Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Betting (2024)

Newfoundland and Labrador may be a small province, but that doesn’t mean its fans are not passionate about wagering. Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting is exceedingly popular, with thousands across the province participating every day. If you are looking to join the fray of bettors in the province, we’re here to help.

We’ll introduce you to the top Canadian betting sites that serve this region, break down the rules governing betting in Newfoundland and Labrador, and teach you all the key information you need to get started. Ultimately, by the end of this guide, you should be ready to start using the many Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites that are available online. Ready? Let’s begin.

At BettingTop10, our job is to help users looking to navigate the betting industry. We rank and review a huge range of sportsbooks that serve reasons across the country. Our goal is to provide you with a pathway to a safe, fun, and easy sports betting experience.

We create many reviews for our users, but how do we rate the sportsbooks that we discuss? There are several criteria we factor in when rating a betting site. Let’s look at some of the most important ones.

• Safety and Legality: We ensure the sportsbook is trusted, safe, and legal in key Canadian jurisdictions.
• User Experience: We check their websites to make sure they are easy to use and attractive.
• Sports Coverage and Markets: We verify that they cover all the sports and markets that the average Canadian bettor is going to seek out.
• Features: WE check their features to make sure they have fun, engaging offerings.
• Mobile Experience: We check if they have sports betting apps or a mobile website available.
• Betting Offers: We ensure they have fun promotional offerings for users to experience.

The situation around sports betting across Canada can be quite confusing, and this is certainly the case in Newfoundland and Labrador. We understand that there are some difficulties in understanding the lay of the land, and we want to help.

The first question most people will have is, is sports betting legal in Newfoundland and Labrador? The answer to this is yes. However, it is not entirely as simple as a yes or no answer. The legality of online betting in Canada is something that has been relatively controversial since the internet arrived.

We are here to clear up any confusion so you can proceed with sports betting in Newfoundland and Labrador without any concern or confusion. Below, we’ll break down the key aspects of the legality of online sports wagering in the province.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Newfoundland and Labrador?

As we said, generally speaking, the answer to this question is a yes. Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting is legal. But there are important caveats, and the rules governing the industry can be incredibly confusing. To fully illustrate the situation, we are here to help. To give you a sense of the legality of the legality of sports betting in Newfoundland and Labrador, we need to go back in time.

Sports betting has typically been subject to government laws that made running a sports betting company within Canada very difficult. While bettors could mostly wager without concern of falling into trouble with the law, there was still a lot of confusion and legal gray areas.

The primary rule was that single-game betting was federally prohibited according to the Canadian Criminal Code.

Single-game betting is when gamblers wager on single events. This stands opposed to a parlay, where bettors have to bet on multiple outcomes or events at once, with the bet tied together.

During this period, the only Canadian gambling companies that were regulated by the government were parlay gambling sportsbooks that were controlled by provincial lottery corporations.

The legal gray area came in the form of offshore sports betting sites. These are sportsbooks that aren’t licensed in Canada. Instead, they are licensed offshore in locations like Malta, Curacao, and Antigua, where gambling laws allow for this sort of thing.

These websites would allow single-event betting and typically have much more favorable odds for gamblers than provincial operators. Examples of offshore sportsbooks include websites like 888Sport, Betway, and Bodog.

These sportsbooks were not fully government-endorsed, but they were legal for gamblers to use. It was essentially a gray market because while it wasn’t expressly permitted, there were no consequences or issues with doing it, and as long as operators were licensed, everything was safe.

Everything changed in 2021 when Bill C-218 was passed. Bill C-218 was an amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada. It took away the federal prohibition on single-game sports betting. All of a sudden, the government was taking the power out of their hands and allowing provinces to do what they please with gambling within their province.

In the Maritimes, the result of this was Proline Stadium. Proline Stadium is controlled by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. For residents of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, and New Brunswick, this is the only operator that directly serves the provinces.

Proline Stadium allows bettors to place wagers on a provincially controlled operator, including single-game events. It is an exciting addition as the only one of the legitimate Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites that is run within the Atlantic Coast.

Right now, there is only one non-offshore betting site that serves Newfoundland and Labrador. While this is the case across the Maritimes and in every other Canadian province, there is one exception. Ontario has opened its industry all the way up.

When Bill C-218 passed, Ontario set to work creating a provincial regulator that would oversee their entire industry. They developed iGaming Ontario, a product of their provincial lottery company.

Once they did that, they fully opened the floodgates to the sports betting world in 2022. Ontario regulated and licensed a number of sports betting sites, and now they are running within the province.

New operators like BetMGM, FanDuel, and Draftkings arrived in the Ontario market. These are still unavailable in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as every other province.

Ontario now has major offices of numerous sportsbooks set up within the province. They can tax the money that sportsbooks generate. And residents can feel confident using different sportsbooks, knowing they are licensed and verified within the province.

Ontario is what it looks like when a province completely embraces the industry. This is not quite the case in Newfoundland and Labrador or anywhere else in Canada. Many are left wondering, will it ever be?

It is hard to say for sure, but the situation right now isn’t so dire. Newfoundland residents can wager on Proline Stadium, which allows single-game betting and covers most of the leagues and games Canadians love. Offshores sportsbooks still serve the Newfoundland market and exist in that same confusing gray area we’d mentioned before.

Who Can Bet on Sports in Newfoundland and Labrador?

While sports betting is legal in Newfoundland and Labrador, not everyone gets to participate. The sports betting industry remains heavily regulated. Considering the risks associated with gambling, this makes sense. There are many rules that are at play for bettors who want to sign up for Newfoundland and Labrador betting sites.

If you are someone who wants to get your first crack at sports betting in the province, below are some of the factors that govern Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting.

• Age: If you want to bet in Newfoundland and Labrador, you need to be 19 or older.
• Location: To sign up for a sports betting site in this province, you can’t just be visiting. You need to have a fixed address within the province. You may be required to prove that fact.
• Remote Sign-Up: You can sign up for a sports betting site anywhere within the province. You don’t need to visit any physical store.
• Taxable: The money you earn from wagering is not taxable. Any winnings are yours in their entirety.
• Retail Sportsbooks: There are no retail sportsbooks in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Mobile Compatible: Mobile betting is allowed in the province. There are several operators that have betting apps that serve Newfoundland and Labrador.

Offshore Sportsbooks in Newfoundland and Labrador

As we’ve mentioned, offshore sportsbooks remain a legal gray area in Newfoundland and Labrador after Bill C-218.

It is not illegal for bettors to use them, in the sense that there is no legal trouble that they can run into. But it isn’t expressly endorsed, either. That is why it exists as a gray area.

We’ve explained the legality of Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting, and that should remove a major obstacle for you straight away. You are probably feeling ready to get started.

The process of starting your sports betting experience should be easy and straightforward, regardless of what province you are in. Sportsbooks want new users to join, so they try to make things quite simple and fast.

Below, we’ll walk you through the steps you’ll need to take before you can start wagering.

1. Pick a Sportsbook: The first thing you’ll have to do is pick a betting site to use. We’ve introduced you to several of the top bookmakers that serve the Canadian market. Pick one that has the features and sports coverage you’re looking for, and ensure it serves the Newfoundland market.
2. Register: You’ll then need to create an account. This requires going through the registration process. You’ll need to input your personal information, which includes your name, address, birth date, and more. If you use a licensed betting site, you can trust that your information is safe and secure.
3. Deposit: To start betting, you need to fund your account. We’ll dive more into that process below.
4. Start Betting: Once your account is funded, you are free to start wagering. 

Banking

As we said, if you want to start sports betting, you are going to have to go through the banking process. The banking process is the act of depositing or withdrawing with an operator. Every sportsbook will require you to do this in order to place bets.

The first step is depositing. This is something that makes a lot of bettors uncomfortable. It will require you to input some very sensitive information and trust that you will not be giving your payment details up to a bad actor.

This is why it is crucial that bettors use a licensed, trusted sportsbook when they deposit. You can rely on operators who are licensed and have good reviews, as their reputation is imperative to their success, so they will employ security that protects your payment information.

Bettors can choose from several different payment options when depositing. Each has different minimum and maximum deposit amounts and processing speeds.

There are several deposit options that most sportsbooks that serve Newfoundland and Labrador will offer. These are the most common deposit options you’ll find that serve the Newfoundland and Labrador market:

• Credit/Debit
• PayPal
• Interac
• Apple Pay
• E-Wallet
• Cryptocurrency

These are the most popular options, but every betting site will have different ones. To deposit, you’ll need to input your payment details and choose how much to wager.

Once you’ve deposited, you can start betting. Hopefully, you’ll earn some money and want to withdraw.

The withdrawal process is very similar to depositing. You simply select the withdrawal option, input how much you want to withdraw, and wait. Typically, withdrawing takes a lot longer than depositing. Many sportsbooks will also require you to verify your identity before you can withdraw. This is normal but adds a couple of days to the process. 

Overall, withdrawing and depositing is straightforward and safe. If you are cautious and only use a trusted sportsbook, it should be reliable and secure. Always double-check that the sportsbook is legitimate before depositing.

Popular Sports to Bet on in Newfoundland and Labrador

While Newfoundland and Labrador don’t have any major professional sports teams, many residents of this province are incredibly devoted sports fans and bettors. Sports betting is hugely popular here, but each person bets differently.

While everyone likes different teams and different leagues, there are certain sports you’ll find the average Newfoundland and Labrador resident bets on more than others. Below are some of the most popular sports to bet on in Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Hockey: Hockey is the most popular sport you’ll find in Newfoundland and Labrador, and many residents love wagering on the NHL, QMJHL, OHL, and leagues around the world.
• Basketball: Basketball is hugely popular in the province, particularly as the game has grown across Canada. Now, many in Newfoundland and Labrador wager on the NBA.
• Baseball: Baseball is another sport many Newfoundland and Labrador residents wager on. The historic MLB attracts plenty of action in the province.
• Football: Many in Newfoundland and Labrador are passionate football fans, wagering on the NFL and NCAA every week when the big games kick-off.
• Soccer: Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, and it definitely has a passionate following in Newfoundland and Labrador. You’ll find many residents wagering on big games throughout the year.
• Combat Sports: Combat sports like boxing and the UFC make for an incredible show. That is why many Newfoundland and Labrador residents place bets on the big bouts.

Most Popular Markets

Sports bettors wager on a variety of different sports. Knowing and understanding the sports bettors can wager on is one thing, but it is also important that bettors understand what markets are.

Betting markets are the individual outcomes within a game or league that bettors put their money on to either happen or not happen. There are several markets that are highly popular for Newfoundland and Labrador sports betting. Let’s look at some of the most wagered on markets in the province.

• Moneyline: Moneyline is a bet that is straightforward on who will win a game. If you pick a team on the Moneyline, you’ve bet on them to win.
• Point Spread: The Point Spread is a line that is based on the score differential in favour of a team. Bettors can bet for the spread, meaning the favoured team wins by more than the line or against it, meaning they don’t.
• Over/Under: The Over/Under is a line that is based on how many combined points/goals/runs there will be in a game. Bettors can wager the over, meaning there is more than the line or the under.
• Futures: Futures are long-term bets that aren’t settled straight away. They can be things like who will win the Stanley Cup or be the NBA MVP.
• Game Props: Game Props are lines that are based on outcomes within a game. They can be relatively obscure, like which team will win the coin toss, or have an impact on a game, like who will be leading at the half.
• Player Props: Player Props are outcomes that are based on the individual. Gamblers can wager on whether a player will score a goal in a game or how many assists a player will have.
• Parlays: Parlays are multiple bets that are tied into a single bet. For a parlay to hit, every bet within it needs to hit.

Other Bets

While most Newfoundland and Labrador residents will head to sportsbooks to wager on their favourite sporting events, there are more ways to bet than just on sports. Most sports betting sites will also have odds on things outside the world of sports.

If you want to wager on something a little more unique, let’s look at some of the other types of bets you can make on most sportsbooks in the province.

• Entertainment: If you love Hollywood and reality TV, many sportsbooks take odds on show business markets. These include award shows and reality TV.
• Esports: Esports has become hugely popular in recent years. Bettors love video games, and with Esports, you can wager on professional games competing head-to-head in tournaments around the world.
• Politics: There are many sportsbooks that allow for wagering on major political events like presidential elections and provincial elections.

While Newfoundland and Labrador don’t have any professional sports teams of their own, there is still a massively passionate sports fanbase in the city.

But who do residents cheer for if there are no teams in the city? There are still several major franchises that aren’t far from Newfoundland and Labrador that have huge fan bases in the province. Let’s look at some of the most popular teams in Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays are the only Canadian MLB team, and they have a substantial following across the country, including in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Toronto Raptors: The same goes for the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have a massive fanbase across the country, and many Newfoundlanders love the team.
• Montreal Canadiens: Hockey is king across the Maritimes. The Canadiens are the biggest franchise in the province, thanks to their relative proximity to Quebec.
• New England Patriots: The Patriots are a dynastic team that gained a huge following in the Maritimes. Many still pull for the squad thanks to its closeness.

While wagering on sportsbooks Is a hugely popular way to gamble, it isn’t the only way you can bet. Most betting sites also include other aspects to entice gamblers.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, there are several different formats for online betting. If you want to try something new and different, below are some of the options you can choose to go with.

• Casino Games: If you want to play games like poker, blackjack, roulette, and more, most sportsbooks have a virtual casino where bettors can play against the computer.
• Slots: Slots are a highly popular form of online betting. Gamblers can wager on digital slot machines and win real money prizes. It is a very similar experience to real life.
• Virtual Sports: Virtual Sports are a simulated version of real sporting events where bettors can wager on completely simulated games with random results.
• Live Casino: Live Casino is a casino feature where bettors can compete against other bettors in real-time in casino games.

We’ve told you a lot about the sports betting world in Newfoundland and Labrador and some of the crucial aspects of the industry. But it is important that you are conscious and careful when sports betting in this province.

Gambling is not all fun and games, and many people notice that they start to exhibit irresponsible behavior when betting. It is important you keep an eye out for problematic gambling traits.

Be very conscious with your payroll. Don’t bet above your means, and wager in smaller units so you don’t end up betting more than you are capable of losing. It is important that you don’t chase your losses. If you are losing, betting more isn’t a great way to get back up.

If you feel you are struggling with addiction or can’t stop making bad decisions, call 1-888-899-4357. This is a 24/7, toll-free gambling helpline that is run by the government. It is completely anonymous.

Sportsbook to Avoid

The key things to avoid when searching for a sportsbook is a betting site that is unlicensed and a betting site that has bad user reviews. If a sportsbook has both or either one of these red flags, exercise serious caution.

Wagering is incredibly popular in Newfoundland and Labrador, but this is far from the only province where gamblers can place bets. Below is a look at some of the guides we’ve created in other provinces and territories where gamblers can wager.

When picking a sports betting site to use, gamblers have the option of going with a licensed site or an unlicensed site. We would recommend you don’t try to use an unlicensed operator.

A licensed sportsbook has to go through a strict verification process to earn its license. Someone needs to look over the sportsbook, check the back end, and verify it is safe, fair, and secure. 

For a sportsbook to receive a license, it means there is legitimate oversight from a trusted regulator that shows gamblers it is not a scam.

When using an unlicensed operator, this is not the case. Unlicensed sportsbooks have no oversight. There is no one to verify that they are legitimate or safe. That means the risk of falling into a scam is much higher.

There are countless licensed sportsbooks to choose from. Don’t waste your time on an unlicensed operator that might end up jeopardizing your money and personal information.

Proline Stadium

For bettors who only want to use a sportsbook that is licensed and regulated by authorities within their province, there is only one answer in Newfoundland and Labrador. Proline Stadium is a creation from the Atlantic Lotto Corporation that serves the entirety of the Maritimes.

It is licensed and regulated within the Atlantic provinces and allows for single-event and parlay wagering. It is a solid sportsbook that covers all the primary events most bettors will want to wager on.

If there are any problems, it is that due to the monopoly on government-licensed sportsbooks, Proline Stadium doesn’t offer great odds or exciting features. Still, it has plenty to offer.

We’ve thrown a lot of information at you, and we know it can be a little confusing. If you are still left wondering a few things, we are here to help. Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about gambling on sports in Newfoundland and Labrador.