC, in 2024
To legally bet on sports online in DC, you must be 18 or older and use one of the apps listed above. Any other site you find that accepts bettors from DC but is not listed here is not a legal online sports betting option. Illegal sites are based offshore and come with several risks, not the least of which are safety and security.
There are no casinos in the district, so all wagering must take place either via an online sportsbook or a licensed retail location.
Washington, DC, sports betting timeline
2024
The DC Lottery announces FanDuel as the new sports betting platform available throughout the district, replacing GambetDC. FanDuel officially takes over the main sportsbook in the district on April 15.
The sports betting industry expands in July with the passage of a new budget for the city. The addition of Class C sports betting licences opens the industry to as many as seven online sportsbooks. BetMGM and Caesars immediately join FanDuel in offering sports betting across DC. DraftKings launches a few days later.
2023
An ownership group including Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris and Magic Johnson bought the Washington Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder for a record $6.05 billion. After the sale, speculation began that the team could move to a new stadium or city. Some expect the team to change its name again, even if it stays in the Washington, DC, area.
The District of Columbia passed a budget that takes away annual funding for problem gambling.
2021
DC sports betting continues to grow in 2021. A third online sportsbook, BetMGM, opens its virtual doors for business in June 2021, putting extra heat on the market — particularly regarding GambetDC.
GambetDC remains steadfastly committed to its questionable pricing and practices, even in the face of an independent audit suggesting major changes are in order. Its only effort to arrest its poor performance comes in the form of kiosks that the DC Lottery places at four restaurants around the district.
Meanwhile, Grand Central Restaurant & Bar becomes the first Class B licensee to open an onsite sportsbook in DC when it debuts its betting window and kiosks in October 2021.
2020
GambetDC becomes the first legal sportsbook of any kind in Washington, DC, when it launches in May 2020. Planners were hoping to launch the site two months prior, but a persistent dearth of sporting events due to the pandemic — including the cancellation of March Madness 2020 — made the debut untenable. Almost immediately, observers note that GambetDC’s advertised lines are high — to the point of being noncompetitive.
Thus, when William Hill (later Caesars Sportsbook) opens its retail book at Capital One Arena in July 2020, it quickly becomes the market leader despite its in-person requirement. It also renders Capital One Arena as the first professional sports stadium to have a sportsbook on its premises.
William Hill follows up the debut of its retail operation with the launch of its mobile app in December 2020, which presents the first bit of 1:1 competition with GambetDC.
2019
Mayor Muriel Bowser wastes little time and signs off on the bill in January 2019. Due to the unique governmental structure associated with Washington, DC, the passed bill must also gain the approval of the US Congress to become law in the district. After its transmission and discussion at the federal level, sports betting becomes legal in the capital in May 2019. However, due to logistical issues and an ongoing lack of sporting events because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no sportsbook of any kind opens its doors in DC in 2019.
2018
The fall of PASPA in May leads many states to consider legalizing sports betting. DC, though not a state, follows suit when Councilman Jack Evans introduces B22-0944, the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018, to the DC City Council for its consideration. The bill calls for legalization of both online and retail sports betting and installs the DC Lottery as both the chief purveyor of mobile wagering and the regulator for the industry. After due consideration and the attachment of three amendments, the bill passes to Bowser’s desk in December 2018.
DC sports betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in DC?
Yes. Sports betting is both legal and active within the city limits of the District of Columbia.
Who oversees Washington, DC, sports betting?
The DC Lottery. The commission serves as the regulator for the district’s industry and maintains oversight over any new developments within DC sports betting.
Who can apply for a DC sports betting license?
Almost any business, but with significant restrictions. Only Class A and Class C license holders are allowed to have an online app that extends throughout the district. Every other type of business that wishes to offer sports betting can only do so on its own property. However, there is no restriction on the type of business that offers sports betting, so long as sports betting isn’t the only commerce that occurs onsite.
How old do I have to be to bet on sports in Washington, DC?
18. If you want to place a wager through one of DC’s sportsbook apps or in-person, you need only be 18. However, individual retail operations may require patrons to be 21 if they serve alcohol.
Can you play daily fantasy sports in Washington, DC?
Yes. DraftKings and FanDuel, among other providers, actively provide daily fantasy sports contests to residents and visitors in the district. However, there is no explicit law to permit or ban DFS inside Washington, DC, at this time. A search of proposed and passed legislation from the DC Council does not indicate much interest in ruling on daily fantasy sports contests, either.
Does DC have online sports betting?
Yes. Five sportsbook apps are active in DC right now: FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, and BetMGM Sportsbook are all in service in the capital.