The state of New Hampshire legalized sports betting, having passed a law allowing sports bettors to place wagers in-person at various retail sports betting locations as well as being able to partake in online and mobile sports betting, The state’s first bet was placed on 30th December 2019,
New Hampshire Sportsbooks
New Hampshire has now joined the list of US states to legalize sports betting. Now, persons of the legal age can bet on professional sports at state-regulated sportsbooks both in brick and mortar locations as well as at the various New Hampshire online sports betting sites.
Although it has officially been legalized within the state, it seems to be taking both the operators and regulators to catch up with other states. As it stands right now, according to state law, it is the New Hampshire Lottery tasked with regulating New Hampshire sports betting.
Although not all sports betting licenses have been distributed, it is believed that the entirety of the New Hampshire sports betting market will include numerous retail locations plus even more online sports wagering sites that you will be able to access from your desktop or smartphone.
In total, the state will have 10 physical sportsbook licenses plus an additional 5 skins available for third-party online sports betting platforms. There should certainly be plenty of options to choose from for legal sports betting in the state!
The best online sports betting sites in the state will be the ones that are licensed and regulated by the state. There may still be unlicensed betting sites out there, but these are better avoided.
New Hampshire Sports Wagering Timeline From 1900 – 2019
1906
In June 1906, Rockingham Park opened which became the place to visit for illegal betting. However, it was closed down by the authorities after just three days.
1933
The state Governor Winant allowed a bill to become law, without him signing it, which would effectively legalize pari-mutuel betting and charitable betting events on horse racing and greyhound racing. This soon became prevalent in New Hampshire.
1963
The state passed legislation to start up the New Hampshire state lottery – making it the first state to legalize lottery draws.
2011
The state’s controversial tax law was repealed. However, it was already believed by many that the damage had already been done to the racing industry
2012
Horse racing was practically assigned to the history books and no live races were scheduled for the future.
2014
There was a variety of bills for licensed casinos and the proposal to change the definition of poker from being a game of luck to a game of skill. However, all failed to pass.
2016
Several casinos opened up – which donated a large slice of their gambling revenues to charitable causes.
2017
New Hampshire temporarily lifted its ban on online casinos and poker. The state reintroduces that ban just ten months later.
2019
The state finally legalized sports betting after Governor Sununu signed a bill to legalize sports betting in New Hampshire. This would allow both in-place betting at physical locations as well mobile sports betting. The first bet was placed on 30th December 2019 by Governor Chris Sununu himself.
New Hampshire Sportsbook Locations
It was in July 2019 that Governor Chris Sununu signed into law New Hampshire’s sports betting bill. We went on to place the state’s very first legal sports bet on 30th December that year. The law allows anyone over 18 years old to bet on sports both in-person and online.
In November 2019, officials in New Hampshire gave DraftKings sportsbook app exclusive access to legal online sports betting, even though the new law would allow up to five separate betting operators to join the new market. However, Boston based operator, DraftKings sportsbook was given exclusive rights in the state after it agreed to pay 51% of gross gaming revenue from online gambling revenue and 50% from all future retail sports revenue in a six-year contract. This percentage would drop, however, if other operators were to join the market.
The choice to secure DraftKings as the state’s only operator came just a few weeks after New Hampshire received 13 bids for the 5 available skins. In future, DraftKings could open up to 10 retail sports betting locations in New Hampshire, plus its online sportsbook that you can place bets on from wherever you are, with your smartphone or desktop.
In August 2020, DraftKings opened its first physical retail sportsbook in the state at The Brook Casino, Seabrook. The Brook casino (formerly Seabrook Park) had been renovated and rebranded by Eureka Casino Resorts after it was bought out in 2019. The new sportsbook offers video walls and kiosks and is in the casino’s ‘Stadium’ sports entertainment space.
Since this first sportsbook opened its doors, it has registered over 42,000 players.
Later that year, in September 2020, DraftKings and the South Side Tavern in Manchester announced that they would be opening the second DraftKings sportsbook in New Hampshire.
The Online Sports Betting Law in New Hampshire
Since the state legalized sports betting, it has allowed for up to 10 retail sports betting locations plus an additional 5 mobile sports betting sites that can legally offer NH online sports betting.
By the end of October, it was DraftKings that had been selected by the authorities to be the first operator to be allowed to offer retail and mobile sports betting – and they will remain the only operators in the state for the foreseeable future
This state works differently from other states as it doesn’t have a specific sports betting tax. Instead, operators in New Hampshire have to bid for their authorization to offer legal sports betting by offering a percentage of their revenue to the state.
The amount they commit depends on whether the revenue is from retail or mobile sports betting. In a way, it’s like sports betting operators are bidding for a license by offering to pay more tax. This is the way the state aims to collect maximum revenues. However, if the operator bids too much then the state could reduce the amount of cash available for marketing promotions.
Other important elements of the New Hampshire sports betting law are…
- A minimum legal of 18 for betting
- Punters are allowed to register for online sports betting remotely
- You can only bet make in-play bets online
- Betting on in-state collegiate sports is prohibited.
Sports and Games to Bet on in NH
Both in retail betting and mobile sports betting, there are odds and markets available for all different sports and leagues from across the world.
The top sports available for betting in New Hampshire are:
- NFL football betting
- NBA basketball betting
- NHL hockey betting
- MLB baseball betting
- Soccer betting
- Boxing and MMA fight night betting
Betting on the NFL in New Hampshire is the most popular sport – although they have no state NFL teams. This is followed very closely by NBA betting – again with no state teams. However, this doesn’t dampen New Hampshire sports fans’ passion for the two main national leagues.
However, because of the availability of other sports markets, residents are also starting to place more wagers on other, less popular sports, such as tennis, golf, volleyball – and even the Olympic games! Simply put, there are numerous options available to you if you fancy trying something different.
At the moment, the state of New Hampshire does not permit punters to put money on prop bets that involve in-state college teams. However, other types of college sports bets are allowed.
Different Types of Sports Bets
There are numerous different types of sports betting markets. This can often confuse those new to betting. Here are the most popular bet types available to New Hampshire sports bettors.
Moneyline Bets
This is the perfect type of bet for a beginner – and the simplest way to make a wager. It’s simply betting on which team you think will win the match or the game.
Point Spread Bets
A Points Spread bet is a bet on whether you think a team will beat the other team by a line that has been determined by the bookmaker.
The favorite team is given the points under the line, whilst the underdog is given that same number of points under the line. So, the favourite might be -5.5, whilst the underdog is given +5.5. In this instance, the favorite would need to beat the opponents by at least 6 points to win the bet. Anything less and the underdog would be considered the winner for the sake of the bet.
Totals (Over-Under)
A totals bet (also called over/under) is a bet where you need to predict whether or not the combined score of the two teams in the game will be over or under a number specified by the bookmaker.
Although there are variations, the basic bet is on the final score of the match. If you put your money on ‘over’ and the score is higher than the specified number then you win. If you bet on ‘under’ and the combined score is lower then you also win.
Parlay Bets
A parlay bet is a really popular way to bet on sports. This type of bet means you can bet a small amount of money with the chance to win big. You combine several different bets into one big bet to get one big payout.
However, for you to win this bet, every one of the smaller bets will need to come in.
Futures Bets
A futures bet is a wager on an event that won’t be resulted until some point in the future. These are usually bets such as who will win a particular league or tournament. Popular futures bets include who will win the Super Bowl, which team will win the NBA Championships or which player will win the Wimbledon tennis championship.
What Operators Will Offer Sports Betting in New Hampshire
As we speak, it is only DraftKings sportsbook that can offer legal sports betting in New Hampshire. However, this isn’t necessarily a permanent arrangement. Other names that might eventually become official New Hampshire sports betting sites might include…
- Addison Global
- BetConstruct
- Boston Billiards
- Churchill Downs/BetAmerica
- FanDuel
- Foxwoods/NHMS
- IGT/William Hill
- Intralot
- Kambi
- Lupoli
- NewGioco
- ROAR (MGM/GVC)
There are also openings for up to five online sports betting site operators to be decided as well.
Who Regulates Sports Betting in New Hampshire
As the rules currently state, sports betting is being regulated and overseen by the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. Should you encounter any issues with any New Hampshire sports betting site then this is where you should direct your concerns.
NH Sports Betting FAQs
Is Sports Betting Legal in New Hampshire?
Yes. Officially sports betting became legal in New Hampshire in July 2019 when Gov, Chris Sununu signed a new bill into law. There are now legal bets allowed in-person and online at DraftKings sportsbooks.
Can I Make a Bet On My Cell Phone in New Hampshire?
Yes, the state has legalized both in-person betting and mobile sports betting. The legislation passed in the state allows for up to five separate online betting licenses with remote registration allowed. In fact, in-play bets are only authorized on mobile sports betting sites, not retail sports betting locations.
Is All Gambling Legal in New Hampshire?
Yes, pretty much. Now that DraftKings has opened, it means that there are both casinos in the state and sports betting in New Hampshire – retail and online. The only type of gambling not allowed in the state is in-state collegiate props bets.
What is the Legal Gambling Age in New Hampshire?
Currently, for lottery and bingo, the legal age for gambling is 18 years and older. You need to be 21 years old to gamble at casinos.
Is Bovada Legal in New Hampshire?
No, currently the only regulated sports betting operator in New Hampshire is DraftKings, although this may change at some point in the future, so keep an eye out for up to date New Hampshire sports betting news!
