Sports Betting Set to Launch in North Carolina on Monday

Sports betting is about to arrive in Tar Heel State officially.

North Carolina will launch its new sports betting industry on Monday, March 11. Eight operators will have platforms live in time for the launch, giving players plenty of options to participate.

The launch comes after months of delays as the North Carolina Lottery Commission (NCLC) has worked to build a framework for the new industry and establish a solid problem gambling program. The state studied the errors and issues their neighbors ran into while launching sports betting, giving hope that Monday’s launch will be one of the smoothest to date.

North Carolina’s sports betting market will officially go live and begin accepting bets at noon EST on Monday, March 11. 

ESPN Bet Will Make First New State Launch

While many familiar names are among the operators set to go live on March 11, ESPN Bet will be in a unique position. The new platform replaced the Barstool Sportsbook after ESPN partnered with Penn Entertainment. The deal allowed ESPN Bet to launch in states where Barstool held an operating license, allowing for quick expansion.

While ESPN Bet is currently legal in 17 states, North Carolina will be the first time it will be part of a new state launch. Aggressive bonuses and marketing have helped them gain strong footholds in many states, but we will see how they fare when launching alongside industry leaders FanDuel and DraftKings.

Pre-Registration Window Remains Open

The state has a pre-registration window that allows North Carolina bettors to sign up with sportsbooks before the industry launches on Monday. Several operators are offering bonuses for signing up before the launch, allowing new customers to claim bonus bets that can be used to place wagers once the industry launches.

Be sure to claim an offer if you haven’t already; they will expire on Monday!