Ontario sports betting is legal, with 29 licensed sportsbooks operating in 2024. Online sports betting was launched in Ontario in April 2022 following the passage of Bill C-218.
Bettors across the province have as many choices as any consumers in North America. Many top-rated sportsbook apps are open for business in the Loyalist province. You’ll find BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel, and BetRivers, to name a few.
This guide is a comprehensive resource on everything related to Ontario sports betting. We review and rank ON sports betting apps, provide a timeline of Ontario sports betting legalization, and identify the wagering options available to sports fans in this region.
Best Ontario Sports Betting Apps
With legal sports betting in Ontario, fans have a wide range of top sports betting apps available for wagering on hockey, football, basketball, and other popular sports in Canada.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you place a bet at a sportsbook through one of our links.
BetRivers Sportsbook Ontario
Best for In-Game Live Betting
- BetRivers Ontario Highlights: BetRivers Sportsbook is popular in Canada for its live betting options. Unlike other notable betting apps, BetRivers requires users to download location-specific sportsbook apps. Despite this, BetRivers is still a very popular sportsbook for Ontario bettors. It offers competitive lines and a terrific in-game betting experience.
- BetRivers Is Best For: Those wanting the best live betting options, odds boosts, and competitive lines.
BetMGM Sportsbook Ontario
Best for New Bettors
- BetMGM Ontario Highlights: BetMGM Sportsbook is live in Canada. BetMGM is not as widely available as DraftKings is in the US, but its mobile app is as user-friendly and competitive. Ontario bettors will want to check out this app for its variety of sports offerings. Bettors who use the BetMGM Sportsbook app can also earn MGM rewards.
- BetMGM Is Best For: Ontario bettors seeking stability, solid lines, a near-perfect app, and an elite sportsbook rewards program should consider BetMGM. It also offers terrific parlay options and regular promotions to all types of bettors.
DraftKings Sportsbook Ontario
Best for Ongoing Promotions
- DraftKings Ontario Highlights: DraftKings Sportsbook is one of the best apps in Canada and most regions where betting is legal. Ontario bettors can expect great market depth, competitive lines, and an easy-to-use betting app.
- DraftKings Is Best For: New users will love the simplicity of the DraftKings app. It’s fast, reliable, comprehensive, and offers terrific promos to existing users.
bet365 Sportsbook Ontario
Best for Market Depth
- bet365 Ontario Highlights: UK-based bet365 Sportsbook is live in Ontario, Canada. Bettors in the province can expect a user-friendly app that offers competitive odds on all the sports they could want — everything from major league sports to cricket, darts, Korean baseball, and everything in between.
- Bet365 Is Best For: Few sportsbook apps offer as many opportunities as bet365 to bet on anything you can imagine. Its deep array of betting markets allows you to play the most niche sports.
Sports Interaction Sportsbook Ontario
Best for Fans of the Legacy Brand
- Sports Interaction Ontario Highlights: Sports Interaction offers users thousands of betting options on all their favorite sports, making it a truly unique experience. Known as “Canada’s Sportsbook,” it offers a deep array of bet types and sports offerings.
- Sports Interaction is Best For: Sports Interaction is a great option for NHL bettors and fans of the legacy brand.
Latest Ontario Sports Betting Updates
How To Bet on Sports in Ontario
No worries if you are brand new to Ontario’s mobile sports betting scene. After all, everyone was a beginner once. Follow these steps if you’re still learning how to bet.
Choose a Legal Ontario Sportsbook
There are a few things that set sportsbooks apart from each other. Some have different odds trends, and each has a unique welcome offer. Others still are better for casual bettors and high-rollers. Bettors should do their research when they’re deciding which sportsbooks to create accounts with. Gaming Today has a list of the fastest payout betting sites.
Create Your Account
The registration button will either be in the middle of the welcome page or the top-right corner of the screen. Bettors have to fill out three sections of personal information. Some sportsbooks require bettors to upload a government-issued ID and a utility bill, but that’s uncommon.
Make sure to claim the top-rated sportsbook bonuses as well.
Make a Deposit
After creating an account, you can visit the Cashier hub, which is often located within the Account section. Simply select the deposit option and the amount you would like to deposit.
Verify Your Location
Most sportsbooks do this automatically. However, some ON betting platforms ask bettors to choose their state or province when they open the app.
Place Your Wager
Select your betting market of choice, enter a wager amount, and add it to your betslip. Every sportsbook’s betslip will track bets as they play out. In some cases, you can cash out early and receive a partial payout if your wager is looking like a winner.
Types of Bets at Ontario Sportsbooks
You can wager on most major sports in Ontario. However, the province does have some restrictions on which events are permitted.
A sports betting operator can take wagers on an event if:
- The outcome of the event can be documented and verified;
- The outcome of the event can be generated by a reliable and independent process;
- The outcome of the event being is not affected by any bet placed;
- The majority of participants in the event or league are at least 18 years of age;
- The event is supervised by a governing body which must, at minimum, prescribe final rules and enforce codes of conduct that include prohibitions on betting by insiders;
- There are integrity safeguards in place to mitigate the risk of match-fixing, cheat-at-play, and other illicit activity that might influence the outcome;
- The bet is not on a past event for which the outcome is already known;
- The bet is not reasonably objectionable;
- The event being bet on does not involve animal fighting or cruelty.
Prohibited Bets in Ontario
- Bets which expose players to losses greater than the amount wagered are prohibited;
- Bets which mimic the structure of financial instruments, products, or markets are prohibited;
- Bets on synthetic lottery products and bets on lottery outcomes are prohibited;
- The event being bet on is conducted in conformity with all applicable laws;
- Bets on minor league sports in Canada, including the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), are prohibited.
Sports To Bet on in Ontario
With legal sports betting in Ontario, professional teams build the foundation of Ontario’s sportsbooks. The leagues they play in have clear rules, which make it easy to build fair bets. It eliminates controversy arising from offering betting lines with unclear rules.
Several professional Canadian teams are part of American sports leagues. The NFL is one of the few professional North American sports leagues that doesn’t feature a Canadian team. Canadian football has its own league, the CFL, which has slightly different rules than American football.
| 🏆 Ontario Sports Team | League |
|---|---|
| 🏀 Toronto Raptors | NBA |
| 🏒 Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL |
| 🏒 Ottawa Senators | NHL |
| ⚾️ Toronto Blue Jays | MLB |
MLB Betting in Ontario
Americans may recognize the Toronto Blue Jays from Major League Baseball odds. The Blue Jays joined MLB in 1977. They enjoyed their best success during the 1990s, including winning the World Series in 1992 and 1993.
NBA Betting in Ontario
The Toronto Raptors were an NBA expansion team and are popular with Ontario bettors in NBA betting odds. Since joining the league in 1995, the Raptors have won one NBA championship (2019).
The Raptors are the only Canadian-based team in the NBA.
NHL Betting in Ontario
Ontario sports teams are at their most competitive in the NHL odds. Hockey is a religion in Canada, and each of Ontario’s hockey teams enjoys a large and passionate fanbase.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cup titles. They last hoisted the Cup in 1967.
- The Ottawa Senators have made several playoff appearances. In 2003, the team won the Presidents’ Trophy by having the best record in the NHL. In 2007, the Senators lost in what has been their only appearance in a Stanley Cup final to date.
College Sports Betting in Ontario
College sports in Ontario don’t have the same draw as in the United States. The United States has built collegiate athletics into a massive business. Canada hasn’t done that with its universities.
The U Sports ethics guide for college athletes doesn’t prohibit sports betting. However, it probably doesn’t want its athletes betting on themselves any more than the United States does. So, we can expect to see an update at some point in the future.
Few rivalries can match the one between Western University and Queens University. It is one of the oldest in Canadian sports.
The most unique Canadian college rivalry is among three schools: the University of Toronto, York University, and Ryerson University. All three schools are located in Toronto, making it easy for the rivalry to be stoked frequently.
Other Sports To Bet on in Ontario
Professional leagues and college sports aren’t the only betting options Ontario residents have. Other sports often escape the public eye. Cricket is becoming more popular in Ontario, so bettors can see cricket lines on sportsbooks. Sports like badminton could also be available, especially if there’s an established league.
However, sportsbooks know how to offer fair betting lines on established esports leagues. Games like Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Dota 2 aren’t hard to handle. Expect esports betting to be a popular niche sport for bettors.
Horse Racing in Ontario
Ontario is home to live Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing.
Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto boasts one of North America’s most beautiful turf courses and features an all-weather main track. The track hosts the Woodbine Mile (G1), which regularly features some of the top turf horses around the globe, and the King’s Plate, the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown and North America’s longest continuously run stakes race.
Woodbine Mohawk Park is the top harness racing venue in Toronto. It counts the North American Cup and Canadian Pacing Derby among its top races.
Canadian residents have some options when it comes to the best horse betting apps. They can bet on horse racing online through HPIbet, which allows wagering on 450 racetracks in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing from North America, Europe, South Africa, Dubai, Japan, and Australia.
Horse racing was exempt from Bill C-218 and is not covered by the AGCO’s regulation of sport and event betting.
Ontario Sports Betting: Quick Facts
| ℹ️ Ontario Sports Betting | ✔ Available |
| 💰Types of Sports Betting Available | ✔📱 Online ✔ 🏙 Retail |
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 14.9 million |
| ⚖️ Legal Gambling Age | 19 |
| 🏫 College Sports? | ✔ Available |
| ℹ️ Regulator | Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) |
| 🏇🏻Online Horse Racing? | ✔ Available |
| 💲Tax Rates | 20% |
Ontario Sports Betting Laws
C-218, the Canada sports betting bill, passed all three readings in the Senate and became law in June 2021. This seismic shift brought single-event sports wagering to Canada, opening up the industry like never before. Ontario became the first province to launch its regulated sports betting program on April 4, 2022.
Before the launch, sports betting was only available in Ontario through the provincial lottery app and gray market operators.
Due to the booming sports betting industry in the United States, Canadian political parties were motivated to grow their own sports betting industry.
In many ways, Ontario has led the way for Canadian sports betting. That’s because their lawmakers have been progressive in pushing for legislation and regulatory oversight of an industry that their citizens clamored for.
As a result, Ontario reaps the benefits of tax revenue from sports betting. Every year, sportsbook operators pay the province tens of millions. Ontario even offers a state-run sports betting site and mobile app.
Who Regulates Ontario Sports Betting?
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates both sports and sports betting. Companies that want to offer sports betting in Ontario must be registered with the AGCO and be conducted and managed by either iGaming Ontario (iGO) or the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
Ontario Sports Betting Tax Rate: Licensed sportsbooks in Ontario face a 20% tax rate as provincial operators. The good news for Ontario sports bettors is they don’t have to pay taxes on their winnings, only on any interest accrued on them during the year.
Ontario Sports Betting Legalization Timeline
With great fanfare, Ontario launches its legal sports betting market, with online sportsbooks debuting.
Canadian lawmakers pass bill C-218, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act, which makes single-event sports wagering legal in Canada.
According to the CBC, Canadian citizens are betting $14 billion annually with illegal sportsbooks, primarily because laws forbid wagering on a single sporting event. As a result, most CA bettors place parlay-style wagers.
Faced with the fact that many states in the US are legalizing online sports betting and attracting Canadians to cross the border to place bets, many Canadian lawmakers argue for the expansion of sports betting in their country. Federal Justice Minister David Lametti even introduces a bill to make it happen, but a vote is not taken.
Canada makes it legal to bet on sports nationwide. However, lawmakers prohibit betting on single-sporting events. That effectively cuts the market at its knees. A year later, the only sportsbook shuts down.
Ontario Sports Betting Revenue and Handle
Efforts to allow single-event sports betting stretch back a decade. They began in 2011 when Joe Comartin introduced Bill C-290, which would’ve allowed single-event sports betting. It failed in 2011 and again in 2015 when it died in a Senate committee after being carried over from the previous session. It took a renewed effort to introduce and pass Bill C-218. However, the bill received royal assent on June 29, 2021, 10 years after the original push to legalize sports betting. The Senate has approved Bill C-218 by a vote of 57-20.
Ontario wasted little time taking advantage of Bill C-218’s passage. On July 6, 2021, Ontario created iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. It is in charge of regulating sports betting and rules and regulations.
In January 2022, Ontario announced anyone physically located in Ontario would be able to participate in legal sports betting that April.
You must be 19 years or older to wager on sports in Ontario.
Ontario Sports Betting Revenue
According to a report posted by iGaming Ontario in July 2024, total online wagers of $18.4 billion were reported for Q1 of 2024, from April 1 to June 30, 2024. That figure represents a 3.4% increase over last quarter and a 31% increase over Q1 of last year.
“With 50 regulated Operators and a one-third increase in wagering and revenue figures over the first quarter of last year, Ontarians who choose to gamble are finding many enjoyable options in our open regulated igaming market,” said Martha Otton, Executive Director of iGaming Ontario, in a release.
Ontario is one of Canada’s largest sports betting markets. It’s reached 40-45% of Canada’s sports betting market, making it a critical province for sportsbooks to gain traction. Canada’s sports betting revenue is expected to balloon from $500 million to $28 billion annually.
Full List of Ontario Sports Betting Apps
| 📱Ontario Sportsbook | 📱Ontario Sportsbook |
|---|---|
| 888 Sport | Fitzdares |
| Bally Bet (Temporarily Offline) | LeoVegas |
| Bet365 | Neo.bet |
| Bet99 | NorthStar Bets |
| Betano | Partysports |
| BetMGM Sportsbook | Pinnacle |
| BetRivers Sportsbook | Play Fallsview |
| Betsafe | PointsBet |
| BetVictor | PokerStars Sports |
| Betway | PowerPlay |
| Bwin | ProLine+ |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Rivalry |
| Casumo | Sports Interaction |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | TheScore Bet |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | TonyBet |
Review of Best Ontario Sports Betting Apps
Certain sports betting apps in Canada have a strong presence in Ontario. First, theScore Bet. It’s a Canadian company that began in sports television in the 1990s. In the wake of Canadian sports betting reform, it returns to its roots in Ontario. Since being legalized, they’ve moved aggressively to capture as much of the market as possible.
Rush Street Interactive, the owner of BetRivers, has found success, especially with newer sports bettors as an online casino and sportsbook app under the BetRivers brand in Ontario. They offer a strong user experience, a comprehensive betting menu, and support multiple deposits and withdrawal methods.
DraftKings and FanDuel have also become formidable competitors quickly, but theScore will always have an advantage in Canada due to its brand familiarity. Still, DraftKings and FanDuel have brought smooth apps and a foundation of sports betting offerings that are tried and tested throughout North America in other legalized states. DraftKings also offers US presidential election odds in Ontario.
DraftKings and FanDuel competed across the United States after PASPA’s repeal. They’ve become the two largest sportsbook operators in the United States and also offer some of the best sportsbook bonuses.
PointsBet also launched in Ontario, and Caesars Sportsbook is another international sportsbook that has expanded to the Canadian province. Its reach extends from the United Kingdom to Las Vegas and beyond.
There are a few other brands that’ll probably trickle in over time. The new ESPN BET Sportsbook will also be worth watching.
What To Look for in Ontario Sports Betting Apps
Bettors in Ontario seek the best odds for sporting events in Canada, the United States, and worldwide. Odds markets are important when choosing the most useful sports betting apps in Ontario.
Our sportsbook experts have tested the sportsbooks and sports betting sites in Ontario. After reviewing the features and benefits, we arrived at our reviews shared in this Ontario sports betting guide.
The most important things to look for from your mobile sportsbook application in Ontario are:
Availability of Odds Markets
Be sure you have betting options for the NHL and CFL, but also popular sports in the US like the NFL, MLB, and NBA. If niche sports are your thing, search for lacrosse, European soccer, tennis, and more.
Live Betting Options
Betting on a game while it’s happening is the “killer app” feature of mobile sportsbooks. Bettors want to hold a “magic odds device” in their hand while watching the game, either on a smart TV, laptop, or even the same device.
Security and Safety of Your Information
You must be certain your personal information is not being shared or in danger of being stolen. Licensed sportsbooks are required by regulators to handle your data responsibly.
Ease of Withdrawals
How easy is it to withdraw your winnings? How long does it take? How many payment options are available? These are key questions.
Other Gambling Options in Ontario
| Online Casinos | Ontario residents must download an online casino app from OLG.ca to enjoy iGaming. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission essentially has a monopoly on the activity in its province. |
|---|---|
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Starting in 2024, Ontario gaming laws required DFS operators to limit their prize pools to players in Ontario. As a result, major DFS apps like DraftKings and FanDuel stopped offering their product. |
| Live Poker | You can play poker in Ontario at one of the poker rooms at Ontario casinos. |
| Lottery | The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission (OLG), regulates the lottery. Consumers can play several weekly draw lotto games, as well as purchase tickets for scratch-off games at state-licensed dealers. |
| Horse Racing | You can bet at the one of more thana dozen tracks in Ontario. The province also allows off-track betting. |
| Casinos | Ontario is home to more than 25 retail casinos, including in Niagara and Windsor. |
Where To Bet in Ontario: Retail Sportsbooks
Thirteen retail sportsbooks offer in-person sports wagering. They’re all located at casinos throughout the province.
Great Canadian Entertainment
Great Canadian Entertainment was the first casino operator in Canada to bring on-site sports betting to its casinos with the launch of Great Canadian Sportsbook.
Currently, four of the GCE-owned casinos host a sportsbook with dedicated lounges and multiple betting kiosks or windows. The Great Canadian Sportsbook lounges operated by Great Canadian Entertainment are:
- Great Blue Heron Casino
- Elements Casino Brantford
- Pickering Casino Resort
- Shorelines Casino Belleville
Six additional sportsbook kiosks operated by GCE include:
- Elements Casino Mohawk
- Elements Casino Grand River
- Elements Casino Flamboro
- Shorelines Casino Peterborough
- Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands
Caesars Sportsbook at Caesars Windsor
Caesars Sportsbook at Caesars Windsor is the largest retail sportsbook in Ontario. It features sports betting kiosks at the base of the Skybridge.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
In late 2022, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. launched sportsbook kiosks at two casinos located in Niagara Falls — one of Ontario’s tourism centers. Bettors can now place legal in-person wagers at Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino Resort.
How Ontario Sports Betting Compares to Nearby Provinces and the US
Since Ontario is the most populous Canadian province, it’s no surprise it’s a premier destination for Canadian sports betting.
Comparing Ontario to its sister provinces is tricky. Canadian governments are famously independent, so they pave their own path. Compared to the US, Canadian jurisdictions also have a more favorable view of direct government operation of some industries.
Quebec
Just like Ontario, when the Canadian central government passed Bill C-218 (the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act) in 2021, online sports betting as we know it became possible in this province.
Before C-218 was passed, Canada did not permit single-game wagering on sporting events. That meant consumers could not place a wager on the outcome of a Canadian Football League game between the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts, for example. Previously, odds were only offered for parlay bets and limited prop bets in Canada, including Quebec.
Quebec, as the largest province in total area, is a popular tourist destination and cradle of many important industries. It also now offers more than two dozen sports betting apps. Unfortunately, unlike in Ontario, the Quebec government has opposed the addition of commercial sports betting operators.
Unlike Ontario, Quebec does not offer popular commercial sportsbooks prominent in the US. The province does have many licensed sports betting apps, but they are all state-run. No private third-party sportsbooks are available for download in Quebec.
British Columbia
The British Columbia Lotto Organization offers this province’s only legal sports betting app, PlayNow. Consumers can download it from app stores and a website. Predictably, since it is the only sportsbook in BC, the odds are not competitive. This isn’t very reassuring for the third-most populous province in Canada.
US Sports Betting Compared to Ontario
Citizens from the United States who visit Ontario will find commercial online sportsbooks familiar to most of them. More than 30 states have legal online sports betting, and in most, you’ll see DraftKings, BetRivers, BetMGM, and other popular brands. Those sportsbooks are available in Ontario under essentially the same rules and offer the same odds.
Pros and Cons of Ontario Sports Betting
Pros
Choose from more than two dozen sportsbooks Select either a state-operated provincial sports betting app or a popular commercial operator Place wagers on single game sporting events for all major Canadian and US based professional leagues Place wagers on most college sports for Canadian or US schools Make wagers on parlays, player and game props, futures, moneyline, point spread, and more
Cons
Based on our reviews of ON sportsbooks, payouts can take longer in Canada and Ontario, compared to withdrawing winnings in the US
Ontario Responsible Gaming
The AGCO was charged with creating responsible gaming measures to help protect players and vulnerable people including youth and self-excluded players. There are resources to assist those who think they or someone they know is struggling with a gambling problem or addiction.
- The Responsible Gambling Council is located in Toronto. According to its website, the organization (the RGC) is “an independent non-profit organization dedicated to problem gambling prevention.”
- In 2022, the RGC commissioned a report in cooperation with Playtech. That Final Report on Responsible Gambling can be seen here.
- By law, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario requires all gaming operators to provide a mechanism for consumers to self-exclude. That means registered users of a sportsbook or iGaming app must have a self-exclusion method for either a short period or a longer time.
- The AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) has a website with resources for RG.
More Resources for Ontario Sports Bettors
- Bill C-218 – The landmark sports betting bill that permitted Canada’s provinces to establish independent and expanded sports betting rules.
- iGaming Ontario – Governs online gambling in Ontario, including online sports betting.
- U Sport Recruiting Regulations – List of rules college athletes must follow in Canada.
Ontario Sports Betting FAQ
Yes. iGaming Ontario was created for all internet gambling, and online ON sportsbooks fall under iGaming Ontario’s jurisdiction.
Nineteen (19) years of age. Canada’s provinces have different gambling ages. However, the only options are 18 or 19, and Ontario is one of the provinces that decided to set the gambling age older. The legal sports betting age almost always matches the casino gambling age. The casino gambling age is 19, so sports bettors have to be at least 19, too.
Licensed sportsbook apps in Ontario are safe. If they’ve been vetted by not only Ontario but also many American states, then bettors can rest assured that their sportsbooks are safe. The major sportsbook brands have had to earn market access repeatedly because of the United States sports betting rollout. They’re prepared to offer a robust product to Ontarians.
The short answer is yes. Betting apps not licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario haven’t been vetted and deemed safe. Bettors who instead choose to bet on apps that aren’t regulated risk not being paid on a win. Unlicensed or illegal betting apps offer no recourse.
Gaming Today recommends Ontario bettors only use licensed apps like the ones listed on this page.
Yes. Online sportsbook apps offer Apple and Android apps to users. That maximizes each sportsbook’s reach in an industry that depends on gathering enough bettors to make the income statement math work. Bettors can rest assured that iPhone apps will be available for the most popular sportsbook brands.
Yes, bettors in Ontario can download some of the top betting apps available. Ontario is home to many of the top sportsbooks.
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