With all the talk about sports betting becoming legal in the United States and the excitement coming from the numbers being reported in states like New Jersey, it can be easy to forget that Nevada has offered legal sports betting in some form for decades. This page will give you a quick review of how sports betting works in the state.
Can people place online sports bets in Nevada?
Nevada had been the only state where you can bet on sports legally for a long time before the repeal of PASPA in 2018. However, this meant that some of the rules in the state have not be modernized for the reality of online betting in 2020. This includes the ability to bet online in the state. Now, you are indeed able to gamble online on sports in Nevada, but the way to go about it is very different than you may see in some of the states that have passed legislation in the last couple of years. You will need an account, and then you need to make a deposit to place your bets. While the Nevada Government has made attempts to bring the sports betting regulations into the 21st Century, it is fighting an uphill battle with the incumbent stakeholders. We’ll help you sort out how the rules work below.
How do you create an account at a Nevada Sportsbook?
As mentioned, you can play online if you are in Nevada, but in order to do so,
you need to create an online sportsbook account. Unlike some of the other
states where you can simply head to a site and click on a Register button, you
need to enter a physical sportsbook location to complete the registration
process in Nevada. This is a cumbersome concept for many people who do not live
near the Las Vegas Strip, where most of the sportsbooks exist. This also means
that sites like Draft Kings and Fanduel that are leading the way in digital
sports betting are shut out of setting up an online-only entity in the state.
To create a sportsbook account in Nevada, you have to go to the betting window of a land-based sportsbook and provide enough identification to confirm who you are.
Where can players create sportsbook accounts?
Nevada is littered with casinos big and small, with, of course, the majority being in the vicinity of Reno and Las Vegas. When it comes to online sportsbooks, there are far fewer options with the consolidation of the brands in the land-based space. However, there are still many to choose from, and what may make the most sense for you is choosing one with which you already have a relationship with from a loyalty perspective. Online sportsbooks belonging to the following groups are open for business in Nevada.
- B-Connected Sports
- CG Technology
- MGM Resorts
- NV Sports
- Station Casinos
- South Point
- Treasure Island
- Westgate SuperBook
- William Hill
- Wynn
What about deposits and withdrawals?
Once you have selected an online sportsbook and headed to the corresponding land-based location to register for your account, you need to fund it in order to play. This again requires you being in the physical sportsbook and heading to a betting window. There, with your account information, you can make a deposit to the account so you can bet remotely.
There have been attempts to improve the way players can make deposits at online sportsbooks in Nevada. Citing the fact that a player has already confirmed its identity in person at a land-based casino, it was suggested that deposits and withdrawals should be able to be processed online via the standard methods like credit cards and e-wallets. However, for the time being, the state has chosen the status quo, leaving in-person transactions as the only way forward. This is a very short-sighted approach that is no doubt costing the state millions in lost potential tax revenues.
What types of bets can be made at an online sportsbook in Nevada?
Here is a piece of good news for online sports bettors in Nevada – because the industry is so mature in the state, the options available to bettors once they have created and funded online accounts is vast. There are all kinds of bets that can be made on sports in the state, including the following, which are the most popular.
Point Spreads
The favored way to bet on sports like basketball and football, point spreads are the most commonly discussed wagering options as they can level a playing field between two mismatched opponents by assigning a handicap to one side.
Money line
For those not interested in cheering for a team to cover the spread, the Money Line bet prices favorites and underdogs for an outright win. The risk is higher here, but the reward matches that for those who believe in upsets.
Totals
If you aren’t sure what side will win, but you have an idea of what type of game you are going to witness, then a bet on the total number of points or goals being scored is perfect for you.
Parlays
A parlay bet is more common with the casual bettor since the winning tickets tend to pay better than betting on a single outcome. However, while the allure of high payout odds can be attractive, in order to be a winner, you must win all the outcomes of the parlay ticket. Still, this is a very fun way to bet on multiple games with one single bet.
Props
Prop bets have become very popular in recent years, especially with sites offering bets on parts of a game that aren’t related to which team will win. The Superbowl is far and away the leader in prop betting options in U.S. sports betting, with William Hill offering more than 1,000 options for this year’s game alone. This includes bets on the length of the National Anthem and the winner of the Coin Toss.
Can Nevada visitors still play online?
Yes! You do not need to be a resident of Nevada in order to create and fund an online sports betting account in the state. However, given the restrictions of being able to use the account only within the borders of Nevada, you will get an error message when you try to access an account from outside state lines. This doesn’t mean the account is closed, it simply means that you have to be back in Nevada to perform any actions. The hope is that with sports betting becoming legal across the U.S., someday you will be able to access on central account hosted by a company with operations in multiple states. For now, be prepared to complete your activity before you drive or fly across the border.
Can Nevada residents access offshore sportsbooks?
Offshore sportsbooks have been taking action from American players for almost 25 years. These sites, often located in places like Central American and the Caribbean, remain an arm’s length from the letter of the law in the U.S., however they are still accessible for anyone who is willing to take the risk. With so many legal options in Nevada, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to send money to an offshore site as there is no legal recourse if something happens to your balance of the site with which you are playing.
While it is not illegal for U.S. residents to play at an offshore online sportsbook, we do not recommend this activity. Winning at sports betting is hard enough – adding the risk that you will actually get paid when you win is not worth it, especially in a state like Nevada. The online sports betting market in the state will modernize and improve with time, so while it may be a bit cumbersome now, it is still a far safer option for players.