North Carolina Sports Betting Partners - Six Partnerships already announced for 2024

Online Sports Betting in NC for March Madness?

The future of North Carolina sports betting looks bright after nine companies applied to be operators in the state.

Six sports betting partners have already announced partnerships, Bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel, and PENN Sports Interactive/ ESPN BET, and a seventh sportsbook, Underdog Sports, is yet to reveal its agreement.

Cherokee’s Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprises and the Catawba Two Kings Casino - which offer in-person sports betting in the state already - have also recently applied to be online betting operators in the Tar Heel State.

North Carolina's Governor, Roy Cooper, recently admitted he wants to have North Carolina sports betting up and running in time for the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament, with Selection Sunday scheduled for March 17, and the tournament due to begin on March 19.

He told the "Ovies + Giglio Show" podcast: "The goal is to get it out there before March Madness.

"No guarantee that that’s the case, but that is the goal."

It comes after Cooper signed legislation in June 2023 to extend the gambling opportunities in the state, and the law enables the North Carolina Lottery Commission to issue up to 12 interactive sports betting licenses to operators, but licenses still need to be issued for each company.  

DraftKings and NASCAR Start their Engines for North Carolina

Draftkings North Carolina has teamed up with NASCAR to operate in the state, with DraftKings announcing the new partnership on January 5.

In a release, Matt Kalish, president of DraftKings North America, said: "DraftKings and NASCAR have collaborated closely with each other over the years, sharing a like-minded commitment to enhancing the fan experience.

"We look forward to the next chapter in our journey together and offering our leading mobile sportsbook to fans in the state of North Carolina."

In a major development for North Carolina sports betting, DraftKings has become the sixth and latest online betting operator to announce a betting partnership in the state, and if the deal gets the green light, DraftKings will be able to offer sportsbooks to customers in the Tar Heel state.

Once ratified, it will be the 27th US state DraftKings is authorized to do business in.

Already a top sportsbook, DraftKings is now positioned to be the number one betting app for NASCAR in North Carolina. This is particularly significant in a state where NASCAR has a passionate following, underscored by landmarks like the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

BetMGM partners with Charlotte Motor Speedway

 Another exciting North Carolina sports betting partnership has seen BetMGM North Carolina team up with Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The agreement marks BetMGM's entry into America's ninth-most populous state, and it is another step forward for the betting industry in North Carolina.

Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is located in Concord, North Carolina, 13 miles outside Charlotte, is known for its high-octane races and passionate fan base.

The iconic motorsport complex has more than 50 years of racing history, and it has sealed BetMGM's place as one of the operators leading the way to change the sports betting landscape in North Carolina.

Bet365 score partnership with Charlotte Hornets

Bet365 North Carolina is another company who is leading the charge to revolutionize sports betting in the state.

The operator has secured a partnership with basketball team Charlotte Hornets, who are at the heart of the sports culture in the area.

Charlotte was an area mostly known for its banking when North Carolina businessman George Shinn established the Hornets as an NBA team in 1988, and the team put the city on the national stage.

Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) and Bet365 confirmed their long-term betting partnership in November.

The agreement will see Bet365 become the official mobile sports betting partner of the Charlotte Hornets, subject to the operator becoming licensed in North Carolina.

Should the deal be ratified, it won't be long before Hornets fans spot significant branding and signage at the NBA's sides Spectrum Center home, as well as on Hornets.com, Hornets social media platforms, the Hornets app and the team’s TV and radio game broadcasts.

ESPN BET to enter North Carolina Sports Betting with Quail Hollow Club

ESPN BET North Carolina has taken a slightly different route into North Carolina sports betting, by teaming up with Quail Hollow Club, a country club and golf course in Charlotte, and the Wells Fargo Championship, rather than joining forces with a team.

The deal will mean ESPN BET will become the exclusive official betting operator of the PGA Tour's Wells Fargo Championship, which is held at Quail Hollow Club in early May.

Benjie Levy, Head of Penn Interactive - which operates online sportsbook ESPN BET - admitted in a release that the company is "excited to sponsor" the Wells Fargo Championship, and it "looks forward to working together with our new partners to create unique fan activations".

ESPN BET - which began in November in 17 states - is no doubt hoping its latest move into the new-look betting industry in North Carolina can help it to compete with the likes of FanDuel North Carolina and DraftKings.

FanDuel announces PGA Tour Partnership

 Speaking of FanDuel North Carolina, the operator and the PGA Tour - which is a big player in the state's sports landscape, largely thanks to Quail Hollow Club and Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro - put pen to paper on an agreement to bid for a sportsbook license in the state in December.

Beforehand, FanDuel already had a deal with the PGA Tour going back to 2020, but, like ESPN Bet with Quail Hollow, the operator has clearly seen a new opportunity in the Tar Heel State.

Christian Genetski, president of FanDuel, told the Sports Business Journal in December: "We have a great relationship with the PGA Tour and we have every intention of continuing that.

"Building off of an existing partner made it a pretty easy conversation to get to the parameters of a deal that we were very comfortable with."

Fanatics Team up with the Carolina Hurricanes

On Thursday, January 11, Fanatics Betting and Gaming announced a deal to become the official sports betting partner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, securing access for its Fanatics Sportsbook.

Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell told how Fanatics will bring a "user-friendly experience" for US sports betting enthusiasts "to wager on sports responsibly".  

As one of the more recent sportsbooks, Fanatics opened its virtual online betting doors in August 2023 and is available in 10 states so far.

While the sports landscape in North Carolina is more associated with basketball, with the Hornets, and football, thanks to the Carolina Panthers, the Carolina Hurricanes pro ice hockey team are no minnows.

The team won the coveted Stanley Cup in the 2005-06 season, which catapulted them to another level.

More locally, the Hurricanes have forged huge community relationships over the years by sponsoring community events and collaborating with local schools.

The rise of online betting in North Carolina has also helped to increase interest in ice hockey, as well as other sports people can bet on, and that will no doubt grow as more sportsbooks open up in the state.

North Carolina Sports Betting Coming Soon

On Wednesday, January 10, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission took another step forward in its bid to legalize online betting in the state.

The Commission approved, via a virtual meeting, rules for prospective operators to follow for a certificate of compliance, and the use of two independent test laboratories for operators to use to evaluate gaming equipment, software, and processes for compliance with state law and commission rules.

The North Carolina Lottery Commission can already issue up to 12 interactive sports betting licenses to operators, and with the number of companies who have applied to be operators in the state now standing at nine, it doesn't look like it will be too long before 12 online betting operators are in place and announcing partnerships.  

While the governor wants to launch mobile sports betting in time for March Madness, the Commission didn't discuss setting an online betting "go-live" date at Wednesday's meeting.

Should there be a delay in setting up in time for March Madness, North Carolina clearly has plenty of pro franchises and huge sporting draws across the state to enable the eventual roll out of sports betting - when there are sure to be North Carolina sportsbook promos aplenty - to be a massive success on whatever date it launches. 

Other Playing Options available in North Carolina

In North Carolina, the landscape for Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is quite unique. While there are no specific laws explicitly legalizing DFS, there also aren't any that prohibit it. This means that DFS operates can operate in the State without requiring special permits. For North Carolinians, this means that they are able to enjoy the games without legal concerns.

For DFS enthusiasts, this is great news as there are a number of popular DFS platforms that are available like DraftKings and FanDuel. These platforms offer a variety of gaming options, covering major sports like football, basketball, baseball, and more. Whether you're a fan of the NFL, NBA, MLB, or even college sports, these platforms provide an array of choices for creating your fantasy teams and entering into competitions, providing ample opportunities to join in the excitement. So, if you're in North Carolina and have a passion for DFS, you have a great opportunity to explore and enjoy the action with the sport of your choice.