Between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a sports-heavy state. Pennsylvania hosts eight teams from five major sports leagues, all of which are available for online sports betting for Pennsylvania sports fans. With this guide, created specifically for Pennsylvania residents, you can educate yourself on the state and federal restrictions surrounding online sports betting. You’ll also learn about which Pennsylvania teams are worth betting on and the most trusted licensed sports betting sites accepting Pennsylvania residents.
Is Sports Gambling Legal In Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania doesn’t have any state laws that specifically ban online sports betting. However, there are some federal laws in place that have to do with sports betting. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), Federal Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) all attempt to regulate sports betting in some way, but these laws only apply to US-based sports betting. The offshore sportsbooks that we recommend are all legally sanctioned and allow Pennsylvania residents to bet both legally and safely. So to answer the question, yes, it is legal for PA residents to bet on sports as long as the destination at which they are betting is a legally licensed and regulated sportsbook located offshore.
Most Reputable Pennsylvania Online Sportsbooks
The way to stay on the legal side of sports betting in Pennsylvania is to be highly selective as to where you place your bets. It is imperative that you restrict your betting action to only those betting sites that are operating legitimately within the industry. This means that they will be legally licensed, subject to strict regulatory oversight and hold verified compliance certifications. The sportsbooks we include in this guide have all been extensively evaluated to ensure their legitimacy and quality are the best that the industry has to offer.
| Logo | Site Name | Bonus | Rating | USA | Visit Site |
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Betonline Sportsbook | 50% Max $2500 |  |
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Sportsbetting | 75% Max $1000 | |
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Visit Site |
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Bovada Sportsbook | 50% Max $250 | |
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Visit Site |
How State and Federal Laws Regulate Sports Betting in Pennsylvania
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, also known as PASPA, was issued back in 1992. PASPA’s aim was to buffer the spread of legalized sports betting in the US. Before its passing, there were already four states operating legalized sports betting—Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon. These states were allowed to continue with their sports betting operations, though Nevada and Delaware are the only two that still offer some type of state licensed sportsbook gambling option.
The Federal Wire Act was originally perceived as regulating online betting for all forms of gambling, however thanks to a Formal Opinion issued by the Department of Justice, it was narrowed down to only restrict sports betting through US-based online sportsbooks. This means that it is not legal to place bets with an online sportsbook within the United States. PASPA and the Federal Wire Act combine to effectively prohibit US based sports betting activities both online and offline.
The UIGEA monitors banks and how they process transactions related to sports betting and other forms of gambling. It doesn’t affect individual bettors but more so aims to clean up any illegal transactions. The important point to clarify is that the UIGEA, along with the other two federal laws, only deal with US-based sports betting. Therefore any sportsbooks that operate outside of the US are unaffected, opening the door for Pennsylvania residents to safely and legally place bets through one of the online sportsbooks that we’ve suggested.
Popular Sports Teams To Bet On In Pennsylvania
All of the major sports teams in Pennsylvania are split between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Philadelphia hosts the Phillies in the MLB, the 76ers in the NBA, the Eagles in the NFL, the Flyers in the NHL and the Union in the MLS. Pittsburgh has the Pirates in the MLB, the Steelers in the NFL and the Penguins in the NHL. All of these teams make for some quality sports betting action that you can get a piece of using this guide.
NFL Teams in PA
NBA Teams in PA
MLB Teams in PA
NHL Teams in PA
MLS Teams in PA
FAQs About Betting On Sports
Can I Bet On Multiple Teams?
Sure thing. You can place as many bets as you want so long as you have the bankroll to back them. In addition, these sportsbooks offer what are called parlay bets, which involve betting on multiple outcomes on one ticket. For example, you could bet on the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins to win, but you only get the winnings if all three teams get a victory.
What Other Types of Bets do these Sportsbooks offer?
These sportsbooks offer all types of bets. You can bet on the usual point spreads (for example, you could bet on the Steelers to win their game by six points or more), prop bets (will the Phillies score a home run in the top of the sixth?) or even future bets (who will win Super Bowl LI?). Most of these sportsbooks even offer bets on things like racing, boxing, MMA, politics, entertainment and more.
Are These Offshore Betting Sites Legitimate?
Certainly. We only recommend sportsbooks that have been in business for at least a decade and have worked to build up a solid reputation of reliability and customer service. These sites deal with a lot of clients and money, so you can rest assured that your personal and financial information will be kept secure. These sportsbooks also operate outside the jurisdiction of PASPA, the Federal Wire Act and the UIGEA, so Pennsylvania residents can place bets without breaking the law.
How Do I Start Betting?
Once you sign up for an account you’ll have to deposit money into that account so you have some bankroll to bet with. You can do this in several ways. Most sportsbooks allow you to deposit funds using a credit/debit card, money transfer, money orders, cashier’s checks and more. Online currencies like Bitcoin and Litecoin are also options for depositing money.
How Do I Receive My Winnings?
Once you are ready to withdraw your winnings, all you have to do is go to your account on the site. Once there, you’ll be prompted to select the withdrawal method of your choosing. It’s important to note that some sportsbooks restrict your withdrawal method to the same deposit method, however the sportsbooks reserve the right to use alternative payout methods if necessary. The usual withdrawal methods available are check, Bitcoin, wire transfer, etc.
Do These Sportsbooks Offer Any Type of Promotions?
Yes. These sportsbooks that we’ve recommended for Pennsylvania residents offer a variety of bonuses throughout the year. These bonuses offer bettors additional funds to place bets with. For example, once you make a deposit with your Bovada account you are instantly granted a 50% bonus up to $250. There are other bonuses available, such as seasonal promotions and bonuses for referring a friend to the site. Since there are so many bonuses available to bettors throughout the year, it’s important to stay up to date with the sportsbook so you don’t miss out on any free money.
Are There Any Sports Teams in Pennsylvania That Have A Shot At Winning A National Title in 2017/2018?
The Pittsburgh Steelers just lost out on a chance at the Super Bowl thanks to the New England Patriots, but it’s safe to assume they’ll be one of the dominant teams in the AFC next season and look to redeem their loss in the AFC Championship game. The Eagles aren’t having the same success as their state counterparts, so their next season is a little more up in the air. The 76ers are undergoing a bit of a rebuild process and have been for some time now. They still need a few more pieces before they can be legitimate title contenders. The Penguins currently sit 3rd in their division while the Flyers sit in 5th, so both teams could still fight it out for a playoff berth. The MLB season isn’t set to start for a while, so the World Series might be a bit too far off to predict. The MLS season is about to start its preseason matches, so keep an eye on the Union to see if they’ll be contenders during the regular season.