DC sports betting has been legal online/on mobile and in retail settings since September 2021, though strict location rules apply. Check out the best betting sites for bettors in the District of Columbia.
The best DC Sports Betting Sites – April 2024
DC Sports Betting
Despite Mayor Muriel Bowser swiftly signing off on a bill to legalize sports betting in January 2019, a mixture of logistics and the Covid-19 pandemic held live betting back until summer 2020.
In keeping with its unique status among US states, the Capital of Columbia has some uniquely prescriptive sports betting laws. Wagering on sports is fully legal online, on mobile and at specific retail venues, however, this is heavily restricted.
Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel and BetMGM are only licensed at specific sports stadiums in the city, with two-block perimeter zones set up around them for permitted app use.
Caesars partners with the Wizards at Capital One Arena, BetMGM have teamed up with the Nationals at Nationals Park and FanDuel’s sportsbook is under construction at Audi Field – home of MLS franchise DC United.
Effectively this allows a wider provision of sports betting to the sole state-owned operator in DC, who can operate across the city’s districts.
| Online Sports Betting | Yes |
| Mobile Sports Betting | Yes |
| Retail Sports Betting | Yes |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
DC Sports Betting FAQs
Is sports betting legal in DC?
Sports betting is legal in the District of Columbia after the mayor signed off on a bill at the start of 2019. This bill carries specific rules around where DC bettors can access sportsbooks, whose numbers and locations are restricted.
A select operator BetMGM are tied into partnerships with the capital’s pro sports franchises.
They are licensed to operate from their partner’s stadium either via physical terminals or betting apps. The use of apps extends to a two-block radius outside of each stadium.
Who governs sports betting in DC?
Governance of the sports betting industry is the responsibility of the DC Lottery. The DC Lottery acts as both the regulator for the industry and the only provider permitted to offer online sports betting citywide.
Where can I bet on sports in DC?
If you are betting with one of the approved sportsbooks, Caesars, BetMGM or FanDuel, then you must bet only at the relevant venues.
Caesars is located at the Capital One Arena, BetMGM is found at Nationals Park and FanDuel’s sportsbook is under construction at DC United’s Audi Field.
How old do you have to be to bet in DC?
The minimum legal age to place bets in the District of Columbia is 18. However, this can be raised to 21 if the in-person bets are made at a location like a bar, that sells alcohol.
What sports can I bet on in DC?
All major US sports are available to bet on within the District of Columbia. The extensive list includes football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.
However, that’s just scratching the surface as sportsbooks cater for many more niche sports in 2023, so expect to find anything from pool to table tennis.
It’s worth noting that DC sports betting law is prohibitive when it comes to wagering on amateur and collegiate sports. The law restricts bettors from placing bets on high school sports, colleges that are located within the city limits, or collegiate events that occur inside the district.
Legal DC online sports betting
Our Top DC Sports betting sites
- BetMGM – Fantastic in-play bets
1. BetMGM
BetMGM Promotional Offers Not Available in Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Washington DC, Ontario, or Puerto Rico
| App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
| ✔ | ✔ | X | ✔ | ✔ |
It’s fair to call BetMGM the cream of the crop when it comes to DC sports betting. You can sample the app’s many delights within a few blocks of the Washington Nationals home stadium of National Park.
New BetMGM bettors in applicable states can take advantage of its exclusive $1,600 deposit match offer. This offer has a 10x wagering requirement.
Among BetMGM’s highlights are the sheer number of offers in their extensive carousel. Players can choose from a daily refill of same-game parlays with attractive odds on all major sports, from NHL action through to Champions League soccer goalscorer boosts.
BetMGM boasts an impressive range of promos and cover all the most popular lines as well, such as NBA points totals and moneyline wagers.
As well as this comprehensive list of markets across all main sports, there’s also an extensive range of bets and promos on almost any sports, from MMA to NASCAR.
New customers are welcomed with a hugely competitive sign-up bonus and their friend-referral bonus is right up in terms of the same industry incentives offered by the competition.
*This offer is not available in NY, KY, & DC.
DC Sports Betting Promo Codes
Retail Sportsbooks open in DC
As DC laws are tight around the provision of sports betting, operators other than the state-sponsored sportsbook are required to have a physical hub. Each of these sports stadia also has a two-block radius set around them for legal wagering on the relevant apps.
| Sportsbook | Location |
| BetMGM | Nationals Park |
Latest DC Sports Betting News
BetMGM launched their retail sportsbook at Nationals Park in June 2021, which is open daily for business at the home of the Washington Nationals. This represents a significant step for BetMGM’s place on the DC betting map, as a leading commercial operator in the nation’s capital.
The ability for bettors to visit this location for in-person wagering is sure to boost BetMGM’s handle considerably.
BetMGM has competition with FanDuel after the DFS innovator opened their physical sportsbook at Audi Field – home of DC United – in July 2022.
Bets made through their cutting-edge app can already be placed within a regulated two-block radius around Audi Field while the retail sportsbook is completed.
Meanwhile, the combined popularity of the three commercial operators in favor of the state-run sportsbook continues to be reflected in the significantly higher revenues of Caesars, BetMGM and FanDuel.
By handle alone, it’s Caesars who lead the way, having established their physical sportsbook at the Capital One Arena first. Caesars onsite sportsbook is 18,000 square feet and contains 17 betting windows and 12 betting kiosks.
FanDuel Coming to D.C. Soon
In March 2024, the Office of Lottery and Gaming approved FanDuel to replace GambetDC in an attempt to boost the state’s online gambling industry. The change will take place via a sports betting subcontract with Intralot.
The history of DC Sports Betting
Following the landmark PASPA repealing in 2018, the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 is passed to the DC City Council for consideration. The bill calling for the legalization of both online and retail sports betting installs the DC Lottery as the chief operator and regulator.
Three amendments are added to the bill before it makes its way onto the mayor’s desk, where Mayor Bowser wastes little time signing it off. Due to the unique governmental infrastructure of Washington, DC, approval of the US Congress is needed before the bill becomes law in the district.
This is duly granted at Federal level, however, the Covid 19 pandemic puts paid to any live commercial sportsbook launches until Caesars sportsbook makes it home at the Capital One Arena in July 2020.
In cahoots with William Hill, the Caesars app goes live in December 2020 before BetMGM is able to open its digital doors to DC bettors a year later.
FanDuel is next up to be licensed, amid growing criticism of the DC Lottery run sportsbook’s performance. DC law currently states that a maximum of five commercial sportsbook’s will be allowed a slice of the action.
Other big-name operators have applications to the DC Lottery that are still being considered.
DC Sports Teams to bet on
Washington DC’s rich concentration and history of sports teams are disproportionate to its small geographical size. Although not technically a state, the metropolitan area of DC is the historical home of many famous and successful names.
Most prevalent of those are the renamed football team, Washington Commanders. The Washington franchise has picked up three Super Bowls.
Indeed, all the other DC-based pro franchises spanning NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS and can point to scooping the biggest prizes in their respective sports. In the case of the Washington Capitals and Washington Nationals, those glories arrived very recently too.
Washington Commanders
This franchise’s glory days came under a different name and in a different era. Those halcyon days were from 1982 – to 1992, which saw the FedExField outfit claim three Super Bowls and make another final.
Over 12 seasons with the then-named Redskins, head coach Joe Gibbs carved out his reputation as one of the game’s greatest coaches. Gibbs is still the only head coach to have won Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks.
Those with even longer memories will rightly call out a pair of early championships being won in 1932 and 1943 by the Burgundy and Gold.
Some of the most famous players to pull on the famous jersey include quarterback Joe Theismann, who led his team to one Super Bowl triumph and another showpiece appearance.
Washington Capitals
With a Stanley Cup and Presidents Cup double in 2017-18, Caps fans have had plenty to shout about in recent times. That five-game Stanley Cup triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights avenged the DC franchise’s 4-0 clean sweep by Detroit Red Wings 20 years beforehand.
In that same near-miss season in ‘97-98 the Capitals also made NHL history when three of their veteran stars, Dale Hunter, Adam Oates and Phil Housely all scored their 1000th career points.
Although ultimately ending in Stanley Cup heartbreak, that season also coincided with the opening of the Capital One Arena in DC and topped off 14 consecutive appearances in the playoffs.
Doubling up as the home of the Washington Wizards, the Capital One Arena has proved a first-class venue for the city’s sports franchises and now houses Caesars Sportsbook for the entertainment of DC sports bettors.
Perhaps the Caps greatest ever player is Alexander Ovechkin who still captains the side. The deadly accurate Russian winger’s list of individual awards and over 700 career goals are testament to Ovechkin’s Hall-Of-Fame status.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards most productive period to date was the 1970s. The late, great Wes Unseld Sr. was right at the heart of this golden era in DC basketball history.
Unseld became only the second player in NBA history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in his debut season for the then Baltimore Bullets.
As the franchise moved from Baltimore to Washington (and was renamed another two times) Unseld remained to pull the strings from center, leading his team to the NBA Championship in 1978.
Fellow teammate and three-time All-Star Phil Chenier is another to have had their Wizards jersey retired following the team’s rise to the top of the game, which should have yielded more championships from four finals appearances.
It’s been a more painful period for Wizards fans in the modern era, although they’ll be hoping that the appointment of Wes Unseld Jr. as head coach for the beginning of the ‘21-22 season can initiate a path back to the playoffs.
Washington Nationals
Nationals fans who witnessed the franchise’s first World Series win in 2019, will never forget this long-awaited, fairytale triumph.
Going into the regular season no one gave the team a chance of going all the way, while a postseason place still seemed like a big target.
Those savvy enough to have placed a wager at the beginning of the regular season will probably never forget this gloriously improbable campaign either.
A closely contested 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers set the playoff wheels in motion.
Once they had propelled themselves into the NCLS game for the first time, thanks to a five-game win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the dream started to become reality. The St Louis Cardinals and ultimately the Houston Astros were defeated to reel in the World Series.
With the Covid-pandemic and several star players traded since GM Mike Rizzo has been tasked with rebuilding the team.
DC United
One of the most successful franchises in MLS history, DC United did some fine work to keep the capital’s sports teams on the US map between the mid-90s and the late noughties.
The Audi Field outfit managed to secure the first two MLS Cups under Bruce Arena’s leadership and then scooped another just two seasons later in 1998.
They currently have four MLS Cups; four Supporters’ Shields and three USA Cups since the MLS was re-chartered in 1996.
Among the star names to have graced the Audi Field grass is record goalscorer Jaime Moreno who netted 131 in 329 games for United, as they hoarded titles in the early days.
However, the signing of England and Manchester United superstar Wayne Rooney heading into the 2018 season didn’t quite spark the success that was hoped for.
Rooney finished top scorer in two consecutive campaigns, but United failed to navigate the first round of the playoffs or win any other silverware in his capital stint.
