Legal sports betting became a reality in Maryland in 2021, with retail locations going live that year and mobile sportsbooks following in 2022. The Old Line State’s sports betting law allows up to 60 sports betting licenses, with 11 mobile platforms currently available in a market that’s sure to grow more crowded and competitive as time goes on.

Maryland Sportsbooks Features & Promos

Every sportsbook is different—they offer different promo offers, they have different odds and bet types, they present different features like live streaming, live betting, or the ability to edit or cash out of a bet. Sports bettors wagering in Maryland have lots of choices, so they have to prioritize which of those elements is most important to them.

Maryland’s sports betting market is competitive now, and promises to become downright crowded with a whopping 60 licenses available in the state. Choosing the right betting app comes down to identifying the features that best fit your bankroll and risk tolerance, which in turn allow you to place wagers with confidence.

Maryland Sports Betting Legal Path

Legal sports betting didn’t come easy to Maryland, where lawmakers dragged their feet until voters overwhelmingly approved the measure in a 2020 referendum. Then-Gov. Larry Hogan signed a legal sports betting bill in July of 2021, and retail sportsbooks opened soon after.

But the launch of mobile betting apps in Maryland became mired in red tape, with the delays growing so pronounced that Hogan issued a public letter scolding the committee overseeing the rollout to get its act together. It took until November of 2022 before mobile apps were finally able to process bets in the state.

Additional Maryland Legal Betting Path Details

Here are some key questions regarding Maryland's sports betting rules.

  1. How Many Sportsbooks operate in Maryland?

    Maryland currently houses 11 active online sports betting sites.

  2. How old do you have to be to bet in Maryland?

    Players must be at least 21 years old to wager on sports in Maryland.

  3. Can you play daily fantasy in Maryland?

    Daily Fantasy Sports are legal in Maryland.

  4. Can you bet on college sports in Maryland?

    Maryland recently (March of 2024) banned prop bets on college players.

  5. Can you bet on Esports in Maryland?

    Esports can be legally bet on in Maryland.

  6. Can you bet on politics & Entertainment in Maryland?

     Politics (i.e. election results) and entertainment awards (i.e. Academy Awards) are not allowed in Maryland.

  7. Do you have to go to a retail location in Maryland to register a sports betting account?

    Remote registration on sportsbook apps is allowed in Maryland.

Home Field Advantage 

Maryland punches well above its weight: although the state ranks 42nd in the union in size, it stands 19th in population with over 6 million residents. Encompassing both the major metro of Baltimore and the northern suburbs of Washington, D.C., Maryland is a thriving sports market where the NFL, Major League Baseball, and major college sports all enjoy sizable followings.

Here are the squads that attract most of the sports interest in the Old Line State:

NFL: Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders

Here’s another area where little Maryland has an outsized impact: it’s one of just seven states with multiple NFL teams playing within its borders. The Baltimore Ravens have proven wildly successful since relocating from Cleveland, winning a pair of Super Bowl titles since 2000.

The Commanders, who play in Landover, suffered in terms of attendance and performance under the Daniel Snyder regime, but a recent change of ownership has rekindled new hope. The NFL is the king of sports betting in Maryland and everywhere else, so look for hundreds of available wagers in Maryland.

MLB: Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals

The NFL may be the big dog of sports leagues, but Maryland simply adores its Orioles, who have played in Baltimore since their founding in 1954. Yet a franchise that won three World Series crowns between 1966 and 1983 soon fell on hard times, with just two playoff appearances in 27 years.

But the O’s became a phenomenon after the opening of Camden Yards in 1992, the team has become much more competitive over the past decade, and 162 games offer lots of betting options over the course of a long Chesapeake Bay summer.  The Nats won the 2019 World Series behind the arms of Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, and Stephen Strasburg. 

College Basketball: Maryland Terrapins

The Terrapins may not be a pro team, but they’re still a huge deal in Maryland as the only power-conference athletic department in the state. The men’s basketball team in particular has been historically successful, winning a national championship in 2002.

While Maryland has struggled across the board since leaving the ACC for the Big 10 in 2014, the Terrapins remain the closest thing the state offers to big-time college football and basketball, and their presence is felt on the sports betting front as a result. Just remember you can’t bet on college player props within the state.

Back to Top