Arizona arrived a little late to the sports betting party compared with other US states. In fact, sports betting didn’t get the nod of approval until April 2021, and heels were then dragged until September 2021. That’s the month that online sports betting platforms in Arizona became fully legal, and when we say fully legal, we mean all forms! This includes placing sports bets at physical sportsbooks, betting at online sites, and wagering through mobile apps too.
Best AZ Sports Betting Sites for
| Best AZ Sports Betting Sites 2022 | Bonus Details | Sign Up Links |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $1,000 First Bet Offer |
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| Get a $1,000 bonus bet |
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| $1000 No Sweat First Bet |
This new industry was all made possible thanks to Gov. Doug Ducey pushing through the bill back in April 2021. But he isn’t the only hero of the story – the actual laws were then finalized by the Arizona Department of Gaming in July 2021. And as it happens, physical casinos in Arizona are managed by ‘Arizona tribes’, who also needed to agree to change their gaming contracts. As you can see, this went through, and we’ve seen a flurry of applicants since the approval of Arizona sports betting.
At the time of writing, there are more than 10 Arizona sports betting sites that have licenses, and 9 are in operation. This includes brands like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Unibet, and several others. With that said, Arizona has made provisions for 20 licenses to be issued, meaning that the market is still just getting warmed up.
Latest updates on Arizona sports betting
Arizona Caps 2021 Sports Betting With Nearly $500M Handle In December
Arizona came just $800,000 short of $500 million in sports betting handle in December, the state’s Department of Gaming reported March 8, 2022.
With two new operators in the fold — SuperBook and Fubo — the December total of $499.2 million eclipsed the October record of $486.1 million. In the first four months since launch, the Copper State has generated just shy of $1.75 billion in wagers as Arizona has quickly made its presence known as a top-10 national market.
Arizona’s figures also put a cap on 2021 reporting among the legalized US states, and the nationwide handle for the year totaled close to $57.8 billion. It was more than double 2020’s amount of $21.5 million, not surprising considering how the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc during 2020 and how many states launched anew over the course of 2021.
Date: March 8, 2022
If you searched for ‘sports betting Arizona’ before April 2021, you’d have been disappointed with your findings. However, since this date, sports betting in this state has blossomed. As for recent updates that have drastically changed the game, there aren’t too many to speak of in all honesty. In fact, the only real updates relating to sports betting in Arizona involve the issuing of new licenses and the launch of various brands. For example, BetRivers was one of the most recent sites to go live in October 2021.
And on top of this, Betfred managed to launch 8 physical sports betting desks at the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort in November 2021. Apart from this, no major changes are occurring and we are still in the early stages of online sports betting in Arizona. This means that we are yet to see the full impact concerning betting figures and revenues for the associated brands,
Is sports betting legal in Arizona for online wagers?
The answer regarding ‘is sports betting legal in Arizona’ is better received than it might have been prior to April 2021. These days, the answer is a resounding yes, for betting of all forms in this state. The development of such a law has been rapid and extensive too. For example, while other states introduced sports betting in stages, Arizona has gone full-on and legalized it across the board. That’s why there are many Arizona sports betting sites currently in operation, as well as physical sportsbooks at established casinos.
In terms of how this came to be, Arizona punters have Gov. Doug Ducey to thank. He put forward the initiative to legalize sports betting in Arizona, and as history shows us, he succeeded. This is pretty impressive when you consider the relentless efforts of governors in other states relating to the approval of sports betting. Many others have needed to put forward several bills on many different occasions, whereas Doucey achieved this on the first attempt.
Where to bet on sports in Arizona?
With sports betting in Arizona being legalized across the board, you have an awesome range of options when it comes to actually placing your wagers. In fact, you have the greatest range of options possible compared with other states, as described here:
Physical casinos
If you live near a physical casino with a sportsbook, this is a solid choice. For example, Phoenix has multiple casinos that have a sportsbook right now, and there are other locations including Scottsdale, Maricopa, as well as Payson too. Of course, each physical casino in these locations has a valid license so you can feel confident that you are still making legal sports bets here.
Online
AZ online sports betting is without question, the easiest and best way to make your wagers. If you have internet access, which most people do, you can sign up at any of the approved sites right now. This includes sites that also fit the description of ‘sports betting apps Arizona’, where you can download native apps for Android and iOS. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to verify your Arizona address and that you are over the age of 21 when doing this.
Professional sports venues
According to the regulations for Arizona sports betting, a total of 10 professional sports venues may offer betting on their premises. And on that note, we have exciting news – 8 of these licenses have already been awarded. A couple of locations worth noting here include Chase Field and the Footprint Center, both with licenses already granted. However, at the time of writing, the actual betting facilities are still being put in place.
Online sportsbooks available now in Arizona
While 10 different brands have received approval to launch online sites in Arizona, only 9 of them are currently up and running. But let’s be honest, this is still a pretty great selection, and you can sign up with any of them within a few minutes. Struggling for choice? We’ve described each of these online sportsbooks right here:
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM is one of the most advanced betting sites in Arizona right now. This site lets you bet on all top-level leagues such as the NBA, MLB, NFL, and more. And for new customers, there is a $1,000 risk-free bet available. BetMGM also has a tremendous betting app available, which is professional, highly responsive, and of course, lets you make wagers from anywhere.
Barstool Sportsbook
Like other Arizona sports betting sites, Barstool Sportsbook has a native app to go along with the desktop site. This gives punters a nice degree of flexibility concerning how they bet. But one of the best things about the Barstool Sportsbook is the depth of bonuses available. New customers can bag a $1,000 risk-free wager, and there is even a $10 no deposit bonus. Existing players can then benefit from regular free bets and boosted markets too.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars has actually taken over William Hill in the US, which is great news! William Hill initially had one of the best mobile apps in the business, and this has remained despite the Caesars takeover. Most events offered by Caesars have hundreds of different betting markets, including both pre-match and live betting. And concerning the welcome bonus, new users can get up to $1,250 on Caesars + 1000 Tier Credits + 1000 Reward Credits®.
BetRivers Sportsbook
With in-game betting, streaming services, regular promotions, and an excellent mobile app, BetRivers Sportsbook has it all. Then again, you’d expect such awesome offerings from a brand that was one of the first to launch following legislation changes. You can even grab a $250 deposit bonus on your first deposit too, so what’s not to love?
FanDuel Sportsbook
Betting brands don’t get much bigger than FanDuel. These guys are one of the largest, and indeed one of the best brands in the USA. FanDuel lets you bet on all popular sports in the US, and the odds, as well as the markets, are extremely competitive here. If you do not yet have an account with FanDuel, you can take advantage of a $1000 No Sweat First Bet shortly after joining too.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is a site that falls into the same prestigious category as FanDuel, mentioned above. These guys have one of the best betting interfaces of them all, which is why it’s a great platform for those that are new to the idea of online sports betting in Arizona. Not only does DraftKings give some of the best value concerning odds, but they do the same for bonuses too – how about a $1,000 risk-free bet to grab your attention?
Unibet Sportsbook
Unibet is absolutely immense when it comes to the range of betting opportunities. Thousands of events are listed each month, and Unibet tends to offer more live betting offerings than most. Unibet Arizona is currently offering a Bet $50 Get $200 in Free Bets promo for new customers too, which can be obtained when signing up through the rather awesome mobile app!
TwinSpires Sportsbook
There are a few things that make the TwinSpires Sportsbook stand out from the rest. These include the fantastic super odds feature on the site, the range of NCAA betting offerings, and the standalone section for horse racing. Not all sites provide such opportunities, and in addition, new customers can grab a $1,000 risk-free bet.
WynnBet Sportsbook
On top of the $1,000 risk-free bet for brand new customers, WynnBet Sportsbook has some cool features up its sleeve. Through the awesome mobile app, you can create your own betting markets, execute cashouts, and boost your odds for select events. These are powerful features that all punters love – definitely a site to try out!
What about the legal online sports betting apps?
For sports betting apps Arizona to be available, which they are thanks to the laws in this state, they must also have a partnership with an existing tribe or professional sports team/venue. Details of these partnerships are given right here:
TPC Scottsdale
This deal was executed in September 2021, and TPC Scottsdale put pen to paper to partner with DraftKings Sportsbook here.
Chase Field
Chase Field is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Of course, being a professional sports team, allows them to team up with a brand – Caesars Sportsbook.
Footprint Center / Phoenix Suns
The Footprint Center is where the Phoenix Suns play their home games in the NBA. Of course, this allows them to team up with another betting brand, and they chose FanDuel Sportsbook.
Arizona Rattlers / Footprint Center
Don’t worry – this isn’t a typo! The Footprint Center is actually a double-use venue which is where they are home to another professional sports team, the Arizona Rattlers. Hosting two professional teams allows them to partner up with another betting brand, and for this one, the brand is BetRivers.
Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe
This tribe is one of the few that owns and operates a physical casino, which is the Paradise Casino in Yuma. With tribal partnerships being one of the options, a partnership was able to be formed between these guys and Unibet Sportsbook.
Arizona Cardinals / Gila River Tribes
This was a major announcement when the partnership came to fruition in September 2021. BetMGM Sportsbook were the guys who took the initiative and grabbed this deal, which is why you see their brand at Arizona Cardinals games.
San Carlos Apache Tribe
In yet another tribal deal, the San Carlos Apache Tribe teamed up with WynnBet Sportsbook. Like many of the other partnerships mentioned here, this occurred in September 2021, and the physical location behind this one is the Apache Casino.
NASCAR / Phoenix Raceway
Thanks to the Phoenix Raceway standing tall in Arizona, Barstool Sportsbook was able to snap up a partnership here. Of course, with major NASCAR races also occurring at the Phoenix Raceway, the brand is subsequently associated with NASCAR competition too.
Tonto Apache Tribe
Finally, we come to the Tonto Apache Tribe. These guys operate the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino in Payson, which serves as a legal possibility for a partnership to be formed. The lucky candidate here was TwinSpires Sportsbook, who also went live back in September 2021.
Online Sports Betting Sites that could soon come to Arizona
Although most of the licenses have been granted to various Arizona sports betting brands, or soon-to-be brands that is, not all of them have gone live. But since we know which brands have already received licenses and put the right partnerships in place, we know who the next AZ sports betting platforms will be:
Betfred
Betfred has managed to strike a deal with Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, which currently operates the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort. And as it happens, Betfred has already opened up sportsbook kiosks at this location. However, the online platform hasn’t yet gone live, since the paperwork and technicalities are still being put together.
Betway
Betway was a surprise entrant on this list in all honesty. However, news has broken that Betway has established a partnership with the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe. This means that they now have the right license required to launch an online site, but we’re not overly sure when this might occur.
Fubo
Fube Sportsbook will definitely launch as a sports betting Arizona platform before too long. They have teamed up with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, which runs the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa. But while we know a deal has been struck, no specific launch date has been indicated.
Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget has a presence in several other states across the US, but not yet in Arizona, of course. However, that will soon be changing thanks to the partnership with the Hualapai Tribe. The papers have already been signed by both parties, but before Golden Nugget is able to become live as one of the sports betting apps Arizona, a few more kinks need to be worked out.
SuperBook Sports
Finally, we know that SuperBook Sports has partnered with the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, which operates the Spirit Mountain Casino in Mohave Valley. However, much like the other partnerships we’ve talked about here, no exact launch date has been made public.
Other things you should know about online sports betting sites in Arizona
Opening a new sports betting account in Arizona
Current regulations in Arizona state that in order to legally gamble online, you must be an Arizona resident and be over the age of 21. As a matter of fact, these are the regulations if you are to make any sports bet whatsoever. But things work a little different when placing an online bet vs placing a sports bet in person. That’s because you must open an account at one of your selected Arizona sports betting sites prior to making a bet, and all information must get verified too. For that reason, we’d like to give you an overview of the process right now.
After deciding on a site, you need to head there and hit the sign-up link. This will start the registration process, and first things first, you must create a new username and password. After this, you’ll be asked to provide your address, name, SSN, and certain contact details. The verification process is pretty standard, regardless of whether you sign up through a desktop site or through one of the sports betting apps. Basically, you’ll need to email the support team with a recent utility bill or bank statement, as well as a photo ID.
What kind of welcome bonus can you get with an Arizona sports betting operator?
The AZ sports betting space online is pretty crowded and competitive, as you’ve seen throughout this piece. Therefore, pretty much all of the betting sites we’ve mentioned offer a sign-up bonus to entice new customers. These bonuses vary greatly in terms of their size and how they actually operate. With that said, your goal should be to redeem the biggest and best bonuses out there. And for clarity, there are no restrictions regarding how many sign-up offers you can redeem in Arizona.
Therefore, if you wanted to open an account with all of the mentioned Arizona sports betting platforms, you could. But if you simply wanted to test the waters and get started with the best sign-up offer, we would recommend Barstool Sportsbook. The reason for that is because this site has the same $1,000 risk-free bet incentive as other sites, with the added kicker of a $10 no deposit bonus. So theoretically, you could give the site a try without having to make any investment at all.
To add to the information surrounding sign up offers, we’d like to give you an overview of the main variations right now:
First deposit bonus
This is a fairly common bonus for new customers at online betting sites. But with that said, deposit matches are typically associated with casino gaming, at least for new players. However, since sites like BetRivers do have a deposit match for sports betting customers, we had to mention it.
Risk-free bet
When you make a sports bet on any platform, there is obviously the inherent risk that you might lose money. At the same time, there is always the chance that the bet might win and that you’ll gain a profit. However, risk-free bets completely eliminate the chance that you’ll lose money, and the bigger the insurance policy, the better.
Wager match
These welcome bonuses are actually pretty unique. Instead of getting a deposit match or an insurance wager to play with, some Arizona online sports betting sites will actually match the value of your first bet. This effectively doubles the value of your bet without you needing to put in any more capital!
Profit boost
Although no Arizona sports betting platforms currently offer a profit boost for new customers, this could change in the future. Basically, if you manage to make a winning first bet, you will then receive an additional payout on top of the original winnings. But as we said, this form of welcome bonus doesn’t currently exist at any of the operational sites, yet it might in the near future.
Brick-and-Mortar Casinos where you can place sports bets
Although sports betting in all forms is now fully legal in Arizona, brick-and-mortar sportsbooks are not yet widespread. That’s because many platforms have chosen to jump immediately online, and bypass the physical sportsbooks for now. However, some have indeed established physical sportsbooks including Caesars and DraftKings. These sportsbooks are operational at Chase Field and the Footprint Center, respectively.
With this said, since so many licensing deals have been agreed upon, we expect that many physical sportsbooks will start popping up as the months roll by. This is especially true in the Phoenix area, where many physical locations currently exist that have attained the appropriate licenses.
Professional sports venues
Making sports bets at professional sports venues is actually far more common in Arizona than in other states. That’s because many of the licensing deals that have been struck have been done through venues that serve as the locations for professional sporting contests. Prime examples here include the Footprint Center, State Farm Stadium, Phoenix Raceway, and Chase Field. All of these venues are home to live sporting contests, including teams involved in NASCAR, the NBA, and the NFL.
However, not all of these venues support physical sportsbooks as of yet. Some are still making the adjustments given how recently the licenses have been issued. And in all honesty, many have leaped at the opportunity to launch online sites and apps as opposed to physical locations.
Limited event wagering locations
If this is a completely foreign term for you, stick with us. To understand limited event wagering, you’d have to look into the small print of the Arizona sports betting legislations. Since nobody will want to do that (very time-consuming), let us give you the overview. There are 10 extra betting licenses available for racing venues across the state. These cannot be located within close proximity to any current sportsbooks, and they must have a partnership with a professional team or betting brand.
At the time of writing, we don’t know exactly where these locations will be, as nothing has been made public. However, we can confirm that these locations will only be permitted to offer retail wagering – hence the term ‘limited event wagering’.
Betting on the most popular Arizona sports
NFL
To summarize exactly why the NFL is so popular in Arizona, we needn’t say more than the Arizona Cardinals. Sure, these guys haven’t torn it up in the NFL, meaning they haven’t enjoyed significant success. But all the same, they are a local team, and local teams always drive local interest. But concerning online sports betting Arizona sites, they will let you bet on the Cardinals and all of the other NFL action – including the Super Bowl.
NBA
Much like the NFL, Arizona also has a professional NBA team – the Phoenix Suns. And to be completely honest, the Phoenix Suns are much better at basketball than the Cardinals are at football (sorry to all football fans). If you like fun facts, you might like to know that the Phoenix Suns are the longest-running professional sports team in Arizona too. That’s pretty cool, and yes, you can wager on all of their games.
MLB
In terms of baseball interests, Arizona yet again delivers with the Arizona Diamondbacks. These guys are the youngest of all professional sports teams in Arizona, having been around since 1998. At the same time, the Diamondbacks are the shining jewel of professional sports teams in this state. They are the one and only team to have won the most significant title in their respective leagues – the World Series, which occurred back in 2001.
NHL
Although the NHL isn’t as widely followed as some of the other professional leagues detailed here, there is still a professional Arizona team involved. This team is the Arizona Coyotes, a moderately successful team that has been improving of late. Besides local interest, all Arizona sports betting sites cover NHL games in their entirety, meaning that every regular and post-season game is covered.
MMA
There aren’t many MMA fights that take place in Arizona. In fact, there are barely any, but that doesn’t stop Arizona punters from having an interest in the sport. MMA always serves up some classic fight nights too, and punters can wager on the fight winner, round by round, method of victory, and much more. For particularly prestigious fight nights, many sites whip up some solid bonuses too.
NCAA
The most famous NCAA team in Arizona is the Arizona Wildcats. Or perhaps we should say the most successful NCAA team? These guys are closely followed by sports fans all over the state, especially when March Madness rolls around. However, there is a slight snag with this. You cannot bet on any of the games for this team, not through the many sports betting apps Arizona that are out there, not at retail sportsbooks – nowhere! That’s because legislation dictates that you cannot wager on in-state teams for any NCAA competition.
NASCAR
It wouldn’t be realistic if we didn’t include NASCAR. Of course, this sport doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of prestige as the other sports. However, with the Phoenix Raceway serving as a significant venue for NASCAR racing, and since the venue has teamed up with major betting brands, this sport had to be mentioned. Should NASCAR continue to grow as a sport in terms of global recognition, we have every confidence that Arizona punters will start to get more enticed concerning NASCAR betting.
History of Arizona Sports Betting
As you now know, any form of sports betting Arizona platform or location didn’t exist until very recently. In fact, the overall sports betting industry in this state has only really been going for a few months, since September 2021. Arizona had a long and hard journey towards reaching the desired changes regarding sports betting laws too. Exactly how long? Well, let us get into it right now.
2019 – first efforts
Back in 2019, Rep. Steve Pierce and Sen. Sonny Borelli put forward a bill to change the sports betting laws in Arizona. The purpose of this bill was to allow sports bets to be made at locations including tribal casinos, as well as professional race tracks located around the state. In this bill, there were no mentions of a change relating to mobile sports betting. However, as history shows us, the tribes controlling the various physical casinos were not too pleased with the requests.
The bill wasn’t really taken seriously for that exact reason, and of course, that meant that there were no actionable movements to mention for 2019.
2020 – second efforts
Note that in 2019, the bill introduced by both guys wasn’t actually rejected. It simply didn’t pick up enough steam to make it to the house. However, at least on this occasion the bill was put forward under official legislation labeled as bills H2813 and S1525. This was taken more seriously on this occasion since there were federal concerns regarding tribes operating off-site sports betting kiosks around the state. Whether it was fear or an understanding of what was taking place across the rest of the country, these bills then gained some legs.
Through the various house committees’, the bills did receive the nod of approval in both February and March of 2020. But unfortunately, global events didn’t really help to prioritize a sports betting bill being legalized. Therefore, no vote on the bill was made at the highest powers in the state.
2021 – finally, some movement and ultimate success
What started out through Pierce and Borelli back in 2019 finally came to life in 2021 courtesy of Gov. Doug Ducey. It became apparent that the information in the bills needed a bit of tweaking before the federal court was ready to accept the proposals. That’s where Ducey created some magic and negotiated favorable terms for all parties involved. And for that reason, official legislation regarding sports betting was sworn into effect in April 2021. But things weren’t wrapped up just yet.
The Arizona Department of Gaming still had to fine-tune the specifics, which didn’t take place until July 2021. Since these guys are the main governing body for betting in Arizona, things could only move as fast as they acted. But as Arizona punters will probably agree – rather slow and successful than fast and unsuccessful. When the news broke in July 2021, potential betting brands wasted no time in starting negotiations to grab licenses through the relative channels.
September 2021
We had to wait until September 2021 for the first Arizona online sports betting sites to go live, but the wait was worth it. Brands like BetMGM, DraftKings, and Caesars were launched less than two weeks into September. And within a matter of days, thousands and thousands of punters had signed up for an online betting account. The timing was perfect too, with the NFL season starting to get back into full flow.
And throughout the rest of September, other brands all started to pile in and launch in Arizona. This made the market increasingly competitive, and it led to the awesome bonuses and quality of betting markets we see today.