Mobile sports betting sites are now accepting action in Massachusetts, as the first wave of online wagering began Friday morning in the Bay State.
After months of work and waiting, the mobile component of Massachusetts sports betting began at around 10 a.m. today, the earliest possible launch time for online sportsbook operators.
For example, Caesars Sportsbook said their first official mobile bet taken was a $15 wager on Alabama A&M to defeat Texas Southern in the SWAC men's college basketball tournament. The odds for the moneyline wager were +130.
Six mobile bookmakers are now eligible to take bets in the Bay State:
The six online sportsbook operators that are now live in Massachusetts received operations certificates from the state gaming commission on Thursday, which paved the way for their legal debuts in the commonwealth Friday morning. While other bookmakers will join the market over the coming weeks, Bay State bettors at least have a handful of sites to choose from in the interim.
There are sign-up bonuses for players to take advantage of in the early days of mobile wagering. Here are some of the Massachusetts sportsbook promos.
Moreover, the first operators that have launched in Massachusetts include the Big Three of online sports betting in the U.S. BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel are consistently near the top of the wagering tables in other states with legal sports betting, and all three are now able to accept action in the Bay State.
Today Commissioners at the #MGC awarded operations certificates to six Category 3 sports wagering operators, each of which will begin operations in the Commonwealth on March 10.
— MA Gaming Commission (@MassGamingComm) March 9, 2023
Those operators are Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, & WynnBET. pic.twitter.com/1frqBEG7ZL
There are also some local angles to consider. DraftKings was founded in Massachusetts and is a Boston-based company. The Barstool brand can trace its roots to Massachusetts as well, as Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy hails from the state.
While a smaller player in other states, WynnBET could have an edge in Massachusetts. Legal sports betting officially began in the state on January 31 at three casinos, including the WynnBET-branded sportsbook at Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor.
Bettors must be 21 or older to wager on sports in Massachusetts. Bookmakers can offer markets on a wide variety of games and leagues as well, with the only main restrictions being a ban on college player props and betting on the state's college teams unless they are in a tournament.
And here come the partnerships
Operators have been busy lining up high-profile partnerships to boost awareness among Massachusetts bettors.
For instance, FanDuel announced Friday morning that it had struck a new multi-year alliance with the NHL's Boston Bruins.
"Massachusetts is home to some of the most passionate fan bases across the country and we're excited to enhance their viewing experience with the launch of the FanDuel Sportsbook app," said Mike Raffensperger, FanDuel Group's chief commercial officer, in a press release. "Bruins fans are the true embodiment of that passion and we look forward to supporting the team this season and beyond."
