New York Sports Betting 2023: Best Legal NY Sportsbook Apps
New York sports betting has been live and legal since January 2022. There are currently eight live NY sportsbook apps to choose from including FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars and BetRivers offering odds for the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and much more.
Top NY sports betting sites
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Is sports betting legal in New York?
Yes, New York sports betting is legal. You can bet online from anywhere in the state and in-person at NY casinos. Online sports betting launched in January 2022 and eight sportsbook apps are currently available in the state.
New York legalized sports betting at its commercial casinos in 2013. The first in-person sportsbooks started opening in July 2019, more than a year after the fall of the federal ban on sports betting. In early 2021, lawmakers included online sports betting in the state budget bill. It was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in April and joined retail betting as a legal option in the state nine months later.
What’s happening in NY sports betting right now
- Sept 27, 2023 – According to Wells Fargo analysts, PENN Entertainment has reportedly deemed it “critical” for its new brand, ESPN Bet, to enter the New York sports betting industry.
- Sept 20, 2023 – FanDuel set a record in New York for weekly revenue with $32.3 million in the week ending Sept. 10. The operator was the first sportsbook app to go over $30 million in one week in the state.
- Sept 11, 2023 – New York sports betting handle bounced back to more than $1.1 billion in August, up 14.3% month-over-month and 27.5% year-over-year.
- Aug. 28, 2023 – Police arrested a man at JFK Airport for allegedly running a $22 million illegal offshore sports betting operation.
- Aug. 21, 2023 – Caesars Racebook is now live for horse betting in New York. The app is now available in 17 states.
- Aug. 16, 2023 – Despite exiting eight other states, WynnBET is remaining active in New York, for now. WynnBET’s operations are under review in Michigan and still active in Massachusetts, as well.
- Aug. 10, 2023 – New York sports betting handle fell to $962.1 million in July, breaking a 10-month streak of handles over $1 billion. July’s figure was still up more than $150 million year-over-year.
Comparing the NY online sportsbooks
When choosing an online sportsbook, personal preferences should rule the day. The sites that have the most features that are important to you and feel the best while navigating around should move to the top of the list. Here’s a look at the books that excel in certain facets, followed by quick reviews of the top legal online sportsbooks in NY.
- Best sportsbook for betting on NY teams: FanDuel. If you’re simply looking for a place to bet on your local favorites and other big games and events, this industry leader is consistently among the highest-rated options. FanDuel halo has partnerships with New York-area teams and is headquartered in New York City.
- Best sportsbook for competitive odds: Caesars, PointsBet. You can always shop around to compare the lines, but these two sportsbooks tend to pay careful attention to keeping the odds competitive and appealing.
- Best sportsbook for bet variety: BetMGM, BetRivers. These two online sportsbooks have the largest menus of sports available for wagering. Combine that with all of the bet types you could ask for, and those who like lots of options will be quite happy.
- Best sportsbook for overall usability: DraftKings, FanDuel. Whether you’re on the web or mobile, the DraftKings and FanDuel platforms are incredibly slick and easy to use while downtime and glitches tend to be at a minimum. Eilers & Krejcik Gaming noted that both of these apps rank in the top five for aesthetics, user experience, and app features, according to a 2021 independent study.
- Best sportsbook for regular promotions: Caesars, BetMGM. Promotional opportunities are common when signing up, but many books are light on regular incentives for existing players. Caesars and BetMGM are exceptions to that rule.
Top NY sportsbook apps
Here is a closer look at the top four NY sportsbook apps that are available in the state right now.
1. PointsBet Sportsbook NY
PointsBet Sportsbook’s most immediate distinction is its signature wager, the Points Bet. With a Points Bet, you make a traditional spread bet on the eventual margin of victory. However, the distance that the actual margin ends up from PointsBet’s estimate is the determinant of your payout — each point of discrepancy translates into an increased multiple. So, you can both win and lose big with these wagers, but you cannot find them anywhere else. PointsBet NY also has a propensity for making customer-friendly decisions, issuing refunds frequently if a game’s outcome is exceptionally unexpected.
- App store rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.7 (Android)
- Key takeaway: A change from the usual sportsbook betting format.
- Best feature: PointsBetting
- NY bonus offer: Get up to $1,000 in Second Chance Bets. No code required.
2. BetRivers Sportsbook NY
BetRivers Sportsbook is now live and taking bets. BetRivers is the sportsbook app for the Rivers brand of casinos, including the location in Schenectady. BetRivers Sportsbook NY offers more depth in terms of your parlay options than on other sportsbooks. BetRivers offers the opportunity to add parlay legs from the same game. You can also choose the Jackpot Parlay option if you don’t mind accepting parlay legs in a manner similar to Quick Pick selections on lottery tickets. Finally, there is usually an option to make your parlay a teaser and improve your chances of winning. BetRivers also maintains a solid rewards program for players with its iRush Rewards.
- App store rating: 3.0 (iOS), 2.1 (Android)
- Key takeaway: Good all-around app with interesting parlay features and a rewards program.
- Best feature: iRush Rewards.
- NY bonus offer: Use BetRivers bonus code LSRRIV for a 2nd chance bet of up to $100 on deposit
3. FanDuel Sportsbook NY
FanDuel Sportsbook went live in NY on Jan. 8. Even before a FanDuel Sportsbook opened its doors at Tioga Downs, the company had a significant presence in New York including its headquarters in NYC. You’ll quickly discover why FanDuel Sportsbook NY is one of the top sportsbooks in the entire country. A combination of easy navigation and frequent promotions is better than what you’ll find on most other books. In addition, FanDuel maintains a utility in which you can observe your bets through a live feed of the games in question.
- App store rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.7 (Android)
- Key takeaway: Easy to navigate and use for both new and experienced bettors.
- Best feature: Same-game parlays
- NY bonus offer: Bet $5, get up to $200 in bonus bets. No FanDuel promo code required.
4. BetMGM Sportsbook NY
The BetMGM sportsbook app offers a level of flexibility to bettors when it comes to open bets that cannot be found on other apps. Many sportsbooks offer the Cash Out option that allows you to take a reduced payout when your wager seems unlikely to win. However, BetMGM Sportsbook takes things several steps further with its Edit My Bet feature. In addition to the Cash Out option, you can also alter your open wager in several ways. For one thing, you can add more choices to it, if you like. You can also swap out some of your choices and, in some cases, drop parlay legs altogether. Finally, you can add onto your bet amount to increase your profit potential.
- App store rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.2 (Android)
- Key takeaway: Deep menu of betting options with a couple unique features.
- Best feature: Ability to edit your bet
- NY bonus offer: Get up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if you don’t win. Use BetMGM bonus code PLAYLSR
Latest NY sports betting news
Horse Betting Decline Continues As Problems Persist Nationwide
Horse betting handle totaled $1.1 billion nationwide in August, a 7% decline from the same month last year ($1.19 billion.) According to figures recently released by Equibase, horse betting has…
How to get started at a NY sportsbook app
To get started with your first online bet in New York, you need to sign up for an account. This process usually takes less than 10 minutes. Here’s what to do:
- Download and install. Use one of our links above to choose the app you want to play. Make sure to write down any bonus codes we have listed. Download the sportsbook like you would any other type of app, and let it install itself.
- Register. Open the app and look for a prominent button in the upper portion of your display. It should say something like “Register,” “Sign Up,” or something similar. Be prepared to enter your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and other basic pieces of personal information used to verify who you are and where you are. You’ll also need to submit any bonus codes you picked up on this page.
- Fund your account. Most sportsbooks have several different ways you can deposit funds, including credit cards, e-wallets like PayPal and Skrill, prepaid cards, and, in some cases, cash. Most deposits take a matter of seconds to process.
- Place your bets. Once you’ve got your balance above zero, it’s time to bet. Most apps put a list of sports in the left column or menu, live or featured bets in the center, and your betslip on the right or via a link at the bottom of the app.
New York sportsbook bonuses
Every sportsbook app has a dedicated section for different betting promotions, deals, and offers that you can take advantage of. Common types of bonuses you’ll find include:
- No deposit — No deposit bonuses require nothing from you aside from a few pieces of information. You’ll usually receive these bonuses as site credits in exchange for your registration. These bonuses are somewhat rare for anyone but new players.
- Deposit — These bonuses augment the amount that you choose to deposit into the site. The sportsbook will match a certain percentage of your deposit as extra dollars. Some of them can be quite generous, with matches up to 100% and maximum rewards in the thousands of dollars.
- Odds boosts — Odds boosts inflate the payout ratio associated with a particular wager. So, a bet listed at +200 might be raised to +225, for instance. The shift will always favor the player and is meant to give you extra motivation to make the bet.
In addition to the above, NY sports betting apps usually feature a loyalty or rewards program. The programs are often tied to retail perks and offers. For every dollar you wager, you receive a certain number of points. These points are used to determine your placement within a tiered ranking system. Caesars Rewards and iRush Rewards are examples of loyalty programs that work both online and offline.
Full list of NY sports betting sites
Below is a list of every live sports betting site in the state of New York. We will keep this list updated as more NY sports betting operators join or leave the state. There are currently nine sportsbooks licensed in the state, with eight of them live for betting.
- Bally Bet (temporarily offline)
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- BetRivers Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
- Resorts World Bet Sportsbook
- WynnBet Sportsbook
Latest News in upcoming states
NY sports betting law
Legal sports betting in New York is available in-person at a handful of upstate casinos and online. The casinos offering retail sportsbooks in NY are located a few hours’ drive from New York City. That makes them an inconvenient and impractical option for the bulk of the state’s population.
In fact, many New York City-area sports bettors who want to get legal action down chose to travel to neighboring New Jersey, which has a multitude of legal sports betting apps. As such, the scope of the original enabling law is narrow, limiting wagering to the state’s handful of commercial casinos. The 2021 law changes things entirely, adding legal online sportsbooks to the list of available options for the state. The law was part of an overall budget package and signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in April 2021.
The New York State Gaming Commission accepted two bids for online sports betting in the Empire State in November 2021. Those two bids came from two groups of sportsbooks that allied with each other to make a more appetizing presentation for the commissioners. As a result, nine different brands were given the all-clear to launch online sports betting in New York, and each will pay 51% of their revenues to the state in taxes. The apps officially went live on Jan. 8, 2022 with four apps at the start. The other five trickled in over the following weeks and months.
Who can bet on sports in New York?
Anyone over the age of 21 will be able to participate in NY sports betting.
Will I be able to bet on my phone in New York?
Yes. Mobile sports betting launched in January 2022.
NY sports betting bills
We should be done with new NY sports betting bills for a bit after state legislators and Cuomo included mobile sports betting in the New York state budget in 2021.
- 2021: No separate bill was needed because legislators included sports betting in the massive state budget bill. Cuomo signed sports wagering into law as part of that package.
- 2020: An effort to reintroduce bills from 2019 stalled out because of the COVID-19 pandemic. New York legislators delayed their session and took up more pressing matters upon their return.
- 2019: A mobile sports betting bill advanced past the NY Senate but never came up for a vote in the Assembly.
- 2018: NY mobile sportsbook bills popped up in both chambers of the state legislature. However, neither the Assembly nor the Senate chose to move the bills past the committee stage.
Where can I bet on sports in New York?
Online sportsbooks are available from anywhere in the state, meaning you can wager as long as you are physically located in New York. Geolocation software will ensure that all apps are used within New York state lines.
Of course, you can bet in-person at 11 retail sportsbooks, all of which started opening in 2019. The 2013 law permits NY sports betting at the state’s commercial casinos, and in turn, the tribal casinos. As such, 11 of the roughly two dozen gambling locations in the state have a sportsbook on-site.
- Akwesasne Mohawk Casino & Resort — Sticks Sports Book & Grill
- Del Lago Resort Casino — DraftKings Sportsbook
- Point Place Casino — The Lounge with Caesars Sports
- Resorts World Catskills — Sportsbook 360
- Rivers Casino & Resort — Rivers Sportsbook
- Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino — Sports Lounge
- Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino — Sports Lounge
- Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino — Sports Lounge
- Tioga Downs — FanDuel Sportsbook
- Turning Stone Resort Casino — The Lounge with Caesars Sports
- Yellow Brick Road Casino — The Lounge with Caesars Sports
What you can bet on legally in NY
Sports betting in New York allows you to place wagers on most popular professional sports and many college sports as well. The primary restriction is that no wagering is allowed on in-state college teams, although betting is permitted on colleges from outside New York competing in the state.
Sports and events on which you can wager include:
- NFL – Check out the best NFL betting sites
- NBA
- MLB
- NHL
- NCAA football
- NCAA basketball
- Super Bowl odds
- March Madness
- PGA Tour golf
- NASCAR auto racing
Prohibited events include:
- High school and youth sports
- Entertainment including The Oscars
- Elections
How does New York compare to New Jersey and Pennsylvania?
The NJ sports betting market is closely linked to New York City. Some estimates suggest as much as 25% of New Jersey handle originates from the country’s largest city.
New Jersey features more than two dozen sportsbooks while New York is limited to nine (eight are currently live while Bally Bet is temporarily offline). The Garden State also levies a tax rate of 13.5% on mobile sports wagers, while New York will require operators to remit 51% of sports betting revenue to the state.
Pennsylvania features one of the highest tax rates and sportsbook license fees in the country, but New York eclipses both. NY sportsbooks must pay a $25 million application fee, surpassing the previous US high of $20 million in PA.
PA sportsbooks feature one brand per casino, allowing the state to feature many more options than will be available in New York.
New York sports betting timeline
2022: Online betting begins
The new online market in New York takes off on Jan. 8 with four apps granted approval for launch. Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and BetRivers launch at 9 a.m. ET. The other five apps anticipated in the state arrived in spurts over the following weeks with BetMGM and PointsBet the first to join the fast-growing market. By February, Wynn had launched and sportsbooks apps numbered seven.
In its first 16 days, New York online sports betting handle eclipsed $1 billion, quickly becoming the biggest legal betting market in the US. Resorts World Bet and Bally Bet joined the online sports betting market later in the year.
2021: A new hope
The most promising year to date began with Gov. Andrew Cuomo signaling willingness to include mobile wagering in his state budget. With New York facing a budget deficit reaching billions of dollars, Cuomo finally embraced the revenue source of legal sports betting in NY.
Cuomo expressed a strong preference for a lottery-based model featuring only a couple of operators, similar to whatever nearby New Hampshire chose to enact. That might not be the best model for customers, however, as high tax rates and a lack of competition fail to incentivize sportsbooks to provide the ideal experience for players.
A deal reached in April 2021 paves the way for mobile betting in New York. The initial bidding process culminated in the state ultimately choosing nine sportsbook operators from two super bids. Four of the apps launched on Jan. 8, just before the NFL Playoffs.
2020: Another stalled year in NY
The COVID-19 pandemic quickly ended whatever hope existed for New York sports betting reform in 2020. Legislators again attempted to convince Gov. Andrew Cuomo to include updated sports betting language in his state budget to no avail.
With the state legislative session upended by the pandemic, more pressing matters took priority. New York suffered its worst days of the pandemic in spring 2020, when the legislature typically is accomplishing its normal business.
2019: Continued legislative efforts
The New York legislature failed to legalize sports betting yet again.
Sen. Joseph Addabbo, the new chairman of the Senate Racing, Wagering and Gaming Committee introduced a sports betting bill for the 2019 legislative session. The bill, S 17, is similar to former chairman, John Bonacic’s bill, which includes a 0.2 percent integrity fee.
Assemblyman Gary Pretlow joined Addabbo and push for the commission to include online sports betting in the final rules and regulations.
And while the bill passed the Senate, it never came up for a vote in the Assembly.
Mid 2018: Legislative efforts fail
New York state legislators dropped sports betting bills in both the Assembly and Senate, but neither advanced to the floor for serious consideration. Sen. John Bonacic and Assemblyman Gary Pretlow championed bills in their respective chambers that would have legalized sports betting throughout the state, including mobile and online wagering.
It also would have directed a so-called integrity fee to sports leagues — the first state to bow to the leagues’ demand for such a cut.
Early 2018: NBA testifies at sports betting hearing
In January, the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee held a public hearing on sports betting. The meeting was called Bonacic, who chairs the committee. The hearing seemed to indicate that New York’s lawmakers are ready to move forward with broad legalization.
What was surprising, however, was a new revelation from the NBA. The league had previously stood against state-based sports betting legalization. It has gone so far as to bring suit against states, like New Jersey, who try to work around PASPA.
The league’s Assistant General Counsel, Dan Spillane, voiced a new, progressive stance on sports betting from his league. According to Spillane, the NBA will no longer oppose New York’s attempt to legalize sports betting, provided it meets the league’s conditions. One of those conditions involves paying the NBA a so-called integrity fee of 1 percent of all bets placed on its games, which is a big ask.
All four major sports leagues are headquartered in New York.
2017: Pretlow backs legislation
Late in 2016, Pretlow announced his intentions to back sports betting legislation. “I’m looking at challenging the feds on this,” he said, “but I have more homework to do.”
Pretlow is the Chairman of the Assembly’s Racing and Wagering Committee. That essentially makes him the gatekeeper for gaming legislation in his chamber, which had previously expressed resistance. Entering 2017, though, Pretlow seemed to indicate that his concerns had been addressed.
Lawmakers from both chambers introduced matching sports betting bills in 2017. Sponsors Assemblyman David Weprin and Sen. Tony Avella have been at the front of the effort in their respective chambers since 2011. Their bills move to extend sports betting permissions to horse tracks and OTBs, in addition to the commercial casinos.
A 5438 and S 1282 were the updated numbers given to the bills in the 2017-18 session.
The new casinos authorized to conduct sports betting began to open during 2017, with the last one slated to open early in 2018.
2015-16: Sports betting bills continue to be introduced
In 2015, Weprin and Avella reintroduced their efforts from the previous session. A 3080 and S 940 were refiled in January as the tools to expand sports betting to horse tracks and off-track betting facilities.
At the same time, the state was considering daily fantasy sports legislation. The matter was referred to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for a decision, and he dropped the hammer on DFS sites. He lumped them in with sports betting, which would have made them illegal under state law. He ordered DraftKings and FanDuel to cease operations in New York. The state went onto pass a fantasy sports law in 2016.
The sports betting bills were returned to the Judiciary Committees in their respective chambers, where they stalled once again.
2013-14: Voting yes to casino expansion, sports betting
New York voters spoke on sports betting in 2013.
That year’s ballot included a decision on a gaming package designed to stimulate the economy in the upstate region with four new casinos. Under the referendum, the new properties would be permitted to offer a broad range of gambling, including sports betting.
Voters passed the amendment, with 57 percent of them approving the expansion.
The casinos were built and opened within five years.
Sen. Eric Adams once again reintroduced his standalone sports betting bill from the prior sessions. His S 2411 was the same piece of legislation he’d sponsored in both 2009 and 2011.
There were other bills on the table, though. Weprin (A 867) and Avella (S 331) filed matching bills in the legislature once again. They failed to advance out of committee again, and they were reintroduced in the 2015 session. Sen. Adams’ bill, on the other hand, was not reintroduced again.
2011-2012: Both chambers consider sports betting
Sen. Adams introduced a copy of his previous bill once again in 2011. This time, S 3708 was backed up by another piece of legislation in the lower chamber.
Assemblyman Weprin’s name appeared on a sports betting bill for the first time with the introduction of A 10464. His bill contained most of the same language as Adams’, but it expanded wagering to include collegiate events. He also moved to allocate funds to education rather than tax relief.
Most notably, Weprin’s bill also added “any constitutionally authorized casino facility” to the list of potential licensees. The four upstate casinos would ultimately be granted that permission separately via the 2013 referendum.
The Assembly bill included a memo in support of legislation that opened with this justification:
Legalizing professional sports betting in New York would be an opportunity to diminish a serious organized crime enterprise and provide critical funds for education.
One of the memo’s sources estimated that New York could receive close to $2 billion in annual revenue from sports betting at the existing gambling facilities, a number that is likely too high.
Avella took Weprin’s lead and introduced a matching bill, S 7401 in the Senate.
None of the bills advanced out of committee, and all three were reintroduced in the 2013 session.
2009-2010: First sports betting bill appears
In 2009, Sen. Adams introduced the state’s first sports betting bill. S 6061 was aimed at horse tracks and off-track betting facilities. The bill would have allowed those facilities to offer wagers on professional sporting events. A portion of the revenue was to be allocated for tax relief to residents of the areas near the betting facilities.
The bill stalled in committee.
FAQ
Who oversees New York sports betting?
The New York State Gaming Commission has regulatory jurisdiction over the state’s sports betting. It created the rules and regulations to govern online sports betting in NY as well.
Can you play daily fantasy sports in New York?
DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo, FantasyDraft, and Draft have all received permits and are now operational in New York.
Here is a list of sites with temporary licenses.
What happened after New York enacted the DFS law?
All lawsuits between the NYAG and DraftKings and FanDuel will be dropped, except for the former’s false advertising claims that both sites paid $6 million to settle.
Any site that wishes to serve the New York market must be licensed by the state gaming commission.