Maine Online Sports Betting: Apps, Betting Sites, and More

Online gambling and sports betting is taking off across the country. States are starting to legalize sports betting and the top sportsbooks are fighting for new customers. What about in Maine? Can you bet on sports in Maine? Here’s what you need to know about Maine online sports betting.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Maine?

Yes. Sports betting is now live in the state of Maine with two sportsbooks debuting their services, DraftKings and Caesars. Both sportsbooks began accepting wagers on the morning of November 3, 2023.

Since sports betting is officially active, Maine may soon see the arrival of up to four online sportsbooks and 10 sportsbook locations, as per the law that allows for such a number of licenses. The four federally recognized tribes in Maine are eligible to provide online sportsbooks, with each license allowing for a single skin. However, three of them partnered with Caesars, and the other one partnered with DraftKings, so we may not see any new sportsbooks in the state for a while.

More on Caesars and DraftKings

With these two name brands taking bets in the state of Maine, let’s look a little closer at each sportsbook.

DraftKings Maine Sportsbook

DraftKings is a widely used and reputable sports betting platform that offers a variety of features, including a rewards program that allows users to earn bonuses, odds boosts, offers, promotions, and more. Additionally, DraftKings provides users with solid odds that compare well with the rest of the legal sports betting industry. DraftKings sportsbook is officially live in the state of Maine, partnered with the Passamaquoddy Tribe.

Caesars Maine Sportsbook

Caesars is known for having a great VIP loyalty program. You can start earning money on your spread bets, moneylines, and more right off the bet. It’s one of the best legal sportsbooks out there as you can get promotions, offers, bonuses, and more as you bet.

After partnering with the Maliseets Indians, Mi’kmaqs, and Penobscots Nations, the Caesars sportsbook is officially launched in Maine.

Online Sports Betting in Maine

LD 585 was passed by Maine lawmakers, and the sports betting bill became active in August 2022. The bill allows for retail, mobile sports betting, and online sports betting in the state. As of now, there is still some back and forth about the initial proposed rules and online betting.

Sports bettors will have to wait for their favorite online sportsbook as sports betting in Maine is in the beginning stages. They can expect to see more mobile sports betting apps to wager on their favorite college and professional sports teams as November progresses.

The Latest on Maine Sports Betting Bill and Launch

As of August 2022, Maine’s gambling laws have allowed for the legalization of sports betting and wagers, but it has also placed a heavy responsibility on the Maine Gambling Control Unit. Drafting proposed sports betting rules to manage wagers for both online and in-person sportsbooks took regulators several months, and the finalized version was only released in January 2023.

However, the MGCU’s work is not done yet as they must now navigate through a multitude of comments in three different stages, carefully considering and approving or rejecting each one. With the potential for numerous comments to come in, the launch date for retail and online sports betting may be delayed.

November 2023: Sports betting is officially live in the state of Maine with two active sportsbooks, Caesers and DraftKings.
October 2023: The state’s attorney general’s office is going over the final review, which has Maine launching sports betting sometime between November 5th and November 15th.
March 2023: Maine Gaming Control Unit director Milton Champion believes Maine would be lucky to have sports betting up by January 2024.
February 2023: Sports betting regulators in the state face pushback on Maine’s sports betting advertising restrictions.
January 2023: Maine Gaming Control Unit released its proposed rules for sports betting, and public hearings were scheduled for January 31.
August 2022: Maine’s sports betting law officially went into effect. Legal retail and online sports betting in the state is legal.

Potential Maine Retail Sportsbook Options

Once the details are finalized and sports betting becomes legal, here are some of the retail locations that will likely allow bettors to place wagers. Technically, you can legally bet on sports in the state right now after the sports betting legislation, but there are no mobile and retail sports betting options.

Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway, Bangor
Favorites OTB, Waterville
Oxford Casino Hotel, Oxford
Sanford OTB, Sanford
Scarborough Downs, Scarborough
Winners Sports Grill and Off Track Betting, Brunswick
Winners Circle OTB, Lewiston

Daily Fantasy Sports in Maine

Indeed, it is permissible to participate in Daily Fantasy Sports in Maine, as explicitly authorized by LD 1320 in 2017 under state law. This means that major DFS providers such as DraftKings and FanDuel, as well as smaller operators, are all accessible to Maine residents.

Horse Racing in Maine

Every year between April and November, Hollywood Bangor hosts live harness races in Maine. Furthermore, there are five off-track betting locations throughout the state, the majority of which are separate establishments located apart from the track.

Maine residents can also place bets on horse races online, but they are restricted to using a single site through Hollywood Races. Although most states that permit advance deposit wagering allow multiple providers, the Maine Gambling Control Unit has granted exclusive authorization to Penn National Gaming to offer online horse betting in the state.