Delaware is a state that we bet many people would be hard-pressed to point out on a map. What many know about the small east-coast state is that it had tax laws that are very appealing to corporations, so there are thousands of companies registered in Delaware that have no real ties to the state.
Another fact that Delaware is known for is that it was the first state outside Nevada to legalize sports betting. That may come as a surprise to many reading this, as will come the information about online sports betting within the state borders. This page will keep you up to date on everything you need to know about sports betting in Delaware.
A brief history of legalized sports betting in the state
When it comes to online gambling, the little state of Delaware certainly has a flair for the dramatic. It all started back in 2012, when, in hearing that New Jersey was considering passing legislation that would see online casino and poker sites become legal, it jumped into the fray and managed to pass a bill in its state before New Jersey did. Of course, the online casinos and poker sites in New Jersey dwarf the Delaware operations, but the state will always lay claim to being the first to pass legislation of that kind in the U.S.
Let’s fast forward to 2018. New Jersey had been fighting the major sports leagues in an effort to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act od 1992 and allow states other than Nevada the right to offer legal sports betting. Sensing the fight was nearing a conclusion, Delaware once again made their move, passing a bill in March 2018 contingent on PASPA being overturned. When the Supreme Court sided in favor of New Jersey, Delaware was already putting regulations in place and took its first sports bet in June 2018, narrowly beating New Jersey to the starting line. This made Delaware the first state aside from Nevada to accept legal sports bets.
Unfortunately, in passing the legislation, there was no language around online or mobile sports betting. All legal sports bets must take place at one of the three licensed sportsbooks. This is without question impacting the overall revenues coming from sports betting and aiding the offshore market in continuing to succeed. One can only assume that an amendment to the current law will be made to allow for online betting very soon.
Where you can make online sports bets in Delaware
Well, this is a tricky one. Currently, there are three places where you can make retail sports bets in Delaware:
Dover Downs
Delaware Park
Harrington Raceway
However, none of these operations can offer online sports betting at this time. We’ll keep this page updated as we expect this to change in the coming months, especially given that the state does allow legal online casino and poker games under the current legislation.
What types of bets you can make in Delaware
So, while we are all waiting for online sports betting to be approved in the state, let’s have a quick look at all the types of bets that you will be able to make (and can do so currently in retail sportsbooks in Delaware).
Straight Bets
These are the most basic of bets that you can make in a sportsbook. A straight bet is a bet on a single outcome. This can take the form of a money line bet (who you think is going to win a game or match outright) or a spread bet (making the bet more even by adding points to the underdog side of the bet). Either way, all you have to do is make one correct selection and you will be a winner.
Parlays
Parlay bets are very popular amongst social gamblers. These are bets made on multiple outcomes of sporting events that pay advanced odds with the addition of more multiples. However, if you get any one of the choices wrong, your entire bet is a loser. These bets can pay off handsomely but can cause an awful lot of stress if you are down to the last leg and could possibly lose the whole thing. Parlay bets are legal in many states under the lottery rules, but with worse payout odds than at a traditional sportsbook.
Teasers
Teasers are similar in nature to parlays in that they are also multiple-based bets. However, teasers are reserved for basketball and football as they allow you to bet an adjusted point spread. For example, if you are making a 3 team, 6 point football teaser, you can improve the spreads of any three games by 6 points in either direction to make the bet more appealing. The payout on these bets is closer to 1:1 but the odds of winning are vastly improved (in theory, anyway).
Futures
West Virginia sports fans may want to make bets at the beginning of a season on their local favorite teams taking it all, then a future bet is the one for you! You can make wagers on who will win championships in all kinds of sports either before a season starts or as a season is underway.
Props
Proposition bets are bets that are made on specific activities or components of a game or sport, not the actual winner of a game. For example, you could make a bet on the total number of games an NBA team is going to win during a season, or how many touchdowns Tom Brady is going to throw in a game. There are literally hundreds of prop betting options and the best online sports betting sites will offer as many of them as possible to gamblers.
Live Betting
Recently, betting on games while the game is underway has become very popular. Sportsbooks are now moving lines for the outcome of the game as the game proceeds, which gives you a chance to use your knowledge and experience to make smart bets on teams coming back after being down, or putting the hammer down when getting up in a game. You can expect Live Betting to be more popular as the years go by in the legal sports betting landscape in West Virginia.
Payments to and from online sports betting sites in Delaware
With no legal online sports betting sites currently available in West Virginia, we aren’t sure exactly what payment methods will be available in the state. However, using the other legal online sports betting states as a guideline, we can predict that many of these will be available when and if sites will be approved for use in West Virginia.
- Debit Cards
- Credit Cards
- PayPal
- Wire Transfer
- ACH (E-Check)
- Prepaid Cards
- Skrill
- Neteller
Delaware Sports Betting FAQ
Are offshore betting sites illegal in Delaware?
Today, many offshore-based sportsbooks are available for bettors in Delaware. While there technically are no laws stopping these sites from operating from a foreign country nor for you to play at these sites, we do not recommend them. One issue about having no legal online sports betting options in Delaware is that sites like these offshore ones are very tempting to bettors. However, the risk associated with having an offshore account is one that we think is too high to take. Stay patient and one day online betting will be available in your state.
Are there any sports I can’t bet on in Delaware?
There are currently no restrictions on sports or teams that you can bet on in Delaware. The decision of what sports and leagues to offer is left to the discretion of each operator, however, so if you are looking to make a bet on more of a fringe sport or league, you should call ahead and check with the sportsbook to ensure you aren’t disappointed when you arrive to place your wagers.
When will online sports betting be legal in Delaware??
We wish we had a crystal ball that could tell us when exactly the laws will be amended. One thing we know for sure – Delaware government representatives have to be reading about the windfall that online sports betting is giving to surrounding states, and if they are smart they will introduce changes to current legislation soon into 2020 so that they too can reap the benefits of allowing players to bet on their favorite sports from anywhere in the state.