Connecticut Sports Betting

Online sportsbooks went live in Connecticut on October 19, 2021. The Constitution State launched regulated online sports betting with DraftKings and FanDuel in partnership with the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

The Connecticut Lottery also got in on the action by partnering with PlaySugarHouse.

Get the lowdown on sports betting in Connecticut

Betting Condtions in Connecticut

• The first three retail sportsbooks launched on September 30.
• DraftKings Sportsbook is in partnership with the Mashantucket Pequot tribe; FanDuel with the Mohegan tribe; The CT Lottery has a deal with PlaySugarHouse/Rush Street Interactive.
• The legal age for gambling in Connecticut is 21+ for casino gaming and 18+ for pari-mutuel wagering.
• Sports betting licenses are valid for ten years.
• The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) oversees all of the approved gambling activities in partnership with the Connecticut Lottery.
• The state collects 13.75% in taxes on sports betting and Daily fantasy sports (DFS) as well as 18% on all online casino gambling revenues.

The projections for Connecticut, which has a population of 3,605,944 are sports betting handles of around $1.5 billion annually, and with tax revenues to hit $14 million by 2024.

Connecticut Legal Sports Betting Options

There are currently just a handful of retail sportsbooks available in the state of Connecticut, but this is only the beginning, there are plans for loads more, with 15 locations in total that the state has authorized. PlaySugarHouse is leading the charge which is powered by Rush Street Interactive (RSI) with many locations planned to open by the end of 2021 in Hartford, Manchester, Norwalk, Milford, Torrington, Waterbury, and New Britain.

Online Sports Betting Options in Connecticut

The first online sports bets were taken on September 30, with various soft launches going live in the state with limited numbers allowed to sign up initially. This was followed by a hard launch on October 19th, 2021, with all three sportsbooks now taking bets on various platforms.

Connecticut Lottery

The state has allowed lottery games to be played in retail locations since 1972, when the first 50-cent tickets were sold in 3,000 locations due to the efforts of John Miscikoski. This state representative would earn the nickname of “The Father of the Lottery” for his vigorous campaigning.

The Connecticut Lottery now oversees sportsbook action not handled by the tribal casinos.

The Path to Connecticut Legalizing Betting

• July 2017 – Public Act No. 17-209 is passed which moves to regulate sports betting in the state of Connecticut.
• May 2021 – House Bill 6451 is signed, this is the new tribal compacts that have been agreed to by the state government and gaming tribes.
• September 2021 – The first retail sports bets are placed in tribal casinos with DraftKings and FanDuel opening in the state.
• October 2021 – All three online sportsbooks go online, with a soft launch beginning on October 12th that allowed 750 new members to sign up each day. The hard launch would go live on October 19.

Popular Sports to Bet on in Connecticut

Having a fairly modest population and given the neighboring states, Connecticut doesn’t have much in the way of major league sports franchises. The most popular teams in the state are the WNBA Connecticut Suns, the Hartford Yard Goats Minor League baseball team, The Hartford Athletic soccer team, and a few hockey teams such as Bridgeport Islanders and the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Despite not having much to root for within state lines, many Connecticut sports fans cross the border to New York to support the New England Patriots or the New York Giants.

NBA franchise the New York Knicks, and MLB teams, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, also attract fans from Connecticut.