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It's Launch Day For North Carolina Sports Betting

James Bisson

Last Updated: March 11, 2024 3:06 PM EDT • 3 min 12 sec read.

The culmination of hard work for months paid off on Monday with the official launch of the highly anticipated North Carolina sports betting scene, with many of the best sportsbooks beginning operations in the state.

ESPN BET North Carolina and Caesars Sportsbook North Carolina won the race to be the first to go live in the Tar Heel State market. Both launched within one minute of the 12 p.m. ET launch time. Fanatics Sportsbook North Carolina was live within two minutes of Noon, with both DraftKings North Carolina and FanDuel North Carolina both taking bets within 10 minutes of the platform's launch.

Among the first bets taken on betting sites in the Tar Heel State were from Gov. Roy Cooper, who took the Carolina Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup, and from North Carolina legend and former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, who placed a wager on Bubba Wallace to win NASCAR's Cup Series Championship.

Sportsbooks available and the bonuses

A total of eight North Carolina sports betting apps have been approved to go live in the North Carolina market, with each book offering North Carolina sportsbook promos. That includes:

  • bet365 North Carolina in partnership with the Charlotte Hornets - Choice between $200 in bonus bets with a $5 wager or $1,000 first bet safety net, meaning your first bet will be refunded in bonus bets if it loses.
  • BetMGM North Carolina in partnership with Charlotte Motor Speedway - $150 in bonus bets to new users who have not previously registered.
  • DraftKings North Carolina in partnership with NASCAR - $250 in bonus bets after a $5 wager. You’ll get 10 $25 bonus bets, and those wagers must be used within seven days.
  • ESPN BET North Carolina in partnership with Quail Hollow Golf Club - Choice of two offers - $225 in bonus bets for making any bet, and then an additional deposit match offer. You’ll get 200% on top of whatever you put in, up to $500.
  • Fanatics Sportsbook North Carolina in partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes - Choice between two offers: A $100 bet match over 10 days for $1,000 total, or bet $20, get $200 in bonus bets.
  • FanDuel North Carolina in partnership with the PGA Tour - Get up to $250 in Bonus Bets. Also get +100 odds on a point to be scored in Pistons-Hornets on Monday with a $50 max.
  • Underdog Sports North Carolina in partnership with McConnell Golf - Get the first bet back as a bonus if the loss is up $1,000.
  • Caesars Sportsbook North Carolina in partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians- Get $250 in bonus bets after a $10 wager.

How we arrived here

North Carolina has been the scene of retail sports betting since 2021 at three of the state's tribal-owned brick-and-mortar casinos. There's been a legislative push in the state to not only expand the retail platform, but to bring in the best sports betting apps, which are more lucrative and all-encompassing.

It was June 14, 2023 when Gov. Roy Cooper was able to take the Tar Heel State's legal sports betting industry to the next level with the signing of H.B. 347. The bill increases the retail sports betting presence and legalizes North Carolina sports betting sites.

Since June, lawmakers and the North Carolina Lottery Commission have been on a fast track to launch. Unfortunately, the original timeline of the Super Bowl was not realized. But the March 11 date, just ahead of March Madness in the basketball-crazed state, has to be viewed as a reasonable consolation prize.

“With the NCAA Tournament right around the corner and the NASCAR season in full throttle, we are thrilled to be launching our top-rated sportsbook app in North Carolina,” Matt Kalish, president of DraftKings North America, said last week. “The Tar Heel State is home to a passionate fan base and some of the most iconic college basketball programs of all time, making this an exciting time to introduce legalized online sports betting.” 

So...

Those 21 or older can download a North Carolina sports betting app, take just a couple of minutes to sign up, follow the prompts while making a deposit, and place their first bet in the North Carolina market.

The markets available under Tar Heel State law are:

  • single-game wager
  • teaser wagers
  • parlays
  • Over/Under
  • moneyline
  • pools
  • exchange wagering
  • in-game wagering
  • in-play wagers
  • proposition wagers
  • straight wagers

All major sports typical of a top-tier wagering state will be available to bet on, including in-state college programs. That factor is especially important with March Madness ready to tip off.

Potential gains

North Carolina is the ninth-largest U.S. state in terms of population with 10.7 million residents. It's also home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers, the NBA's Charlotte Hornets, and the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.

The Tar Heel State officially joins 38 other U.S. states in the American legal sports betting family. It gives North Carolina sports fans enhancement opportunities, puts the state's teams on a level playing field with other professional sports squads across the country, and the move creates a revenue boon for Tar Heel state and local tax coffers.

Between $8 million and $24 million annually in tax revenue could be generated for the state, according to projections from analysts.

Written By:
James Bisson
James Bisson is the Editor-in-Chief of Sportsbook Review. He has been a writer, reporter and editor for more than 20 years, and his work has appeared in more than 200 publications across North America. His first book, “100 Greatest Canadian Sports Moments”, was a hardcover best-seller in Canada in 2008. He has written more than 50 sportsbook reviews and dozens of other sportsbook-related content articles. James has also been quoted as a sports betting expert in USA Today and Sports Illustrated.