Andrew O'Malley 6. November 2020 | UPDATED ON: 18. April 2022 While Connecticut is one of the smaller states in geographic terms, it still has a decent population. A lot of these residents love sports and want to place sports bets on their favorite teams, like the New England Patriots. While sports betting is not yet legal in the state, there are certain offshore sportsbooks that will cater to your needs. This guide looks at the different options associated with sports betting in Connecticut today. Top 3 Online Bookmakers in Connecticut, CT, USA For those people who want to start with sports betting in Connecticut, there is a whole selection of different options available. Many have built up a good reputation over time giving you confidence that you are dealing with a reputable operator. Having conducted extensive research, here are the three best sports betting sites for people in the state of Connecticut today: Slot Title Pay Back Key Features 1 50% first deposit bonus up to $250 Min. Deposit: $10Payout speed: 15 minutes50% first deposit bonus up to $250Play NowOur score: 50% first deposit bonus up to $250Read more2 $20 free bet Min. Deposit: $10Payout speed: 48 hours$20 free betPlay NowOur score: $20 free betRead more3 50% first deposit up to $1,000 Min. Deposit: $20Payout speed: 48 hours50% first deposit up to $1,000Play NowOur score: 50% first deposit up to $1,000Read more Is online sports betting in Connecticut Legal? No If you are looking to take part in some sports betting in CT, you will not find a regulated market in place as of yet. While there have been some attempts by lawmakers to introduce a Connecticut sports betting bill that would legalize the activity, no legislation has made significant regulatory progress as of yet. Therefore, you will need to rely on out-of-state platforms for sports wagering. In terms of legality, forms of online gaming are a gray area. While the laws appear to show that online sports gambling is illegal, there is no history of people getting arrested for online gambling offenses. In terms of other forms of gambling, there are tribal casinos in the state that offer different casino games and slot machines. The Native American facilities are popular among locals, with two different tribal casinos being present in the region, with the plan of a third being in the works in Bridgeport through MGM Resorts. You have the Foxwoods Resort Casino that is operated by the Mashantucket Pequots and The Mohegan Sun near Hartford. Other forms of gambling There are no commercial casinos in the state at all due to the tribal exclusivity. With horse racing wagering, you can place bets on horse races at the racetracks or at one of the Connecticut off-track betting (OTB) parlors operated by Sportech. There is a state lottery in Connecticut, helping to provide much-needed revenue to various public programs. Certain forms of non-profit games are allowable, such as raffles, bingo, and bazaars. If you want to offer recreational bingo games or amusement games, a permit will be needed and there are limits on winnings. While poker is illegal outside of the tribal casinos, you can play social games of poker. While there are no legal online casinos, you can legally play daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the state through the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel. Our Recommended Sportsbook in Connecticut Our Rating Large range of US betting markets Competitive odds First deposit bonus up to $250 Quick withdrawals Claim Your Bonus Now Top 3 online sports betting sites that accept players from Connecticut If you are looking to start placing sports bets and you are a resident of Connecticut, there are a few different out-of-state sportsbooks you can check out. We have conducted careful research of the available options and chosen the best of the current options for safe and secure online sports betting: 1. Bovada - Very quick withdrawals (50% first deposit bonus to $250) Bovada has a comprehensive sportsbook, as well as online poker and casino games. It has been in the sector for nearly 20 years, so you know that it delivers a top-quality user experience. US residents often use Bovada to place sports bets, with a ton of different markets to check out, focusing particularly on the major US sports. You will be hard-pressed to find withdrawals that will process at a faster rate than at Bovada. There is also 24/7 customer support, with Bovada committing to keeping its bettors happy. Across the board, the odds are good and there is a wide range of betting limits on offer. If you are creating a new account, you can get a 50% first deposit bonus as high as $250. Existing bettors also get plenty of attention, particularly when the NFL season is in full swing and the time of the Super Bowl thanks to many great promotions. Our Rating Large range of US betting markets Competitive odds First deposit bonus up to $250 Quick withdrawals Mainly cryptocurrency withdrawals Claim Your Bonus 2. Everygame - Most trusted sportsbook ($20 free bet) The claim to fame at Everygame is that it is the oldest online sportsbook in the globe. Naturally, it has a good reputation as it has stayed in business for so many years. It was also the first operator to launch a mobile platform, so you know you are dealing with an innovative platform. The betting markets are massive, both for pre-game and live betting. There is a particular emphasis on major US sports, with a great range of prop bets and other betting types on offer. Most of the odds are pretty competitive, with the withdrawals tending to process on time. The customer support is top-quality in case you have any issues. If you sign up for an account with Everygame today, you can get your hands on a $20 free bet. Our Rating Good withdrawal speed Long-standing reputation Great selection of markets $20 welcome free bet Not the largest welcome bonus Claim Your Bonus 3. BetOnline - Some of the best odds (50% first deposit bonus up to $1,000) BetOnline is one of the largest online sports betting sites around today, having started back in 2001. Its main focus is American sports, with high betting limits for most of these markets. It has a strong online poker base, as well as its sportsbook. There are always great seasonal promotions on offer to complement the top-quality odds that are on offer for people in Connecticut. While there were some issues in the past with withdrawals, these have been resolved. One of the other great perks of BetOnline is that they post their odds early in the week, usually before most other sportsbooks. For those signing up for a new account, there is a 50% first deposit bonus up to $1,000 you can get. Our Rating Very good odds Wide range of betting limits US sports focus Deposit bonus up to $1,000 Withdrawals sometimes slow Claim Your Bonus How we rate the best Connecticut online bookmakers Bookmakers come in many different forms, each having their own advantages and disadvantages. It is important to get a good overview of different options so you can quickly narrow down the list of options into a manageable shortlist. We like to stick to a similar set of criteria when comparing different sites as this allows the process to be more objective and fair. Here are some of the key criteria that we look at: Selection of sports Depth of betting markets per sport Range of events for each sport In-play offering Odds competitiveness Ease of use Availability of payment methods Customer support quality Security and licensing What to consider when choosing a betting site As soon as you have created a shortlist of different potential sites to sign up for, you can then finalize your selection. The best way to do this is by deciding what is important to you with a given offering and then using this in order to find the right option. This may be having a strong mobile offering or a certain type of betting market. Here are some of the more important aspects to look at: Legal standing You won’t find any Connecticut sports betting sites that have licenses, but they will often be regulated elsewhere. You need a site that you can trust and know you will get paid out. Promotions A welcome bonus is a key part of signing up for an account with any online sports gambling platform. There are also regular promotions for current bettors, as well as there sometimes being a loyalty program. Customer support Sometimes there will be issues that arise when using a platform. This is why you should look to see if there is a range of customer support options that have quick response times. Competitive odds If you are placing a lot of sports bets, you want to be placing these wagers at the best odds as possible. Some platforms will have good odds for a certain sport more so than others. Payment methods When using a sportsbook, you want to have payment methods that fit your needs and are quick and cheap to use. Live betting offering One of the most exciting aspects of sports betting is placing live bets. You are able to take advantage of trends you may see during the course of a game and place a corresponding bet. Look at the range of markets and events to live bet on sports. The future of online gambling in Connecticut There has not been a massive amount of progress on the issue of online gambling in Connecticut to date. There have been attempts to push through the likes of online poker, legal sports betting, and online casinos, but to no avail in any legislative session. As time goes on, this might change. Lawmakers and legislators could see the massive benefits associated with the legalization of online gambling, with much-needed tax revenue being able to help fund public programs. Gov Ned Lamont has been preoccupied with the pandemic, requiring a special session of the legislature to address a number of important issues that were delayed, leaving no time for talk of sports betting. Former Governor Malloy had talks with the tribes but to no avail. The landscape can change on a dime, so it is well worth you while keeping an eye on all potential changes and the latest news. This was shown during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic where casinos had to close due to COVID-19 restrictions and rely on online revenues if possible until COVID-19 ends. Where else is online gambling legal in the US? There is a wave of online gambling legalization spreading across the United States. The ending of the federal ban on sports betting (PASPA) by the Supreme Court was a push for this to happen. Now there are more and more states regularly expanding gambling laws in their areas, while still considering those at risk of developing a gambling problem. Other nearby states have been seeing success with sports betting recently, such as New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. To see the specific situation in a certain state for online gambling, you can check out this interactive map: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC Bottom line Connecticut residents do not have access to a regulated CT sports betting market as of yet, but there are some great offshore online betting sites you can use until this happens. Creating an account takes a couple of minutes and you can then get started betting on your favorite sports. Sports Betting in Connecticut FAQs Are there Indian casinos in Connecticut? Currently, there are two tribal casinos in the state of Connecticut. These are the Mohegan Sun and the Foxwoods Resort Casino. There has been a push for a third casino that looks like it will happen, as well as a joint casino between these two mentioned tribes in East Windsor. At the moment, no commercial casinos are allowable in the state. What is the legal gambling age in Connecticut? If you want to partake in casino gambling in Connecticut, you need to be at least 21 years old. For the likes of horse racing betting and buying Connecticut lottery tickets, you only need to be 18 years old. Most of the out-of-state online sportsbooks will require you to be at least 18 years old also. Can you place sports bets through mobile devices in Connecticut? Most of the out-of-state sports betting platforms will have some form of mobile offering for bettors. This could be through an app that you have to download or just through a website that is optimized for mobile use. Betting on the go provides you with great flexibility. Are there any sports that you cannot bet on in Connecticut? With the out-of-state online sportsbooks, there are not really any rules on what markets cannot be offered to bettors in the region. The decision as to what markets are available will depend on the operator that you are using rather than some state regulator. The most popular sports will be the likes of the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS. What is the best type of sports betting welcome offer? There are a few different welcome offers you will see with new sports betting accounts. Usually, there will be some sort of free bet offer when you make a deposit or a qualifying bet. However, a no deposit free bet is welcomed by most bettors as you do not have to outlay any of your own money to get your hands on it. About Andrew O'Malley Alex has been writing about the gambling industry for more than five years, covering everything from sports betting to casinos and poker. With the sector constantly evolving, he loves nothing better than staying up to date with the latest movers and shakers in the space. View all posts by Andrew O'Malley →
