New York Sports Betting – When Will NY Mobile Sportsbook Apps Launch?

Late on April 6, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo and state legislators reached an agreement on mobile sports betting for the fiscal year 2022 budget. Although the negotiated terms are complicated and seem to raise more questions than answers, mobile betting is one step closer in New York, with apps launching as early as the end of the year. 

New York Betting Options

As of May 2021, New York online sports betting is not yet available  – we expect online sportsbook apps to launch before super bowl 2022. However, there are a variety of New York sportsbook locations throughout Upstate NY. These are retail sportsbooks where bets can be placed in person.

New York’s retail sportsbooks will offer a wide range of wagers on all major sports throughout 2021 and beyond. The southernmost location is Resorts World Catskills; the northernmost is Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort near the Canadian border. But most are spread across Upstate from Albany to Buffalo.

There are two major restrictions that New York bettors should be aware of. Sports bettors are unable to wager on in-state college schools, and mobile sports betting is not currently available. State legislators and Gov. Cuomo reached an agreement to move forward on launching mobile apps, but it will take time for the apps to be approved and launched. We have you covered with live updates in the section below, so you always have the latest info. 

For now, bettors in New York can place online bets by crossing the border to make mobile bets in New Jersey. 

How To Place A Bet In New York Today

Retail Sportsbooks in New York

If you want to bet on sports while inside the state of New York, you’ll have to visit a retail sportsbook and bet in person. Some of these sportsbooks, such as Sportsbook 360 at Resorts World Catskills, allow you to view the bets online before you visit. All will take phone calls inquiring about the lines they’re offering.

Unfortunately, New York City does not have any retail sportsbooks despite having land-based casinos. The closest in-state option is Resorts World Catskills in Monticello (90 miles from Manhattan). You can find the full list of New York retail sportsbooks.

Online Sportsbooks In New Jersey Or Pennsylvania

Some New Yorkers may find it easier to simply cross the border into New Jersey or Pennsylvania to bet online. As long as you’re at least 21 and physically located within state lines, you can wager at any of the legally licensed online sportsbooks in those states.

Our favorite NJ & Pennsylvania Sportsbooks for New York residents:

• BetMGM Sportsbook
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• William Hill Sportsbook

New York Retail Sportsbook Locations

Online Sportsbooks In New York: What We Can Expect

New York sports bettors can expect legal online betting in time for Super Bowl 2022. But it will be a state-run model rather than a competitive casino model, a less competitive market that could mean fewer options and less competitive odds.

It’s official: New York State lawmakers are going with a lottery-style model for online sports betting. Although not actually run by the lottery, this state-run model is similar to other states with limited sports betting options. Thankfully, that may not mean the state will go the path of Oregon or Washington, DC, which launched standalone state-run sportsbooks with highly uncompetitive odds.

The likely landscape of online sports betting in New York will be as follows:

• Two licensed sports betting platforms
• In total, a minimum of 4 skins, or sportsbooks, will be launched statewide
• Revenue share with the state would range between 12% and over 50%

For example, in New Hampshire, the lottery partnered with DraftKings to offer a single sportsbook provider. The state receives 51% of the revenue while DraftKings keeps 49%.

The model adopted in NY is thanks to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s push for the lottery model, stating that the goal is to make money for the state, not online sportsbooks. 

But in New Hampshire, sports bettors get the same DraftKings Sportsbook odds that you’d find anywhere else. If New York partners with a huge sportsbook brand like DraftKings, FanDuel, or both, it could be a fairly bettor-friendly market, certainly more so than it is now.

At the same time, less competition means you can’t shop around for the best odds and promotions like you can in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

For example, PointsBet Sportsbook offers to beat any odds listed at competing sportsbooks, and BetRivers Sportsbook offers the best welcome bonus in the industry. Both could easily be cut out of the limited New York market.

On the bright side, it looks like New York won’t launch a standalone state-run online sportsbook like in Washington, DC, and Oregon. With those apps listing double the vig (for example, -120 instead of -110 for points spread bets), the market would be wildly unappealing to serious New York bettors.

Four sports betting brands with the online infrastructure to partner with the New York Gaming Commission already have retail sportsbooks in the state. These include:

• BetRivers
• William Hill (Caesars Sports)
• DraftKings
• FanDuel New York

Because these sportsbooks have an existing presence in the state, they’re the most likely names to apply to enter the market. But with a minimum of four potential skins in the game, New York sports bettors could also have access to:

• BetMGM
• FOX Bet
• PointsBet
• Barstool Sports
• TwinSpires
• Golden Nugget

All of these online sportsbooks are available in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which makes it likely that they’ll apply for a license in New York State as well.

New York Sports Betting Revenue

In November 2020, sportsbooks across New York State generated $2,619,676 in revenue, which translated to $261,968 in state taxes. That’s incredibly low compared to the sports betting revenue in New Jersey ($931,620,415) and Pennsylvania ($491,910,713) in the same month.

The discrepancies are due to two main factors: those states offer online sportsbooks, and New York City does not have any in-state retail sportsbooks.

However, if New York State legalizes online sports betting, the state could see sportsbook revenue reach $3 billion by the end of 2021. According to State Budget Director Robert Mujica, legal mobile sports betting would increase tax revenue from $50 million to more than $500 million per year.

How New York Compares To Other States

New York Versus Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of just a few states that legalized all forms of online gambling: sports betting, casino games, and poker sites. All sites are also commercial companies under a casino model regulator, which means the sports betting odds are extremely competitive.

New York, on the other hand, will not legalize online casino gaming or poker sites. It will also have a state-run model for sports betting, which means the odds at New York’s online sportsbooks may be worse than what’s offered at Pennsylvania’s online sportsbooks.

Here is a complete list of online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania that New York residents can use as long as they’re inside PA state lines:

• Barstool Sports
• BetFred
• TwinSpires
• BetMGM
• BetRivers
• Caesars Sports
• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• FOX Bet
• Parx
• SugarHouse
• Unibet

More will likely be added in 2021 as well, including 888 Sport.

New York Versus New Jersey

Like Pennsylvania, New Jersey also offers legal online sportsbooks, online casinos, and poker sites that operate under the casino model. New Jersey also boasts the highest sports betting revenue in the country, even more than Nevada.

Interestingly, 20% of New Jersey’s sports betting revenue comes from New York City sports bettors visiting the Garden State. If New York’s model means worse odds than what’s offered in New Jersey, New Yorkers may continue to make the trip in high numbers.

By visiting the state, New York bettors over 21 can join any of the following New Jersey online sportsbooks. However, you must be physically present in New Jersey to wager:

• 888 Sport
• Bet365
• TwinSpires
• BetMGM
• Borgata Sports
• BetRivers
• Caesars Sports
• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• FOX Bet
• Golden Nugget Sports
• Hard Rock Sportsbook
• PointsBet
• PokerStars Sports
• SugarHouse
• theScore
• Unibet
• William Hill
• WynnBET

Incredibly, the market is continuing to grow, and you can expect a few more in 2021, including Barstool Sportsbook.

New York Betting Successes And Failures

New York Sports Betting Success

New York’s sportsbooks were never expected to do as well as states with online sports betting options. While sportsbook revenue continued to rise throughout the end of 2020, a few million is nothing compared to the over $920 million generated monthly in New Jersey.

Now that New York is legalizing online sports betting by early 2022, it’s likely that in-state revenue will skyrocket from the retail-only numbers. But even with around 11 million more residents than New Jersey, it may not top its neighbor in revenue with an uncompetitive market.

But New York State may end up getting upwards of 50% of all in-state online sports betting revenue – while New Jersey taxes online sports betting revenue at 13%. Of that roughly $920 million per month the Garden State brings in, it gets about $118 million in taxes.

Even with mediocre odds, a legal online sportsbook in New York will likely generate at least that much or more. From Governor Cuomo’s perspective, that would be a success.

Where Could New York Improve Online Gambling

Sports bettors in New York, particularly those in NYC, are taking their wagers to New Jersey. It can take under ten minutes to get from certain parts of Manhattan via PATH or ferry, which is far easier than the two-hour drive up to Resorts World Catskills. 

Bottom line: New Yorkers are spending millions of dollars in more favorable sports betting markets. Some would reasonably consider that a massive legislative failure.

Both Iowa and Indiana launched online sports betting before Illinois. This meant Illinois had similar problems to New York, losing millions in tax revenue to neighboring states. Then, Illinois legalized a casino-style model online sports betting market, and it’s currently the fourth-largest sports betting market in the US.

New York had the opportunity to follow Illinois’ example. Instead, it will have a more limited sports betting market, which could still send most existing online sports bettors across state lines.

At the same time, many New York residents may be waiting for legalization. This untapped market could be willing to forgo less favorable odds to legally bet online in-state – and make up for all the bettors who will take their money elsewhere. 

Basically, and no matter what the revenue numbers show, New York’s online sports betting rollout may be a disappointment for serious sports bettors as well as sports betting operators.

Legalization Effort In New York

On May 14, 2018, the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA, a 1992 bill restricting most states from offering legal sports betting. New York could then pass a bill legalizing sports betting.

Before that even happened, New York Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee Chair John J. Bonacic sponsored a bill that would have established sports betting regulations ahead of the Supreme Court ruling. That bill was still active when he retired that same year, and State Senator Joe Addabbo took over sponsorship of the bill when he became the new Committee Chair.

Despite Senator Addabbo’s efforts, mobile sports betting was not part of the deal. Instead, only retail sportsbooks in Upstate New York casinos could offer legal sports betting. 

On July 16, 2019, Schenectady’s Rivers Casino accepted the first legal sports bets, and seven additional retail sportsbooks have opened since. All the while, Governor Andrew Cuomo remained adamantly opposed to legalized online sports betting.

Then the coronavirus happened. On top of a massive death toll, the state’s tax revenue dropped by more than $3 billion. To compensate for that, lawmakers proposed a budget proposal that legalized recreational marijuana use as well as online sports betting.

By early April 2021, an agreement had been reached between Cuomo and state lawmakers to bring mobile betting to New York. 

Timeline For New York Sports Betting

• December 21, 2018: Following the retirement of State Senator John J. Bonacic, Senate Bill S7900 found a new sponsor in State Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Queens), who took over as the New York Senate Racing, Gaming & Wagering Committee Chair.
• March 20, 2019: The New York State Gaming Commission released regulations regarding sports betting, triggering a 60-day comment period.
• June 10, 2019: The New York State Gaming Commission approved retail sportsbook licenses for four commercial casinos and all tribal casinos in the state. 
• July 16, 2019: Rivers Casino Schenectady opened the first legal sportsbook in New York State at its in-house Rivers Sportsbook. 
• September 4, 2019: By this day, six additional sportsbooks were open at commercial and tribal casinos across the state: Sportsbook 360 at Resorts World Catskills; DraftKings Sportsbook at del Lago Casino Resort; FanDuel Sportsbook at Tioga Downs; and three Caesars Sportsbook locations at Turning Stone, Point Place, and Yellow Brick Road.
• November 27, 2019: The new Akwesasne Mohawk Casino in Hogansburg by the Canadian border accepted their first sports bet at the in-house PlaySports Sportsbook by IGT. New Yorkers now have seven options across every corner of Upstate.
• January 6, 2021: Governor Andrew Cuomo, a major opponent of online sports betting in New York, announced that the state will finally legalize it in 2021. 
• March 31, 2021: Lawmakers negotiated the 2021 New York budget up until the April 1, 2021 “deadline.” There were signs of negotiation late on March 31, of a hybrid state-lottery-run and commercial model, so the hope was still alive.
• April 2, 2021: The April 1 budget “deadline” came and went, and the budget remained incomplete. Gov. Cuomo stuck to his goal of wanting a lottery-run model but looked willing to negotiate and allow a handful of casino-operated sports betting skins.
• April 5, 2021: Cuomo intimated that negotiations were promising with state lawmakers as he continued to press for a state-run model without using casinos as middlemen.
• April 6, 2021: Cuomo and New York legislators reached a tentative agreement that would authorize a state-run model with 2 operators and a minimum of 4 sports betting skins. A revenue share agreement could also mean the state receives 50% of online sports betting revenue. Operators must respond to a request for a proposal before July 1, 2021. The NY Gaming Commission will select the 2 operators within 150 days.

New York Teams

Professional Sports Teams

New York sportsbooks can offer any sort of bet on major league sports, including wagers on all New York teams. And New York boasts some of the best teams in the world. New York is also home to the largest number of professional teams of any region in the US. 

NFL Teams In NY

The NFL inspires more sports bets than any other league in the US, and Super Bowl betting in New York is the busiest time of year at the sportsbooks.

The state’s three NFL teams are the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and New York Jets. 

While the Giants and the Jets play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, both are New York teams. If you attend a game, you can bet on your mobile device on New Jersey’s legal sports betting apps.

NY MLB Teams

New Yorkers bet millions every year on the Yankees and the Mets, a legendary crosstown rivalry. And their enormous fandoms span far beyond the boroughs in which they play. New York bettors can bet on these teams as well as all MLB teams in the US. 

NBA Teams In New York

The New York Knicks is an organization best known for having championship teams that never win a championship. And like the Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets haven’t won a Championship since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976. But New York bettors don’t shy away from betting on the underdog, especially if it’s an in-state team.

New York NHL Teams

The Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers represent the State of New York in the NHL. While the Stanley Cup has evaded all of them for close to thirty years, the NHL remains one of the most popular sports for New York betting.

MLS Teams In New York

New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls are two teams that continue to grow in popularity – along with betting on MLS games. On top of international leagues and the World Cup, soccer fans always have a lot of betting opportunities at in-state sportsbooks.

College Sports Teams

While you can bet on college sports in New York, in-state schools are strictly off-limits. That means you can’t bet on Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, Army, or St. Johns at New York sportsbooks.

A popular workaround is to visit Pennsylvania or New Jersey to bet on New York colleges. In Pennsylvania, you can also bet on their in-state college teams. But in New Jersey, you can’t bet on a game that involves a New Jersey college, or any college game played in the state.

New York’s restriction on in-state colleges won’t change if the state legalizes online sports betting. On top of New Jersey, Illinois also prohibits sports betting on in-state schools and games. But most states do not, including Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.

Thankfully, sportsbooks across the state offer free-to-play March Madness bracket tournaments and other promotions surrounding sporting events involving in-state teams. So even if you can’t bet on Syracuse, you can still watch them play while betting on other games.

Other Sports To Bet On In New York

New York boasts world-renowned golf courses that often hold PGA Tour events. As recently as September 14, 2020, the Winged Foot Golf Club in Westchester County hosted the U.S. Open Championship. Turning Stone Casino also offers both a sportsbook and golf course that hosts PGA events, all on the same Verona property.

Another New York favorite is betting on NASCAR and other auto-racing events. Watkins Glen International hosts these events in every professional auto-racing sector, including the NASCAR Cup Series. 

Interestingly for sports bettors, Watkins Glen is one of only two NASCAR tracks where they race clockwise. Everywhere else, it’s counterclockwise, adding an additional variable to an already exciting and unpredictable sport.

And at all US sportsbooks, including those in New York, international soccer is one of the most popular choices for bettors. Outside of the major leagues and college football and basketball, the English Premier League and other European divisions attract a large number of in-state wagers.

New York Sports Betting FAQs

More Resources On New York Sports Betting

• The NYS Gaming Commission website, with resources on rules and regulations, revenue reports, voluntary self-exclusion, and more
• Sports Betting Rules as enforced by the NYS Gaming Commission
• New York Sports on ESPN has the latest coverage on both college and professional sports in the state
• The New York Times Sports section covers both local teams as well as national professional and college sports
• CNY Sports News courtesy of Syracuse.com
• Buffalo News Sports section covers athletics in Western New York
• Times Union Sports has the latest college and high school sports news in Albany and the Capital Region