Online sports betting is off to a hot start in Maryland, with seven mobile sportsbooks to choose from and more coming as soon as this month. Whether you’ve already been taking advantage of sign-up bonuses or are new on the scene, we’re here to provide you with a look at Maryland’s current and projected sportsbook landscape.
PlayMaryland has the lowdown on which sportsbooks could make up the remaining list of nine applicants that have applied in the state.
Maryland is live with 7 online sportsbooks
Maryland’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) approved 10 online sportsbooks for licensure this past November. Seven of those launched on Nov. 23, the first day of online betting in Maryland.
Those seven were:
The other three originally licensed sportsbooks have yet to launch in Maryland. Those are:
- BetFred
- BetParx
- Fanatics Sportsbook
Bally Bet and WynnBet have also received license approval since launch and are completing the final steps before going live.
SWARC announced that these 12 sportsbooks came from 21 applications. However, the commission has yet to provide the names of the remaining nine prospective operators.
Potential Maryland operators awaiting approval
Although no concrete information has been given on the remaining nine operators to apply for a Maryland online sportsbook license, we can make some reasonable deductions as to who those remaining names might be.
SuperBook Sportsbook
SuperBook is live in seven states across the US and is a logical choice to become one of Maryland’s next sportsbooks. The company landed a partnership with the Baltimore Orioles at the end of the 2022 MLB season and will be building a retail lounge and Superbook sportsbook at Camden Yards.
SuperBook has operated in Nevada since 1986 and lists Maryland and West Virginia as “coming soon” states. Given its ties with the Orioles, SuperBook looks to go live before Opening Day this April, as long as it has the green light from SWARC.
Bet365 Sportsbook Maryland
Bet365 calls itself the “world’s favorite online sports betting company” – and for good reason. It is extremely popular abroad, serving bettors in over 150 countries.
Advanced betting features and live streaming capabilities differentiate Bet365 from most of its competition, though it is currently only available in Colorado, New Jersey and Ohio.
Though Bet365’s exclusion from the original list of approved operators was surprising, it still figures to be in the mix sooner rather than later.
Unibet Sportsbook MD
European mainstay Unibet operates an online sportsbook in five states and boasts a strong presence in Pennsylvania as a partner of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers. Its strengths include in-game betting, live game tracking and top-ranked customer support.
While Unibet closed down operations in Iowa in 2022, it expanded its presence with the Eagles and launched a retail sportsbook in Washington during the fourth quarter of the year. Signs point to the company continuing to grow, and Maryland’s new market is attractive for expansion.
FOX Bet Sportsbook MD
FOX Bet has one of the best interfaces of all sportsbooks on both mobile and desktop. It is a collaboration between FOX Sports and The Stars Group (PokerStars), later bought out by FanDuel’s parent company, Flutter Entertainment.
Though only available in four states, FOX Bet combines an established name in the sports world with Flutter’s dominant online presence. It recently partnered with Pimlico Race Course in Virginia and will soon open for business in Old Dominion.
Maryland is a logical choice for further expansion. Once live, FOX Bet will be a sportsbook you can trust.
Golden Nugget Sportsbook MD
DraftKings finalized its purchase of Golden Nugget Online Gaming in 2022 and has expressed plans to grow the established brand this year and beyond.
Golden Nugget Sportsbook is live in five states and could expand into New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Colorado this year, plus Maryland. Its established presence in Atlantic City bodes well for East Coast states, and it has land-based casino ties in Lake Charles, LA, and Cripple Creek, CO.
Additional possible online sportsbook applicants
Betway MD
Betway is a giant in the UK sports betting world and has aggressively pursued partnerships in the NBA (eight teams) and NHL (four teams plus league sponsorships).
Here in the US, Betway operates in eight states after launching in Ohio on Jan. 1. We look forward to that number growing in 2023, with Maryland among its newest additions. When that happens, players can take advantage of a solid first-time deposit bonus and a number of unique features, including Betway Boosts and an “Add to Bet” button.
Tipico Sportsbook Maryland
Tipico has a partnership with USA Today Sports and makes its odds in-house. It offers a wide range of betting options and a fast, clean mobile betting interface.
It is another sportsbook to expand recently into Ohio, bringing its total to three. The Tipico website says it wants to add Maryland, Louisiana and Indiana to that list, which would double its market access.
SI Sportsbook
Fans around the world know Sports Illustrated from as far back as the 1950s.
The media giant has stepped into mobile sports betting in partnership with 888 and went live in Colorado and Michigan in 2021. It added Virginia to its list of operational states in 2022 and should add to that list in 2023.
Hard Rock Sportsbook Maryland
Hard Rock International is one of the fastest-growing names in the gambling world. It recently expanded its retail casino presence in Nevada and Illinois, with more plans in the works in Indiana; Virginia; and Ottawa, Canada.
The Hard Rock Sportsbook operates in seven states and counting, recently making The Buckeye State No. 7. In addition to Maryland, Hard Rock’s launch in Illinois seems imminent. If Florida ever legalizes sports betting, it will also have an advantage there from Day 1.
