Legal mobile sports betting is months away for Marylanders, but you can still bet on March Madness. The catch is that you’ll have to visit one of the state’s five casinos with a sportsbook to do so. Before visiting one, though, it’s best to know the Maryland college sports betting rules.
The good news is that there are no restrictions on college sports betting in Maryland. At a retail sportsbook, you can bet on any of the state’s Division I football or basketball programs. You can bet on individual games, or place futures bets on conference tournaments or the NCAA championship.
Prop bets are also legal. This may not sound like a big deal, but Marylanders have it good compared to many bettors elsewhere.
The only downside in Maryland at the moment is the wait for the launch of legal mobile sports betting apps. Regulations governing mobile sports betting have yet to be finalized. The application process for mobile sports betting licenses can’t begin until the rules are finalized.
In a perfect world, things will be agreed upon in time for mobile sports betting to launch at some point in 2022. That, however, is not a certainty – meaning retail sportsbooks will be the only option until further notice.
“Hopefully we’ll be ready to go when they kick off the (NFL) season later this year,” John Martin, director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming, told CBS Baltimore.
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What Bets Can I Place On College Sports In Maryland?
When you get to one of the five retail sportsbooks, you’ll have plenty of options on how to bet. You can bet on the moneyline, where you pick a team to win the game outright. You can also bet on the point spread or on the total number of points scored in the game.
Futures bets let you pick NCAA champions even before their seasons begin, and prop bets let you wager on certain outcomes involving teams or individual players.
And this is where you’re at an advantage compared to residents of other states. By way of example, if you want to place bets on college sports in either New York or New Jersey, you can do so. Just don’t try betting on one of the teams calling those states home.
If you want to bet on St. John’s or Syracuse basketball games, you’re out of luck if you’re in New York. The same holds true if you want to bet on Rutgers or Seton Hall while in New Jersey.
And don’t try betting on any college games played in either of those states even if the games involve two out-of-state schools. Bettors in New Jersey were reminded of that in a big way in December when they couldn’t bet on the Army vs. Navy football game at the Meadowlands.
New Yorkers looking to bet on NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games in Buffalo will also be out of luck next month. Residents of other states, such as Pennsylvania, can bet on their in-state teams, but they can’t place any player prop bets.
In short, Maryland bettors have it good.
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Where Can I Bet On College Sports In Maryland?
The five casinos with sportsbooks are spread across the state, so the good news is there may be one within a short drive. Retail sportsbooks are found at casinos located in Baltimore (Horseshoe Baltimore Casino; Caesars Sportsbook), Oxon Hill (MGM National Harbor; BetMGM Sportsbook), Hanover (Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland; FanDuel Sportsbook), Berlin (Ocean Downs Casino, TwinSpires Sportsbook), and Perryville (Hollywood Casino; Barstool Sportsbook
If you’re lucky enough to be close to a retail sportsbook, you can bet on any of the nine Division I programs that call Maryland home. You can bet on regular-season games and conference tournament games.
It’s been a subpar year for most of the state’s men’s basketball programs, but if any of them find success in the conference tournaments, you’ll be able to bet on them in the NCAA Tournament. On the women’s side, the University of Maryland is a lock to make the NCAA Tournament.
Maryland Partners With PointsBet
Mobile sports betting has yet to launch, but that hasn’t stopped the University of Maryland’s marketing partner from striking a deal for the school.
In December, Maryland Sports Properties, a Playfly Sports property, and the marketing and multi-media rights partner of the University of Maryland, announced a multi-year agreement with PointsBet USA. It’s the first such sports betting partnership within the Big Ten Conference.
PointsBet is in the Maryland market via its agreement with the Riverboat on the Potomac, an off-track betting location for horse racing.
Photo courtesy of Darryl Morsell/Associated Press
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