New Jersey Sports Betting

Whether new to sports wagering or a seasoned sharp, we have you covered with a comprehensive look at the legal NJ online sports betting market, covering online and mobile sportsbooks that legally take bets, what you’ll need to do to get started, and a look back on how legal sports betting in the Garden State became a reality. Not an online guy or gal? We’ll touch on the state’s physical sportsbooks as well.

NJ Sportsbook Promos

1

bet365 Sportsbook

Bet $1, Get $200

4.3

• Promo Code: NJPROMO
• T&Cs, time limits, exclusions apply
• 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

BET NOW

T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

2

BetMGM Sportsbook

$1K First Bet Offer

4

• Promo Code: USBETS
• Up to $1K Back If You Lose
• 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

BET NOW

T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

3

FanDuel Sportsbook

$1K No Sweat First Bet

4.3

• No Promo Code Needed
• Tons of Props on 16+ Sports
• 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

BET NOW

T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

4

betPARX Sportsbook

Get Up to a $750 Bonus Back on Your First Bet

4.2

• Promo Code: USBETS
• Get Up to $750 Back If You Lose
• 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

BET NOW

T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

5

Caesars Sportsbook

First $1250 on Caesars

4.3

• Promo Code: BETSFULL
• Same Game Parlay Leader
• 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

BET NOW

T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

New Jersey Sports Betting: All of the books

FanDuel Sportsbook

• FanDuel NJ: $3K No Sweat First Bet
• Launch date: September 1, 2018
  
• Tech partners: IGT (platform), Paddy Power Betfair (pricing/risk management)
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Betfair Casino (wallet), FanDuel Daily Fantasy (desktop platform)
• Special features: Quickest odds, extensive player prop selection, Same Game Parlay

To say that FanDuel online sportsbook has a lot going for it would be a pretty gross understatement. Forgetting about its massive daily fantasy database for a moment, FanDuel merged with industry sharp Paddy Power Betfair (forming the FanDuel Group), meaning it has one of the most adept sportsbook vets in its corner. Together, and with a little help from IGT, they have created a book that is largely loved by the NJ sports betting community, not to mention the staff at US Bets as well. FanDuel often has the best lines in almost every betting market, for both pregame and ingame.

Fun Fact: Your FanDuel Sportsbook balance comes with you when you travel to other states where FanDuel is legal.

PointsBet Sportsbook

• PointsBet NJ: $500 in 2nd chance free bets
• Launch date: August 22, 2018
• Tech partners: Banach Technology
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: PointsBet Casino (powered by Bally’s)
• Special features: Exciting Pointsbetting wagering, Same Game Parlay

The Australian bookmaker first made landfall in the US in August 2018, and brought with them an exciting new betting option along with it. PointsBet has all your usual bets, moneyline, spreads, totals, and more, but what really makes PointsBet exciting is their exclusive PointsBetting option, which is basically a spread bet on steroids. It’s not for everyone and it can be a wild ride, but you can try PointsBetting risk-free up to $100 with PointsBet welcome offer.

PointsBet is available on both Android and iOS and has one of the most stacked promotional schedules in the whole industry.

Fun Fact: PointsBet has a fun promotion called the “Crowd Booster” where the more people that bet on a certain wager, the more they move the line in your favor.

Caesars Sportsbook

• Caesars NJ: $1250 First Bet
• Launch date: September 6, 2018
• Tech partners: Liberty
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Caesars Casino
• Special features: Great giveaways, endless boosts, Same Game Parlay

Originally launched back in September of 2018, Caesars Sportsbook hasn’t always been the world-class mobile betting app that it is today. After a few years of struggling to find their place in the market and a massive merger deal with William Hill worth nearly $4 billion, Caesars Sportsbook underwent a complete overhaul and rebrand, most notably with their mobile betting app and website that relaunched in August of 2021. Since then, Caesars has reestablished itself as one of the premier mobile sports betting operators in the nation, offering some of the best promotions, odds boosts, and many more unique features that bettors will fail to find elsewhere. The app is complete with both sports betting and casino play available, giving online bettors endless opportunities to win some money. After some rough beginnings, Caesars Sportsbook’s new and improved app is now on par with each and every one of the other major players in terms of betting odds, sports markets, and banking options.

Fun Fact: Caesars Sportsbook offers incredibly generous and unique giveaways. For example, football fans who wagered at least $100 over the first month of play each received a free authentic jersey of their choice from the NFL shop, courtesy of Caesars! Always keep an eye on their promotions.

BetMGM Sportsbook

• BetMGM NJ: First Bet Offer Up To $1000
• Launch date: August 22, 2018
• Tech partners: IGT (tech), GVC (joint venture)
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: BetMGM Casino (wallet)
• Special features: Frequent rewards and deposit matches

BetMGM sportsbook’s initial launch back in 2018 under its former name, playMGM, was underwhelming at best. The one redeeming quality was their ridiculous amount of prop bets, but even that didn’t make it a serviceable online sportsbook.

Someone must have told them because in September 2019, playMGM died and BetMGM was born. This was more than just a name change, it was a complete overhaul of their online sportsbook, the addition of a welcome bonus and a slew of new betting options. BetMGM held on to the good (tons of prop bets) and added a large library of in-game options, weekly promos, more betting markets and more!

Fun Fact: BetMGM Sportsbook rolls out the rewards like no other. Players who regularly wager with BetMGM can expect a multitude of free bets, bonus money, and deposit matches to appear in their account as the action starts to pile up.

Unibet Sportsbook

• Launch date: September 10, 2019
  
• Tech partners: Kambi (Sportsbook), Playtech (Casino)
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Unibet Casino 
• Special features: Parlay boosts and ticket giveaways

Originally from Europe, Unibet burst onto the U.S sports betting scene early on, when they first launched in New Jersey back in September of 2019. Just three months after their first online casino launch in the Garden State, Unibet expanded its services by complimenting their casino with an online sportsbook. Unibet rounded out its first U.S expansion by locking up a partnership the luxurious Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and have since continued to offer their users an all-around quality sports betting experience. 

Fun Fact: Unibet is an absolute powerhouse overseas, providing its services to Australia, Denmark, France, and Italy, among others.

Bet365 Sportsbook

• Bet365 NJ: Bet $1 Get $200 In Free Bets
• Launch date: August 23, 2019
• Tech partners: Playtech
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Special features: In-play betting, early payouts

As one of the original online sports betting brands in Europe, Bet365 has done an incredible job of transitioning into the United States market. They first surfaced on U.S soil when they launched in New Jersey back in August of 2019 and are currently working on further expansion to different states. In the meantime, New Jersey bettors can enjoy a wide range of sports markets, competitive odds, and unique features like Bet365’s early payout, which pays out customers at halftime if their team is up by a specific amount. 

Fun Fact: Bet365 offers a ton of obscure sports markets that aren’t usually available at other sportsbooks, including badminton, handball, and volleyball.

DraftKings Sportsbook

• Launch date: August 6, 2018
• Tech partners: SBTech
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: DraftKings Daily Fantasy (platform, partial wallet)
• Special features: Various contests and pools, Same Game Parlay

Surprisingly, it was daily fantasy operator DraftKings and not an Atlantic City brand that launched the first online sports betting site in New Jersey. That first-mover status, along with DK’s crazy big user database, relationship with innovative tech provider Kambi, and aggressive marketing has paid off big, DraftKings has been among the market share leaders since day one. DraftKings initially faced some criticism early on for their relatively high juice, but have since improved their lines and sometimes can even be the best bet when price shopping.

Fun Fact: Bettors on DraftKings can use their daily fantasy contest winnings to wager on sports.

FOX Bet Sportsbook

• Launch date: September 13, 2018
• Tech partners: The Stars Group
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: PokerStars NJ (wallet, mobile platform)
• Special features: Spin & Bet, Same Game Parlay

FOX Bet’s is the result of a partnership between FOX Sports and The Stars Group, which results in a sports betting match made in heaven. The Stars Group is no stranger to the online sports betting space, having launched an international product in 2015 that has grown faster than Lebron James’ net worth. It’s also the sister brand of a little online poker site that you may have heard of: PokerStars. Tons of promos, along with its slick user interface, cutesy game formats like Spin & Bet, and strong branding lead us to believe it’s going attract a fair number of punters. Plus, there is a Fox Bet Bonus Code for new players.

Speaking of promos, you will be hard-pressed to find any site offering more BetBoosts than FOX Bet, often offering up to 10 boosts per game, where rival sites may offer 5 total per day.

Fun Fact: FOX Bet NJ gives all users a cash bonus on parlays of 4 legs or more! Gain anywhere from 2.5% to 60% extra in the form of a cash bonus if you hit a parlay with FOX Bet today!

BetRivers Sportsbook

• Launch date: August 23, 2018 (As Play SugarHouse)
• Tech partners: Kambi
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: BetRivers Casino
• Special features: Same Game Parlay, quality new-user bonus

When BetRivers (SugarHouse at the time), operated by Rush Street Interactive, burst upon the NJ online casino scene in September 2016, it was pretty much an afterthought. But players quickly noticed that the site did nearly every facet of iGaming better than anyone else. Suffice it to say, the site blew up, and their fully integrated sportsbook has performed quite well making it a one-stop-shop for all your betting needs. Beyond its stellar reputation, BetRivers offers tons of bets (both pre-game and live), an aggressive and easy-to-clear welcome bonus, free bingo games, and a loyalty program that actually matters. And now that it’s aligned with Monmouth Park it can offer wagers on NBA games — something it couldn’t do while partnered with Golden Nugget AC.

Play SugarHouse officially rebranded to BetRivers in August 2022.

Fun Fact: BetRivers has one of the best welcome bonuses in the business, a 100% deposit match up to $250. This offer has an incredible 1x rollover requirement, something players will not find elsewhere.

888sport NJ

• Launch date: September 10, 2018
• Tech partners: Kambi
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: 888casino, 888poker (wallet, loose ties to platform)
• Special features: In-play betting, cash out

Like BetStars NJ (now FOX Bet), 888sport was established in other jurisdictions long before it set sail for the U.S. Not to mention, parent company 888 Holdings, partnered with Caesars in Atlantic City, has been an active participant in the NJ iGaming market since 2013, supporting both online casino (888casino) and poker (888poker) sites. All this bodes favorably for 888sport NJ’s prospect, as does its partnership with Kambi, tons of betting markets, and slick interface. But the playthrough requirements on bonuses are tough, and some of the lines have something to be desired, so we do wonder how just how large a niche it will carve out.

Fun Fact: 888sport is one of the few NJ online sports betting sites that has a shared wallet with both Poker and Casino.

Golden Nugget Sportsbook

• Launch date: February 12, 2019
• Tech partners: Scientific Games
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Golden Nugget online casino
• Special features: ‘Golden Lines’ daily odds boost

Golden Nugget online sportsbook went live in February 2019 and uses award-winning software partner Scientific Games for risk and lines. Golden Nugget Sportsbook shares a platform with its top-rated online casino and features daily odds boosts, parlay boosts, and a full slate of other promotional offers. Golden Nugget often has crossover promotions with their online casino.

Golden Nugget software is easy to use, has a ton of betting markets and lines are usually on par with the industry. Where they really shine is their betting options, both pregame, and in-game, there can be 100+ of choices that are easily sorted to help you find the bet you are looking for.

Fun Fact: The original owner of the Golden Nugget, Tilman Fertitta, is also part owner of the Houston Rockets, which initially disallowed Golden Nugget from taking NBA bets. The rules have since changed, and now all NBA betting is allowed except betting on the Rockets. Fertitta sold the Golden Nugget to Draft Kings for over $1.5 billion in August of 2021.

theScore Bet

• Launch date: September 3, 2019
• Tech partners: Bet.Works
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: theScore Sports app
• Special features: Exclusive VIP program, theScore media app

Based out of Canada, theScore had already established itself as one of the premiere score-tracking media apps in the sports universe before making the switch over to bookmaking. On September 3rd, 2021, they officially became the first North American media company in history to own and operate a mobile sportsbook in the United States. They have since seen their operations expand to a variety of different states, and were recently sold to Penn National for nearly $2 billion. One of the coolest features surrounding theScore and their products is the new ‘Bet’ tab on theScore media app. Players can now add games to their bet slip while scrolling through the media app and transfer their selections to the theScore Bet app. theScore Bet currently does not offer a desktop platform, so all bets placed will need to go through the mobile app.

Fun Fact: theScore Bet offers exclusive promotions and premium customer service to members of their invite-only VIP program. Players can submit a request to join.

Resorts Sportsbook

• Launch date: January 31, 2019
• Tech partners: SBTech
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Resorts Online Casino
• Special features: Odds boost, Super Pick ‘Em contest

Better known for its land-based casino operations in Atlantic City, Resorts jumped into the sportsbook game in early 2019 and has been flying under the radar since. The combination of both casino games and a wide range of sports markets make Resorts Sportsbook a worthy option for New Jersey gamblers of all sorts. One of the best features of Resorts Sportsbook is their ‘Super Pick ‘Em’ contest, which rewards players with an extra percentage of winnings when they hit a parlay of five or more legs.

Fun Fact: Resorts Casino in Atlantic City was the first casino hotel ever built inside of the city. Resorts was also the first legal casino opened outside of Nevada.

Hard Rock Sportsbook

• Launch date: January 30, 2019
• Tech partners: Scientific Games
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Hard Rock Online Casino
• Special features: Loyalty reward program

Another brand known for its land-based operations, Hard Rock originally began as a chain of restaurants before expanding into the casino business in 1995. They officially moved online in early 2019 with the implementation of the Hard Rock Sportsbook NJ, and have since delivered a quality casino and sports betting experience to Garden State bettors. Equipped with everything from team futures to  in-playing betting options, the Hard Rock Sportsbook has shown us why it belongs in everyone’s sports betting app rotation.

Fun Fact: Hard Rock’s Rockin’ Rewards loyalty program allows players to earn points for every online cash wager placed. Players can redeem their points at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City.

TwinSpires Sportsbook

• Launch date: December 2, 2021
• Tech partners: Kambi & GAN
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: TwinSpires Online Casino, TwinSpires Racing
• Special features: Parlay insurance

Formerly known as BetAmerica, TwinSpires underwent a massive rebrand at the start of 2021. The app finally went live in New Jersey towards the end of the year in December and has not disappointed. Packed to the gills with casino games, sports betting options, and a racing section provided by none other than Churchill Downs themselves, TwinSpires is quickly making a case for itself as one of NJ’s premiere mobile betting apps.

 Fun Fact: TwinSpires offers all of its users multi-sport parlay insurance. Players who place a parlay of four or more legs and only miss by one leg will receive a refund!

Borgata Sportsbook

• Launch date: May 15, 2019
• Tech partners: IGT
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Borgata Online Casino, Borgata Poker
• Special features: Frequent rewards and deposit matches

Oddly enough, the Borgata Sports app is an exact replica of the BetMGM Sportsbook app, aside from the name and color scheme. The two brands are obviously tied into one another, however they still allow users to create two separate accounts using essentially the same app. All this means for bettors is double the sign-up promos and double the benefits! Borgata Sports does a great job of showering its customers with rewards, from free bets to sports or casino bonus funds. Whether it is acquired through one of their many ‘Bet and Get’ promotions or randomly dropped into your account for no reason, there is a good chance players will find a reward of some sort in their Borgata Sports account. If you enjoy using BetMGM Sportsbook, there is no reason not to download the Borgata Sports app to go along with it!

Fun Fact: The Borgata Sports app will often give users the same exact promotions as BetMGM Sportsbook, meaning players who are registered for both apps can reap double the rewards!

Tipico Sportsbook

• Launch date: December 10, 2020
• Tech partners: Tipico USA Technology
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: None
• Special features: Boosted odds, Request a Custom Bet, ‘The Inside Edge’

As one of the few New Jersey sportsbooks without a built-in casino within their app, Tipico still manages to stick out from the rest of the bunch with its exclusive promotional features. Don’t see any odds offered for a specific game or player prop that you want to bet on? Tipico is one of the only sportsbook operators in existence that gives its users the option to request a custom bet. They also offer ‘The Inside Edge’, which provides players with information, picks, updates, and analysis on all of the biggest sporting events happening right now. Their app has a clean, simple interface and the new-user bonus is beyond generous. There is no desktop website currently available, so all wagering must be done through mobile. Regardless, all bettors in New Jersey should make it a priority to get Tipico Sportsbook into their rotation today.

Fun Fact: Tipico originated in Germany and is nothing short of a household name in Europe. They have been a sponsor of FC Bayern Munich for over five years.

Barstool Sportsbook

• Launch date: August 24, 2021
• Tech partners: SportsGenius
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: Barstool Sportsbook Online Casino
• Special features: Sweatshirts and other merch giveaways

It took a little longer than anticipated, but the Barstool Sportsbook finally launched in New Jersey in August of 2021. Backed by one of the smoother layouts in the sportsbook industry, Barstool’s mobile betting app is both easy and enjoyable to use. Whether it’s backing their personalities’ own boosted picks or partaking in a ‘Bet and Get’ style promotion for a free sweatshirt or crewneck, Barstool Sportsbook users will have a variety of unique and fun features to choose from. 

Fun Fact: The Barstool Sportsbook creates custom merchandise dedicated to a specific city, team, or game. Players can wager on these select games and receive the merch free of charge if their bet wins, and sometimes even if it loses. That’s right – 100% free. They even take care of the shipping and handling!

WynnBET Sportsbook

• Launch date: August 21, 2020
• Tech partners: Scientific Games
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: WynnBET Online Casino
• Special features: Weekly free bet giveaways, Parlay Spin Wheel

WynnBET is easily one of the most underrated mobile sports betting apps available in New Jersey. Their app is slick, easy to use, and offers users a ton of sports markets to choose from along with extremely competitive odds. They have incredible sponsors like Shaquille O’Neal and Chad Ochocinco littered throughout the app, each with a bonus or promotion to match. Players who choose WynnBET will have endless opportunities to acquire free bets, just by placing wagers on sports! WynnBET’s sign-up bonuses are some of the best in the business, so make sure to check them out today!

Fun Fact: WynnBET’s signature ‘Spin Wheel’ is a fun, exclusive feature that allows any customer who places a parlay to spin the wheel and gain an odds boost on their parlay. Where it’s a 5% increase or a 50% increase, WynnBET gives its players chances to make even more money.

Betway Sportsbook

• Launch date: August 19, 2021
• Tech partners: SBTech
• Mobile apps: iOS
• Integration ties: Betway Online Casino
• Special features: Odds boosts

Betway Sportsbook was one of the later mobile betting apps to debut in the packed New Jersey market, coming in towards the end of August 2021. Their app is very bland and basic, with little to no special features. They offer a few different odds boosts each day, but outside of that there isn’t much to write home about. The app lacks a menu of tabs at the bottom of the screen that the majority of sportsbooks have implemented into their product, thus making it harder to navigate. Overall, Betway Sportsbook has its work cut out if it wants to emerge as one of the major players in the Garden State.

Fun Fact: In October of 2014, Betway paid out the largest jackpot payout from a slot machine in world history, as confirmed by Guinness World Records. The prize was worth over $20 million USD. 

PlayUp Sportsbook

• Launch date: October 15, 2021
• Tech partners: PlayUp
• Mobile apps: iOS and Android
• Integration ties: None
• Special features: Strong welcome bonus

PlayUp Sportsbook has been flying under the radar ever since it debuted in October of 2021. Their app still has a lot to be desired, with little to no promotions, rewards, or anything else of that nature offered. They do happen to have a nice welcome bonus, but aside from that it seems like their app is missing something. Aside from the lack of extras, the app itself has a clean interface and runs smoothly. If PlayUp can improve upon its user incentives, it has the potential to transform into a major player rather quickly.

Fun Fact: PlayUp inked a major partnership deal with the New Jersey Devils in the beginning of 2021, making them the first U.S professional sports team to agree to terms with the company.

Land-based sportsbooks in New Jersey

If the numerous online sports betting sites available in New Jersey aren’t enough to whet your wagering appetite, or if gambling over the Internet simply isn’t your thing, you’ll be pleased to know that New Jersey plays host to an array of land-based books. And good news for you Central and Northern New Jerseyans, these brick & mortar books aren’t confined solely to Atlantic City, as traditional casino gambling is.

Retail sportsbooks

Currently, eight of Atlantic City’s existing casinos and three racetracks feature sportsbooks. Each sportsbook has their own individual feel to help them stand out as competition continues to be fierce.

Racetrack sportsbooks

The state’s horsemen are also heavily involved in the sports betting industry, with Monmouth Park and its enthusiastic operator, Dennis Drazin, cutting the ribbon on New Jersey’s first land-based sportsbook, the Monmouth Park Sports Book by William Hill, on June 14, 2018. The sportsbook at Monmouth Park has since been rebranded to Caesars Sportsbook, following their merger with William Hill.

This was followed exactly one month later by the debut of the FanDuel Sportsbook at the Meadowlands. Since, the Meadowlands has become the top earning land-based book in New Jersey, which doesn’t really shock given its strong branding, proximity to New Jersey’s and New York’s main population centers, and of course, its view of MetLife Stadium — home of the New York Giants and Jets.

The state’s third horse racing track, Freehold Raceway, officially began taking retail wagers in collaboration with Parx Sportsbook in September of 2020.

Getting started at NJ online sportsbooks

Depending on whether you’re already involved in the NJ online casino or poker scene, it will take anywhere from zero seconds to no more than 5 minutes to place your first wager. That is, pending you meet a couple of eligibility requirements:

Under 21? Hold all bets

It doesn’t matter how mature you might be, if you’re under the age of 21, you cannot register an online sports betting account in New Jersey. This is the same age requirement used by Atlantic City casinos and the state’s online gambling and poker sites. 18-year-olds will have to stick to betting on the ponies and the lottery.

Both feet in New Jersey

Players don’t have to necessarily be in New Jersey to register and fund their sportsbook account, but in order to play for real-money, they will have to have both feet planted in the Garden State. Note, that doesn’t mean they have to hold residence in New Jersey, instead they merely need to be physically located within its borders.

So a bettor from a neighboring state like Pennsylvania or New York can view the New Jersey lines (on most sites), register and fund an account and then head over to that Starbucks right over the border to place real-money wagers, in so long as they have an established Wi-Fi connection or mobile network with GPS enabled.

Registering an account

For those involved in daily fantasy or NJ online casino/poker, registration on most online sportsbooks is a breeze. That’s because many operators have woven their sports betting sites into their existing platforms. Have a BetRivers casino account? No need to register for the sportsbook. Same goes for DraftKings DFS account holders, and those registered with Betfair Casino, which uses the same registration info as FanDuel Sportsbook. Easy.

For the rest, registration is a simple two-step process, first requiring that players enter some details about their person, including their social security number (but usually only the last four digits). Then their information is vetted via a rigorous verification process, used to ensure that player identities are protected from any shady deeds. This process takes just a few seconds, after which players are free to make their first deposit.

Funding an account

While several online sportsbooks in New Jersey offer no-deposit bonuses to new players, those who want to make more than a few wagers will likely have to make a deposit. Here’s the good news: depositing funds on a NJ online sportsbook is easy, mainly because most operators have been successfully handling payment processing for years. The kinks, by and large, have already been worked out.

Bettors will find that just about every sportsbook accepts a variety of payment methods including ACH, credit/debit cards, prepaid card options, and PayPal, with all transactions processing near instantaneously. There are also a plethora of ways to get money off the site, with quick turnaround times. So no need to be anxious if that +1000 bet comes in and you want to lock up the win.

Word to the wise: When first funding an NJ online sports betting account, be sure to use one of the links on this page or on our review pages to ensure that you receive the maximum welcome bonus for new players.

Regulations, taxes, and revenue

It was only a few short weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court kicked PASPA to the wayside that New Jersey passed sports betting legislation. The bill passed by unanimous vote in both chambers and was swiftly signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy (who also happened to place the first bet at Monmouth Park later that week) on June 11, 2018.

Regulation of the industry was handed off to the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement, the same agency that handles oversight for Atlantic City casinos and online gambling sites in New Jersey. Luckily, the state had been primed to offer sports betting for many years, enabling regulators to release emergency regulations just two days after Murphy penned the sports betting bill into law.

New Jersey law mandates that only qualified casinos and racetracks be eligible for a sports betting license, and that online sportsbook operators must be partnered with a license holder. Other points of interest:

• The fee for a sports wagering license was set at a minimum of $100,000
• The tax rate is set at 8.5% for land-based venues, and 13% for online sites, with horsemen required to pay an additional 1.25% to the Division of Local Government Services in the Dept. of Community Affairs.
• License holders are limited to three individually branded websites, or skins.
• Wagering on college sports is allowed, unless a New Jersey college or university team is involved. Then it’s a no-go. Furthermore, any collegiate sporting event hosted in New Jersey is also off limits, regardless if the two teams playing in it are from out of state.
• License holders have a 270-day window (transactional waiver) to operate online sportsbooks in the absence of a physical sportsbook.

New Jersey does not pay an integrity fee to professional sports leagues in exchange for data and league oversight, nor will it likely ever.

In terms of handle, New Jersey books took $184 million in bets during September 2018. And from June – September, the industry produced over $40.4 million in revenue. Word is still out on just how big the industry will get, as there are still a lot of books that haven’t launched yet, and many would-be bettors are still not aware of the distinction between legal and offshore sites, or that legal sports betting is even a thing. Industry analysts see NJ sports betting topping out at just over $300 million in annual revenue, which would render it an ever-so-slightly bigger moneymaker than in Nevada. We tend to concur with this analysis.

A brief history of New Jersey sports betting

New Jersey’s battle to legalize sports betting within its borders extends all the way back to 2009, when State Sen. Raymond Lesniak introduced sports betting legislation. His bill would easily pass via voter referendum in 2011, leading then Governor Chris Christie to pass it into law the following year.

Unfortunately there was one massive roadblock, and that was the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Amendment (PASPA) of 1992. PASPA, driven by former New York Knick Bill Bradley, prohibited sports wagering in all but four states (and really only Nevada). Interestingly, New Jersey had a one year window from the inception of PASPA to pass legislation legalizing sports betting in the state, but political turmoil doomed the effort. As a result, New Jersey was effectively shut out of sports betting for the next 25 years.

Shortly after sports betting regulations were posted in August 2012, professional sports leagues filed a suit against Christie and New Jersey. The next several years were riddled with disappointment for New Jersey, as it first lost in the district courts, then twice in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Then in June 2014, the state was delivered another devastating blow, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to accept New Jersey’s appeal.

Also in 2014, the always staunch gambling proponent Lesniak went to work on new sports betting legislation that would function as a sort of PASPA workaround. Same result, with New Jersey and Christie once again losing to the leagues in the courts. However, by this time, the prevailing attitude toward sports betting was beginning to show some cracks. Guided by this, New Jersey once again asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case. This time, it accepted, hearing oral arguments in Christie v. NCAA (later Murphy v. NCAA) on December 4, 2017.

Five-and-a-half months later, on May 14, 2018, the Court announced its decision, voting 7-2 that PASPA violated the 10th amendment, and deeming it completely unconstitutional by a 6-3 count. Just a few weeks later, New Jersey passed a new sports betting bill, and at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Monmouth Park sportsbook on June 14, 2018, the industry was born.Today, it thrives and continues to grow larger than ever before. Only time will tell what the sports betting industry has in store for bettors in the Garden State.