It’s Tuesday, Jan. 31.
The clock has struck 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
That means, after a years-long endeavor that included an 11th-hour agreement from state lawmakers this past summer, sports betting in Massachusetts is officially legal. It’s just retail sportsbooks for now, as online sports betting apps won’t go live until late February or early March.
Here’s all the information you need if you want to get started at a retail sportsbook this week.
Where Can I Bet on Sports?
You’ve got three options, at the state’s three casinos.
Encore Boston Harbor has a WynnBET Sportsbook that’s open 9 a.m. to midnight every day.
MGM Springfield has a BetMGM Massachusetts retail sportsbook that’s open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.
Plainridge Park Casino has a Barstool Sportsbook that’s open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
You can also place sports wagers on sports betting kiosks at any of these three casinos 24 hours a day.
READ MORE: Which Massachusetts Retail Sportsbook Is Closest to You?
What Sports Can I Bet on?
Massachusetts residents can place sports wagers on all the major leagues — NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL — as well as international markets, such as the Premier League, Korean baseball, and cricket.
Perhaps it’s best to discuss which sports you can’t bet on in Massachusetts, because that list is much shorter.
In Massachusetts, you cannot bet on:
- In-state college teams, unless they’re in a tournament with four or more teams
- High school sports
- esports
- Chess
- Cornhole
- The Olympics
If you can find odds for them, Massachusetts bettors can also place wagers on awards shows such as the Oscars.
Can I Use a Credit Card?
No. That’s one of the sports wagering restrictions in Massachusetts.
You can use a debit card, or link your bank account, or use other e-wallets sportsbooks partner with. But you cannot use credit cards. Massachusetts lawmakers made this provision part of their sports betting bill in an effort to help curtail problem gambling, with residents racking up credit card debt due to a sports betting addiction.
Are There Any Sign-Up Bonuses?
Not yet. The Massachusetts sportsbook welcome bonuses will come out when the apps launch in February or March.
However, the casinos will have different types of promotions you can enter in-person at the retail sportsbook. The WynnBET Sportsbook at Encore Boston Harbor, for instance, if you swipe your Wynn Rewards card at a sports betting kiosk from noon to 8 p.m. on Feb. 3, you’ll be entered in the $15,000 Weekend Kickoff Kiosk Game — with a chance to win up to $15,000 in cash or $2,500 in bonus play.
What Comes Next?
Up next, we wait for the 10 sportsbook apps to launch in late February or early March. Residents will likely see some pre-launch offers before then, too.
The apps launching will be:
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Caesars Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- PointsBet
- Bally Bet
- BetFanatics
- WynnBET
- Barstool Sportsbook
- Betr
Betway also got a sportsbook license, but it isn’t expected to be ready to launch when MA online sports betting first launches.
Retail sportsbooks will also eventually open at the state’s two horse racing simulcast facilities, Suffolk Downs and Raynham Park. Raynham Park has already struck a deal with Caesars Sportsbook to have a retail Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts.
