Top Pennsylvania Sports Betting Sites: Best Sportsbooks in Pennsylvania for 2024

Written by: Oliver Thompson, Senior Editor Fact-checked by: Emily Davies, Head of Content Last Updated: August 21, 2024, 1:40 PM ET

Pennsylvania has a well-established sports betting market, featuring some of the best sportsbook promotions available. With 12 legal sportsbooks currently operating in the state, bettors have access to a wide range of attractive promos and bonuses from these trusted Pennsylvania betting sites.

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$1,000 First Bet on Caesars

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20% Deposit Match up to $1,000

New customers only. Deposit min. $5. Place daily first bet of min. $5 and get up to a $100 bonus bet for 10 consecutive days. Daily bonus issued within 72 hours.

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First Bet Offer up to $1500

Bonus bets expire in 7 days. One new customer offer per user. Additional terms apply. 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Deposit $50 play with $100

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Caesars Sportsbook
$1,000 First Bet on Caesars
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Fanatics Sportsbook
20% Deposit Match up to $1,000
New customers only. Deposit min. $5. Place daily first bet of min. $5 and get up to a $100 bonus bet for 10 consecutive days. Daily bonus issued within 72 hours.
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BetMGM Sportsbook
First Bet Offer up to $1500
Bonus bets expire in 7 days. One new customer offer per user. Additional terms apply. 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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FanDuel Sportsbook
Deposit $50 play with $100
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Pennsylvania Sports Betting Updates

August 20, 2024: Pennsylvania's sports betting operators report $52.7 million in revenue for July, reflecting a 12.7% hold for the month.

July 22, 2024: Bet365 receives final approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, becoming fully operational in the state.

July 19, 2024: Pennsylvania's sports betting handle and revenue show a year-over-year increase for June, with $464.5 million in wagers.

June 21, 2024: Unibet exits the Pennsylvania market, ending its operations in North America.

April 22, 2024: Pennsylvania sees a significant rebound with an $800 million sports betting handle in March, up 21% from February.

February 13, 2023: The Philadelphia Eagles lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, despite being the betting favorite.

January 22, 2023: Fanatics Sportsbook launches in Pennsylvania, expanding its presence to 11 U.S. states.

October 23, 2022: The Philadelphia Phillies advance to the World Series with a key home run from Bryce Harper.

August 17, 2022: Sports betting handles in Pennsylvania drop to $336.5 million in July, a decrease from the previous month.

January 20, 2022: PointsBet is set to offer online sports betting and casino products in Pennsylvania following regulatory approvals.

December 21, 2021: Pennsylvania sportsbooks report $761.6 million in bets for November, with revenues climbing to $84.9 million.

October 30, 2017: Governor Tom Wolf signs bill H 271 into law, paving the way for legal sports betting in Pennsylvania.

Is sports betting legal in Pennsylvania?

Yes, sports betting is legal in Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 271 into law on October 30, 2017. The first retail sports bet was placed in November 2018. Currently, sports bettors in Pennsylvania can wager in person or online at 12 licensed sportsbooks across the state.

Who can partake in PA sports betting?

Pennsylvania sports betting law allows bettors to register their sportsbook accounts without having to visit a casino. Here's everything you need to know before placing a bet in Pennsylvania.

Legal Age Icon

Legal Age

PA sportsbooks will only accept online wagers from adults 21 and older. Land-based casino gambling carries the same age requirement.

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Mobile Betting

Pennsylvania permits legal online sports betting via mobile devices as well as in-person at its retail sportsbooks. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board governs all gambling in the state.

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Remote Registration

Pennsylvania sports betting sites offer remote registration from anywhere within its borders. New sports bettors can open and fund legal PA sports betting accounts without having to visit a casino or racetrack in person.

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In-State Betting

Online sports betting must take place inside Pennsylvania state lines. Geolocation software in mobile sports betting apps ensures that only bettors within PA can place a bet with a legal sportsbook.

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Retail Sportsbooks

Pennsylvania has over a dozen retail sportsbooks located inside casinos and racetracks throughout the state. Bets can be placed with a ticket writer or via a kiosk. There's even a sports betting lounge for BetRivers customers at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

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Taxable Winnings

The federal government taxes sports betting winnings at a rate of 24% for amounts greater than $600. Pennsylvania applies a flat-rate personal income tax of 3.07% to all taxable income, including gambling and lottery winnings. State and county governments also collect tax revenue from sports betting at rates of 34% and 2%, respectively.

The pros and cons of PA sports betting

The demand for online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania is evidenced by the fact that 95% of bets are placed online. The convenience of mobile and online betting reduces the need or inclination to visit retail sportsbooks.

However, the high tax rate for Pennsylvania sportsbooks means that some lines and odds are less favorable compared to other states. Some bookies may add extra juice to a line to compensate for the state's high tax rate on online betting.

  • checkEasy online registration at PA betting sites
  • checkPlenty of retail sportsbooks
  • checkSubstantial online promotions and bonuses
  • crossPoor odds due to high tax rates
  • crossRetail experience less enticing due to online sportsbooks
  • crossNo NFL Draft or esports betting

How to start betting in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania online sportsbooks make it easy for you to place your first sports wagers. Legal sports betting via online accounts can be set up anywhere, while in-person bets can be placed at retail sportsbooks within casinos and tracks throughout the Keystone State.

1

Select a sportsbook

Choosing which Pennsylvania sports betting site to register with is not unlike the comparison shopping you do for online purchases. Consider sign-up bonuses, payout speed, banking options, and the quality of odds available when selecting online sportsbooks.

2

Register online

Submitting personal information, including your legal name, date of birth, and address, is standard registration practice when creating new PA sports betting accounts. Tap the sign-up or corresponding button on your chosen sites or online sports betting apps to get started.

3

Claim a bonus

The competition among Pennsylvania's legal sports betting sites is fierce, with most sportsbooks offering one of the most common sportsbook sign-up bonuses to entice new Keystone State sports bettors.

  • Deposit bonus: Some PA sportsbooks will match your initial deposit up to a certain percentage or as a dollar-for-dollar match.
  • Second-chance bet: If you place a first-time wager and lose, the stake may be refunded and available for use as site credits or cash.
  • Bonus bets: You may qualify for a bonus bet by making a cash deposit or placing a qualifying bet on a specific betting market or event. They carry restrictions, so read the fine print.
4

Choose your bet

PA sports betting revolves around traditional bets like the point spread, Over/Under (totals), and moneylines. Player and team props come into play, too. Live betting wagering platforms have captivated sports gambling thanks in large part to their high-quality interface and lightning-quick load speeds.

5

Deposit

You can fund your newly created account via the sportsbook’s cashier or dedicated banking section. The most credible Pennsylvania betting sites usually redirect you here automatically after the initial sign-up process. Simply choose from the best sportsbook deposit and withdrawal methods to get started.

6

Start betting

As a new player, you should review each of the Pennsylvania betting sites to find the best legal online sportsbooks that align with your needs and bankroll. Leveraging multiple PA sportsbooks is a strategy to help you shop for better lines and odds.

7

Withdraw

This is one of the most important non-gambling functions for legal online sports betting in PA. If and when you win a bet, you should be able to easily withdraw those funds. Not all Pennsylvania sportsbooks have the same withdrawal policies, so be sure to read the terms and conditions associated with your preferred payment type.

Odds explained

The default type of odds leveraged by PA sports betting sites is known as American odds. Let's look at a practical example for context:

Favorites are identified by a minus (-) sign, while the underdog is assigned a plus (+) value. Since the favorite is the team expected to win, you will have to wager more to win less money. For example, a $10 wager on the Philadelphia Eagles with -150 odds will return $5 plus the original bet. Underdogs have plus odds that offer better returns. For example, a $10 wager on the Philadelphia Phillies with +150 odds will return $15 plus the original bet.

Some betting sites offer fractional or decimal odds, too. Decimal point odds and fractional odds are different ways to present similar odds and might be easier for some sports bettors to understand. Use our odds converter to toggle between each classification.

What you can't bet on in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania sportsbooks can offer odds on traditional sports played on the field. However, they are not allowed to post odds for off-field sports-related events like the NFL Draft. Additionally, you cannot place a wager on major awards ceremonies like the Academy Awards.

There are a few notable exceptions that are highlighted below:

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NFL Draft

Football's biggest off-season event is currently off-limits in Pennsylvania, as the Keystone State bettors cannot legally bet on the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Politics

Political betting is not allowed at any Pennsylvania sportsbook. In fact, this kind of betting isn’t offered anywhere in the United States.

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esports

The popularity of esports has not yet translated to legal betting markets. It is not legal to bet on at any Pennsylvania sports betting site or retail sportsbook.

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Awards ceremonies

Betting on major awards ceremonies, such as the Academy Awards, is not permitted in Pennsylvania sportsbooks.

Other types of gambling

Pennsylvania offers traditional casino gambling at PA online casinos, in person at land-based casinos, and at some taverns throughout the state.

🎰Casino

Blackjack, roulette, video poker, slot machines, and other games can be played at real money online casinos or in person at the state’s various casinos. The brick-and-mortar casino blackjack rules are among the best in the US. Gambling odds and rules for casino games may differ online and offline.

🃏Poker

Some casinos such as Parx and Rivers offer live poker games. There are multiple websites offering real-money online poker including BetMGM, Borgata, PokerStars, and WSOP.com. More should be launching soon in PA.

🏇Horse racing

There are six horse racing tracks in Pennsylvania. Parx, Penn National Race Course, and Presque Isle Downs are thoroughbred tracks. The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, Harrah’s Philadelphia, and Meadows are all harness racetracks. There are multiple apps and websites to bet the races without visiting the track.

Hollywood Races — run by Penn National Gaming — offers pari-mutuel horse race betting. There are a number of off-track betting (OTB) outlets located throughout the state if you do not wish to visit a racetrack.

Fans of horse racing can wager online with the best horse racing betting sites. These include AMWager, BetAmerica, Betfair Exchange, TVG, and TwinSpires. BetMGM will soon offer an app just for horse racing bettors.

🏆Daily fantasy sports

Pennsylvania offers a variety of daily fantasy sports (DFS) websites and apps. DraftKings, FanDuel, Monkey Knife Fight, Yahoo, and SuperDraft are among the available DFS gambling options for bettors in PA. DraftKings and FanDuel have the most active players and offer larger DFS prize pools than the others.