Massachusetts Sportsbooks And How To Bet Online
The state of Massachusetts is well represented with both professional and college sports programs, with a lineup that even includes a major league soccer team. Despite the state’s obvious affection for sports, you will not find any type of state regulated sports betting either online or offline in the Bay State.
Thankfully not all regions around the world feel the same way about sports betting that our government does. There are multiple territories which have expressly legalized this type of entertainment for their residents. So how does this affect sports fans in the state of Massachusetts?
This guide will provide you with insightful information concerning legal options that MA bettors have for participating in sports betting, as well as take a look at the federal laws affecting US sports betting opportunities, and how residents and visitors to the state can legally participate in licensed sportsbook offerings.
We’ve also provided some insight into betting on some specific sports venues, including a guide for betting on football in Massachusetts, as well as baseball and basketball. We have recently expanded our guide to include several of the states premium football programs, including a guide to betting on the New England Patriots for NFL fans, as well as several guides for betting on the state’s college football teams.
You will find access to these guides from our football betting page. Guides to additional professional sports teams in Massachusetts that we have added to this site include betting on the Boston Celtics for basketball fans, and betting on the Boston Red Sox for our baseball fans. College basketball and baseball teams are also covered and you will find these guides in their respective sports categories from the menu at the top of the page.
Best Online Sportsbooks For Massachusetts Players In 2024
| Sportsbook Name | Bonus | Rating /100 | US Friendly | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Sportsbook | 50% Max $1,000 | 98% | Yes | Play Now |
| Betonline Sportsbook | 50% Max $1,000 | 95% | Yes | Play Now |
| BetUS Sportsbook | 125% Max $3,125 | 94% | Yes | Play Now |
| Bookmaker | 100% Max $500 | 92% | Yes | Play Now |
| Mybookie Sportsbook | 50% Max $1,000 | 91% | Yes | Play Now |
Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Massachusetts As Of 2024?
Bettors looking for state regulated sports betting options in Mass will be disappointed. There are several federal laws which ban sports betting in all areas of the US with the exception of several select destinations, including Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana.
So what is football fan in the Codfish State to do? The federal laws which prohibit sports betting in the US include the Federal Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Both are actively enforced at this time.
However, these US federal gambling laws do not affect those online sports betting sites which are licensed, certified, regulated and located outside of the United States. In fact, there is no federal law prohibiting US bettors from participating in legally licensed offshore sports betting that is regulated by a legitimate governing jurisdiction in which this type of activity is already legal.
Being based in such a location means that these sites are licensed to provide their services to players around the world, including those in the US of A. Therefore it is not illegal or against the rules for US gamblers to partake in these opportunities. State laws do not address online gambling, and because there are already federal laws prohibiting US based sports betting, you will not find much in the way of this venue either.
However for those who would like to review the state gambling laws, you can visit the Massachusetts State Legislature website for more information.
Where Can I Find Legal Sports Betting Sites That Accept MA Residents?
We strongly recommend that you consider relying on professional feedback when selecting which sports betting destination you will participate at. This resource guide, and others like it, have professionals involved with vetting and evaluating the industry’s sports betting sites, resulting in information that will assist Massachusetts bettors in reaching a betting site that is legally licensed and regulated, offers competitive lines, and provides a safe and secure wagering environment.
Each site you see listed in this guide has gone through a very intricate review process which effectively reveals the good and the bad of each operation. Those brands which meet our stringent requirements for inclusion in this guide are listed above, while those who did not were eliminated.
Many of the undesirable and questionable gambling sites appear to be professional businesses. This is done through savvy web design and effective deception. These types of situations are extremely hard to recognize as undesirable before you’ve already been ensnared and have lost your money to an unscrupulous group of thieves.
We are interested in assisting bettors in avoiding this type of situation, and by restricting your betting action to those brands which have been approved by industry professionals, you are minimizing, if not eliminating the risk that you will be a victim of any type of cyber crime during your online gambling session.
What Types of Sports Betting Options Do Massachusetts Bettors Have?
The reputable brands featured in our guide are required to offer a substantial range of betting lines, covering a strong selection of sports events and categories. We of course want to see the primary mainstream sports, but we also want to see them reach into the more refined areas of sports betting that include those events that do not fall under the mainstream category, such as cycling, snooker, darts and cricket, among others, and to include minor leagues and European leagues as well as the US professional and collegiate sports programs.
You will find pages in this guide that cover betting on baseball in Massachusetts, as well as betting on basketball in Massachusetts. We intend to expand this guide to include detailed coverage of the professional and college sports teams representing Massachusetts in those sports, and to also cover additional sports venues represented in by the state’s sports teams. Wagering options range from simple money line and totals to teasers, parlays and live betting, among several other options.
What is the Legal Gambling Age in Massachusetts?
The gambling age in Massachusetts varies depending on the type of gambling in question. For playing lottery, bingo, charitable games or enjoying pari-mutuel wagering, the minimum legal age is 18 years old. To participate in any type of casino gambling, poker or online gambling, the legal minimum gambling age is 21. There are serious penalties for violating the legal gambling age in the state.
Does Gambling Have a Place in the Future of Massachusetts?
The Old Colony State is definitely warming up to the concept of gambling. The state’s first land based casinos are emerging, and several attempts at legalizing online poker have been made, though unsuccessful thus far. This definitely reveals a desire by the state’s government and residents to develop gambling opportunities within the state’s borders.
However, because there are federal laws expressly prohibiting sports betting, it is not likely that anything will emerge on that front unless the federal laws are changed. New Jersey recently challenged the PASPA law as unconstitutional, violating the sovereignty of states’ rights, however their argument was rejected by the courts and the ban was upheld as the law of the land. So yes, gambling options are surfacing in Massachusetts, but sports betting is not among them at this time.
The Betting Trends of Popular Massachusetts Teams
The Boston Celtics
One of the most celebrated teams in NBA history, the Boston Celtics have more championships than anyone, with an impressive 17 of them, plus an amazing 21 division titles. They haven’t been a very good team since Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett left for other teams, but they’re reported to be the strongest team going forward since they have multiple first-round draft picks for each of the next few years.
Last year, when most people thought the Celtics were going to tank, they actually made the final spot of the playoffs. They did this without any all-star players or even superstars. They did this with coach Brad Stevens in his first year.
Because the Celtics were able to surprise people last season, they actually did quite well as a betting team. ATS (against the spread), they were 50-35-1, which is nearly 60%. That’s not a lock by any stretch, but seeing as the Celtics were picked to be one of the worst teams in the league, that’s a great step up. They were also 24-10 as away underdogs, which means they covered at over 70% on the road when the other team was favored.
All told, you should look for the Celtics to improve on those stats next season. The only hang-up here might be that oddsmakers don’t set the spreads as far, but if they do look for Boston to cover at an even higher rate.
The Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox are only two years removed from a World Series title, but they’re actually the worst team in baseball this year. With MLB’s second-highest payroll, it seems implausible that Boston could stink as bad as they have. But they’re having serious issues with their pitching, and they’re not swinging the bats that well either. They finished last place in the AL East last season, and this season they might finish in last place in all of baseball. That’s a dramatic decline being experienced in Boston right now, and it doesn’t get much better in terms of gambling numbers.
Boston has been the worst team for gamblers over the previous period, going 75-106 ATS and barely better than .500 in their best over-under (home) category. They simply don’t have the pitching control or the bat strength to keep games close. Even teams that lose a lot can often do better ATS by keeping games close. Boston, however, isn’t able to get back into games once they get down.
Will this trend continue? We predict that Boston will right the ship this off-season and come back strong next year. We’re not predicting a World Series, but we do see them competing with the Yankees for the AL East. You can’t keep this team down for long. They have a habit of figuring things out.
The New England Patriots
If you haven’t heard the breaking news, Tom Brady’s four-game suspension was nullified by a judge. Commissioner Goodell will try again to suspend him, but right now Brady’s free to play. This means that this year’s Patriots are going to threaten for another Super Bowl. They won the Super Bowl last year in very dramatic fashion, with a last-second goal-line interception. It was a controversial game, but the Pats ended up winning, which was Brady and Belichick’s 4th title in 6 tries. But how well did they do for gamblers last season?
They were the top seed in the AFC, which means they did something right. They went 11-8 ATS, which isn’t remarkable by any stretch. However, people see the Pats and they typically like placing bets when New England is an underdog. In this area, the Pats did very well. They were 2-0 as home underdogs and 4-1 as dogs in general. They were also 3-1 after a loss. Where they struggled was when they were favorites. Their defense allowed teams to cover, so they went 7-7.
Look for New England to do better ATS this season. They have more of a ball-control offense, which means longer possession times for New England and shorter for their opponents. Plus they have a good pass defense. In a pass-happy league, this equates to a lot of three-and-outs for opponents. The Pats should be able to cover better this season as favorites.