Maryland residents will be able to place mobile sports bets legally for the first time Monday, in what the Maryland Lottery is calling a “controlled demonstration” before online betting officially starts later in the week.
From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 21, FanDuel, Caesars and a handful of other sports betting apps will take wagers, according to Seth Elkin, assistant director of communications at the Maryland Lottery.
“We call it a controlled demonstration, which requires live wagering to occur so that our staff can monitor and make sure everything’s working ahead of full launch,” Elkin told OddsShopper. “It will be the first opportunity to bet, but only before a specific amount of time.
The news comes a day after lottery officials confirmed Wednesday Nov. 23 as the first official day of online sports betting. Once lottery officials are satisfied with an app’s “controlled demonstration,” it will be cleared to take bets full-time starting Wednesday, Elkin added.
The following apps are expected to participate in the early test launch: Barstool, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet and BetRivers.
Officials did not immediately answer whether users would be able to withdraw funds from their accounts after 10 p.m. Monday, before Wednesday.
It was not clear what time sports betting will officially start Wednesday.
Maryland legalized sports betting during the November 2020 state election. Since then, seven states have legalized and gone live with sports betting.
Though only seven apps are likely to start next week, betPARX, BetFred and Fanatics are expected to launch later on.
Maryland’s law allows up to 60 online sportsbooks total, though it may take several years to get to that number. Between state’s size, a low to middle-of-the-pack tax rate, and room for competition, Marylanders should anticipate better lines and odds on their favorite sports.
