⭐ Maryland Sports Betting

Online sports betting in Maryland is set to open with some of these operators.

In May 2021, a signature from Gov. Larry Hogan legalized sports betting in Maryland. With up to 60 sportsbook licenses available, MD promises to be a very competitive legal sports betting market in the United States. Some operators like PointsBet and BetMGM Sportsbook have already secured an online betting license in Maryland, but still wait for official approval from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.

Sports Betting Launch in Maryland

Maryland lawmakers set the initial launch date for legal sports betting as the start of the 2021 NFL season, but are now hoping to launch prior to Fall 2022. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC) are still considering the approval system for online-only licenses, and the process is dragging on. Therefore, Maryland residents will need to wait until 2022 for more details.

⭐ Maryland Sports Betting Sites

Betting in Maryland is now live as retail betting. Therefore, we only know a handful of brands that operate in the state. Maryland Sportsbooks are required to partner with one of Maryland’s six casinos, three professional sports teams/stadiums or the Maryland Jockey Club for a Class A license. There are also 30 class B licenses, that will be auctioned to local businesses.

BetMGM will join the legal sports betting market online with their excellent bonus and renowned rewards program.

Bonus Codes & Promo Codes

As Maryland sports betting is not live yet online, we don’t know the exact bonus codes or promo codes for online sportsbooks. However, in other states, some sportsbooks require you to insert a bonus code for bonus offers. The BetMGM promo code BONUSMGM gives new players a $1,000 risk free bet, whereas the PointsBet bonus code BONUS2000 gives new players 2 risk free bets up to $2,000.

Retail Betting Locations

The state will have several retail sportsbooks, with a handful already open. The following casinos and sports venues will each have access to one license, and thus can operate one sportsbook on-premises with a gaming partner if they so choose. The licensing fee depends on the type of venue in question.

⭐ MD Betting Timeline & Latest News

• December 2021 – Legal sports betting in Maryland is launches with a number of retail sportsbook options.
• Fall 2021 – Online regulations and application approval system is dragging; officials are now estimating that online sports betting will not launch until 2022-23 football season.
• August 5, 2021 — The Maryland General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review approves the sports betting regulations, which are now submitted to Maryland Register for public comments.
• July 15, 2021 — Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission approves a set of regulations for sports betting. The rules and regulations will now be considered by Maryland General Assembly Joint Committee before a 30-day public comment period.
• May 18, 2021 — Governor Larry Hogan legalizes sports betting in Maryland by signing HB940.
• April 12, 2021 — Maryland’s sports betting bill HB940 moves through the Senate by a vote of 122-16. The proposed law authorizes up to 60 mobile licenses, more than any other state.
• March 10, 2021 — HB940 passes the Maryland House by a vote of 130-9.
• Feb. 2, 2021 — HB 940 receives its first reading in House. The bill would also legalizes daily fantasy sports contests in Maryland.
• Nov. 4, 2020 — Maryland Question 2 ballot measure receives voter approval during the election. The ballot referendum, which asked voters to approve or deny a gambling expansion on the 2020 ballot, passes by a 2 to 1 margin. The matter now moves to the state legislature.

⭐ Rules and Regulations

Maryland will have up to 40 retail sports betting licenses. 10 class-A licenses for the state’s six casinos, professional sports franchises, and horse tracks and 30 class-B licenses, including seven named entities like the Maryland State Fairgrounds. In addition, there will be up to 60 mobile sports betting licenses. Retail operators can apply for just one mobile license, but sports betting operators can work with multiple licensees at the same time. The state will collect a 15% tax on all legal sports betting.

Who Can Gamble in Maryland

The legal gambling age in Maryland is 21 years old. Therefore MD bettors who want to participate in retail or online sports betting, must be 21+ years old, within Maryland state lines, and must not be on a self-exclusion list.

Caesars Sportsbook expanded to Maryland sports betting.

⭐ Sports Betting Markets

Majority of MD sports betting will focus on the three Maryland sports teams. Furthermore, it’s close proximity to Washington D.C. leads Marylanders to support sports teams from the Capital. When online sports betting in Maryland launches, you can expect to find the following sports represented for moneylines, point spreads and other bet types.

NFL Betting

NFL betting will be hugely popular in MD, as the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Football Team play home games in Maryland and battle for a place in the Super Bowl during the football season. As some of the retail betting has been reserved for sports franchises, you might soon be able to place bets inside the M&T Bank Stadium.

MLB Betting

The Baltimore Orioles are naturally the most popular team for MLB betting. However, many people also support Washington Nationals, especially after their 2019 World Series victory.

NHL Betting

MD doesn’t have any hockey teams of it’s own, but people still flock to support on the Washington Capitals. NHL betting might not be as popular as it is in some other states, but the Capitals will still receive their fair share of tickets.

NBA Betting

The Washington Wizards have a history as the Baltimore Bullets. Therefore, it is no suprise that NBA betting in Maryland will be highly focused on the Wizards. Although they haven’t had a lot of success in the last years, basketball is still expected to be the third-most bet on sport in the state.

Other Sports

In addition to the four major leagues, mobile sportsbooks will offer a host other betting options in Maryland as well. Table Tennis has been hugely popular in other states during the current health crisis, but we don’t see it catching on in Maryland as most other sports have resumed their normal schedule. Soccer, Tennis, and Golf are probably going to make up most of the handle behind the major league sports and sporting events like the Olympics. Other sports to bet will include:

• Boxing
• MMA / UFC betting
• NASCAR
• Formula 1
• Aussie Rules
• Crickett
• Lacrosse
• Snooker

Barstool and parent company Penn National are entering the sports wagering market in MD.

NCAA betting

College sports in Maryland aren’t huge, although betting on March Madness can be quite big if the University of Maryland Terrapins men’s college basketball makes the tournament. The college football game between the Army and the Navy might also generate some betting interest.

Horse Racing Betting

Horse racing has a long tradition in Maryland, as the state hosts the second jewel of the Triple Crown at the Pimlico Race Course. There are also 5 other horse tracks as well as off-track betting, some of the notable horse racing locations being Laurel Park and Churchill Downs owned Ocean Downs.

⭐ Conclusion

Maryland sports betting market launched in December of 2021, but with retail only. With sports betting in Maryland, almost all Mid-Atlantic states have some type of sports wagering. Washington D.C. has the most stringent regulations, while New Jersey is the top dog in sports gambling. We’ll see how Maryland fares when the sports betting industry gets going.