Arizona Sports Betting

arizona sports betting

Arizona sports betting is now open for business! Signing up and placing bets in Arizona will be available on September 9th 2021. More than $777.3 million in sports gambling wagers were placed in the first 53 days following the opening, with nearly all of them being placed using mobile sports betting apps.

With 20 licenses given, 10 to the state’s professional sports clubs, and the remaining 10 to the state’s federally recognized tribes, Arizona Sports Betting is a highly competitive industry.

Furthermore, the legislation permits “limited event wagering operators” to utilize up to ten licenses to operate their businesses. In this case, the sites are racetracks and off-track betting establishments in the state. Therefore, they can only be retail establishments, and they must collaborate with one of the 20 license holders listed previously.

As a result, there may theoretically be as many as 50 different ways to place a wager in Arizona state. In addition, online sports betting is well and truly alive and kicking, with more betting options available in Arizona than even in states like New Jersey.

Best Arizona Sportsbook For 2022

Legal Online Sports Betting

Our specialists have searched through hundreds of different legal sports betting sites over many years to gather information. A unique approach has been devised to determine whether it is beneficial to join a specific online sportsbook in the first place.

How To Pick An Arizona Sports Betting Site

There are many fantastic sports betting websites that accept Arizona players. Consequently, how can you choose the most suitable online betting platform when there are so many options?

Our specialists have searched through hundreds of different online sportsbooks over many years to gather information. A unique approach has been devised as a result of this to determine whether it is beneficial to join a specific website in the first place.

Here are the most important things we assess when reviewing sports betting sites in Arizona.

Safety & Security

Remember that safety should be your number one priority while gambling on the internet. Online sports betting firms that are the most well-known and have been in business for many years are usually the best option. However, while we do not automatically exclude new online sportsbook websites from our rankings, we do give preference to those that have been in business for an extended period.

Simply going up to the top of this page and browsing through the list of sites we have chosen will take you to a safe Arizona sports betting site. Our recommended sites are well-known for having an excellent reputation and providing high levels of security.

In the realm of sports gambling, word of mouth travels like wildfire. Naturally, therefore, most websites make an effort to give their members exceptional customer service consistently and a pleasant overall user experience.

Customer Support

Providing accessible and helpful customer service should be a priority at all times. Every sportsbook should make it a standard practice to provide outstanding customer service to its customers. When someone has difficulties, they must receive immediate and fast support.

Our professionals evaluate the customer support choices offered by each site to guarantee that they are the finest in their respective categories.

Great Odds

You would be surprised to learn how many people join a website and never consider if the online sportsbook offers the best sports wagering odds.

The majority of the best Arizona betting sites will allow you to browse over their options before signing up for an account with them.

In most cases, the list of betting odds will be shown prominently on the website’s homepage. This is due to the intense rivalry in the sports betting industry, with businesses continuously seeking to provide better odds than their competitors.

To guarantee that you are receiving the best odds available on the market, having access to various sportsbook sites will allow you to compare odds from other sites.

Welcome Bonus Offer & Ongoing Promotions

The chances are strong that you’ve already looked at a few of the different Arizona sportsbook sites that we suggest and have come across a special offer or two. Promotions are special deals that a sports betting website would make accessible regularly to its customers.

Some websites only provide a welcome bonus to new users in different cases. In contrast, the best Arizona sportsbook sites will give a bonus offer or promotion to existing clients on an ongoing basis.

With these special offers, you may have the opportunity to increase your profits and improve your bet bank significantly. The amount of money you put into your betting account when you first register an account with a bookmaker will generally be matched by a specific amount of cash in welcome bonuses. In some instances, the free bet the sportsbook is willing to offer may be even higher as a percentage.

The majority of bonuses are subject to standard rollover or wagering restrictions. In addition, they obligate members to place a specific amount of money on the line before they are authorized to withdraw their profits. As a result, you must look for sports betting sites in Alaska that clearly describe the terms and conditions of each transaction before proceeding. Some offers may seem significant from the outset, but the restrictions in the terms and conditions mean it’s almost impossible to win anything using the bonus.

Betting sites should always include the Terms and Conditions in their bonus offers when they are made available. Examining the terms and conditions will aid you in selecting whether or not you desire to take advantage of the promotion is key to maximizing any winnings from using these offers.

Betting Markets

Customers may choose from hundreds of betting markets for important events such as the Super Bowl, held in February.

Depending on the sport, there may be a limited number of betting sites that excel in that particular sport. For example, the best football betting sites specialize in football, just as the best tennis bookmakers specialize in tennis, and the best horse racing betting sites are those that specialize in horse racing.

Betting on sports is extremely common among sports enthusiasts, with basketball, baseball, and ice hockey being some of the most popular. Because of this, it is critical to select the most appropriate operator for your betting style before getting started. It is also essential to distinguish between the sports betting offering and the casino and poker offerings.

Payment Options

The deposit and withdrawal processes should be as simple as straightforward as possible. Inquire if they offer a varied range of payment options for you to choose from when making your deposit. It should be as straightforward as possible for players to make payments and withdrawals on gambling websites, and deposits should be handled soon.

When it comes to receiving your cash prizes and depositing them into your bank account, it should be straightforward and quick. No one wants to be forced to sit around and wait for their money for an infinite amount of time, and no one should be compelled to do so either. The best online betting companies constantly go out of their way to ensure that payouts are processed quickly and securely.

Great Design

You have located several websites that accept safe payment methods and offer the odds you seek. That is outstanding! It’s time to start looking into which Alaskan sports betting sites have exemplary user interfaces that make it straightforward to place wagers online.

As a general rule, the overall functionality of a website will affect your overall betting experience. Likewise, if a website crashes regularly or makes it difficult to find the sport you want to bet on, we do not recommend signing up with them.

As previously said, most websites allow you to try them out before selecting whether or not to become a member of the site in question. This is when you should take a closer look at the graphical user interface. It’s essential to spend some time examining the whole design of the site, from the betting area to the cashier system, before making a decision.

Mobile Sports Betting

Sports betting apps give a level of comfort, rapid navigation, and overall accessibility unmatched by traditional land-based betting establishments.

All of the sites we recommend offer dedicated sports betting app or have been completely optimized for mobile devices, allowing you to place bets on your mobile phone or tablet while also placing bets on your desktop or laptop computer or laptop.

History of Sports Betting in Arizona

Arizona Sports Betting was signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey on April 15, 2021, three days after the state legislature passed the measure with overwhelming support. It provides for online and retail sports betting, updates and expands state agreements with Native American tribes, and makes Arizona one among the first states to offer sportsbooks at sports stadiums and one of the most liberal states in the country.

Arizona is hardly a newcomer to the world of gambling. It was a pioneer in the lottery industry, with the Arizona Lottery starting operations in 1980 and becoming the first state to do so. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, which took effect a few years later, upended the status quo.

Tribal casinos on reserve lands began providing slot machines shortly after, but things weren’t always plain sailing for the tribes in Arizona.

When the Arizona government proposed new laws requiring each tribe to establish a compact (an agreement) with the state before allowing slot machines, an unusual standoff occurred in 1992. The FBI raided many tribal casinos and seized their gaming machines following this development. One casino, Fort McDowell, did not take the removal lightly, and a standoff that lasted several weeks.

Things have progressed and more than 20 casinos are now open and collecting bets on tribal property in Arizona. However, they are not full-fledged gambling institutions in the vein of Las Vegas. As a result, they only offer certain games, like blackjack, but not all of the traditional casino games you would expect are on offer.

The Arizona state senate presented the proposed law was presented to a vote by the Arizona state senate on April 12, 2021, and passed unanimously. Despite fierce opposition from Senator Sally Ann Gonzales, House Bill 2772 was carried by a resounding 23-6 vote.

Retail Sportsbook in Arizona

Currently, there are only a handful of retail sportsbooks that are open and accepting bets in Arizona. Although 18 mobile sports betting apps are now available, we anticipate that more legal sportsbooks will be up and running by 2022.

However, it should be noted that no official start dates for new retail sportsbooks have been declared. In addition, retail sportsbooks may take longer to open than expected since they must be constructed, either within a tribal casino or within a professional sports stadium.

The Phoenix Raceway, for example, is one of the racing arenas and sports facilities where retail sportsbooks are permitted to open (home of some of the most popular NASCAR and IndyCar races). In addition, sportsbooks at Native American casinos have also been licensed for use as retail establishments.

The following is a list of retail sportsbook locations:

  • Chase Field (Caesars Sportsbook) – Betting windows available now
  • The Footprint Center (FanDuel Sportsbook) – Now open
  • Phoenix Raceway (Barstool Sportsbook)
  • State Farm Stadium (BetMGM Arizona) – Expected to open in fall of 2022
  • TPC Scottsdale (DraftKings Sportsbook) – Expected to open in early 2023

Professional Sports Betting Locations

The Arizona Department of Gaming also decided to allow sports betting teams to permit sports wagering within the stadium, so offering the same features that horse racing tracks have been able to contribute in other states. We expect other states to follow suit, given the changing landscape of sports wagering in the United States.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have formed a partnership with BetMGM, one of the largest sportsbooks in the United States, to provide wagering on their games. A betting lounge at State Farm Stadium, which will contain a retail sportsbook, is part of the partnership’s objectives. In addition, BetMGM has worked with several NFL clubs, including the Titans, Raiders, Steelers, Broncos, and Lions, to provide wagering opportunities.

Phoenix Suns

With the partnership with FanDuel Sportsbook, the Suns want to deepen their engagement in the rapidly rising sports betting sector in the coming years. Fans may bet on sports at the Footprint Center, which will be called after FanDuel, located within the Phoenix Suns arena.

FanDuel has a partnership with the National Basketball Association and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks have formed a partnership with Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Arizona will establish a retail sportsbook and bar near Chase Field to offer mobile sports betting services to fans.

The Diamondbacks became the third Major League Baseball team to connect with a sportsbook service, following the Cubs’ partnership with DraftKings and the Nationals’ partnership with BetMGM, which happened in 2018.

Phoenix Arizona Coyotes

The Phoenix Coyotes have had their moments in the spotlight throughout their history, even though hockey is not traditionally associated with the desert. In addition, the NHL has begun to embrace the sports betting movement as they prepare to enter a new era marked by collaborations and a new television contract.

There will be a plethora of NHL futures and bets available to put in Arizona sports betting.

Arizona College Sports Team

University of Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State University Sun Devils, Grand Canyon University Antelopes, and Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks.

Arizona sports betting now allows bets on both in-state and out-of-state college football games, among other things. This implies that you will be able to gamble on Arizona State, Arizona, and Northern Arizona athletic contests.

College athletics do not provide live betting opportunities. Arizona’s sports betting legislation has proven this, as has been the case in most other states in recent years.

TPC Scottsdale/PGA

In Arizona, DraftKings does not have a connection with a professional sports team; however, they do have a deal with TPC Scottsdale, one of the country’s most outstanding PGA Tour courses.

DraftKings will be opening a “19th hole”, a spot where fans can make wagers, watch sports, and enjoy food and drinks while participating in the fantasy sports league. DraftKings already has a relationship with the PGA Tour.

Tribal Casinos

Arizona is home to 22 Native American tribes, with a combined population of more than 296,000 individuals. An estimated total of 20 Reservations span more than 19,000,000 acres, ranging in size from the huge Navajo Reservation, which is the size of West Virginia or Ireland, to the relatively small Tonto Apache Reservation, which has an area of slightly more than 85 acres.

Arizona has more tribal land than any other state, and similar to other states in the US, tribal land has been used to offer retail sports betting locations and casinos. Even though six tribes do not have casinos, they own slot machine rights, which they lease to other tribes that do have casinos.

Listed below are all the Tribal Casinos & Sportsbooks in operation:

  • Ak-Chin Indian Community – Caesars Arizona at Harrah’s Ak-Chin Hotel and Casino
  • Cocopah Tribe – Cocopah Casino Resort & Conference Center
  • Colorado River Indian Tribes – Blue Water Resort & Casino
  • Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation – Betfred at We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center
  • Fort Mojave Indian Tribe – Spirit Mountain Casino
  • Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe – Paradise Casino
  • Gila River Indian Community – BetMGM at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino, Lone Butte Casino & Vee Quiva Hotel & Casino
  • Navajo Nation – Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort
  • Pascua Yaqui Tribe – Casino of the Sun & SolSports at Casino del Sol Resort
  • Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community – Casino Arizona & Talking Stick Resort
  • San Carlos Apache Tribe – Apache Gold Casino Resort & Apache Sky Casino
  • Tohono O’odham Nation – Desert Diamond Casino West Valley, Desert Diamond Tucson, Desert Diamond Sahuarita & Desert Diamond Why
  • Tonto Apache Tribe – TwinSpires Sportsbook at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino
  • White Mountain Apache Tribe – Hon-Dah Resort Casino & Conference Center
  • Yavapai-Apache Nation – Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
  • Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe – Yavapai CasinoBucky’s Casino

Arizona Daily Fantasy Sports

In Arizona, daily fantasy sports are now officially permitted to play! DFS went live on August 28th, 2021, and is open to both residents and tourists of the state of Arizona. DFS was not allowed initially, and Arizona was one of the few states that opposed it.

As a result of Arizona prioritizing daily fantasy sports throughout the NFL season, you now have the option to participate. DraftKings Arizona, FanDuel Arizona, Yahoo, and Underdog live in the state for your daily fantasy sports requirements.

Offshore Sports Betting

Before legalizing sports betting in Arizona, sports enthusiasts frequently used offshore or illegal betting services to place their wagers.

Licensed sportsbooks offer several benefits over their offshore counterparts. First, the digital security provided by these casinos is much improved, preventing your personal information and earnings from being stolen by fraudsters.

Offshore and illicit betting sites are not subject to any legal or regulatory oversight by the Arizona Department of Gaming. As a result, if your wins are stolen or if you think your personal information has been exploited for identity theft, you will be unable to seek legal recourse.

In contrast, any legal betting sites in Arizona will be controlled by at least one authoritative agency and subjected to an investigation before being granted a permit to conduct business.

Legal sportsbooks are the preferred way to go in legal states, but some sports bettors may prefer offshore sports betting sites to place their bets.

Arizona Horse Racing & Off-Track Betting

Horses can compete in Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing in Arizona all year. Arizona Downs and Turf Paradise are the main sites, with a boutique meet hosted at Rillito Park in the late winter.

Except for Arizona sports online betting sites, in-person sports gambling is also permitted in select locations. An excellent example of this is horse racing, which has been allowed in Arizona since 1959.

Despite the availability of live racetracks, Arizonans prefer to place their bets at off-track betting facilities rather than on them. These include the state’s tribal casinos and more than 50 off-track betting facilities around the state.

The current sports gambling law, which took effect in 2021, has opened the door to online sports betting in Arizona. Therefore, Arizona sports betting firms can offer odds and wagers on horse races on their mobile applications and sportsbooks, among other things.

Even though horse racing odds are accessible for Arizona sports online betting sites, just a small number of them do so. However, TwinSpires, a horse racing betting company affiliated with BetAmerica, is one of the most well-known in the industry.

Since 2007, this sportsbook has given horse racing coverage and wagering opportunities. For its operations in Arizona, the business agreed with the Tonto Apache Tribe, which operates the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino near Payson. As a result, TwinSpires now offers online horse racing wagering through its mobile application and website.

Land Based Casinos

There are several land-based casinos dotted throughout the state’s landscape. Every one of them is run as a Native American gambling establishment.

Arizona’s most prominent tribal groups operate many casinos, including the Gila River Indian Community, the Tohono O’odham Indians, the San Carlos Apache, the San Xavier Apache, the Pascua Yaqui, and the Yavapai-Prescott Indians, all of whom operate various casinos throughout Arizona.

Many casinos will let you place sports wagers in person now it has been legalized.

Final Thoughts

Arizona has gone all-in on the legalization of online sports betting and provided gamblers with some of the most diverse selection of betting options than any other state in the US. Given its close proximity to Nevada and Las Vegas, the Arizona governors have been able to witness the benefits that a legal betting market can bring to a state.

This could be a blueprint for other states to follow in their footsteps but the great news for sports fans that like to place wagers is you won’t find a shortage of in person or online sports betting in The Grand Canyon State.

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About Joe Kizlauskas

Joe is a seasoned iGaming copywriter and speaker who has been in the business since 2015. He's written more words on all elements of Casinos, Slots, Bingo & Sports Betting than he likes to remember, and he's contributed material to a number of well-known brands. Joe may be seen playing 5 a side, at the gym or playing games on his Playstation when he is not writing.