Sports betting is not yet legal in Massachusetts. However, a bill was passed by Bay State representatives in July 2021, which is still being debated by the Senate.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) has been a regular habit among Massachusetts sports fans since 2016. Boston is the birthplace of gambling industry giants and pioneers, DraftKings, so MA could legitimately be called the birthplace of DFS in America.
The best Massachusetts Fantasy Sites – June 2022
More on Massachusetts Sports Betting
Massachusetts Sports Betting: As it stands
| Online Sports Betting | N |
| Mobile Sports Betting | N |
| Retail Sports Betting | N |
| Minimum Age | N/A |
As of early May 2022, there is no permitted sports betting within the state lines of Massachusetts. This applies across the spectrum of retail, online and mobile wagering.
That could well be set to change if a bill passed in July 2021 by the MA state legislature can find its way through the next session of the Senate, in 2022.
Neighbouring states with legal online sports betting
As it stands, no fewer than four of Massachusetts’s neighbouring states have legalized at least some form of online sports betting. New York is one of the most populous, and latest, states to have approved online and mobile sports betting
New York’s much–anticipated entrance into the regulated online sports betting arena finally arrived in January 2022. Given the Empire State’s sporting and metropolitan might, this embrace of online wagering won’t have gone unnoticed by their New England neighbours.
Connecticut gave online sports betting the official green light in December 2021, just before New York stole the spotlight. FanDuel and DraftKings are the big names accounting for the big share of a three-way market as yet.
New Hampshire lawmakers rubber-stamped legal sports betting in-person, online and via mobile sportsbook apps back in 2019. The intuitive DraftKings mobile sportsbook app is the most popular choice for New Hampshire bettors according to handles.
Rhode Island acted swiftly to legalize sports betting in 2018, but the Ocean State has been very measured in its proliferation and accessibility. There is one state-backed sports betting app and just two retail sportsbooks by William Hill on separate Tribal casinos.
Massachusetts Sports Betting FAQs
Is sports betting legal in Massachusetts?
Sports betting is not currently legal in the Bay State. A bill has been passed to overturn this status but is still being debated at the state level.
Is it illegal to sports bet online in Massachusetts?
Right now, there is no legal online sports betting in Massachusetts. However, a bill passed by the state’s legislature is moving through the law-making process.
Can I play FanDuel or DraftKings daily fantasy games in Massachusetts?
Yes, the big-hitting pair of FanDuel and DraftKings make their daily fantasy games available in the Bay State.
Is Caesars sportsbook legal in Massachusetts?
Unfortunately, along with all other Sportsbooks providers such as one of the very best in BetMGM, Caesars cannot yet legally operate in MA.
What other sportsbooks could become legal in Massachusetts?
Given the country’s leading lights of the sports betting industry either have origins or major operations and followings across the Northeast, they’ll be no shortage of applicants. If the current bill becomes law, then it’s quite safe to speculate that BetMGM, DraftKings, Fan Duel, Fox Bet, Bet Rivers and alike would all want a presence in MA, among a long list of suitors for an MA licence.
Most likely Massachusetts sports betting sites
BetMGM’s connection to MA through their MGM Springfield resort strongly suggests BetMGM Sportsbook would be part of online sports betting in the Bay State should it become legal.
DraftKings was founded in Boston, and with its headquarters situated in MA’s most famed city, there’s zero doubt DK would be involved. As soon as Massachusetts law changes, sports bettors are sure to be sampling the industry-leading mobile sportsbook app in the Bay State.
FanDuel have proved itself to be a frontrunner whenever new states allow online sports betting regulation. With their own HQ not far south in New York City, sportsbook expansion into Massachusetts seems just as inevitable.
Caesars had shown their intentions already after previously attempting to open a casino in Suffolk Downs back in 2013. Now their online and mobile sportsbook has become a huge part of their revenue streams, it would seem strange for these big players not to join any Mass gathering of big hitters.
Is Retail sports betting legal in Massachusetts?
No, retail sports betting in the Bay State is currently forbidden by law. The sports betting bill that is being debated does contain some provisions of retail options in the future.
Latest Massachusetts Sports Betting News
Sports betting has yet to become legal in Massachusetts, despite state lawmakers agreeing to pass a bill in July 2021. Although H3993 passed the Massachusetts House of Representatives, the bill has progressed no farther in the Senate.
While some lawmakers reportedly wish to focus on passing sports betting legislation in 2022, there appears to be resistance in the Senate on a range of details concerning a regulated situation in MA. These include tax rates and college betting among others,
The latest development came in late April when the Senate passed its version of sports betting legislation off the floor, but it is significantly different than the bill passed by the House in 2021.
The history of Massachusetts Sports Betting
Other than Daily Fantasy Sports provision, by the likes of Boston-born industry pioneers DraftKings, or rivals FanDuel out of NYC, sports betting has been off-limits in MA.
That may well change given that two separate bills passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives have passed onto the Senate floor. If certain elements of the future regulatory picture can be thrashed out during the summer session, then it’s even plausible that Massachusetts sports betting becomes a ratified pastime in 2022.
All eyes on the Senate, then.
Massachusetts Sports Teams to bet on
Massachusetts residents or anyone with strong ties to MA, can rightly talk up the Bay State as one of America’s most successful for major league sports.
Boston itself is a true destination for pro and college sports alike. Winding the clock back several decades, the famous names of the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox put MA at the centre of America’s sporting map, in basketball and baseball respectively. The historic Bruins are certainly hockey royalty, while the New England Patriots have carved out an unrivalled 21st Century football legacy.
Boston Celtics
The name of the Boston Celtics is truly iconic when it comes to what is arguably America’s most popular sport. If you asked the average Joe on the sidewalk to name the most famous franchises in NBA history, then, you’d expect them to at least name the Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers in terms of success.
(Sure, they would be forgiven for throwing the 90s-era Chicago Bulls into the mix).
The Celtics rose to dominate the 1960s as no other teams has strangled a decade since, claiming nine out of 10 NBA Champions wins. The green and white legacy had already been well and truly cemented by the time the Lakers fought back across the 70s and 80s to rack up half a dozen titles for the west coast franchise.
Some of the most heralded names of the Celtics include legendary stars such as Larry Bird, who relished a tussle with the Lakers Magic Johnson throughout the 80s as their respective sides battled it out for titles.
Alongside, Kevon McHale and Robert Parish, Bird formed the original “Big Three” that claimed three more titles in the 80s.
There are so many retired jerseys at the TD Garden, you could almost field two whole teams. The likes of a trailblazer, Bill Russell, claimed 11 NBA Rings in 13 full seasons between 1956-69, with the legendary center’s number 6 being just one such jersey placed off-limits.
More lately, a new “Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen helped put Boston back on the b-ball map. These stars contributed to the last of the 17 NBA titles in 2008.
Boston Red Sox
There are not many team names in American sports that carry more prestige than the Boston Red Sox. One of the eight original charter members of the American League shortly after their 1901 formation, the Red Sox quickly established themselves as a force in top-level national baseball.
Five World Series were racked up by 1918, and a certain slugger by the name of Babe Ruth was the most potent force in the Fenway Park’s home dugout. Ruth remains the historical icon of baseball in America.
However, not even the most pessimistic Sox fan could have predicted the relative eternity it would take to win another World Series after Ruth’s controversial switch to fierce rivals, the New York Yankees.
Astonishingly, the wait for a World Series would almost stretch out over the following century, until the turn of the millennium coincided with the baseball giant’s revival in fortunes.
From 2004 through 2018, the Red Sox nearly doubled their tally of World titles, winning four. Fenway Park ushered in a new era of heroes, including the likes of Manny Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz.
Boston Bruins
Boston’s strong-major-league-franchise theme is seamlessly continued on the ice by the Bruins. Further, in keeping with other major-league forces in the Bay State capital, the Bruins can point to a rich early history.
Half of the six Stanley Cups the Bear have accumulated arrived before the end of the Second World War.
That haul is tied fourth-most of any team with the Chicago Blackhawks, and tied for second-most for any American-based NHL team, also with the Blackhawks (after the Detroit Red Wings, who have 11).
Post-season hockey has more or less been ever-present for the Bruins, other than one barren stretch in the 1960s, that won’t get mentioned in many Boston bars. The 26 Divisional championships and three President’s Cups are far more likely to be mentioned among the city’s hockey fans.
Some famous names to have worn the distinguished black and gold jerseys, include all-time great Bobby Orr, “Bab-Bam-Cam” Cam Nealy, and more recently Ray Bourque.
Current manager Don Sweeney will be hoping he can get the B’s back to the big time after that very close brush with a seventh Stanley Cup in 2018/19 still painfully fresh in the memory.
New England Patriots
There are two names that come to the lips almost involuntarily whenever the Pats are talked about. At least in the 21st Century. Those are long-term head coach Bill Belichick, and his star quarterback, by the name of Tom Brady. Others will refer to him simply as GOAT.
One of the most potent combinations in American sports history ushered in one of football’s most successful dynasties between 2000 and 2018 – winning six Super Bowls for the Patriots.
With Belichick’s playbook wizardry and Brady’s unrivalled coolness in the pocket, matched by his metronymic aim, the Pats started to rewrite long-held NFL records.
The Belichick-Brady era saw the Patriots claim nearly every major Super Bowl record. Other NFL records held by the franchise include the most wins in a 10-year period (126 from 2003 to 2012).
Added to that is the most playoff wins (37), the longest winning streak of the regular season and playoff games (21 from October 2003 to October 2004), the most consecutive winning seasons (19 from 2001 to 2019), the most consecutive division titles (11 from 2009 to 2019), the only undefeated 16-game regular season (2007), and the highest postseason winning percentage (.638).
It’s worth noting that other players and coaching staff were involved in this period, like wide receivers Deion Branch, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. That’s without trying to offend a whole host of defensive superstars over almost two decades.
With Brady’s long-awaited departure final coming in 2020, the Pats (still under Belichick’s guidance) are looking to a new generation of on-field stars.
New England Revolution
The Revs are one of the 10 chartered members of Major League Soccer has taken part in the inaugural season in 1996.
Based in the Foxborough area of Boston, the Revolution have enjoyed a bittersweet relationship MLS Cup. Namely, it has so far proved elusive. This is not for the lack of talent in the Gilette Stadium dressing room down the year either.
The Revolution have participated in five MLS Cup finals in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2014, which is the most of any club that has not won the MLS Cup.
Not an enviable stat. However, Rev’s fans have been treated to major honours during their history.
The Massachusetts franchise won its first major trophy, by claiming the 2007 U.S. Open Cup. The following year, they won the 2008 North American SuperLiga to add continental silverware to the cabinet.
They won their first Supporters’ Shield just last year, under manager Bruce Arena, who has enjoyed a long and distinguished history as an MLS player and coach.
