A small state in the Northeast United States, New Hampshire is best known for its lack of state sales and income taxes. However, in 2019 it also became known as one of the first states to adopt online sports betting legislation. The details of that legislation, along with the sports betting options for players in the state, are outlined on this page.
A brief history of legalized sports betting in the state
When the U.S. Supreme Court decided in May 2018 to allow states to legislate sports betting, there was an initial rush to pass legislation, specifically on the East Coast. States like New Jersey and Pennsylvania had already passed laws and simply needed to write the regulations, while in New York, language had been added to a land-based casino bill a few years earlier. This initial push continued into 2019, which saw the number of states adopting legislation rise to 20.
Included in the 2019 list is New Hampshire, although it wasn’t nearly as easy a road as one might have expected from a small state. Governor Chris Sununu, a huge proponent of legalizing sports betting (and apparently a huge New England Patriots fan), signed a bill into law in July 2019, giving the state lottery the reins to manage all sports betting activities. A search for the perfect vendor for both online and retail (kiosk) betting began and took months to complete.
At the end of the open evaluation process that saw 13 different proposals, DFS giant Draft Kings was selected to be the sole provider of retail kiosk and online sports betting in the state. The exclusivity of the agreement came in large part thanks to an aggressive deal that sees the Boston-based operator hand over 51% of its revenues to the state. Many competitors complained that they were shut out of licensing. There is an option for the state to re-open the licensing process to add more operators into the state, but if it chooses to do so, the tax rate for Draft Kings is reduced to 21%.
As part of the law that passed in New Hampshire, the minimum age to make a sports wager is 18 years old. Also, from a retail perspective, each county is allowed to hold a referendum vote to determine if they approve having retail betting kiosks in lottery retailers.
Where you can make online sports bets in New Hampshire
Well, there is only one option for players who want to bet on sports online in New Hampshire, but it is a very good one. Draft Kings are one of the market leaders in the online sports betting world, and they have won the contract to be the sole operator of online betting in the state. The site has an excellent mobile app, and you can register your account, deposit, and play from anywhere inside the state. Draft Kings officially launched their New Hampshire sports betting solution on December 30th, 2019, with their mobile app. Retail kiosks are planned for a 2020 launch.
As for what you can bet on in New Hampshire, the only current restriction is betting on any of the local in-state college teams. Several states have adopted this position, while others have opened the door to betting on all teams. It is difficult to say at this stage which is better for the operators, but if you are someone who is looking to bet on your favorite college team in New Hampshire, you are dependent on offshore sportsbooks to find your lines.
It is entirely possible that other licenses will be awarded in the future, but for now, New Hampshire residents should be happy that they are now part of the legalized online sports betting landscape.
Sportsbook Bonuses – How do they work?
Sportsbooks often give players many different incentives to register, deposit, and play at their site. Even though there is currently only one online sports betting site open to residents of New Hampshire, there are still several offers that can be taken advantage of by players. Here is an overview of the typical bonuses you will find.
Free Bet: This is an offer that is usually given to a player just for creating an account at an online sportsbook. Customer information is precious to a site, so offering a free bet is well worth it for an operator. These bets typically have restrictions on them regarding what type of odds you have to select, but they are still a worthy reward for merely giving a company your information.
Odds Boost: An odds boost is when a site decides to promote an event by altering the odds from the standard line being posted at other books. These are usually reserved for local games, to attract more regional gamblers. For example, if the New England Patriots are a +120 to win an NFL game, a site may offer an odds boost to +150 to give you more money if you win the bet.
Deposit Bonuses: These bonuses are designed to reward players who make deposits into their account. They can either be specific to a deposit (limited time, first deposit, etc.) or be an ongoing bonus. When the deposit is made, bonus dollars are added into an account. These bonus dollars can be wagered just like real money, but they cannot be cashed out until minimum betting parameters are met.
Payments to and from online sports betting sites in New Hampshire
Again, Draft Kings is well versed in online sports betting in a legal environment in the United States, having been licensed already in multiple states. This means that players in New Hampshire can reap the benefits of all the hard work done by the company to integrate payment solutions. These include:
- Credit cards (not all banks accept gambling transactions as an FYI)
- Debit Cards
- PayPal
- Skrill
- E-Check (ACH)
- Wire Transfer
FAQ
Are offshore betting sites illegal in New Hampshire?
The definition of legality for online sportsbooks that are based outside the United States has always been an issue. While the Wire Act forbids betting activity over a wire, trying to prosecute companies based outside the country is very difficult. As a result, there are many online sports betting sites accepting players from New Hampshire that are not regulated by the state, making them a much riskier option for players. We do not recommend you use these sites for betting when Draft Kings is an excellent choice already available.
Can I use Bitcoin to make my bets in New Hampshire?
That would be a hard no. The wild swings in the value of the deregulated cryptocurrency makes it too much of a gamble for many to consider as an investment, let alone for someone to accept it as a payment method. The online gambling industry adopted cryptocurrency as a form of payment back in the early 2010s, but that was more out of necessity than anything. No legal online gambling operation in the U.S. has allowed Bitcoin to be used at its site, and it is unlikely to be offered anytime soon.
Will there ever be another choice aside from Draft Kings?
If the state decides that the revenues coming from Draft Kings are too low, or if they feel competition will be good for the market as a whole, then we could see an expansion of the sports betting laws to allow for additional licensees. However, at this time, especially when paying 51% of the revenues to the state in tax, we expect Draft Kings to fight that possibility every step of the way.
Can I bet from my mobile device in New Hampshire?
Yes, you can. There are some bets that you can make at lottery retailers, but these are lottery-style bets like parlays. The only other way to make bets in the state is online, and the Draft Kings app allows you to create an account and make wagers from anywhere inside the state borders.
What is the fastest way to get my withdrawal processed?
Typically, payments made to e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller can be made very quickly. What matters is how long it takes to get the money from those accounts to your bank. We suggest you get physical cards from any e-wallet vendor you can so you can use it to shop or at the ATM, saving the lag time of moving it all back to your bank account.