Best Online Betting Sites Offers
In this article, we are going to review three of the best online betting sites, which are Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie. #1 Bovada Bovada.lv also known as Bodog.com in Canada is among the best sports gambling websites that has been in existence since 1994. The site’s domain is registered in Latvia. Best Esports Betting Sites. Earlier in this article, we told you that we would familiarise you with the best Esport betting sites that you can find on the web. Have in mind that all of them provide additional services like online casinos, lotteries together with all types of sports betting.
If you’re new to the world of online sports betting listen up! You need to pick a bookie that gives you great value for your money. One of the ways you can do this is by assessing the promotion and bonus offers they have on offer, beyond the odds they give on the various betting markets featured on the site.
- An increasing number of Esports betting sites now offer live streaming, with a small stake being required to gain access. Promotions – Whether it be a welcome bonus, price boost, free bet or insurance off, promotions found at Esports betting sites.
- Like most other PA sports betting sites, BetRivers accepts PayPal, which is a great perk. Online banking is also an easy way to deposit into your BetRivers account. Other options include Visa, Discover, Mastercard, Play+ and PayNearMe.
- Bet365 - The best online betting offer Enjoy the best offers in the market with Bet365 and bet on the best competitions. The Welcome Offer is reserved only for customers who are opening a bet365 account for the first time.
To determine if a particular bookmaker is right for you, you need to assess them on three main criteria. First, consider the amount being offered to both the new and veteran members of the site. Next, think about the type of free bet that’s on offer. Finally, review the terms and conditions attached to each offer.
This guide explores the best online betting bonus offers and where to find them.
Types of Betting Bonuses
There’s no rule about the type or amount of offers a site should give to its customers. Different bookies feature different types of bonuses. Some may be easy to qualify for while others, hard to get. Some may constitute generous amounts while others may be average.
Whatever the case maybe it’s a great way to rack up customers. Here’s what you need to know about them before you settle on one.
Free Bets Promotions
A Free Bet is a common type of offer given to new members of a sportsbook. However, a common condition attached to them is that you have to deposit funds before you can claim it. You can fund your account in different ways including debit and credit cardpayment methods, eWallets and Bank Wire Transfer.
With that said, free bet bonuses come in several different forms. Some of the most common ones include:
Match Stake
Sites that offer match stakes typically require that you first register an account with them and then fund it. You would then place a bet on any of the available sports markets. The bookie would match the amount spent on this first wager giving you double the stake of what you placed on the original bet.
For instance, if you wagered $10 on any of the football markets on a site, the bookie would match that stake by crediting you an additional $10 in a free bet to give you a total stake of $20.
Always take a moment to view the restrictions and conditions for this type of free bet. They usually have a limit on the minimum and maximum amounts you can wager. For most sites, this is usually anywhere between $5 and $25 for both minimum and maximum stakes. They also have odds requirements attached to them which, in most cases, are games or markets with a minimum of 1.50 and 2.00.
Free Bet Series
These are very similar to the match stakes you’ve seen in the previous section. But, instead of receiving the bonus free bets as a lump sum, it is instead broken down into a series of free bets. This would look something like “Bet $50 and get five $10 free bets!”
They usually come with a time restriction attached requiring the bettor to use them within a certain period before they expire. Another common condition is that all the free bets aren’t usually available at a go. The next bet in the series usually becomes active on a specific date once the previous one is used or expires. Sports betting sites usually place these conditions to encourage players to return to their site and bet again in the future.
How Do Free Bets Work
Regardless of the type of free bet you get, always ensure that you read the fine print in the terms and conditions section of the site to understand what it entails. So how do they work?
Free bets are quite different from regular bets in several ways. For one, if you lose a free bet, you don’t incur any monetary loss. However, in a regular bet, you would end up losing your stake. If your free bet wins, you only get your profit, and not the stake plus the profit – like you would in a regular bet.
Promo Codes for Sports Betting
This is a popular trend in the betting world and is used by bookmakers to shave off a few extra bucks at the time of registration. Promo codes are considered the holy grail of betting bonuses and are highly sought after by players the world over.
However, not all sites offer them and those that do generally restrict them to welcome bonuses and specific offers reserved for existing members of a site. Nonetheless, if you know where to look, you’ll find them in abundant supply. 888sport casino, for instance, gives new customers $30 in Free Bets when they fund their account using the promo code 30FB.
Deposit Bonus – How It Works
Deposit bonuses are the second most common type of sports betting offer you’ll come across after free bets. This is essentially a match bonus offered by a bookmaker where they match a percentage of a bettor’s deposit up to a specific amount.
Here’s how it works. You might have come across a sportsbook offering a 50% bonus on all deposits made to fund a punter’s betting account up to a maximum of $200. What this means is that for every $1 you deposit, the bookie gives you $0.5. So if you funded your account with $100, you would have a total balance of $150 to bet with.
Likewise, if they were giving a 100% deposit bonus, it means that for every $1 you deposit, the site credits an extra $1 to your balance. So, if you funded your account with the same $100 like in the previous instance, you would have a total of $200 to bet with.
Ideally, you should try to find a betting site that awards its members 100% or more to double or even triple your bankroll. Deposit bonuses are typically reserved for new customers joining a site. However, these are not the only kinds that exist.
No-Deposit Bonus
Unlike a deposit bonus that requires you to fund your account with a certain amount of money before the bookmaker can match the amount, the no-deposit version of this works a little differently. A betting site credits your account with a small amount of money – no strings attached. This is usually in the range of $5 and $50. It provides a great risk-free way for prospective punters to test out a bookie before they decide if they want to spend some real cash there.
Reload Bonus
This is identical to a deposit bonus in nearly every way – except for the fact that it is usually offered to the existing customers of a sportsbook. In most cases, the amount matched is significantly less than you would find in your run-of-the-mill deposit offers. In most online betting sites, the amount falls anywhere between 10% and 50%.
Terms and Conditions
Regardless of the type of betting bonus you receive, always ensure that you read the fine print attached to these offers. Free money and free bets are great and all but make no mistake about it – the bookmaker isn’t doing it purely out of the goodness of their heart. At the end of the day, they are driven by the revenue which comes from getting as many customers as possible to pick them as their preferred betting partner.
Always read the terms and conditions to get a better understanding of what is required from you to cash in on these offers. Here are the most common ones you’re likely to come across.
- Rollover / Turnover Requirements
These conditions usually apply to deposit bonuses, but they can also be attached to any other bonus offer you receive from a site. The idea behind them is that the bookie expects you to bet the amount a stipulated number of times before you can cash out.
A typical example would be something like “A 10x rollover on a 100% deposit bonus up to $200”. This means the sportsbook requires that you wager your bonus 10 times before you can cash out. If you attempt to cash out before meeting your turnover requirements there’s a good chance that the site will void your winnings and the bonus money. More often than not, however, the bookie simply rejects the withdrawal request.
So, when picking an online betting site based on the deposit bonus they’re offering to new customers, be sure to check what their rollover requirement is first before you sign up. You want to find a site that has a low rollover requirement. The sweet spot would be 5x but 10x is fine too.
You also need to check whether the rollover requirement applies to the bonus only, or the deposit and the bonus. This will allow you to do some quick math beforehand to establish which of the two gives you more bang for your buck.
The final thing you need to look out for is the deadline attached to the offer. Most bookmakers usually impose a time limit on the validity of the offer. This gives bettors a specific duration within which they have to complete the offer. Whatever money will not have been wagered by then will simply expire. So keep this in mind when looking for the best online betting offers. The rule of thumb is – the longer you have before it expires, the better.
- Betting Requirements
Another common condition you need to be keen on is the betting requirement attached to a particular offer. Some bookmakers usually define the sports and the respective markets that you can bet on with the bonuses.
For instance, you may receive a deposit bonus or free bet but the betting requirements confine you to football wagers only. They may further stipulate that you have to bet on parlay or prop wagers only.
Other common betting requirements on offers require punters to wager on specific matches with predefined odds. For instance, they may require that you use the bonus to wager on football matches or cricket matches that have odds of 1.5 or higher.
- Cashable
Another important condition to look out for involves checking whether a deposit bonus is cashable or not. For a large number of betting sites, the no-deposit bonus is for betting only and cannot be cashed out. You might be able to withdraw your profit but not the stake that you received to bet on the site. Others like deposit, or reload bonuses can become cashable once you meet the rollover requirements.
While this may not be a big deal to some people, it can play a role in the decision-making process when deciding which sports betting site to go with. Ensure that you only accept an offer once you understand what it takes to earn it. If the terms are ridiculous – to say the least, then you should probably find a site that offers better terms.
Best Indian Sports Betting Bonus Offers
One of the markers of an outstanding sports-betting website is how generous it is when it comes to giving new (and existing) customers great value for their money in bonuses and regular promotions. If you are an avid bettor in India looking for the best sports betting bonus offers that you can take advantage of, then you’re in luck. Here are some that you’ll find to be right up your alley.
Parimatch Offers
Founded in the mid-1990s, Parimatch has grown exponentially to become one of the world’s top sports betting sites with a huge global member database that spans across several territories including India.
Some of the top bonus offers from Parimatch include:
Welcome Bonus : 100% up to $25
- Bonus valid for 7 days from registration date
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.5
- 10x rollover requirement
Profit Boost : 50% boost on profit
- Reserved for existing customers
- Wager on a minimum of three events
- Parlay bets only
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.3
Bet365 Offers
Bet365 has earned a reputation for being one of the best and most trusted bookmakers in the world. They offer a massive amount of promotions across a wide array of sports that many other sites find hard to beat.
Some of the top betting bonuses from Bet365 that you can take advantage of include:
Open Account Offer : 15% up to $60
- Valid for 30 days from registration date
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.2
- 12x rollover requirement
Bore Money Back Bonus : 100% refund on stake
- Available for new customers
- Only applicable to soccer matches that finish 0-0 at full time
Betfair Offers
Betfair has emerged as one of the most popular online sportsbooks thanks in large part to the 20-plus years of experience it has garnered in the industry. Its regular promotions and unbeatable offers have made it a fan-favorite for many.
Some of the bonus offers you’ll find at Betfair include:
New Customer Offer – Option 1 : 100% up to $60
- $30 deposit required to qualify for the offer
- Valid for 30 days from registration date
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.6
- 10x rollover requirement
New Customer Offer – Option 2 : Up to $100 in Free Bets
- Wager 5 x $10 or more to get $ 20 of free bets
- Repeat up to 5x to get the equivalent $100 bonus
Betway Offers
This sports betting site may be one of the newer industry players but it is certainly giving the older more established bookies a run for their money. It has a huge amount of exciting offers and unbeatable bonuses that make it hard to resist especially for betting enthusiasts looking to get more value for their money.
Some of the best betting bonus offers you’ll find at Betway include:
New Customer Offer – Option 1 : Up to $30 In Free Bets
- Minimum deposit: $10
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.75
- 1x rollover requirement
- Valid for credit and debit card deposits
New Customer Offer – Option 2 : 100% up to $250
- Minimum first, second and third deposit: $20 each to claim $250 bonus
- 50x rollover requirement
- Valid for credit, debit card, and PayPal deposits
William Hill Offers
The betting site is touted for being one of the safest and most trusted bookmakers you’ll come across in your online sports betting escapades. As far as solid bookies go, it truly doesn’t get any better than William Hill and it makes sense since they’ve been around since the 1930s.
Some of the bonuses William Hill gives its customers include:
New Customer Offer : $30 in Free Bets
- $10 deposit required to qualify for the offer
- Valid for 30 days from registration date
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.5
- Credited as 2x $15 bets
888sport Offers
888sport may have originally started as a poker and casino operator but the sportsbook section of their company is truly the star of the show. They have earned a solid reputation over the years for being master innovators as far as their customer-centric offers and promotions go.
Here are some of the top bonuses and promotions you’ll find at 888sport.
Welcome Offer : $30 in Free Bets
- $10 deposit required to qualify for the offer using promo code 30FB
- Bonus valid for 7 days from registration date
- Odds requirement minimum: 1.5
Paddy Power Offers
If you’re looking for a sports betting site that pushes the envelope to give its customers a one-of-a-kind experience that they won’t find anywhere else, then Paddy Power may be just what the doctor ordered. Their unconventional approach has seen them amass a huge global following and a large array of awards making them one of the top bookmakers of recent times. This is also evident in the attractive offers and promotions available for both new customers.
Here are some of the betting bonus offers you can only find at Paddy Power.
New Customer Offer : Full stake money back if the bet loses up to $10
- $10 risk-free deposit required to qualify for the offer
- Valid for credit, debit card, and PayPal deposits
With several types of online gambling available in Pennsylvania, picking a site can seem overwhelming. If you’re feeling unsure about where to go, you’ve come to the right place.
Below, you will find reviews for the best online casino and online sportsbook in Pennsylvania. We have carefully studied each site to determine what the strong suits are and, conversely, what things they need to improve.
We also discuss some of the challenges Pennsylvania’s online gambling market is facing.
With things changing almost daily, it can be challenging to keep up with online gambling news in the Keystone State. Hopefully, by reading through our information below, you can determine which sites best fit your online betting needs. Most importantly, you must be comfortable with the site and aren’t worried about anything beyond winning.
Best PA online gambling sites for 2021
Our best casino bonuses and offers
Online casinos offer bonuses to their patrons to promote loyalty for the site. This practice is especially true for new players; every online casino has an offer for those who register for the site.
Several online casinos are active in Pennsylvania. Here’s a rundown of what bonuses are available on the best sites right now:
Unibet Casino
Unibet online casino in PA is one of the top options in the state, with $10 free just for signing up and a 100% match of your deposit up to $500.
For the free money, use promo code UBCASINO10. For the deposit bonus, use promo code UBCASINO500.
The trusted brand from Europe is hoping to make a big splash in PA with the biggest library of games in the state.
Read ourUnibet PA online casino review
SugarHouse Casino
SugarHouse Casino offers new players a 100% deposit match on their first deposit. In other words, the site will match the player’s initial deposit dollar-for-dollar.
This bonus is good for up to $250. Best of all, PlaySugarHouse only requires a 1x playthrough on its bonus, so the money is quite easy to release. SugarHouse is the best PA casino when it comes to bonus offers.
All a new player needs to do is use promo code 250MATCH when he or she makes a deposit. This deposit bonus is likely the best available in Pennsylvania right now.
Read our Sugarhouse PA Casino review
Hollywood Casino
At first glance, Hollywood online casino’s bonus seems rather meager in comparison to the other two casinos. After all, $25 is not much compared to hundreds of dollars. However, this $25 does not require a deposit. It’s absolutely free.
All new players must do is register on the site. There’s no need to enter any promo code or other activity. As a result, the registrant will find $25 waiting for them.
Best of all, there’s only a 1x playthrough requirement. So, wager through the $25 once, and it’s ready for withdrawals.
Read our Hollywood Casino review
PA online casinos partnership tracker
The table below shows the Pennsylvania casinos that have applied for licenses. You can see their expected technology partners, and whether they have an additional online sports betting license.
| Casino | Online partners | Online Casino launch projection |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood (Penn National) | N/A | Launched July 2019 |
| Parx | GAN | Launched July 2019 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | Rush Street Interactive / Kambi | Launched July 2019 (PlaySugarHouse) |
| PokerStars Casino | 888 / PokerStars | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| Unibet | Kindred | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| FanDuel Casino | IGT / GAN | Launched Jan. 2020 |
| Presque Isle Downs | BetAmerica | Launched Jan. 2020 |
| Rivers Philadelphia | Rush Street Interactive / Kambi | Launched Jan. 2020 (BetRivers) |
| Harrah's | Scientific Games / 888 (Caesars) | Launched April 2020 |
| Wind Creek Casino | Pala Interactive | Launched July 2020 |
| Live! Casino | GAN | Launched Aug. 2020 |
| Barstool Casino | Penn National | 2020 |
| Hollywood (Penn National) | BetMGM | Launched Dec. 2020 |
| Golden Nugget NJ | NYX | Application pending |
Best sportsbook bonuses and offers
Here’s a look at our welcome bonuses offers:
SugarHouse Sportsbook
SugarHouse Sportsbook was the first online sportsbook to open its doors in Pennsylvania. So, fittingly, the book has a great dollar-for-dollar welcome bonus.
New players at SugarHouse will receive a 100% match on their first deposit. All they have to do is enter promo code 250MATCH when entering their banking details.
Best of all, this match is good for deposits of up to $250. There’s only a 1x playthrough requirement, so it’s quite simple to release. Few bonuses are as good as this one in Pennsylvania right now.
Read our Sugarhouse Sportsbook review
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers’ online sportsbook does have a bonus that rivals SugarHouse’s deposit match. In fact, it’s the same.
Thanks to its shared corporate ownership, BetRivers and SugarHouse are sister sites. So, the two books are going to function as mirrors in many cases, including bonus offers.
Naturally, that means that BetRivers players can also receive a 100% match on their first deposits. This match extends up to $250.
New players must use the promo code 250MATCH to activate the bonus when they make that first investment. The 1x playthrough requirement is about as minimal as those restrictions get, so it should be no problem to recover a significant portion of free money from BetRivers.
Read our BetRivers Sportsbook review
FanDuel Sportsbook
To casual fans, FanDuel might seem like a strange addition to the sports betting landscape. However, the daily fantasy sports giant has become quite a force in online sports betting in the past few years.
So, Pennsylvanians can get a taste of what all the fuss is. New accounts at FanDuel online sportsbook will receive a risk-free bet of up to $500.
New FanDuel players don’t need a promo code to activate this deal. They simply must join FanDuel here and make their first wager.
There is a 1x playthrough requirement on the bonus, which means players must make another bet of equal size to release the funds.
Essentially, players are receiving two bets for the price of one. Still, that’s a great deal for most, mainly if one of them happens to win.
As an added bonus, there is also a FanDuel Casino integrated within the PA FanDuel sports betting app.
Read our Fanduel PA Sportsbook review
Full list of sportsbooks and partnerships
| Casino | Retail sportsbook launch | Online sportsbook | Online sportsbook launch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers Casino Philadelphia | Dec. 15, 2018 | PlaySugarHouse | Launched May 2019 |
| Rivers Casino Pittsburgh | Dec. 15, 2018 | BetRivers | Launched June 2019 |
| Parx Casino Sportsbook | Jan. 10, 2019 | Parx | Launched June 2019 |
| Valley Forge Casino | March 13, 2019 | FanDuel | Launched July 2019 |
| Hollywood Casino at Penn National | Nov. 17, 2018 | Barstool | Launched Sept. 2020 |
| Harrah's Philadelphia | Jan. 24, 2019 | Caesars | Launched March 2020 |
| Presque Isle Downs Casino | July 26, 2019 | BetAmerica | Launched Dec. 2019 |
| Mount Airy | Sept. 12, 2019 | Fox Bet | Launched Sept. 2019 |
| Mohegan Sun Pocono | Sept. 24, 2019 | Unibet | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| The Meadows | Oct. 7, 2019 | DraftKings | Launched Nov. 2019 |
| Oaks Race & Sportsbook (Now Closed) | March 14, 2019 (permanently closed in July, 2020) | N/A | N/A |
| South Philadelphia Turf Club | Jan. 17, 2019 | N/A | N/A |
| The Downs at Lehigh Valley | Jan. 2020 (Unibet Sportbook) | N/A | N/A |
| Wind Creek Casino | Nov. 18, 2020 | Betfred | Launched Dec. 2020 |
| Live! Casino Philadelphia (2021) | 2021 (FanDuel Sportsbook) | N/A | N/A |
| Hollywood Casino Morgantown (2021) | 2021 (BetMGM Sportsbook) | BetMGM | Launched Dec. 2020 |
Many of these online sports betting offerings will eventually be tied to a PA online casino site. For example, Harrah’s will likely roll everything into its single Caesars Online Casino product. PlaySugarHouse offers a shared account between casino and sports betting as well.
The lone exception is if you are an iPhone user. Changes to the Apple app store guidelines make these shared apps difficult, so you might see a sports betting app before you get a real-money online casino app in the lineup. And there is a chance they will remain separate.
What’s legal and illegal for online sports betting?
Few newly legalized activities come without rules and exceptions to their legality. Pennsylvania’s online sports betting is no different.
The good news is that Pennsylvania residents and visitors can wager on any professional, collegiate or international sporting events. The only requirements are:
- Be at least 21 years or older
- Be physically within Pennsylvania state lines
- Wager on an approved, regulated Pennsylvania site
However, the betting must occur on sporting events.
So, non-sports events, such as the Academy Awards or political elections, are not permitted for betting.
Finally, people who are intrinsically involved with a particular sport cannot wager upon it. So, players, officials, coaches, and other sports personnel cannot place bets on their own sports.
Concerning online casinos, most people can play without any restriction. Adults who are at least 21 years old are more than welcome to take part.
However, there is absolutely no online casino play allowed across state lines. The sites use geolocation software to monitor every player’s physical location. You must enable this function on your mobile device or you won’t be allowed to play.
The other exception is people who have placed themselves on the self-exclusion list. There is a separate self-exclusion list in Pennsylvania specifically for online play. Unfortunately, gambling addiction is a real problem, and online casinos are careful not to exacerbate the issue for people who are in recovery.
PA casino apps
With Pennsylvania moving into the online casino space, there are a few points about using these programs that bear mention.
First and foremost, it’s important to know that each casino app will figure out what device you’re using automatically. So, whether you use a laptop or a mobile device, the app will size the casino to fit your screen.
For the most part, every online casino has a browser version that will always work on desktops and some phones.
With that said, many casinos have a dedicated app specific to mobile use. If you are a mobile user, you may find the app to provide a smoother experience.
The mobile apps may also have greater functionality than the browser version. However, the game selection on the app can be smaller because some games don’t translate to mobile.
Finally, no matter which platform you use, you will have to go through some steps for the app to work.
Apple users should be aware all PA casinos or sportsbooks have a native iOS app.
Android users can play on all of the casinos in Pennsylvania but they will need to download the app from the casino website. The Google Play store does not support the distribution of gambling apps.
What online casino games are available in PA casinos?
Online casinos feature many of the same games that one might find in a land-based casino. Here are some of the types of games you may find at your favorite site.
Because of the laws requiring Pennsylvania-specific servers for any game providers to PA online casinos, the selection may not be what you are used to if you’ve ever played on a New Jersey online casino, for example.
Slots
The bread and butter for land-based casinos, slots, are the main focus for most online casinos too. An online slot is technically not a machine, but it functions identically otherwise.
A slot game will usually feature several rotating reels with various symbols drawn on them. The reels stop, and the player wins (or doesn’t) based upon the patterns the reels come to rest.
Many slots also feature bonus games or features that provide extra chances for players to win. Bonuses tend to be mini-games and have a higher chance of success than the slot game at large.
Each online casino in Pennsylvania offers a selection of games. That variety depends mostly on the deals each casino has with the game publishers.
So, the following is a list of the most popular slot developers and their games that are playable at the best PA online casinos:
NetEnt: At this time, all games on SugarHouse Casino are produced by NetEnt Games. NetEnt became an industry leader in the world of online slots by providing players with realistic games that replicated those in a Vegas casino. The list of games below includes the top games you will find at Pennsylvania online casinos.
- Blood Suckers II
- Dead or Alive
- Divine Fortune
- Drive: Multiplier Mayhem
- Gonzo’s Quest
Konami: Konami is a household name in the online casino industry. As of the time of writing, this slot developer is only available at select casinos and with only a handful of Konami slot games. Here is a list of games available at select PA casinos:
- African Diamond
- Ancient Dragon
- China Shores
- Full Moon Diamond
- Solstice Celebration
IGT: IGT is a massive global brand with more than 1,000 styles of slot machines in brick-and-mortar casinos and hundreds available online. But there is a limited number of IGT slots in Pennsylvania. This list includes the top games you’ll be able to find online.
- The Big Easy
- Cleopatra
- Crown of Egypt
- King of Atlantis
- Pixies of the Forest
Other game developers entering the Pennsylvania market include Incredible Technologies, Everi Gaming, GAN, H5G, and Slot Symphony.
Video poker
Video poker games are often lumped together with slots. The main difference is that players retain a certain measure of control over the way the game proceeds.
Video poker creates a virtual simulation of a typical five-card draw poker hand. The player receives five cards, can choose to hold as many as they like and then redraws.
The goal is to make a five-card hand that qualifies as a winner. Exactly which rank of hand is required to win varies from game to game.
Table games
Players who prefer a more tactile experience tend to stick to table games. These are games that use a virtual simulation of activities that involve playing cards, dice, balls, or prize wheels.
Blackjack
The most common table game is blackjack. This card game is a competition between the player and the dealer to see whose combination of cards can get closest to 21 in value.
The catch is that the player must act before the dealer and rely on incomplete information to do so. As a result, the casino retains a slight mathematical edge.
However, players can mitigate this edge by using basic strategy. Basic strategy is a widely published set of behaviors designed to play blackjack optimally.
Roulette
The second-most common table game is roulette.
This French version of the game is found in almost any casino with table games. In fact, PlaySugarHouse elected to launch three variants of roulette in its PA online casino before publishing any versions of blackjack.
Basically, roulette involves a randomly released ball falling into a spinning wheel with numbered slots. Players wager based upon which numbers they believe the ball will fall into.
When playing roulette, you will choose between European and American roulette. European roulette features only a single zero on the wheel and boasts better odds for the players. American roulette, on the other hand, features a 0 and a 00, worsening the odds for players.
There are a variety of choices and combinations of numbers that players can choose to bet. Roulette is a staple for casinos due to its pace of play and chance at incredible winnings. A correct bet on a single number will pay 35:1.
Craps
Craps seems to be a bit less likely to appear in PA online casinos. The game itself, which plays with dice rolls, a large tub-like pit, and myriad ways to wager, is likely a challenge for programmers to realize in a virtual setting.
Nonetheless, craps is a dice-based game, which involves players attempting to roll certain numbers on a pair of dice. Players wager based upon the likelihood of various combinations appearing on the dice.
The probability of those combinations often determines the prescribed payout for various wagers on the board. The casinos generate their profit margin by ensuring that the payout odds are worse than the event odds.
For example, a particular number may only have one chance in three of occurring, but a successful wager will only payout 2:1.
Other table games
Several table games are available from time to time at online casinos. These games are less common and, frankly, have a bigger house edge to them.
Nevertheless, they can be a fun option for someone looking for a change of pace. Some other table games include:
- Casino Hold ’em
- Caribbean Stud
- EZ Baccarat
- Let It Ride
- Pai Gow Poker
- Three-card poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Live dealer games at PA casinos
People often speak about the “next big thing.” For online gambling in the US, live dealer games are that thing.
This style of online casino game has been nothing short of a revolution. It has propelled casinos in New Jersey to great heights. Live dealer games will come to a Pennsylvania online casinos as soon as the operators can get it off the ground.
Essentially, live dealer games are games dealt in real-time and broadcast live across the site. Real dealers run the games in an interactive studio located in or near the actual land-based casino itself. In fact, there are a few games conducted on the casino floor itself.
Players can place their bets, interact with the dealers, or even interact with one another. Some versions of live dealer games have even expanded to allow players to have multiple views of the game in action.
So far, the following games are available in a live dealer setting in New Jersey. Hopefully, they will appear in Pennsylvania soon:
- Baccarat
- Blackjack
- Casino Hold ’em
- Roulette
- Three-card poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold ’em
Stay on top of things with your favorite online site. Live dealer games are not something to miss.
More about PA’s legal online gambling industry
Online poker, online casino table games, and slots became legal in Pennsylvania as a part of a comprehensive gambling expansionpackagepassed by state legislators in October 2017.
The PGCB is providing regulatory oversight for the local online gambling industry. Casinos could get all three types of interactive gaming licenses at once for a $10 million licensing fee. The cost was $4 million each individually for slots, table games, and peer-to-peer games like poker.
There is no limit on the number of skins, or alternatively branded online gambling operations, that can operate under each licensee. However, regulations designed by the board stipulate branding for the skins must clearly identify the licensee. Plus, players can only create one account per licensee, not per skin.
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Potential PA online casinos
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), there are 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos and two smaller resort casinos operating inside the state. Plus, a 13th casino, Live! Philadelphia, is coming to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex area, home of Philadelphia’s professional sports teams.
All of these PA casino operations could have applied for online gambling operator licenses in the state beginning April 16, 2018. The properties had until July 16 to turn in applications for a $10 million comprehensive interactive gaming license. With this license, casinos can offer online poker, online slots, and online table games.
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There were nine casinos which applied:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Mount Airy Casino Resort
- Parx Casino
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Wind Creek (formerly Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem)
- Rivers Philadelphia (formerly SugarHouse Casino)
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- Live! Philadelphia Casino (under development)
After applying, Rivers Casino Pittsburg eventually rescinded its application, electing to punt on online gambling. Stadium Casino, now called Live! Philadelphia, did something similar, opting to forgo an online poker license.
Meanwhile, both Presque Isle Downs and Mohegan Sun Pocono applied for a la carte licenses. Presque Isle opted to skip poker. Mohegan surprisingly signed up for all three at a cost of $2 million more than its competitors. However, like Rivers and Live!, it too abandoned its online poker plans.
That left 12 unclaimed interactive licenses. PGCB opened up a process for qualified gambling entities (QGE) from outside of Pennsylvania to claim them.
Only two groups applied. MGM Resorts has preliminary approval for all three categories of license. Golden Nugget Atlantic City can offer table games and slots, but no online poker.
These two major US gaming players will be among the last to launch online casino and sports betting products in PA. They will also be the only sites without a PA land-based casino partner.
Potential PA online poker sites
The first online poker site to go live in the state was PokerStars PA when it fully launched on Nov. 6, 2019. The global poker brand is offered in conjunction with its land-based counterpart Mount Airy Casino Resort.
Today, 10 of 12 Pennsylvania casinos have poker rooms. Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin and Valley Forge Casino Resort are the only casinos in the state that do not have poker rooms.
More than 220 live poker tables are operating across the state with the 10 rooms pulling in an average of $4 million in revenue every month.
Plans for Live! in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex area include opening a poker room when the facility opens its doors in early 2021.
In addition to Mount Airy, six more PA casinos plan to offer an online poker counterpart. Those that will launch an online poker room in Pennsylvania (MGM is applying as an out-of-state entity) include:
- Harrah’s Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Parx Casino
- Wind Creek Casino
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- Valley Forge Resort Casino
- MGM Resorts (QGE – no land-based partner)
PA online gambling site safety
PGCB will regulate all online gaming sites in the state. This is the same branch of the state government that regulates all land-based PA casinos.
Other important points regarding PA online gambling security
The regulations designed by PGCB will include several security measures specifically designed to:
- Ensure player balances are held in a separate account from operating funds
- Force sites to implement a rigorous player verification process
- Prevents minors from gaining access
- Deal with problem gamblers
- Force sites to implement geolocation software making sure all players are within the state
- All deposits and withdrawals are processed securely