Author: J.R. Duren

It’s a whole new world of New Jersey betting options this year. Why? Two simple reasons.

First of all, there are now 18 online sportsbooks that call NJ home. That’s a lot of options for the would-be sports bettor.

And with sports taking a three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the options in August are a lot different compared to this time last year.

This means NJ sports betting sites have odds on the board NBA, MLS, NHL and MLB games. And it’s just August, a month that usually only showcases pre-season football and baseball.

With NFL betting not too far away, the boards are only going to get busier.

All of this is reason enough to note that there are plenty of casinos/racetracks and online gambling sites in New Jersey.

As of August 2020, there are 10 retail sportsbooks and 18 online sportsbooks available in NJ. How’s that for some options?

In this guide, you’ll have the complete rundown of where you can bet, which types of bets you can place and which types of bets you can’t place.

Where can you bet on sports in New Jersey?

In 2018, there were just seven apps. That has ballooned to 18 as of this writing. Here’s a breakdown of NJ online sportsbooks:

Need more info? The following is a list of casinos and racetracks in the state, their online partners, and the types of sports betting they offer:

Resorts: In-person, online (DraftKings, Fox Bet, Resorts)

Resorts Atlantic City opened the DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts on Nov. 20, 2018. The retail location features five betting windows, 12 self-service kiosks, a VIP area, stadium-style seats, and a full-service bar.

Earlier in 2018, Resorts teamed up with DraftKings and the result was the first-to-market NJ online sports betting site, DraftKings Sportsbook. DraftKings is the No. 2 online sportsbook in the state in terms of revenue.

Download DraftKings Sportsbook app here.

Resorts AC also provides a skin for Fox Bet (formerly BetStars). The sports betting product from poker giant PokerStars began accepting wagers Sept. 13, 2018.

Among its offerings include promotions, in-game betting, and a cash-out option.

Download Fox Bet sportsbook app here.

Resorts also has its self-branded online sportsbook. Powered by SBTech, it is nested inside the Resorts online casino.

Download Resorts sportsbook app here.

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Meadowlands: In-person and online (FanDuel and PointsBet)

Meadowlands Racetrack opened a FanDuel-branded sportsbook on July 14, 2018. It quickly became a powerhouse in the NJ sports betting market.

Sitting next to New York City, the retail sportsbook is reaping the benefits of its location while NY goes without online sports betting.

And not to be outdone by its daily fantasy sports (DFS) competitor (DraftKings), FanDuel Sportsbook launched its mobile sports betting app Sept. 1, 2018. It remains the No. 1 revenue-earner in the state.

Get lucky at FanDuel Sportsbook app here.

In December, PointsBet emerged into the NJ online gambling scene with its unique sports betting option called Points Betting. After a weekslong soft launch, the site opened up and is now taking bets.

Points Betting rewards players on accuracy. The more accurate your bet is to the outcome, the more you win. You can learn more about it here.

Download PointsBet NJ sportsbook app here. 

Caesars/Harrah’s/Bally’s: In-person and online (Caesars, 888 Sport and Wynn Sports)

Caesars Entertainment opened land-based sportsbooks at Harrah’s and Bally’s. The Caesars AC property, however, has no retail book. It shares the sportsbook at Bally’s Wild Wild West casino.

While Bally’s will soon be sold to Twin River Worldwide Holdings, the massive sportsbook at Bally’s will remain under Caesars’ umbrella.

Caesars added its online sportsbook to its existing Caesars NJ online casino app, which is available on browsers and mobile for iOS and Android. 

Download the Caesars Sportsbook app here.

Additionally, Caesars provides a skin for 888 Sport NJ. You can place sports bets on the 888 Sport website or by using the mobile app on Android and iOS.

Check out the 888 Sportsbook app here.

After two years of waiting, Wynn Sports finally made its debut in the online sportsbook market in August. The app is available only on iOS and features a small selection of betting markets, but not much else is known about it.

Wynn Sports did launch with an online casino nested into the app and a shared wallet.

Monmouth Park: In-person and online (William Hill, SugarHouse, theScore)

Monmouth Park partnered with William Hill to open the first land-based sportsbook on June 14, 2018.

Their partnership also extends to the online space, where William Hill NJ accepts sports wagers online and on its Android and iOS apps.

SugarHouse Sportsbook switched its online sports betting site to the Monmouth Park license in October 2018. Back then, Golden Nugget was prohibited from offering any NBA bets.

That has since changed and Golden Nugget and its online partners now offer NBA betting, albeit without the Houston Rockets.

SugarHouse Sportsbook includes all your favorite betting options, apps, and a shared wallet with SugarHouse NJ online casino.

Place your bets at SugarHouse Sportsbook here.

In August 2019, Monmouth became the first licensee to complete its online skins when theScore Sportsbook began testing in New Jersey. It got official approval a few days later and went live statewide on Sept. 3, 2019.

TheScore Bet, as it is called, is the first entry into sports betting by the well-known sports media company.

Golden Nugget: In-person and online (BetAmerica, Golden Nugget)

Golden Nugget opened its retail book in 2018, complete with nine self-service kiosks and lounge areas.

Meanwhile, via its partnership with Churchill Downs Inc., BetAmerica online gambling opened for business the day before the 2019 Super Bowl.

The site features both an online sportsbook and an online casino.

Golden Nugget Sportsbook online site opened for business on Feb. 19, 2019, just before Oscars betting weekend.

Download the Golden Nugget online sportsbook app here. 

Borgata: In-person and online (BetMGM, Borgata Sports)

Borgata opened its much-anticipated $11 million sportsbook this summer.

The BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar (formerly Moneyline Bar & Book) includes 144 seats, self-betting kiosks, and six betting windows. Nearby is the original Race & Sports Book, which still accepts sports wagers.

Borgata is owned by MGM Resorts, which means that a BetMGM sports betting app was always a likely scenario. On Aug. 22, 2018, BetMGM opened for business in NJ.

Then, on the one-year anniversary of the fall of PASPA, Borgata Sports online launched in the NJ sports betting market.

This brings Borgata’s online skin count to two. With one more slot left, its possible Borgata’s parent company and its partners GVC and Boyd Gaming have something else up their sleeves.

Ocean Casino: In-person

The William Hill Sports Book at Ocean Casino claims to be the best in the business, with nearly 7,500 square feet of space.

It sits in the center of the casino floor and features seating, a bar, TVs and plenty of betting windows. The grand opening of the new Ocean Sportsbook occurred Sept. 6, 2018.

Ocean Casino is also partnered with William Hill US, a union which most likely will result in a self-branded online app at some point in the future. The timeline for that supposed launch, however, is unclear.

Hard Rock: In-person and online (Hard Rock, Bet365, Unibet)

One of Atlantic City’s newest casinos, Hard Rock AC has a partnership with Gaming Innovation Group for its sportsbook. And on Jan. 26, 2019, that sportsbook joined the club.

The online betting site is nested in the Hard Rock online casino.

A few days later, Hard Rock casino opened a temporary on-site sportsbook until its new sportsbook lounge opened April 1 (no foolin’).

In June 2019, Unibet online casino launched, and Unibet online sportsbook went live in September 2019.

The property also has a partnership with Bet365, a leading international sportsbook operator. Bet365 NJ began testing its app on Aug. 22, 2019, becoming the 16th sportsbook app in New Jersey. It got final approval on Aug. 30, 2019.

But it did not come to this crowded market unprepared: Bet365 Casino also is in soft launch mode and the two sites share a wallet.

Tropicana: In-person

Tropicana is now part of the Caesars Entertainment casino network, thanks to a merger finalized this summer.

But, Tropicana AC signed a deal with William Hill to offer sports betting in Atlantic City long before that merger was even rumored.

The full 5,000-square-foot permanent space opened in time for March Madness betting on March 8 and features seating for 180 sports fans, and 1,000+ square feet of video displays.

More NJ sportsbooks on the way?

The pending sale of Bally’s to Twin River does mean that the new owner can apply not only for an online casino license but a sports betting permit as well.

This opens the door for additional NJ online sports betting sites. Twin River recently indicated that they have every intention of not only opening a retail book but joining the online market as well.

The only other properties in the state that could offer sports betting are Garden State Park and Freehold Raceway, the oldest racetrack in the state.

Freehold’s plans, while in the works, are pretty much a mystery.

And GSP is in the midst of a court battle between the developers and the former owners.

Types of bets you can place in NJ sports betting

You’ll get the full-fledged betting experience at all the in-person locations throughout the state, with everything from spread to prop bets.

Shop around each online and mobile sports betting app to see which kinds of lines you can get, as they may not all be uniform. In-game betting is a popular addition to sportsbooks, and most if not all of the new apps in the state offer it.

Some books also have special events and promotions. Fox Bet, FanDuel and DraftKings often have a rotating selection of offers. And almost all 16 apps have special odds boosts to entice bettors, especially during NFL betting and football season.

Types of bets you can’t place

There are no specific sports excluded from sports betting in New Jersey, although it’s not a guarantee that sportsbooks will offer those sports. Each sportsbook is different.

Some specific non-sports events are noted in NJ law to be off the board at all sportsbooks. Election betting is one of those prohibited events. Don’t expect to see any odds on the 2020 presidential race at an NJ sportsbook.

Also, the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement, which regulates sports betting in the state, has ultimate control over what sports or events can be booked and the types of bets allowed.

The only sports bets excluded (as per regulations) from in-person and online sportsbooks are bets made on high school sports, as well as bets made on college teams and games in New Jersey, which includes Seton Hall, Rutgers, Monmouth and more.

To call it a payday would be an understatement.

The American Gambling Association has released Nielsen Sports projections for the revenue implications of legalized sports betting on the NBA and MLB.

The projections indicate the two leagues will earn a combined $1.685 billion from the burgeoning sports betting industry.

More than that, the four major sports leagues combined will see a revenue boost in the billions from legal sports betting.

“The four major sports leagues will earn a collective $4.2 billion from widely available legal sports betting, further proving that working together with the gaming industry will pay dividends for all sports stakeholders,” said Sara Slane, AGA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, in a press release.

“Legal sports betting will also create substantial opportunities for state and local economies, generating tax revenue, jobs and supporting small businesses across the country.”

Breaking down the MLB/NBA projected sports betting numbers

Nielsen Sports’ study says the MLB could earn up to $1.1 billion a year while the NBA could earn $585 million.

Nielsen’s methodology takes into account money the leagues gain from two sources: fan engagement and gaming-related revenue.

Their report provides the following definitions for those two revenue categories:

Fan engagement includes:

• Media rights
• Sponsorships
• Merchandise sales
• Ticket sales

Gaming-related revenue includes:

• Advertising
• Sponsorships
• Data and product revenue from third-parties

What the MLB will see from sports betting

Nielsen predicts that the MLB will earn $952 million from fan engagement and $154 million from gaming-related revenue.

The main source in the increase of revenue from fan engagement will come from ticket sales, Nielsen noted. They foresee a 12.2-percent increase in ticket sales in the post-PASPA world, from $3.661 billion to an estimated $4.109 billion.

Merchandise will account for the lowest rise in revenue. Nielsen predicts a 3.4-percent rise from $660 million to $683 million.

Keep in mind that the MLB season is about twice as long as the NBA season, resulting in a much higher predicted betting revenue than its roundball counterpart.

What the NBA will see from sports betting

The NBA’s projected yearly sports betting revenue increase is split between $425 million from fan engagement and $160 million from gaming-related revenue.

Unlike the MLB, whose fan engagement numbers are led by ticket sales, the NBA’s fan engagement revenue is led by a projected 8.1-percent jump in media rights, from $3.750 billion a year to $4.055 billion a year.

Nielsen indicates that sponsorships will account for a 4 percent increase in revenue, from $1.120 billion to $1.165 billion.

As for gaming-related revenue, Nielsen Sports predicts that the NBA will earn about half of its revenue jump from a $78 million increase in sponsorships from gambling services.

The AGA study and sports betting as a whole

The Nielsen Sports analysis projects sports betting revenue based on the opinions of “more than 1,000 adult sports fans.” Those include fans of the MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and other leagues.

Those surveyed included fans and sports bettors. From the data collected from those respondents, Nielsen extrapolated “how a national, legal sports betting market would affect the sports consumption habits of non-bettors, casual bettors and avid bettors, and how this change in consumption would translate to increased revenue.”

Similar studies were done for the NFL and NHL, both estimated to see a high volume of additional revenue thanks to legal sports betting.

Considering the fast growth of NJ online sports betting and the subsequent release of eight mobile sportsbooks in the Garden State, the revenue boost from a mature US sports betting market is entirely possible.