The District of Columbia is the Nation’s capital, and the political hub of the United States. It would appear that gambling, and its negative reputation, wouldn’t be a great fit in D.C., as there have always been strict laws prohibiting skilled betting of any kind. The lottery has been the only legal form of gambling – which falls under a different umbrella from say, sports betting or betting on horse racing.
There are no tribal or commercial casinos in D.C., as the market just isn’t there to host a casino or racetrack. Atlantic City is a few hours away, and residents in D.C. can make the trek if they really want to pariticpate in gambling activities if they so desire.
The unique thing about Washington D.C., is that they have been making a push for online gambling in the past few years. They have attempted to seal online gambling into the laws, which they anticipated would bring in over $200 million in revenue. This law would ensure that all online gambling would be limited to state-run online casinos and gambling sites, but would be legal online gambling nonetheless.
Can I bet on Sports in Washington D.C. ?
As of December 2018, the city lawmakers voted to legalize sports betting, making D.C. the first jurisdiction without any casinos, to legalize sportsbooks. Bettors are able to place wagers at the stadiums and arenas in the city, private restaurants, liquor stores and conveniently on a mobile app.
The lottery company who rules over the state lottery, Intralot, will have to oversee the arrangement, as the state has no gambling authority currently in charge. Intalot will sell licenses to sportsbooks at a hefty price – roughly $250,000 over five years.
One other option that should be looked at, is the option of online sportsbooks. Without the online gambling laws enforced, sports bettors can sign up at offshore online sportsbooks, who often have great odds, and are of the utmost convenience.
Betting on sports from the comfort of your own home, is the ideal situation, and while you’ll be able to do that through the legal, state-run app, you do have other options like BetDSI.eu, who has a great odds selection and likely more professional and collegiate sports options than the local sportsbooks will have.
Betting on Washington Sports
There is no shortage of sports teams in the nation’s capital – there is a team from every professional sport, and some collegiate teams you can check out or wager on.
In the NFL, the Washington Redskins call D.C. home. They are the fifth-most valuable franchise in the league, and frequently sell out the fourth-largest stadium in the NFL. They’ve played in five Super Bowls, and won three championships.
When it comes to baseball the Washington Nationals call D.C. home. There have been a few variations of Washington Baseball teams, with the Washington Olympics starting a franchise in 1871, and rebranding to the Washington Senators, then moving away to become the Minnesota Twins. A new franchise began under the same Senators name, who also moved to become the Texas Rangers in 1971. The Montreal Expos relocated to Washington to become the Washington Nationals, finally, in 2005, which ended a three-decade long baseball drought in the city.
When it comes to hoops, the Washington Wizards have been a D.C. NBA staple since 1973, at that time known as the Baltimore Bullets – who changed their name to Wizards in 1997 due to gun violence concerns. The Wizards have been sub-par the past decade or so, never having a great record, but continue to draw in fans.
The Washington Capitals are the resident NHL team, as they were part of the 1974 expansion. They played their first 23 seasons in Maryland, but moved to the Capital One Arena in 1997. They had some rough luck, only making a few playoff appearances since the acquisition of Alexander Ovechkin, they finally won their first Stanley Cup this past year, beating the Las Vegas Golden Knights – making history.
If footy is more your style, the resident MLS team is D.C. United. The soccer team has been around for more than three decades, and is one of the most successful MLS teams – boasting 12 major trophies, and four MLS Cups.
What to Look for in an Online Sportsbook
There are so many offshore, online sportsbooks available, you want to ensure you do your research before signing up at one. While the state-run sportsbook will be a safe bet (no pun intended), you can often get better promotions, bonuses, loyalty programs and overall odds at an offshore sportsbook.
You want to ensure you are signing up at a sportsbook that has the above mentioned options, along with deposit options you may want to use, excellent odds, fast payouts and SSL encryption.
We have vetted some of the top sportsbooks available, and we have compiled full reviews of each one, so you don’t have to hunt through countless sportsbook reviews to find a sportsbook that will suit your needs. You can read our online sportsbook reviews and sign up right away – connecting you to some of the best odds online gambling has to offer.
Start sports betting today – check out our online sportsbook reviews to find the perfect sportsbook for you.
