It has to be easy to be a sports fan in Boston.  The New England Patriots built a dynasty with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick winning 6 Super Bowl Championships for the city since 2001. Then, on top of the Patriots, the Boston Red Sox have won 4 World Series of their own in the last decade, while the Boston Bruins have also brought home the Stanley Cup as the NHL’s champions and remain a contender every year.  Add in the fact that the Celtics are the winningest team in the history of the NBA, while making it to the NBA Finals in 2022 and continuing to be contenders in the East and you really have to count your blessings as a Boston sports fan.

With all of this success it should come as no surprise that sports betting has become a huge part of the sports culture in Boston.  Even with the rise of sports betting and it’s social acceptance in recent years there are still a lot of questions surrounding betting on sports in the United States.  I will answer these questions below, starting with the question of sports betting legality and also providing information on the best sportsbooks online where Americans can place their wagers.  I’ll also touch on some Boston specific sports betting info, such as offline betting opportunities in the city.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Boston?

Yes, sports betting is legal in Massachusetts. A sports betting bill passed at the end of the 2022 legislative session and was signed by the Governor in August of 2022.

Retail sports betting launched in Massachusetts in January of 2023, and regulated online sports betting is expected to go live in March 2023.

Boston residents also still have the option to bet on sports at offshore betting sites that are licensed and regulated outside the state of Massachusetts.

Below, I’ve outlined two offshore betting sites where Boston residents can place wagers online.  These offshore sportsbooks are regulated and licensed outside of the United States and they are both popular, safe and secure options for Boston sports bettors.

Best Sportsbooks for Boston Residents

Sportsbook
Features
Bonus
Rating
Bet Now
1
  • Built for American bettors
  • Wide variety of competitive betting lines
  • Easy to navigate betting platform
50% up to $250
2
  • Accepts players worldwide
  • Competitive betting lines
  • Fast & easy deposits and withdrawals (including Bitcoin)
50% up to $1000

These are our top two betting sites for Boston residents.  The two sites are both safe, secure and well respected sports betting operators who are primarily focused on the United States betting market.  This focus on the USA enables each site to offer betting options Americans are interested in, banking options that are easy to use for US residents and great customer support.

Check out the reviews of either Bovada or BetOnline for more information.

Offline Sports Betting in Boston

Retail sportsbooks were allowed to launch in Massachusetts in January of 2023.

Encore Boston Harbor

The Encore Boston Harbor was the first location to open a retail sportsbook in Boston with their WynnBET retail sportsbook opening in late January 2023. The sportsbook features over 70 televisions including a massive video wall and betting windows opened daily from 9am to 12am.

Suffolk Downs

Massachusetts also allows you to place horse racing bets at the track and Boston is home to Suffolk Downs, a small racetrack, but one that allows you to place bets on races across the USA.

The Suffolk Downs horse racing track is located a quick 10 minute jaunt north of downtown Boston, directly north of the Boston airport.  The racetrack closed for live racing in June of 2019, but the facility is still open for simulcast betting 6 days a week. Simulcasting allows you to wager on horse races from across the United States and watch them in real time at the Suffolk Downs track.

If you can’t make it to Suffolk Downs for simulcast racing, both Bovada and BetOnline accept bets on horses from across the USA.

Major Sports Teams in Boston

  • Boston Bruins (Hockey – NHL)
  • Boston Celtics (Basketball – NBA)
  • Boston Red Sox (Baseball – MLB)
  • New England Patriots (Football – NFL)
  • New England Revolution (Soccer – MLS)