Pennsylvania Sports Betting Apps

The Pennsylvania sports betting industry continues to enjoy incredible success as gaming in general remains robust in the Keystone State. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported total sports wagering handle for April 2022 was $572.8 million or 19.48% above the April 2021 total of $479.4 million.

While that figure is down compared to the previous month, March 2022 featured the highest revenue from gaming than any month in the state’s history with sports betting contributing to that success, featuring over $714 million in wagers.

Those numbers came on the heels of a successful February (27% increase on Super Bowl wagering over 2021) and January (29% increase in sports wagering over January 2021.) As a whole, then, 2022 is shaping up to be feature significantly more sports wagering than 2021’s already-impressive total of $6.55B.

Looking to get in on the action and discover the best sports betting app in Pennyslvania? The Keystone State’s sports betting industry includes some of the top online sportsbook operators in the industry: DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and several other industry-leading brands. Here, we will give you our best picks.  

Editors’ Choice: Best Sports Betting App In Pennsylvania May 2022

• DraftKings Sportsbook PA – Best for DFS players who also want to bet
• BetMGM Pennsylvania – Best for MGM reward points & new bettors
• FanDuel Sportsbook PA – Best sportsbook iOS & Android App
• BetRivers Pennsylvania – Best for deposit bonus
• FOX Bet Pennsylvania – Best for Fox Sports fans
• Unibet Pennsylvania – Best for $500 risk-free bet
• PointsBet Pennsylvania – Best for parlays

Best Pennsylvania Sports Betting Apps

Full List Of Pennsylvania Online Sportsbooks

Why Choose A Legal Sportsbook?

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) regulates the state’s casino industry, including legal online sportsbooks. This government-operated gaming regulation agency’s oversight ensures proper operations, prompt payouts, and transparency from the Keystone State’s online sports betting platforms.

Illegal bookies and offshore sites, on the other hand, aren’t obligated to answer to an agency like the PGCB. As such, your money might not be safe once it’s in the hands of an illegal bookmaker.

Regulated sportsbooks automatically withhold federal taxes on wins of $5,000 or more. Aside from those withheld taxes, players bear responsibility for paying federal and state taxes on sports betting winnings.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Revenue

The Pennsylvania sports betting scene is quite robust. As a result, revenue remains strong and steady, and Pennsylvania residents are reaping great benefits.

The PGCB reported an 83% increase in sports betting handle in 2021 compared to 2020. Given that more operators continue to enter the Keystone State and given that the beginning of the COVID pandemic tamped down betting for part of 2020, this increase makes sense.

The gaming revenue in Pennsylvania (the profit margin for operators, which accounts for them paying out for winning bets) also rose dramatically in 2021. The  2021 revenue from sports wagering was $340,113,160. This is a year-over-year increase of 79.29%.

The great news for all Pennsylvania residents–not just sports betting enthusiasts–is that this revenue generates tax dollars that are put to good use in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania’s sports betting tax rate for operators is an incredible 36%, one of the highest in the country. Therefore, 2021 brought in $122.5M in tax revenue. This money is put toward things like funding schools, repairing roads, lowering property taxes, etc.

2022 is already off to a great start as well, with sports betting handles in the first several months consistently outperforming the same months in 2021.

In total, Pennyslvania sports betting has taken in over $13B in wagers since its inception in November 2018, generating over $1B in revenue. This has led to over $244M in tax revenue so far. Savvy readers will notice that this isn’t a true 36% of the revenue, but that is because operators do have the ability to subtract promos and other expenses off their total revenue before it is taxed.

In terms of individual operators, FanDuel and DraftKings consistently lead the Keystone State in sports betting handle and revenue.

How Pennsylvania Compares To Other Sports Betting States

Pennsylvania’s neighbor to the east stands as the benchmark in the US mobile sports betting industry. New Jersey became the first state to eclipse $10 billion in bets in a calendar year in 2021, per the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. 

Pennsylvania, however, holds its own as one of the top sports betting markets in the US. Indeed, it consistently comes in every month as one of the top 5 states in terms of total handle and total tax revenue.

New York recently launched mobile betting apps as well. Some insiders worried that this would signal a significant decline for Pennsylvania revenue, but the early indications have not supported these concerns so far. 

Pennsylvania Sports Betting: Successes And Failures

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Successes

The numbers speak for themselves. Pennsylvania has a large population, and it has some of the most rabid fan bases in all of sports. What’s more, the Keystone State’s diversity leads to interest in just about any market.

How Pennsylvania Could Improve Its Sports Betting Industry

Pennsylvania’s sports betting model isn’t the most operator-friendly in the US. Sports betting revenue is taxed at 36%, with operators paying a $10 million licensing fee to enter the market. Those numbers represent some of the highest in the industry. 

While DraftKings and FanDuel flourish in the state, the bottom half of the state’s list of online sportsbooks struggle to earn revenue relative to the top players. 

Overall performance, however, has to be considered a success for Pennsylvania’s sports betting industry. Pennsylvania allows both in-person and mobile sports betting. The state (34%) and counties (2%) both collect tax revenue from Pennsylvania sports betting. The worries back in the summer of 2018 that some operators wouldn’t choose Pennsylvania because of the high tax rate seem to be unfounded. In fact, New York decided to charge a whopping 51% tax rate, so in comparison, PA feels like a bargain!

Sports Betting Legalization Effort In Pennsylvania

A Pennsylvania sports betting bill went into law in October 2017. The implementation of the bill pended the overturn of PASPA, which happened seven months later.

Pennsylvania’s gambling expansion bills gave the green light to both retail and online sports betting. The first retail sportsbook opened in Novermber 2018, while the first online sportsbook went live in May 2019.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Legalization Timeline

• October 2017 – A package of bills outlining a significant gambling expansion in Pennsylvania is signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf. The bills legalize both retail and online sports betting as part of that expansion. Sports betting can’t launch at the time, however, as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is still in effect.
• May 2018 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules PASPA as unconstitutional, overturning the mandate after 26 years in effect. With PASPA out of the way, Pennsylvania’s sports betting industry gets the official green light.
• November 2018 – The state’s first retail sportsbook opens for business, as Hollywood Casino at Penn National takes the first sports bet in Pennsylvania history. A dozen more land-based sports betting venues launch in the state over the next two years.
• May 2019 – Pennsylvania’s first online sportsbook goes live. SugarHouse Sportsbook launches under the interactive gaming license of Rivers Casino Philadelphia.
• December 2020 – BetMGM launches in Pennsylvania as the state’s first Qualified Gaming Entity (QGE). Pennsylvania law allows iGaming brands to enter the market with QGE status, which doesn’t require a land-based casino partner.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting Apps

Pennsylvania’s Professional Sports Teams

Pennsylvania’s NFL Teams

Pro football loyalties in Pennsylvania mostly split between two teams – the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Steelers stand as one of the NFL’s most successful franchises. Pittsburgh shares the NFL record for most Super Bowl wins at six.

The Eagles hold one Super Bowl title, breaking through with a win in the 2017 NFL championship game. Like the Steelers, the Eagles contend as a perennial threat to win a division title, although the franchise’s postseason success falls short of Pittsburgh’s accomplishments.

Pennsylvania’s online sportsbooks offer wagering on both Pennsylvania teams, as well as the rest of the NFL, every season. Betting opportunities include every round of the playoffs, all the way through the Super Bowl.

Pennsylvania’s MLB Teams

The Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates both play in Major League Baseball’s National League.  

The Pirates claim five World Series titles, while the Phillies own two MLB championships. Neither Pennsylvania baseball franchise has appeared in the postseason over the past five seasons, leaving fans in the Keystone State hungry for the next playoff run.

Philadelphia 76ers

Like Pennsylvania’s other sports franchises, the 76ers draw a loyal but demanding fan base of basketball fanatics. After a long playoff drought, the team returned to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons in the 2017-2018 NBA Playoffs.

Like the other major pro sports, NBA betting is open at Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks. That includes the regular season and every round of the playoffs.

Pennsylvania’s NHL Teams

Pennsylvania cross-state rivalries don’t come any more intense than matchups featuring the Philadelphia Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With five Stanley Cups, the Penguins lay claim to more NHL championship success than the rival Flyers. Philadelphia’s two Stanley Cups both came in the early 1970s, leaving long suffering Flyers fans waiting decades for a taste of championship success.

Pittsburgh’s success includes three Stanley Cup championship wins in more recent times.

Pennsylvania College Sports Teams

Some states place betting restrictions on in-state college programs and games. Pennsylvania’s sports betting laws don’t apply any prohibitions on state-based teams, however. The only restriction is that you may not bet on individual player props for college events.

Big-time sports contests involving Pennsylvania programs like Penn State and Villanova are legally available throughout the season at Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks.

Penn State Nittany Lions

The Pennsylvania State University football program, aka the Penn State Nittany Lions, play as one of the more decorated programs in NCAA football history. Penn State holds two National Championship titles and perennially contends as one of the Big Ten Conference’s top teams.

All Nittany Lions games appear on the betting boards at Pennsylvania’s mobile sportsbooks, including bowl games and potential future College Football Playoff appearances.

Villanova Wildcats

A member of the hallowed Philadelphia Big Five, the Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball program represents one of the sport’s most successful teams.

The Wildcats won the NCAA Championship in 1985, 2016, and 2018.

Future March Madness appearances for the Wildcats will be available for wagering at Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks with no restrictions.

Other Sports

Plenty of other betting markets await Pennsylvania bettors on the state’s mobile sports betting apps. MMA, tennis, golf, motorsports, international leagues, and niche sports round out the opportunities available at Pennsylvania sportsbooks.

Included in that lineup are in-state events like the NASCAR Cup Series races held at Pocono Speedway each year. Known as the “Tricky Triangle,” Pocono Speedway stands as one of the unique tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

How To Get Started in Pennsylvania Sports Betting

Picking A PA Online Sports Betting App

Gaming Today offers updated information on all legal mobile sportsbooks operating in Pennsylvania. The welcome bonus offers, available betting markets, and lines on games vary from platform to platform.

Check out the table above for a comprehensive list of the bonus offers at each Pennsylvania mobile sportsbook.

Make Your First Deposit

Once you’ve chosen a sportsbook, you enjoy several different deposit options that instantly put funds in your account.

PayPal provides one of the most reliable ways to deposit at an online sportsbook. Other methods include ACH/eCheck, credit cards, debit cards, and the Play+ prepaid card.

Location Verification

Pennsylvania’s legal iGaming sites utilize geolocation services to determine a user’s location when they log in or try to place bets. If the geolocation technology determines you’re outside of Pennsylvania state lines, you’ll be blocked from betting.

State laws mandate that you must be within state borders at the time of a bet.

Registering For A PA Sports Betting App Account

Signing up at a Pennsylvania online sportsbook takes just a couple of minutes. You’ll need to provide proof of age and identity, which can be done by uploading a photo of a driver’s license or state-issued ID.

Once the sportsbook verifies your identification documents, you’re ready to deposit and start making bets.

Placing Bets

Pennsylvania sports betting apps or online sportsbooks allow you to wager by simply clicking on the line of your choice. Moneyline, point spread, totals, parlays, in-game betting, and more are at your disposal at Pennsylvania’s online sportsbooks.

Once you’ve clicked on a bet, the wager will appear on your bet slip (usually at the right of the screen). Confirm the bet one more time on the bet slip to make the wager official.

Pennsylvania Sports Betting FAQs

More Resources On Pennsylvania Sports Betting

• Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board: Press Releases – Monthly updates on revenue and other news in the Pennsylvania casino industry.
• Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board: Monthly Sports Wagering Report – A detailed breakdown of revenue by sports betting operator. This report includes a breakout of online and retail betting handle and revenue.
• Visit PA – State tourism website offering an overview of Pennsylvania’s casinos and racetracks.
• ESPN US Sports Betting Map – ESPN’s interactive map showing where all 50 states stand on sports betting legalization.
• Philadelphia Inquirer – Sports section of one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent news outlets.