Washington DC Online Sportsbooks
Those living in Washington D.C. reside in an area where sports are extremely popular- both professional and collegiate. But at the same time, residents there are also right in the middle of where legislation gets passed - including sports betting laws. These are the front lines where the questions surrounding the legality of wagering on sports are answered.
But this page focuses in only on the Washington D.C. area, and does not cover the entire scope of sports betting in the U.S. Information on what residents in Washington D.C. can do to bet legally on sports for real money at land-based sportsbooks + online sportbooks for U.S. bettors is available. Find out where bettors can go + how they can wager within the confines of the law.
Is it Legal to Bet on Sports in Washington D.C.?
Well, interestingly enough, no, it's not – even though heads of state have placed wagers, publicly, on everything from the Ryder Cup to the World Cup. Sports betting is the most heavily-regulated and often prohibited form of betting in the nation and in D.C. This is due to the concern that organized crime may control such wagering, and that fear fostered the 1961 Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.
For legal sports betting in the U.S., players have three choices – wait for the states like Nevada and New Jersey to pass and implement laws that allow such, wait for the U.S. Congress to overturn existing laws dating back decades, or log on to the internet and find an offshore-based site, reliable and licensed, where the games are legal and the books are open all day – and night. Simply put, betting on sports with a bookie or at a U.S. based website is illegal, and potentially dangerous. There are many better options, and we'll cover them.
Useful Article: Is Online Sports Betting Legal In The U.S.
Will Washington D.C. Residents Get into Trouble for Placing Bets Online?
In a word, No. While D.C. has some laws that vaguely refer to gambling (called "gaming", and focused on "operators" and "facilitators"), players of any sort are not even mentioned in the D.C. statutes. That doesn't mean that there are not pitfalls and things to watch for. Sports fans should remember that, as mentioned, U.S. –based online sports betting sites do not legally exist in D.C.
But legal choices, many legal choices, remain available to the sports fanatics in Washington D.C. The best way to avoid potential problems with the laws, as murky and unfathomable as they may be, is to rely on information we provide here at (domain), and take advantage of the many sports betting opportunities provided by the legal sites we review and recommend. While each of these sites have their particular strengths and individual focuses, where one game may be more prominent than another, all share one thing in common. That being, they are legal for players in Washington, D.C.
Where Can Washington D.C. Residents Bet Sports Online?
As we indicated, there are many legal choices. But just because an online site is legal does not make it attractive. There are a lot of factors to consider before deciding to dedicate time and funds to an online sports betting site. Security, choice of games, privacy, and payout policies are important factors to keep in mind.
The sites we have reviewed for you today meet the litmus test where all of these considerations are measured – and they also provide a whole lot of fun. We make it our job to do the leg work for you, and we've done it. You'll like these trusted, award-winning legal sites if you live in Washington D.C. and enjoy wagering on sports.
Best Online Sportsbooks That Accept Washington D.C. Residents
Bovada Sportsbook – Welcomes Residents From Washington D.C.!
Tell someone the Rangers are plus 130 over the Bruins, and someone who knows what you're talking about will usually respond, "I saw that on Bovada." This is, simply, the most visited and most trusted sports book on the internet. For the most current odds, the best information and the lowdown on nuances that make a longshot look like a sure winner, Bovada is the place.
While it seems there was a time, based on outdated information still floating around cyberspace, that Bovada hesitated to accept players from Washington, D.C., rest assured that those days are over, if indeed they ever existed. While players in Washington state are restricted, D. C. players are not, so everything the site offers, from horses to rugby, dogs to darts, and NBA to bowling, is available for wagering to players and fans in the District of Columbia.
BetOnline Sportsbook – Great Sportsbook Bonus For Washington D.C. Bettors
Go to the BetOnline Sportsbook homepage and you'll note, on the far right, a tab called "Sports Betting Edge". Clicking here will not necessarily make a citizen of D.C. an instant expert, but it will certainly enhance the player's knowledge and insight on the game of choice. This little tab sets BetOnline apart from sites that just list the games and ask, "Yes" or "No". That, and the incredible amount of games, sports, players and information designed to keep the dedicated sports fan up for a week.
Futures and props – sports bettors love these, and they're available to the point of overwhelming at BetOnline. This year's World Series, next year's Super Bowl or the 2015 Sprint Cup Champion – take today's odds and bet it. Whoa, if you pick the Redskins right now, and they pick up Tom Brady or Eli Manning tomorrow, well, you get it. And if you live in D.C. you can "get it" 24 hours a day, seven days a week, legally and safely.
5Dimes Sportsbook – Bettors 18+ Welcome At 5Dimes
When is the last time you placed a bet on your favorite European Water Polo team? Not a big draw in the District of Columbia, to be sure, but D.C. sports bettors and others throughout the U.S. can find at 5Dimes opportunities to bet on both regular and exotic sporting events. Typical U.S. favorites like the NBA , the NCAA, the Olympics, plus racing involving cars, those with insight and recommendations at 5Dimes Sportsbook.
5Dimes Sportsbook is acutely aware that there are indeed laws in the U.S. affecting players who want to bet on sports, so players in D.C. will not be able to set up their accounts with Visa credit or debit cards out of banking concerns. But, fear not, other methods are available and legal, and it won't be long before the citizens of the District of Columbia are joining the millions of U.S. citizens enjoying sports betting online and using 5Dimes as their site of choice.
Online Sportsbooks That Accept Washington DC Residents
| Washington DC Sportsbooks | New U.S. Player Bonus | Go To U.S. Betting Site | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Review | 50% Up To $250 | |
 | Review | 50% Up To $1,000 NEW! | |
 | Review | 50% Up To $1,000 NEW! | |
 | Review | 50% New Member Bonus! | |
 | Review | 100% Up To $500 NEW! | |
 | Review | 50% Up To $520 |
Washington D.C. Sports Betting Laws
Sports betting is the most heavily regulated, and restricted, area of legal gambling. Nevada, Montana, Oregon, Delaware all received some sort of exemption from the provisions of the Federal Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, due to state-sanctioned "sports lotteries" or other active legal allowances. D.C. simply has no laws, as of now, that regulate or prohibit sports betting, so sites operating outside the jurisdiction of federal law offer residents of D.C. the opportunity to enjoy sports betting legally and safely.
Useful Article: Sports Betting Laws in the U.S.A.
Are Online Sportsbooks Accepting Washington D.C. Residents Regulated?
Regulated by state law? No. As of now, there are no state laws allowing such. But the more important question is, are these sportsbooks accepting D.C. residents because it is legal? The answer to that one is yes.
As we just pointed out, D.C. law is pretty clear regarding "operators", and pretty murky regarding players. But sites that don't full under the jurisdiction of federal law also don't fall prey to the innocuous nature of D.C. statutes. So no state or local laws seem to affect sports bettors who gamble on legal websites such as those we often recommend. New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware all have efforts in place to regulate online sports betting, if for no other reason than to enjoy the potential tax revenues available. Until that occurs, on any level, it's important you rely on good information, such as you can find here, regarding sportsbooks that are licensed where they operate, certified by third-party entities, and trusted by their peers and players. Sites like that get good reviews at our site and others, and you can count on them, because simply put, they won't mistreat you.
Washington D.C. Is A Good Place To Enjoy Sports + Sports Betting
Long before Michael Jordan brought the Washington Wizards to the NBA, the nation's capital was as much a sports hub as a political entity. From the early days of the Redskins and Senators to today's Nationals, there are players, teams and sports that excite the gamblers of D.C. Considering how close Washington, D.C. is to many of the most active sports hubs in America, it's no wonder that D.C. residents are some of the most dedicated and intelligent online gamers in the country. Sites such as those reviewed today appreciate the presence of smart, intuitive sports fans that enjoy betting not only on their home teams, but on a variety of sports that call on their followers to be intelligent, aware and alert. That describes D.C. players to a T.
So it makes sense that when a big jackpot gets paid out on longer-than-normal odds, be it on racing, running, tackling, shooting, jumping or swimming, it will not be a surprise to find that the collector of that jackpot happens to live in Washington, D.C.