Recommended NJ Online Sportsbooks
New Jersey was one of the first states to legalize and launch sports betting after the federal ban was lifted by the United States Supreme Court. This state was expected to become a major market in the United States, and that has proven to be the case over the last few years.
Nevada has long been known as the sports betting capital of the United States, but that title now clearly belongs to New Jersey. Other states have attempted to duplicate the success of New Jersey, but none have been able to even come close.
New Jersey is not one of the biggest states in the US, but it is in the perfect location to dominate online sports betting. The state has also been able to attract some of the biggest names in the industry, and you can find links to those sites here on our site.
There is still some room to grow and expand sports betting in New Jersey, and it will continue to lead the way in 2021 and beyond. Of course, here at BParlay, we have all of the top New Jersey betting options features, with a particular focus on our parlay betting options.
Before you place your bets at the top sports betting market in the United States, be sure that you are armed with the best information to help you beat the sportsbooks.
Parlay betting is available in New Jersey, and no one does parlay betting better than this site.
Path to Sports Betting
New Jersey got way out ahead of the sports betting industry, making the industry legal as early as 2009. Of course, that didn’t mean that New Jersey residents could begin placing bets on sporting events, but instead, it started a long and complex legal battle.
Governor Chris Christie was sued by the five biggest and most important sports leagues in the United States. Those leagues included the NCAA, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association, and the National Football League.
Christie and the state of New Jersey were asking the courts to allow each state to make its own decision on legal sports betting. The other side of the argument focused on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) and the federal ban on sports betting.
New Jersey lawmakers, and Christie, were not scared away by the lawsuit and passed a piece of sports betting legislation in 2012. An injunction was immediately filed, and it wouldn’t be until 2018 that a final decision was made.
The United States Supreme Court eventually heard this case, and it sided with New Jersey in its ruling. The PASPA was lifted, and New Jersey not only gave itself the right to make decisions on sports betting but also allowed other states to do the same.
In the meantime, Christie moved on from his position as governor of New Jersey, and Phil Murphy took over. On June 11, 2018, Governor Murphy signed sports betting into law in the state of New Jersey, and sportsbooks launched just a short time later.
Where else can you bet on sports in the US? Find out via our interactive map
New Jersey; The Sports Betting Leader
It didn’t take New Jersey long to become a significant player in the US sports betting industry. New Jersey and Pennsylvania launched sports betting at nearly the same time, and these states started off competing with one another for market dominance.
Nevada has been the gold standard in the US sports betting industry, but New Jersey made it clear that it was going to become a competitor to that state. Now, New Jersey has flown past the former leader, and it continues to widen the gap in total sports betting handle each month.
In December 2020, New Jersey set a new industry record by posting a total sports betting handle of $996.3 million. New Jersey is the only state that has gone over the $900 million mark, and it has done so a handful of times.
Industry experts believe that New Jersey will go over $1 billion in total sports betting handle at some point in 2021, likely near the start of the upcoming NFL season. Other states are starting to take some steps to put pressure on New Jersey, but they are way behind at this time.
Nearly 90 percent of the sports betting handle each month is done online or through mobile sports betting apps. Atlantic City is the only location for retail sports betting in the state, and most bettors enjoy the convenience of using their mobile devices to make a wager.
Sports Betting Rules/Regulations
New Jersey has been able to become a large sports betting market due to some terrific laws that favor both regulators and sports bettors. That doesn’t mean that everything is legal and available to bet on in New Jersey, and there are some regulations.
The biggest rule that affects sports betting in the state is that betting on in-state college teams or events is strictly prohibited. This does limit the number of NCAA events offered by sportsbooks, but the rest of the teams and games are still available.
Esports was added as an approved sports betting market in the last 12 months, and that has brought in some added handle and revenue. Sportsbooks in New Jersey are allowed to take bets on both US and international events, and each site is eligible to choose which leagues and sports it wants to focus on.
Online sports betting is available in the state, and online-only operators are able to partner with a retail casino to gain access. Sportsbooks are able to accept live bets as well, and this has turned into one of the top betting options in the state.
Teams that Drive Sports Betting
New Jersey itself is not home to a large number of professional sports teams, but there are plenty of them in New York. Sports fans in New Jersey typically follow these teams, and there are some storied franchises in this part of the country.
The New York Giants and Jets are the two most popular teams to bet on in New Jersey, and the NFL is by far the most popular betting market. NFL betting drives sports betting throughout the US, and New Jersey bettors have two storied franchises to bet on.
Betting on the NBA is the next biggest market, and the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are popular teams in the Garden State. The Brooklyn Nets used to be called the New Jersey Nets, but they are still popular despite the move to Brooklyn.
NCAA basketball and football also help push sports betting in New Jersey, especially during bowl season and the NCAA Tournament. New Jersey residents can’t bet on in-state teams, as mentioned above, but there are still plenty of other options.
Betting on baseball and hockey isn’t extremely popular in New Jersey, but there are plenty of local teams that draw interest. In baseball, the New York Mets and Yankees lead the way, and there are three local NHL teams as well.
Sportsbooks in New Jersey don’t just focus on the top professional and collegiate sports in the United States, though, and international competitions draw plenty of interest. Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide, and there are a number of popular leagues with sports bettors in this state.
By attracting some of the biggest and best sportsbooks in the industry, New Jersey bettors have a wide range of betting markets available to them. The local teams such as the Giants and Jets will remain the most popular options, but other teams bring in plenty of action as well.
Yes, sports betting is legal in New Jersey. As it stands there are fourteen NJ betting sites licensed to operate with more due to launch in the not so distant future.
