Placing a legal sports bet in New York City is not an easy task. Our NYC Betting Guide, though, will explain the best ways to place a sports bet if you live in the Big Apple.

• Best Bets To Make Today
• How To Gamble Online Sports
• Best Way To Bet Sports

New York City does not have any in-person sportsbooks. That means sports bettors need to cross the bridge to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Upstate New York to place a legal bet.

Winning at sports betting is very challenging indeed. With standard pricing at -110/-110 on most games, the house enjoys over a 4% edge on most bets. That is very hard to overcome, especially since many. You certainly can choose to take your betting seriously, and it may affect the way that you watch sports events, but it really doesn’t take the fun out of things. It’s quite the opposite in fact. In our view at least. Moneylines are the simplest forms of bets. They are simply bets that pick a team to win, which team is going to have the highest score at the end of the game or quarter, or half, whichever time limit your betting on. Hedging is a useful strategy even though betting on all sports isn’t the same. Futures wagers are long term bets that use a moneyline. Some individual games use a point spread while betting on other.

The closest sports betting facility is the FanDuel Sportsbook at the Meadowlands Racetrack, which shares a parking lot with MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants NFL team.

But when you cross the border into New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you do not need to visit a physical sportsbook. Instead, you have the option to download one of the state’s sportsbook apps and bet remotely.

Best Sportsbook Apps For Bettors In New York City

DraftKings Sportsbook

The DraftKings Sportsbook use the same iOS and Android app for both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. That means you can download the app from New York and register, then place bets whenever you’re in either neighboring state.

The DraftKings Sportsbook at del Lago Resort & Casino in the Finger Lakes area may be a worthy destination for a sports betting vacation. Bettors have over 6,000 square feet of space and over 1,000 square feet of LED TV screens.

But the five-hour drive will likely take you into Pennsylvania, where you’re able to bet the highly competitive odds through the DraftKings app anywhere within state lines.

FanDuel Sportsbook

The FanDuel Sportsbook is New York City’s closest retail sports betting location. While DraftKings is the official betting partner of the New York Giants, they do not have a retail sportsbook in the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

The FanDuel Sportsbook at Meadowlands is located at Victory Sports Bar, which includes three separate sports betting and viewing areas. It boasts 20-foot screens, a huge food and drink menu, and you just need to cross the parking lot to get to MetLife.

Valley Forge Casino right outside of Philadelphia also has a retail FanDuel Sportsbook, but any trip to Philly means you can simply bet through the FanDuel app.

BetRivers Sportsbook

BetRivers is typically a partner of Rivers Casino, which has locations in several states. In New York, there’s a Rivers Casino in Schenectady, and Pennsylvania boasts a Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

In New Jersey, the BetRivers Sportsbook is presented as SugarHouse, the former name of Rivers Casino Philly. The two share a parent company.

The BetRivers Sportsbook app is making huge strides in the industry despite not having the same name power as FanDuel and DraftKings. Anyone who’s been to a Rivers Casino is familiar with the brand’s commitment to quality, and that applies to their sports betting, where competitive odds and unique promotions set them apart time and time again.

New York City Sports Betting: Why No Downstate Sportsbooks?

Why are there no retail sportsbooks in New York City? Despite being the largest metropolitan area by both population and square miles, Downstaters need to travel Upstate or to Pennsylvania or New Jersey.

The reason is simple, albeit frustrating. Only four commercial casinos in Upstate and tribal casinos (also located Upstate) were approved to offer sports betting. That means the largest casino in the state, Resorts World Casino New York City, does not have sports betting. And unless there’s a change to the law, they never will.

Status Of Online Sportsbooks In New York

It stands to reason that no one would complain much about sports betting in New York City if New Yorkers could use online sports betting apps. Even if you live right next door to a retail sportsbook, playing from home is more convenient. And that’s not to mention the privilege of playing on the go.

Unfortunately, it looks like legalized sports betting will require a change to the New York State Constitution. At least, that’s the stance of Governor Andrew Cuomo.

However, New York lawmakers of both parties are pushing for mobile sports betting anyway. In the wake of the COVID-19 shutdowns, tax revenue sources took an enormous hit, prompting many in the state legislature to rally behind sports betting.

In the likely event that the state budget is passed without mobile sports betting, the openness of lawmakers could make the push for mobile wagers an ongoing line item. Worst case scenario, the state constitution would be changed, which would likely take until 2023.

What Choices Do New York Sports Bettors Have?

Apart from supporting legislators, New Yorkers can travel to the closest retail sportsbooks. The nearest in-state is at Resorts World Catskills, and the closest, in general, is at the Meadowlands across the bridge in New Jersey.

Another option is downloading a New Jersey or Pennsylvania sports betting app and traveling just over the state border to place a bet. As long as you’re at least 21 years old and physically located in the state, it doesn’t matter if you’re a New York City resident.

New York’s Neighbors: How Betting Works In Bordering States

Gambling In New Jersey

When people think gambling in America, they likely think of Nevada first and New Jersey second. The home of Atlantic City, the Garden State is a premier destination for every type of betting, from casino games to sports betting.

But New Jersey is also one of only a few states that have legalized every form of online gambling: casinos, sports, and poker. Not even Nevada can compete with that, as online casinos are not legal in the Silver State.

Better yet, New Yorkers can legally play at any of these online casinos, sportsbook apps, or poker sites as long as they’re physically located in New Jersey.

Gambling In Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is another state that legalized every form of online gambling. While their online poker doesn’t share a player pool with other states, its massive population (relatively-speaking) compensates for it.

Like in New Jersey, New Yorkers are free to download Pennsylvania sportsbook apps and register from the Big Apple. But you need to be physically located in Pennsylvania to place bets.

Much of the same options are available in both PA and NJ, and many are some of the highest quality sports betting apps and sites on the planet. These include DraftKings, FanDuel, FOX Bet, William Hill, Unibet, and Bet365.

The Best Way To Place Bets Online In New York City

1. Find The Right Sportsbook App

A good example of a high-quality sportsbook app is DraftKings, and the same app can be used in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It’s easy to jump on the PATH train from Manhattan to place your bets, then head straight back to watch them come to fruition.

Of course, there are other sportsbook apps to choose from. Here’s a guide to New Jersey online gambling, including the best sports betting platforms.

2. Register With The Proper Identification

When you register, make sure you use the name that matches your ID, as you’ll likely need to upload a photo of your ID to verify your age and identity and complete registration. You can do this from New York City.

Make sure to also allow the app to know your location. It’s a requirement so that the sportsbook can confirm you’re in an applicable state.

Important: Read all terms and conditions before opting in for a promotion. There may be a limited window between registration and when the promotion expires, so you’ll want to hold off on registration until the day you’re going to place bets.

3. Deposit And Take Advantage Of Promotions

From New York, you can also make a deposit and take advantage of any promotions that don’t involve betting, such as a deposit-matching bonus.

Deposit options at sportsbook apps include debit and credit card, direct bank transfer, PayNearMe retailers, and e-wallets like Skrill and PayPal.

4. Place Bets

Once you’re physically located in a state where you can legally bet on your chosen sportsbook, you can bet without limits. This includes props, futures, and parlays. Traveling to a neighboring state is the only way to bet on New York-based college sports, which will be the case even when New York legalizes online betting.

5. Withdraw Winnings

Withdrawing winnings can be done from outside the state as well. That means you can travel to New Jersey to bet with the DraftKings app, then turn around and head home before the game ends.

If you win, you can cash out in a few different ways. The most common are direct bank transfer, check in the mail, and e-wallet like PayPal or Skrill.

Top 3 Sports Bars In Hoboken For Sports Betting

While sports bars that aren’t at a racetrack or casino can’t offer sports betting, New Yorkers can travel to New Jersey and bet from any bar in the state. All you have to do is register at a New Jersey sportsbook like DraftKings, and you’re good to go once you’re in the state.

The most conveniently located New Jersey city to Manhattan is Hoboken, which is accessible via a ten-minute ride on the train. Here are the top three sports bars located a short walk from the PATH station:

Wicked Wolf

In terms of atmosphere, it doesn’t get much better than Wicked Wolf on gameday. Just be sure you’re ready to be in a lively and crowded environment.

Black Bear And Grill

Wings, beer specials, nightly events, and a huge wall of televisions that ensure you’ll always see the action.

Texas Arizona

Possibly the closest bar to the PATH station, Texas Arizona is in the top three purely because of the unrivaled convenience. But they still have good food, drinks, and plenty of TVs. What else could you want?

Betting In New York Vs. Neighboring States

If you compare retail sportsbooks in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, you’ll find that they’re virtually the same. You’ll see some difference in the odds and the food and drink offerings. But overall, the setup is relatively identical:

• Limited sports bar hours (with full food and drink menus)
• Limited betting window hours
• 24/7 betting kiosks
• A wall or two of giant LED TVs
• Leather chair seating as well as bar stools

However, you cannot bet on in-state schools in New York. That means no Syracuse University or Buff State. It also means playing March Madness pools is relatively limited to free-to-play promotional tournaments or office pools.

In both states, you the following types of bets are legal:

• Straight moneyline bets
• Points spreads
• Over/Under
• Futures
• Prop bets
• Parlays
• Teasers and Pleasers

In all three states, in-game betting is legal, meaning you can place bets after the game has begun. Sportsbooks can also offer an unlimited number of prop bets, from player performances to general game events, such as the number of field goals.

New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania also restrict gambling on esports contests with players under 18, any amateur sports, politics, TV competitions, and the weather.

The Only Real Difference Is Mobile Wagering

And what a difference it makes. Bettors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania enjoy a massive difference in convenience with access to mobile betting. Hopefully, New York City will see mobile gambling come to town in the near future.

Most Common Questions About NYC Sports Betting

No. There is no legal sportsbook in the New York City limits, so any sports betting that takes place in one of the boroughs would be an illegal bet.

However, you can bet on sports at retail sportsbooks in Upstate New York as well as in New Jersey, much of which is quickly and easily accessible from New York via train, ferry, or car.

Zero. Manhattan does not have any legal sportsbooks, and neither does any other part of New York City. Parts of the New York Metropolitan Area do have retail sportsbooks as well as legalized online betting, but they’re located in the states of New Jersey or Pennsylvania.

FanDuel Sportsbook at Meadowlands. The closest sportsbook from anywhere in New York City, at least by distance, is the FanDuel Sportsbook located in the Meadowlands Racetrack, which shares a parking lot with MetLife Stadium. Alternatively, you can hop the river to Hoboken and place bets using New Jersey sports betting apps.

No. New York State has not yet legalized online sports betting, and that restriction extends to both Upstate and Downstate. While there have been several pushes by lawmakers, Governor Andrew Cuomo has not vered from his belief that legalizing mobile sportsbooks would require a change to the state’s constitution.

Yes. You do not need to be a state resident to join an online sportsbook in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. The only requirement for sportsbook registration in both states is that you’re at least 21 years old. To place a bet, you also need to be physically located in the state, and the app verifies that using geolocation.

Technically yes. You cannot use the DraftKings Sportsbook to bet online in New York, but you can download the app, register, make deposits, and withdraw while in New York City or anywhere else in the state. However, you must be physically located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or another accessible state to place bets using the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

No, but the retail FanDuel Sportsbook is located at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, making it the closest retail sportsbook to New York City. You can also cross the river into New Jersey and bet using the FanDuel Sportsbook app anywhere in the state. It is completely legal to do so as a New Yorker.

No. Any bet placed on the Super Bowl from New York City would be against state law. You could hop over to Pennsylvania or New Jersey to place a legal wager on the Super Bowl, then return to New York to watch the game and withdraw any winnings. But to bet on any NFL game legally as a New Yorker, you have to go Upstate or across state lines.

The statement I’m about to make will most certainly shock any sports bettor who reads it. While most of us are under the impression that everyone betting sports wins long term, so long as they bet often enough, this isn’t actually true.

Wait you’re not surprised? Of course you’re not! Everyone knows the bookmaker has an advantage so more times than not sports bettors lose. However, what if there was a way that the rolls could be reversed; what if the sports bettor always had the advantage?

This is in fact possible.

Have you ever heard the term advantage player? This is a label gambling companies assign to players who only bet when the odds are in their favor.

Even though “on average” bookmakers have a 4.55% advantage on straight bets (2.38% @ -105), the key word is “average”; advantage players find bets where the bookmaker’s advantage is negative. Whether your goal is to be a sports betting pro, or just earn a little money on the side, the first step to winning is to stop making –EV bets.

If you understand what expected value, -EV, and +EV mean, go ahead and skip down to our advice on finding +EV bets. If you’re not familiar with this concept continue reading.

Best Bets To Make Today

Expected Value (EV) Explained

Expected value is a term professional gamblers use on a regular basis. To explain what it means in simple terms I’ll use an example. Let’s say me and you decided to have a coin flipping contest. We flip coins and you give me $1 for each outcome of heads; I give you $1 for each outcome of tails. We could flip coins for all eternity and neither of us will ever have an advantage because on average half the time we lose $1 half the time we win $1. While there will be swings back and forth, as long as we flip the coin enough times eventually we’ll both break even. This particular bet has neutral expected value.

Now let’s say I’m tired of flipping coins, and want to quit, but while begging me to stay you offer me a better deal. This new deal pays me $1.10 for every heads, and I still pay you $1.00 for every tails. What happens now is half the time I win $1.10 and half the time I lose $1.00. If we flip 100 times I should average 50 wins of $1.10 ($55) and 50 losses of $1 ($50). Every flip of the coin I have a positive expectation (+EV) of 5 cents. As the one offering me this proposition you have the opposite, every flip of the coin is 5 cents –EV for you.

Every wager made in sports betting has either a positive expected value (+EV), negative expectation value (-EV) or in rare cases neutral expected value. Winning sports betting requires avoiding –EV and finding +EV bets.

Finding +EV Sports Bets

The reasons most sports bettors don’t spend time learning the tricks of advantage players is it’s slightly time consuming, most have no leads how to do it, are overwhelmed or when they do learn it’s not actually fun. If you’re looking for something fun we suggest paint balling, a trip to the amusement park, circus or what have you. If you’re looking to actually make money then you’ll need to know how to find +EV bets.

At TheSportsGeek.com we have several articles on this topic you’ll want to read:

Teaser Betting Strategy – This is perhaps the easiest method a sports bettor can use to find bets with a positive advantage. When you also read our article on the current betting market, you’ll realize just before game time the lines are efficient. Teasers are based off the current betting lines, so no longer do you need to go do any deep analysis to find out whether as straight bet is +EV. Here find spots where teasers increase the win rate by enough and you’ll have a +EV bet. This is all described in our article on teaser betting strategy.

Prop Betting Strategy – Prop bets are generally considered the easiest wagering opportunity for sports bettors to beat. In our article on prop betting strategy I give a full break down of the prop bet “which team will score first”. After reading that article you’ll have enough information to start finding +EV bets on this specific prop. In time, as you get experience you’ll be able to solve other prop bet on your own and then beat them using as similar method to the one I show in the example.

Must Read Sports Betting Books

If you’re new to advantage betting some books that will help you greatly with the basics are:

1) Sharp Sports Betting by Stanford Wong

2) Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting by King Yao

Once you’re much more experienced and ready to take things to the next level then I strongly Conquering Risk: Attacking Vegas and Wall Street by Elihu D. Feustel. This is a book for advanced sports bettors and not a good read for anyone not already winning. It is heavily math, statistic and handicapping intensive. If you eventually decided on a career as an advantage player at some point down the road you’ll want to work to understand what Elihu D. Feustel shares in this book.

How To Gamble Online Sports

No matter what methods you use to find +EV bets, the information contained in our article on finding maximum value is a must read. Next, if you’re thinking about purchasing picks, read our article on winning without a tout. In that article you’ll also find some information on getting free picks. Use that with the earlier mention getting max value article, and shopping the market and you’ll likely be turning an easy, yet slightly time consuming profit.

With this out of the way let me now cover the easiest way to get your bankroll started: “Bonus Whoring”.

A Free Lunch in Sports Betting

If you’ve heard the saying there is no such thing as a free lunch, well think again. Here are some bonuses that sports betting sites offer to players making their first deposit:

At the time of writing this Bookmaker is offering a massive holiday bonus of 25% up to $2,500 sports + 175% up to $1,000 poker + 100% up to $250 casino. If you don’t have an account, visit Bookmaker and register using Bonus Code THEGEEK on the sign up field. After logging in, head to the cashier where the available “deposit bonus codes” will be listed. Use this code and you’ll now have the added advantage of massive free play bonus.

Bovada offers 10% cash bonus on bettor’s first deposit. The best thing about this bonus is it is instant and it’s cash (as opposed to free play). Also no crazy strings such as rollover, hold period etc, simply roll your initial deposit and 10% bonus over a single time and it is free and clear your own money to keep.

Here you can get up to $1,000 in free bonus money. Getting the max bonus is a multi step process. First sign up, and be sure to leave the Promotion Code field empty. Next follow the steps on our BetOnline Bonus page to negotiate a massive bonus with their live support.

When you combine +EV bets with free bonus cash, winning at sports betting is a cinch. The only piece of the puzzle you have left is protecting and growing your bankroll. Our best advice here, never wager more than a few percent of what you have on hand on a single game.

Once you have this all down, while it takes other sports bettors a lot of luck to win, the opposite is true for you. A bookie beating an advantage player who uses responsible bet sizing, keeps his composure during downswings while making only +EV bets, is quite difficult. Follow this and the only ways you lose is horrible bad luck!

Once again don’t forget to take advantage of the bonus at www.Bovada.lv!

We wish you the best of luck and know soon enough you’ll be shacking your head confused the same at us, whenever you hear the statement “most sports bettors lose” and clearly you won’t be on of them.

Best Way To Bet Sports

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