Delaware sports betting runs on a model almost no other state uses: one online sportsbook, chosen and supervised by the state Lottery. This guide covers how the market works, what you can and cannot bet on, where the retail counters are, and how taxes and payouts work in the First State.
In this article 12 sections
- Every legal Delaware sportsbook
- Delaware sports betting in brief
- Is online sports betting legal in Delaware?
- How Delaware sports betting works
- What you can bet on in Delaware
- How BetRivers measures up in Delaware
- Choosing a Delaware sportsbook
- Deposits, payouts and taxes in Delaware
- Delaware betting apps and geolocation
- Responsible gambling in Delaware
- How to check whether a Delaware sportsbook is legal
- Delaware sports betting in 2027
Every legal Delaware sportsbook
BetRivers
License: Delaware Lottery (Rush Street Interactive) · Live since Jan 2024
Delaware's only online sportsbook is run by the Delaware Lottery with Rush Street Interactive, which replaced 888 and soft-launched BetRivers on December 27, 2023. One account covers sports, slots and table games anywhere in the state, via the Delaware Park and Harrington sites or the Bally Casino by BetRivers app for Bally's Dover.
Delaware does something almost no other state does: it runs its entire online market through a single operator. Online sports betting and online casino are both legal, but both are delivered by BetRivers, powered by Rush Street Interactive on behalf of the Delaware Lottery. Online casino has been legal here since 2012 and live since 2013; the BetRivers sportsbook is the newer arrival. You must be 21 and in-state, and the local interest leans toward the Philadelphia and Baltimore teams. Delaware is one of the smallest regulated markets in the country, and the state keeps roughly half of the net proceeds from sports wagering.
Delaware sports betting in brief
| Detail | Delaware |
|---|---|
| Online betting | Yes, one statewide app (BetRivers) |
| Retail betting | Yes, at three casinos plus Lottery retailers |
| Legal age | 21+ |
| Regulator | Delaware Lottery (enforcement: Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement) |
| Licensed online apps | 1 (October 2026) |
| Remote registration | Yes, but bets must be placed inside Delaware |
| Betting on in-state college teams | No (University of Delaware and Delaware State University events excluded) |
| Online casinos | Yes, also on BetRivers |
| State share of revenue | About half of net proceeds |
Is online sports betting legal in Delaware?
Yes. Delaware took its first full sports bets on June 5, 2018, weeks after the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, and the state’s three casinos ran retail counters from then on. Statewide mobile betting arrived much later. BetRivers soft-launched on December 27, 2023, and went fully live on January 3, 2024, the first time Delawareans could legally bet from a phone anywhere in the state.
Before that, mobile bets could only be placed on the grounds of the three casino-racetracks, and Delaware bettors who wanted DraftKings or Caesars had to drive into Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Maryland.
The Lottery picked Rush Street Interactive in 2023 after William Hill, which had run the retail books, withdrew from the request for proposals. The contract runs five years and can be extended at the Lottery’s discretion.
How Delaware sports betting works
Delaware runs a single online operator, BetRivers, powered by Rush Street Interactive for the Delaware Lottery. Legally, sports wagering here is a Lottery product, which is why there is no open licensing round for FanDuel, DraftKings or BetMGM. The app uses geolocation to confirm you are inside Delaware before each bet. You can open and fund an account from anywhere, but you must be within state lines to place a wager, and you must be 21 or older.
| Sportsbook | Mobile app | License holder / partner | Also offers online casino |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetRivers | iOS and Android | Delaware Lottery, via Rush Street Interactive | Yes (Delaware Park, Harrington, Bally’s Dover sites) |
Retail sportsbooks in Delaware
The three casino-racetracks all take sports bets in person:
- Delaware Park, Wilmington, also home to the state’s thoroughbred meet
- Bally’s Dover Casino Resort (formerly Dover Downs), next to Dover Motor Speedway
- Harrington Raceway & Casino, Harrington, on the Delaware State Fairgrounds
Delaware Lottery retailers also sell sports lottery parlay cards, a holdover from the NFL parlay game Delaware ran long before 2018. In July 2026, retailers accounted for about 6.8% of the $19.1 million wagered through the Delaware sports lottery, according to Delaware Lottery figures reported by RG.org.
What you can bet on in Delaware
Delaware sportsbooks cover every major US and international league: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, tennis, golf, MMA and motorsport, with moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, same-game parlays, futures, player props and live in-play markets.
The firm exception is in-state college sports. You cannot bet on games involving the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens or the Delaware State Hornets, even when they play out of state. National college football and March Madness are open.
Local and global events to bet on in Delaware
Delaware has no major pro franchise of its own, so betting tends to revolve around the Eagles, Sixers, Phillies and Flyers in Philadelphia and the Ravens and Orioles in Baltimore. From the Eagles and Ravens on Sunday to a Sixers or Flyers midweek game, it all goes through the single Rush Street platform. The app took $1.2 million in Super Bowl bets in its first February, per the Delaware Lottery.
National events draw just as much action in Delaware: the Super Bowl, March Madness, the NBA Finals, the World Series, the golf majors and the tennis Grand Slams. NASCAR weekends at Dover Motor Speedway, the “Monster Mile,” bring a local angle to motorsport markets.
How BetRivers measures up in Delaware
With BetRivers the only legal online book in Delaware, there is no field to compare it against, so the useful question is where it is strong and where the lack of competition shows.
| What you’re judging | BetRivers in Delaware |
|---|---|
| App and usability | Clean and reliable, if not the flashiest |
| Market coverage | Covers the majors well; lighter on the deepest niche props |
| Online casino | Full Delaware online casino on the same login |
| Odds value | Fine, but with no rival in Delaware, prices are not forced sharper |
| Rewards | iRush Rewards loyalty program across sports and casino |
| College betting | No Blue Hens or Delaware State markets, by law |
For Delaware bettors, the only real cost of the single-operator setup is that you cannot line-shop, because there is nobody to shop against. New-customer promotions change; check BetRivers’ own terms before opting in.
Choosing a Delaware sportsbook
Comparing sportsbooks usually comes down to the price on the markets you bet most, how stable the app stays under load, how fast withdrawals clear, and whether a welcome offer’s terms are genuinely worth claiming. In Delaware the choice is made for you online, so those same tests become a way to judge whether BetRivers suits you at all, or whether a trip to a retail counter, or across the state line into Pennsylvania or New Jersey, makes more sense.
How to find the best betting site in Delaware
Finding the best betting site in Delaware is less about one winner and more about matching a book to how you play. Price comes first: half a point on a spread, game after game, is worth more than any welcome offer. Then judge the app on use, not looks: stability at kickoff, withdrawal speed and bonus terms you can actually meet. If you work or live near the line, holding a Pennsylvania or New Jersey account as well lets you shop prices when you are physically in those states.
Deposits, payouts and taxes in Delaware
Licensed Delaware apps take the usual cashier menu: online banking, debit card, PayPal and operator-branded options. For most bettors PayPal or online banking clears winnings fastest once your identity is verified. Your first withdrawal triggers a one-time identity (KYC) check, so a clear photo of your ID ready to upload avoids delays.
Gambling winnings are taxable income federally and count toward Delaware personal income tax. Operators issue a Form W-2G for larger wins, but you are responsible for reporting everything. From the 2026 tax year, federal law limits deductible gambling losses to 90% of losses (up to your winnings), so keep a careful record.
On the operator side, Delaware does not charge a conventional sports betting tax. The state takes a share of net proceeds instead. In July 2026, Delaware’s sports lottery took $19,114,224 in wagers and the state’s share came to $759,704, with further slices going to the casinos and to horse racing purses.
Delaware betting apps and geolocation
BetRivers ships iOS and Android apps with geolocation built in, so the app is how most people bet in Delaware. Keep location services on: the check runs before each wager, and a phone on a weak signal near the Pennsylvania or Maryland line may fail it. Bally’s Dover also has its own branded casino app, but sports wagering runs through BetRivers.
Responsible gambling in Delaware
Every operator on this page is licensed and audited in Delaware, ring-fences customer funds and offers deposit, time and self-exclusion limits, the reasons Delaware bettors should stay with regulated books rather than offshore sites. Betting should stay entertainment; if it stops being fun, set a limit or take a break.
The Delaware Council on Gambling Problems runs the state’s free, confidential 24/7 helpline at 1-888-850-8888, with text support at 302-438-8888 on weekdays. National help is also available at 1-800-GAMBLER, and GambleAware.org has self-help tools.
How to check whether a Delaware sportsbook is legal
Check a Delaware betting app’s license before you hand over card details. A licensed Delaware book operates under the Delaware Lottery, makes you verify that you are 21 or older, and runs a geolocation check to confirm you are physically in Delaware before each bet. If a site takes crypto only, claims you need no ID, or is licensed offshore, it is not regulated in Delaware, and you would have no protection if a payout went wrong. Names like Bovada, BetOnline and MyBookie fall into that category.
Delaware sports betting in 2027
Competition bill still parked
HB 365, sponsored by Rep. Franklin Cooke in 2024, would have let each casino partner with up to two sportsbooks. It stalled in committee, and Delaware remains a one-app state; any revival would need new legislation.
Rush Street contract clock
The Lottery’s deal with Rush Street Interactive was signed in 2023 for five years with extensions at the Lottery’s discretion, so the renewal question moves closer through 2027 and 2028.
Prediction markets
Kalshi and other CFTC-regulated exchanges offer sports event contracts nationally while courts in other states decide whether state gaming law applies. A ruling in neighboring circuits could shape what Delaware does next.
What is the best sportsbook in Delaware?
BetRivers is the only legal online book in Delaware, so the real question is whether it is any good. Rush Street’s platform is a mature one, with iRush Rewards and a full online casino on the same login. The caveat is the flip side of any monopoly: with no competitor, prices are not pushed the way they are in an open market.
Can I use FanDuel or DraftKings in Delaware?
Not online. Neither holds a Delaware contract, and the app will block you inside state lines. You can use them across the border in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Maryland, where they are licensed, as long as you are physically in that state.
Can I bet on the Blue Hens in Delaware?
No. Delaware law excludes University of Delaware and Delaware State University events from sports wagering, online and at retail.
Do I have to live in Delaware to bet?
No. You only have to be physically inside Delaware when you place a bet, which the app confirms by geolocation. You can register and deposit from anywhere.
What is the legal sports betting age in Delaware?
21, online and at any retail sportsbook in Delaware.
Do I pay tax on sports betting winnings in Delaware?
Yes. Winnings are taxable federally and are part of your Delaware personal income. Keep your own records and talk to a tax professional about your situation.