Now that Vermont sports betting is live, bettors in the state might wonder: Are college sports included?
The short answer to anyone asking this question is “yes,” but there’s an unfortunate catch for Vermont college sports fans.
Vermont Sports Betting Includes College Sports for Out-of-State Schools
Vermont has followed in the footsteps of various other legal sports betting states concerning college betting, such as Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Illinois. The state’s sportsbooks (DraftKings and FanDuel are already live) can offer college sports markets so long as they don’t include an in-state school. This rule applies even if the Vermont team plays elsewhere, such as in an away game.
Even though Vermont has relatively few college teams, that’s still a big hit for betting hopefuls. The University of Vermont Catamounts will be absent from Vermont betting apps for the foreseeable future.
That’s the catch. But the catch has a catch, and this catch is good. If a Vermont college team is slated to play in a major national tournament, then bets will be allowed on the school. This includes the most prominent college sports tournament: NCAA March Madness.
While it’s still not great, there is at least one scenario in which Vermont bettors can bet on in-state teams.
Is Vermont’s College Betting Rule Permanent?
The Vermont in-state college betting rule is about as permanent as a law can be. In other words, the possibility of an amended rule exists but is unlikely for at least a few years.
New Jersey provides a good case study here. The state’s sports betting industry is one of the most saturated and mature markets in the US, and it still doesn’t allow bets on NJ schools. In 2022, BetMGM was slapped with a $25,000 fine for accepting $100 worth of bets on NJ colleges. Some New Jersey stakeholders have tried to undo the college sports betting in-state restriction, but they have not achieved this goal so far.
Should New Jersey eventually repeal its restriction, it’s possible that other markets like Vermont could follow suit. But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were a Vermont bettor.
Three Sportsbooks Live in Vermont
Vermont sports betting launched earlier this year, and three platforms are available for bettors in the state. FanDuel and DraftKings — ever the fiercest of rivals — duked it out for market share early on. Fanatics, which acquired PointsBet last year, is expected to shake things up with its recent launch and a Fanatics promo code.
About the Author
