On this page, we provide a complete overview of the Maryland sports betting landscape. We’ll do this by recapping each of the best MD sportsbooks, explaining how welcome bonuses and the signup process work, and using the local sports betting history to project the future of sports gambling in Maryland.
Best Choice for Maryland Players
Since launching its sports gambling industry in 2021, Maryland sports betting has seen impressive results. With 12 online operators to choose from, the state has pulled in nearly $10 billion in lifetime betting handle, and the numbers continue to improve year over year.
Before we highlight the best Maryland sportsbooks, we’d like to offer a disclaimer that the definition of the “best” sportsbook will vary based on individual betting needs and goals. Factors of great importance to some bettors may not be as important to others, and that’s ok; at the end of the day, the best MD sportsbook is the one most tailored to your gambling objectives.
With that in mind, we’ve chosen these five online sportsbooks in an attempt to address the overall factors we think will have the largest appeal to the widest gambling audience. We’ve tested these operators on multiple occasions to not only establish benchmark performances but also to address how the bookies have evolved in Maryland over time.
Launched on July 1, 2024, LetsBetMD Maryland is a Maryland-only sportsbook built around a mobile app tailored to local bettors. The brand operates under Veterans Services Corporation’s license with platform support from Bee-Fee (BF) — a UK developer powering the sportsbook tech — and is headquartered in Lanham, MD.
Early positioning leaned into esports, aiming to stand out in a crowded field dominated by national players. Core markets include NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, tennis, and select esports, with standard moneylines, spreads, totals, props, parlays, and live betting. As a smaller operator, initial menus were leaner than rivals but have expanded since launch.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: A great Maryland-native option with an esports twist; great if you want a local book and simple app, but heavy prop bettors may prefer deeper national menus.
Many Maryland bettors likely drew on their experiences with DraftKings as a daily fantasy sports operator before the company launched its online sportsbook platforms. DraftKings Sportsbook Maryland consistently ranks in the top two in sports betting handle by state, alternating with FanDuel for first place.
We’re big fans of DK’s in-play betting markets, allowing Marylanders to take part in the thrill of live wagering after the games have begun. Withdrawal times are also quick to process, keeping in line with the high quality of customer service across the sportsbook platforms.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: DraftKings has a well-deserved reputation as one of the top sports betting operators in the country. We highly recommend DK for novice sports bettors in Maryland, but we’re also confident seasoned gambling veterans will appreciate what the bookie has to offer too.
Caesars’ retail presence at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is an excellent supplement to the online sportsbook, giving Marylanders plenty of opportunities to get their bets in. This retail presence helped provide the means of entry for the online bookie.
Rewards points earned through the Caesars Rewards program can be used for discounted hotel stays, gambling credits, shopping discounts, event tickets, and much more. Another major benefit to Caesars Sportsbook Maryland is the option to use in-app streaming, which is available for a multitude of sports (including select NFL games) after you’ve placed an eligible wager.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: Generally speaking, we feel Caesars Sportsbook is better suited for high-roller sports bettors than casual players. Still, the rewards program certainly makes Caesars a viable option.
BetMGM Sportsbook MD is similar in many ways to Caesars, also offering a retail sportsbook in Maryland (at MGM National Harbor) alongside its online bookie. In our experience, BetMGM also tends to offer welcome bonuses with $1,000+ in betting credits available as part of the promotion, pushing to a limit few other sportsbooks dare to reach.
Futures bettors will also appreciate how quickly after the end of one season BetMGM offers markets for the following season. This creates an opportunity for savvy futures wagerers to lock in their bets at an optimal line before other sportsbooks follow suit with less favorable conditions.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: BetMGM does a good job of balancing the line between appealing to beginner and experienced sports bettors. We can confidently recommend the bookie to both groups of gamblers.
Fanatics Sportsbook Maryland evolved out of PointsBet Sportsbook. In the summer of 2023, merchandising giant Fanatics continued its quest to dominate all ancillary aspects of the sports universe by buying out PointsBet’s U.S. gambling operations, including the online casinos in select states.
As an extension of the merchandising vertical, many of Fanatics Sportsbook’s promotions offer ties to sporting apparel or memorabilia. The bookie awards users with “FanCash” for every wager made at the sportsbook which can be used to unlock bonus bets or discounted gear at Fanatics outlets.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: Steady financial backing from Fanatics’ non-gambling verticals will help the bookie continue to grow and improve. This will be important if Fanatics is to hold serve with other more established operators.
bet365 Maryland is a strong option for bettors who value competitive lines and low-barrier promotions. Maryland players will find that bet365 often provides odds favorable to the user compared to rival sportsbooks, making it an excellent choice for line shopping.
The platform also has a reputation for bonus offers with minimal entry requirements, sometimes allowing bettors to unlock sizable bonus bets with just a $1 qualifying wager.
Frequent odds boosts and live betting markets give bettors additional reasons to return. While the app and platform are reliable overall, some users have noted smoother performance on Apple devices than Android.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: We recommend bet365 Maryland for its strong odds, bonuses, and niche market coverage, though Android users may encounter performance hiccups.
Closing out our rankings of the best Maryland sportsbooks is FanDuel, which by betting handle is Maryland’s most successful operator. As of October 2024, FanDuel has accounted for nearly 40% of Maryland’s lifetime betting handle (just under $4 billion of the state’s nearly $10 billion total).
We highly recommend FanDuel Sportsbook Maryland as an option for beginning sports bettors. Its easy-to-use interfaces in both the web browser and mobile app are supremely intuitive, and the customer support team is particularly helpful in guiding you through any questions or concerns you may have along the way.
Bettor In Green’s Opinion: FanDuel may have the best mobile app in the industry right now, as evidenced by the number of downloads, mobile betting numbers, and strong betting handle totals. It’s a go-to option for parlay wagering as well.
In addition to the options recommended above, the following Maryland sportsbooks (listed alphabetically) are also available to bettors in the state.
Bally Bet Sportsbook hoped to capitalize on its partnerships with regional sports networks (RSNs) to help push its online bookie. However, in October 2024, FanDuel took over the RSN naming rights from Bally, raising concerns about the long-term viability of the sports betting enterprise.
Maryland’s Bally Bet platforms launched on July 31, 2024, with a solid $1.6 million betting handle in its first full month of operation. Based on what we’ve seen from Bally Bet in other states, we expect the bookie to be a reasonable option while odds shopping, though it is unlikely to be your primary sportsbook.
betPARX is one of the smaller bookmakers on our list, currently operating in just five states: Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. It launched in MD in August 2023 and has 17 sports available on its platform.
One of the biggest draws for betPARX is its soccer betting markets, which boast tens of thousands of lines and odds available daily. The impressive volume is a good sign, though app improvements are needed; betPARX holds a 1.8/5 rating in the Apple App Store and has not picked up enough ratings in the Google Play Store to hold a score.
A product of Rush Street Interactive, BetRivers began as an extension of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. It has since expanded to 13 other states, including Maryland, with an impressive array of 25 sports markets to choose from, including badminton, cycling, darts, handball, and jai alai.
BetRivers users are able to take part in the iRush Rewards program, earning points for every wager made through the sportsbook. With online gambling expansion as a possibility during the state’s 2025 legislative session, BetRivers is well-positioned to become a force in that space as well.
Crab Sports is the first bookmaker on this list that solely operates in Maryland. It partnered with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood to grow its presence across the state, launching in July 2023.
As a smaller operation, Crab Sports Maryland still manages to offer markets for 21 sports, an impressive total to be sure. Promotions frequently revolve around Maryland/D.C.-area teams, and the odds available tend to be slightly more favorable to the bettors to entice odds shoppers away from the more prominent sportsbooks in the state.
ESPN Bet made its Maryland debut in November 2023 after parent company PENN Entertainment completed its conversion of the Barstool Sportsbook platform. PENN had struggled with legal issues surrounding Barstool and broke off the partnership in August 2023 before announcing a 10-year, $2 billion deal with ESPN for new branding rights.
Today, ESPN Bet has many of ESPN’s on-air personalities creating betting-themed content, including promotions like “Stephen’s A-List,” a parlay from Stephen A. Smith. The bookmaker also offers a rewards program and has frequent bonus offers for new and returning bettors alike.
Betting on sports in Maryland is an easy process, with both online and land-based sportsbooks available at your disposal.
Here’s how you can start betting on sports in Maryland using an online sportsbook today.
Here’s what’s been happening lately in the Maryland sports betting scene:
Sports betting is legal in Maryland and has been since 2021 when Gov. Larry Hogan signed HB 940 into law. The bill also required daily fantasy sports operators to register with the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission, legalizing the DFS industry rather than letting operators run their platforms without regulation.
Maryland law requires any sports bettors be at least 21 years old to place a wager. If they’re betting online, bettors must also be physically within the state borders when making their wagers.
College sports betting fans will appreciate that Maryland allows wagering on NCAA-sanctioned events at its sportsbooks. This includes wagers involving in-state teams, so all nine of the Division I programs in MD will show up at the sportsbooks.
Below is a brief timeline covering key moments in the history of Maryland sports betting:
Maryland has 11 online sportsbooks operating in the state. Below is a complete list of your online options.
The following operators have since ceased their Maryland operations:
In addition to the online bookies, you can also gamble at any of the following retail sportsbooks in Maryland, listed alphabetically.
One of the primary methods sportsbooks use to attract new users to their platforms is the use of promotions and bonuses. These are also great ways to reward returning users for their continued wagering activity.
Here are a few of the most commonly offered Maryland sportsbook promos.
Most Maryland sportsbooks don’t require promo codes to access bonus benefits; instead, players check a box to “opt-in” to reap the rewards. This leaves most promo codes as referral codes, offering a kickback to the entity providing the code in addition to the new user.
Still, some operators will still utilize promo codes, so it’s important to know how to redeem them. If you follow these steps, you’ll be good to go!
Mobile sports betting is far and away the most popular way to gamble on sports in Maryland, with as much as 98% of betting handle coming through betting apps and online platforms in any given month.
The convenience of placing your wagers at any time from anywhere is a major factor in favor of mobile betting. Saving time and money compared to driving to a retail sportsbook is important too, and sportsbook bonuses push mobile sports betting over the top for most players.
To help provide an overview of the mobile betting platforms in Maryland, the table below shows the app store ratings for Apple and Android users. It’s important to keep in mind that these ratings change over time as new features are added and bugs are fixed.
| Sportsbook | Apple App Store Rating | Google Play Store Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Bally Bet | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 |
| bet365 | 4.8/5 | 4.8/5 |
| BetMGM | 4.8/5 | 4.4/5 |
| betPARX | 1.8/5 | Not Rated Yet |
| BetRivers | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Caesars | 4.7/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Crab Sports | 4.0/5 | 3.3/5 |
| DraftKings | 4.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
| ESPN Bet Sportsbook | 4.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
| ESPN Bet | 4.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Fanatics | 4.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
| FanDuel | 4.9/5 | 4.7/5 |
| LetsBetMD | 4.5/5 | Not Rated Yet |
Sports betting winnings are subject to taxation in Maryland and must be included on your federal, state, and municipal income tax returns. They aren’t taxed at a separate rate than for other incomes, so you’ll still fall within the 2-5% local tax bracket you would at the state level.
Additionally, Maryland law allows you to deduct your gambling losses if you are itemizing your returns. This will not work if you are taking the standard deduction.
If you win at least $600 at a given sportsbook, the operator will send you Form W-2G to include with your return. Otherwise, you’ll be able to download the form from the IRS website.
Responsible gambling is critical for sports bettors in Maryland, and the responsibility falls on all parties involved to reinforce responsible betting habits.
Online sportsbooks are required to provide users with the ability to set deposit limits, withdrawal limits, bet amount limits, and time limits to control their spending. They must also provide information about warning signs of compulsive gambling behaviors and resources for those who may be battling with a gambling addiction.
Bettor In Green highly encourages Maryland gamblers to take advantage of these account limits. We also recommend familiarizing yourself with the following responsible gambling resources:
We also highly encourage those at the most serious risk of gambling compulsion to register for the Maryland Gambling Self-Exclusion List. Those on the list are barred from registering for new sportsbook accounts, entering gambling facilities, and from placing or attempting to place wagers, with harsh legal penalties in place for violations.
Additionally, if you’re on the self-exclusion list, you’ll be removed from all targeted marketing communications (unfortunately, there’s no way to block TV advertisements yet). Enrollment in the program is an extreme but effective step in combating gambling addiction.
Maryland is right on the bubble of being one of the Top 10 states for annual sports betting handle. Though it could slide down the rankings as more states legalize online sports betting, Maryland is still seeing strong numbers, with gambling tax revenue making a significant impact around the state.
One of the biggest factors that could impact the future of sports betting in Maryland is the potential expansion of iGaming legislation to include online casinos and online lottery gaming. Adding either option could reduce the amount of money wagered at Maryland sportsbooks with the money spent in other gambling avenues, though it’s not clear at this time how significant that impact would be.
Additionally, we’ve seen in other states examples of smaller sportsbooks being bought out by larger operators or leaving the industry entirely. Sportsbook contraction is somewhat normal as the industry stabilizes by state, though Maryland’s numbers wouldn’t indicate more sportsbook closures or consolidation at this time.
Now that you’ve learned about the Maryland sports betting industry, dig in a bit more and decide what sportsbooks you may want to use as you start your sports gambling journey! We’ve composed thorough reviews of Maryland betting sites to help you further find the factors that matter to you in a sportsbook with additional details about the active welcome bonus offers.
You may also want to sign up for the Bettor In Green cheat sheets, which provide a daily breakdown of MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL prop betting markets. Covering a variety of player trends throughout recent games and the course of a season, these guides can be yours for $9.99/month, practically paying for themselves after a single winning bet!
Good luck, have fun, and always gamble responsibly!!
To place a sports bet in Maryland, you must be at least 21 years of age and physically located within the state’s borders. You also must not be prohibited from gambling because of your profession, nor can you be on the gambling self-exclusion list. If you’ve met the above criteria, you’ll be eligible to place your sports bets at a retail location or through an online gambling platform.
You need to be at least 21 years old to place a sports bet in Maryland. This is the age requirement for most states, though some have lower age limits. New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming all allow online sports betting at age 18.
Yes, you can place a sports bet on your mobile phone in Maryland. Online sports betting is legal in MD and launched statewide in November 2022. The easiest way to make wagers on a mobile phone is through a sports betting app.
Yes, there are restrictions on betting amounts in Maryland. Minimum and maximum wager amounts will vary by sportsbook and by the type of bet you’re making. Check the “House Rules” section of your online sportsbook so you’re aware of the specific limitations.
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