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The Best Washington DC Betting Apps & Sportsbooks

It used to be the case that mobile sports betting in Washington DC could only be done through a single city-approved GambetDC app. That was better than nothing, but it was never ideal. We’re glad to say that things have changed quite a bit over the last year or so for DC betting apps.

There are now several DC sports betting apps for fans to choose from. On this page, we’ll tell you all you need to know about how to make the most of them and grab a bonus or two in the process.

As you would expect in any area where there is more than one sportsbook vying for your business, the operators in Washington DC all offer generous bonuses as a way of attracting new customers. Such bonuses come in all shapes and sizes. The two types that you will be offered most often are the risk-free bet and the match bonus. Here’s how they work:

Risk-Free Bet – The risk-free bet serves much like an insurance policy for the first bet that you place with a particular sportsbook. Sign up and make a deposit, then place your first bet, making sure that it qualifies according to the terms and conditions of the bonus offer.

If the bet wins, it will be settled as usual and nothing more will happen. However, if your first bet loses, your lost stake will be refunded in the form of a free bet.

Match Bonus – A match bonus is one that is awarded regardless of whether your first bet wins or loses. With this bonus, the sportsbook promises to match either your first deposit or the value of your first bet with free bet credits. For example, if you are offered a 100% first bet match and you make a first bet worth $20, you would be given a free bet that is also worth $20.

The Best DC Betting Bonuses

Many operators of DC betting apps will require you to enter a promo code to claim whatever bonus is being offered. Our sportsbook reviews always provide the promo codes when required so that you can grab the associated bonus without delay.

There are plenty of other bonuses and promotions that sportsbooks will offer to keep you interested over the long term. These often include things like odds boosts, parlay refunds, referral bonuses, and so on, so be sure to look out for those when you’ve enjoyed your risk-free bet or match bonus.

Check out BetMGM! We have a great sign up offer for new customers in the capital. Your first bet will be risk-free.

All Washington DC betting apps are associated with land-based betting partners. You should be within a couple of blocks of the associated partner venue when using the app, so bear that in mind when choosing which app suits you best.

When you have selected a suitable betting app, there are just a couple of steps that you need to follow to sign up and get started. These are:

Download the app.
Register for an account.

To obtain the app, use your mobile browser to navigate to the sportsbook website. The site will provide links to where you can download the app from. For iOS devices, you will need to download from the Apple App Store, while Android apps can either be downloaded directly from the sportsbook or from the Google Play Store.

When you have downloaded and installed the app, launch it. The first time you do this you will be invited to register for a new account. This will involve providing some personal information (name, address, email address, etc.) so that the sportsbook can verify your identity.

All you need to do after registering is fund your new account by making your first deposit.

Making Deposits and Withdrawals

You can make your first deposit by going to the Account or Cashier section of the betting app, choosing a banking method that you want to use, and entering the amount of cash that you want to put into your account. Each betting app will give you a number of banking options to choose from. Some of the most common ones are:

Credit/Debit Cards
ACH e-Check
PayPal
PayNearMe
Play+ Cards
Online Banking

You will also be able to visit the land-based betting partner of the app and make a deposit in cash. That is an option, not a necessity.

You can make a withdrawal by many of the same options, but not all. Note that, while deposits are usually instant, withdrawals can take a few days to complete due to the additional checks and processing that are required.

Sports to Bet on in Washington DC

The sports betting opportunities in Washington DC are as comprehensive as you could want them to be. You can obviously bet on the most popular sports, such as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. But you can just as easily bet on a wide range of other sports and even on events taking place internationally.

Betting markets for soccer, rugby, tennis, athletics, boxing, golf, and many more sports can be found at all of the best Washington DC betting apps.

Those of you who like to bet on your local professional sports teams have plenty of options there, too. Here are just a handful to consider:

Capitals in the NHL.
Commanders in the NFL.
Wizards in the NBA.
Nationals in MLB.
DC United in MLS.

College Betting

Fans of college betting will be disappointed to hear that it’s illegal to bet on DC college teams or on college games that are held in the district itself. The good news is that you can bet on college games that take place elsewhere, providing they don’t involve a team from DC.

Washington DC Live Betting Apps

All of the Washington DC betting apps will allow you to place bets on sporting events that haven’t yet started. The best DC betting apps will also let you participate in live betting as well. This is betting as the event itself is being played. If you’re good at reading a game you could bet once, twice, or even play-by-play, and give yourself multiple chances of winning.

Live betting can also be very useful if you want to hedge against a bet placed before the game started. This allows you to limit losses if things aren’t unfolding quite as you expected them to. Or you might decide to invest even more into the game if it’s clear that your team is faring even better than you expected.

Washington DC Betting Laws and Regulation

Sports betting in Washington DC has been legal since 2019 when the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 was signed into law. Even so, no sportsbook was operational until 2020, when GambetDC was launched. For a time the only way to bet via mobile was by using the GambetDC betting app. But things have progressed nicely since then with more operators and betting apps becoming available.

Washington DC betting apps can only be used by people aged 21 or older. It is not necessary for a bettor to be a resident of DC to bet. But, they must be located within a couple of blocks of the app’s partner venue when making their bets.

Legal sports betting in Washington DC is licensed and regulated by the district’s Office of Lottery and Gaming.

The Future of DC Betting Apps

Now that DC sportsbook apps have started arriving in number, more and more sports fans will discover the benefits of betting on their mobiles. Betting apps not only make it much more convenient to place bets before a game has started, but their live betting markets make it easy to open new positions even when the game is being played.

That’s perfect for anyone who suddenly decides that they’d like to place a bet when sitting in a bar, coffee shop, or elsewhere.

As word gets around about how easy it is to place sports bets in DC, we expect the hobby to become even more popular in the months and years ahead. We also think that more operators will establish themselves in the district, giving bettors an even greater choice of DC betting apps.