Maryland

Not only is sports betting legal in Maryland, but the Old Line State has the potential to hold the record for the most online and retail sportsbooks available in one state. As it stands right now, bettors have their choice of 11 online sportsbooks, with plenty more licenses available.

There aren’t many restrictions on sports betting in the Old Line State. Residents are fully allowed to wager on in-state colleges and all professional sports. While there are plenty of sportsbooks to choose from, if a resident prefers to stick with daily fantasy sports, they can find an excellent range of DFS apps in the state, thanks to HB 940, which legalized them in 2021.

Over the years, daily fantasy sports apps made available in Maryland include OwnersBox, Underdog, FanDuel DFS, DraftKings DFS, SuperDraft, and plenty more.

Aside from horse racing being legal, residents also have the option to wager on eSports, which is not available in a lot of states. This means only politics and entertainment events are off-limits to bet on in MD.

Online sports betting in The Old Line State

When legal sports betting was on the 2020 ballot, Maryland voters decided to vote in favor of it. As a result, after the state decided to expand the number of licenses it could offer at one time, Governor Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. signed HB 940 into law in May 2021.

Despite the state's sports betting bill being passed and retail sports betting going live in 2021, online sports betting did not go live in MD until November 23, 2022. Once the bill was passed, the Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission (SWARC) had its hands full when handing out retail licenses, so mobile betting licenses were put on the back burner for an extended period.

It wasn’t until September 2022 that SWARC set a deadline for initial applications for an online operator license in the state. They decided to review and award licenses as they came in to speed up the process of launching mobile betting. By the time early November rolled around, SWARC was able to hand out ten licenses to mobile operators.

These licenses were eventually handed out to some of the most prominent operators in the market, including BetMGM, FanDuel, PointsBet, Barstool Sportsbook (at the time), and more. Once the licenses were handed out, residents did not need to wait long until online sports betting was live.

With the initial licenses handed out in 2022, the state has continually seen movement into and out of the market as sportsbooks like Crab Sports, BetFred, and SuperBook became available to bettors in 2023. Plenty more licenses are available in MD, so residents could have even more variety in the coming years.

All legal MD sports betting apps in 2025 (from newest to oldest):

Recently Closed Online Sportsbooks

Sports betting & gambling legislation in MD

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has established the legal sports betting age in Maryland at 21. This age requirement applies to both online and retail wagers. Remote registration for the state's extensive selection of sports betting apps is available; however, it is crucial that bettors are located within state lines when attempting to place a bet using those apps.

Gambling winnings in Maryland are subject to a tax, but that tax rate will vary between 2% and 5.75% depending on the individual's tax bracket. Those figures are strictly for state tax, as all winnings are also subject to the standard 24% federal tax on winnings.

With local professional sports teams fully intertwined into the sports betting web, the only thing left for the state to discuss is the legality of iGaming. These discussions look to be happening sooner rather than later, with Senator Ron Watson likely to push iGaming legislation during 2024 legislative sessions. Since the lottery is legal in the state, the only two gambling-related products that could be added to the state market are online casinos and online poker.

Betting on Maryland’s competitive sailing regattas

Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay hosts the most prestigious sailing regattas in the country, drawing elite sailors, skilled amateurs, and boating enthusiasts from around the globe. With events like the Annapolis-to-Newport Race and the Governor’s Cup, competitive sailing already carries an air of excitement and tradition, but could it also become a betting market?

Sailing races have all the ingredients for a premier betting market: speed, skill, unpredictable weather, and fierce competition. While traditional sports betting in Maryland is already gaining traction, expanding into sailing events could open a new niche for sailing fanatics and gamblers alike. Bettors could place wagers on factors such as race winners, fastest segments, total completion times, and more, just as they would for other sports that involve racing. 

Of course, like with most novelty markets, regulatory challenges remain. Unlike horse racing or team sports, regatta betting would require oversight from both the state and sailing organizations. The motivation to pass gambling regulations for the sport may be low at the moment, but ff legalized, it could bring new sponsorship opportunities and revenue to Maryland’s historic sailing culture while attracting a fresh wave of fans to the sport.

Could Maryland’s “Blue Crab Derby” become a betting sensation?

Maryland’s Blue Crab Derby is already a quirky and beloved event where spectators cheer on feisty crabs as they shimmy toward the finish line. But could this unique tradition transform into a premier betting attraction? With sports betting gaining popularity, wagering on crab races could create a novelty market similar to horse racing—just with animals that are a bit more dangerous to pet.

Bettors could place wagers on crab speed, crab trifectas, or lane assignments. Casinos or sportsbooks could potentially sponsor races, offering live-streamed races where gamblers could wager from all over the country. Of course, regulations and ethical concerns make this concept a gambling pipe dream, but with the right setup, the Blue Crab Derby could become Maryland’s premier betting spectacle, blending local culture with the thrill of gambling.

Most recent updates from the MD sports betting scene

• March 25, 2025: With a buzzer-beater win in the Round of 32, the Maryland Terrapins have advanced to the Sweet 16, where they will play Florida. The Terps are (+450) to reach the Final Four.

• March 24, 2025: Maryland lawmakers scale back plans to double the online sports betting tax from 15% to 30%. Instead, they now support a smaller increase to 20%, backing away from the governor's original proposal amid concerns about going too far, too fast.

• March 10, 2025: The Big Ten Conference Tournament is set, and the Maryland Terrapins have the second-best odds to win the title at (+350).

• March 6, 2025: Despite dealing with an injury, the Orioles expect Gunnar Henderson to be ready for Opening Day. Henderson is (+750) to win MVP.

• February 24, 2025: In the midst of a four-game winning streak and heading into a matchup with Michigan State, the Maryland Terrapins are (+1000) to reach the Final Four.

• February 18, 2025: Heading into Spring Training, the Baltimore Orioles are (+285) to win the AL East and (+650) to win the AL.

• February 10, 2025: After missing out on back-to-back MVP awards, Lamar Jackson has opened at (+500) to win the 2025-26 MVP.

• February 6, 2025: Maryland's SB 860, proposed by Sen. Paul Corderman, would prohibit online sweepstakes casinos, including other platforms trying to mimic regular casino games, and sports betting, and penalize their partners, including payment providers. The bill is under review by the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Currently, there are 13 retail sports betting locations in Maryland. However, the state sports betting bill allows 47 retail sportsbook licenses to be handed out. While that number is not close to being reached, residents still have an excellent range of retail options, including casinos, professional stadiums, and racetracks.

Some notable partnerships between operators and retail locations include Fanatics Sportsbook and FedEx Field (home of the Washington Commanders), Caesars Sportsbook and the Horseshoe Baltimore Casino, and Parx with the Green Turtle restaurant.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Maryland is part of a strong group of northeastern states that have legalized sports betting. Residents of MD could venture into any of their surrounding states and still be able to find some form of sports betting no matter which direction they went.

You can read up on the specific laws and sportsbooks that operate in Maryland’s surrounding states by clicking on them below.

Sports betting revenue impact on Maryland's economy

Maryland is the place to be if you want variety in the online sports betting market. While there are 13 online operators currently active in the state, the state allows up to 60 online licenses to be active. For retail betting, the number of licenses that could be handed out rises to 107.

The Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission is the official group that reviews and issues these licenses when they are applied for. Depending on the license, the fee for operators can range from $50,000 to $2 million. The state has set the tax rate at 15% for both online and retail.

The state has performed well in terms of betting handle, revenue, and tax income with its current number of operators, and Maryland has posted impressive figures since sports betting became legal in late 2021. In the Old Line State's first full year of legalized sports betting, 2022, they achieved just under $1 billion in handle, nearly $150 million in revenue, and over $6 million in tax income.

In 2023, these same figures rose to $4.6 billion (handle), $514 million (revenue), and $46 million (tax income), and a year later, all these annual high marks were crossed already in October 2024. The MD betting market has thus grown by three-digit year-over-year figures. While this pace will for sure settle down in the future, 2025 should be another profitable year for both the state itself and also for legal sportsbook operators.

Maryland sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: November 2024 ($639,867,400)

• Revenue: November 2024 ($82,338,595)

• Tax income: November 2024 ($11,798,035)

Latest MD sports betting revenue report breakdown (February 2025)

• Total betting handle: $475,708,504

  • Mobile betting handle: $463,172,911

  • Retail betting handle: $12,535,593

• Winnings paid to players: $415,733,938

  • Hold: 12.61%

• Gross revenue: $59,974,565

  • Adjusted (taxable) revenue: $42,334,492

• Tax revenue for the state: $6,350,174

  • Tax share from mobile sports betting: $6,277,251

  • Tax share from retail wagering: $72,923

Reported by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming.

What did MD bettors wager the most in Feb. 2025?

1. NBA / Pro basketball ($118.8m placed bets)

2. College basketball ($53.4m)

3. Tennis ($28.1m)

4. NFL / Pro football ($18.5m)

5. Soccer ($18.4m)

6. Hockey ($11.5m)

7. Golf ($4.1m)

8. MLB / Pro baseball ($966,269)

9. Motor sports ($276,613)

10. College football ($10,770)

11. All other sports ($47.5m)

Top performing sportsbook apps in the state in February 2025:

1. FanDuel (Handle: $202.7m, Adjusted revenue: $25.0m)

2. DraftKings (Handle: $143.7m, Revenue: $10.4m)

3. BetMGM (Handle: $40.5m, Revenue: $2.1m)

4. Fanatics (Handle: $30.8m, Revenue: $2.0m)

5. Caesars (Handle: $23.3m, Revenue: $1.2m)

6. ESPN Bet (Handle: $12.5m, Revenue: $780,718)

7. BetRivers (Handle: $7.1m, Revenue: $261,131)

8. Bally (Handle: $1.0m, Revenue: $0)

9. Crab Sports (Handle: $659,786, Revenue: $11,641)

10. LetsBetMD (Handle: $483,996, Revenue: $10,118)

11. BetPARX (Handle: $477,531, Revenue: $0)

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

MD sports betting revenue in 2025

You can check below how the Maryland sports betting scene has evolved, or declined, by the numbers in the 2025 calendar year. We've gathered the monthly total handle, revenue, and tax income data in the following table, showing how such figures have changed compared to the previous month (bracketed percentage).

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

Betting on Local Oyster Shucking Competitions: Precision Meets Profits

At Maryland’s infamous oyster festivals, such as those in St. Mary’s County or the U.S. Oyster Festival in Leonardtown, shucking isn’t just a skill; it’s a different type of art form. With timed heats, structured judging, and plenty of attendees, these competitions could be primed for a debut into novelty betting markets. Bettors could place wagers on markets that include the fastest shuckers, the number of unbroken oysters, and more.

If local or even well-known licensed sportsbooks introduced prop bets for oyster competitions, it could open the door to new revenue streams during coastal festival seasons. For example, if just 0.1% of Maryland’s $4.5 billion+ annual betting handle came from oyster-related wagers, that would mean $4.5 million in additional bets, in turn, translating to over $675,000 in new tax revenue at the state’s 15% tax rate.