Roll up all you Phoenix Suns fans – you can now bet on Arizona’s own NBA team and all other sports franchises online. There are currently 16 licensed Arizona sportsbooks available online, as well as several retail betting units.
Below, I will take you through all of the legal ins and outs, whilst also providing you with a step-by-step guide to getting started. Of course, the main thing you want is a betting bonus, right? Well, to help you out, I’ve picked out the top five sportsbooks and welcome promotions in the Grand Canyon State.
Legal sports betting was finally given the green light in The Grand Canyon State in April 2021, with retail and online sportsbooks both going live in September of that same year.
Keen to know more? Below is a timeline that tells the story so far, and I always add more updates to this list as and when they come to pass.
Yes, sports betting has been legal in AZ since April 2021, when HB 2772 was signed into law. Compared to other states, Arizona had a quick turnaround launching in-person and mobile betting just a few months later in September 2021.
If you are 21 or older, you have 16 legal sports betting sites to choose from in the Grand Canyon State.
Fortunately, the sports betting laws in Arizona are pretty liberal when it comes to promotions, so there are plenty of decent welcome offers to choose from.
I’ve tested out all 16 Arizona sportsbook promos for new customers, and have picked out these five as the best in class:
Now that I’ve covered the bonuses, let’s take a look at the betting sites and apps themselves, shall we? Here are some mini-reviews and facts about my top five rated live betting sites in Arizona:
As I’ve already told you, BetMGM has an excellent $158 in instant bonus bets welcome offer when you register and wager $5 or more. On top of that, it was also the first sportsbook to open a retail unit inside an NFL stadium, doing so right here in Arizona.
In terms of the online experience, BetMGM has a first-class app for iOS with high user ratings. This is thanks to the user-friendly interface, a massive selection of NBA and sports betting markets plus live streaming options.
Do you like the sound of betting on the Suns and other NBA games in play? If so, DraftKings is one of the best Arizona sportsbooks for doing so, thanks to its diverse range of in-game markets and fast odds updates.
Additionally, the DK AZ app is the best I’ve seen for personalization. When you open the sportsbook homepage or app, a carousel will appear to show you the top upcoming events and markets based on your betting history.
For all of us NBA fans in the Grand Canyon State, this is the ideal betting platform. Currently, FanDuel is the official Arizona sports betting partner of the Phoenix Suns, so you can expect plenty of odds boosts and occasional specials for Suns and NBA games.
Of course, you probably are already aware of the FanDuel brand, as it is one of the most recognizable and trusted in the US. Perhaps best-known, like DraftKings, for its DFS app, the sportsbook platform is every bit as good.
If you’re looking for a sports betting site with a slightly more international outlook, I recommend Bet365. This UK brand now has a presence in several US states, including Arizona.
Besides having a massive selection of US and international pro sports betting types and markets, Bet365 is one of the only Arizona sportsbooks to offer you a choice of two welcome offers. You can either take the standard “bet $5 get $150 offer, or you can get your first bet back up to $2,000 back as a bonus if it loses.
I know we’re all basketball fans here first and foremost, but you also love a little bit of baseball, don’t you? Thanks to its partnership with the Diamondbacks, Caesars is among the best Arizona sportsbooks for MLB wagering.
To add to that, the round-the-clock customer service live chat, and email support are probably the best I’ve experienced in the US as a whole. Of course, in an ideal world, nothing should go wrong at a top sportsbook. But in reality, there are always bumps along the road, so it’s good to know that someone is on hand to help smooth them out for you.
So I’ve shown you the five best sportsbooks in the Grand Canyon State, now here’s a list of all 16 complete with a mention of the USP for each one:
Let’s be real, most of us bet online and you probably use your phone more often than not, don’t you? 90% of all sports bets in Arizona are taken online by the 16 live sports betting apps and websites.
However, if you do want to kick it old school and place an in-person bet, there are 14 land-based sportsbooks. In the two tables below, I have summarized all of your online and bricks-and-mortar options for betting in the Grand Canyon State:
Online sportsbook | Mobile app | Retail partner(s) |
---|---|---|
Bally Bet | ✅ | Phoenix Mercury |
Betfred | ✅ | We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort |
BetMGM | ✅ | Arizona Cardinals / Gila River Tribe |
BetRivers | ✅ | Arizona Rattlers |
Betway | ✅ | San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe |
Bet365 | ✅ | Ak-Chin Native American Tribal Community |
Caesars Sportsbook | ✅ | Arizona Diamondbacks |
Desert Diamond | ✅ | Tohono O’odham Nation |
DraftKings | ✅ | TPC Scottsdale |
ESPN Bet | ✅ | NASCAR |
FanDuel | ✅ | Phoenix Suns |
Golden Nugget | ✅ | Hualapai Tribe |
Hard Rock Bet | ✅ | Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) |
SaharaBets | ✅ | Arizona Coyotes |
SuperBook | ✅ | Fort Mohave Indian Tribe |
Unibet | ✅ | Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe |
Sportsbook | Venue |
---|---|
Betfred | We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort |
BetMGM | Wild Horse Pass Casino |
BetMGM | Lone Butte Casino |
BetMGM | Vee Quiva |
BetMGM | Santan Mountain Casino |
BetMGM | State Farm Stadium |
Caesars Sportsbook | Arizona Downs Racetrack |
Caesars Sportsbook | Chase Field |
Caesars Sportsbook | Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino |
Desert Diamond Sportsbook | Desert Diamond Casino – Sahuarita |
Desert Diamond Sportsbook | Desert Diamond Casino – West Bank |
DraftKings | TPC Scottsdale |
FanDuel | Footprint Center |
Kindred Group (Unibet) | Paradise Casino |
SolSports | Casino Del Sol |
TwinSpires | Mazatzal Hotel & Casino |
For both online and in-person wagers, you need to be aged 21 or older in Arizona.
Looking to get started? Here are a few things you should be aware of first:
Here I have put together a list so that you can compare the main pros and cons of Arizona sports betting:
Most of us do the majority of sports betting from our phones, so with that in mind, I’ve put together this step-by-step guide to help you get started with Arizona sports betting online:
Are you completely new to sports betting? If so, you might find the odds confusing at first glance.
However, I can assure you that reading them is easier than you might think. All Arizona sportsbooks use American (moneyline) odds format, here’s how they work:
Overall, you’ll find that the Arizona sports betting rules are pretty liberal. You can bet on professional and collegiate sports, however, prop bets are not allowed on the latter.
Here’s a short list of everything that is currently prohibited when it comes to betting in the Grand Canyon State:
To date, Arizona holds the record for being the fastest state to reach a $1 billion sports betting handle. Right now, it is still going strong and continuing to grow year on year, as you can see in the table I’ve put together below:
Year | Sports betting handle | Revenue | Hold | Taxes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | $5,825,403,471 | $296,205,588 | 5.08% | $29,620,558 |
2022 | $5,986,669,037 | $285,636,746 | 4.77% | $28,563,675 |
2021 | $1,721,171,395 | $58,049,222 | 3.37% | $5,855,990 |
Total: | $13,533,243,904 | $639,891,556 | 4.73% | $64,040,222 |
We’re all fans of the Phoenix Suns and other Arizona-based sports teams, aren’t we? However, that’s something that should go out the window when it comes to placing our sports wagers.
Nothing clouds your judgement more than being a fan – sports betting should be all about the facts and figures. I’m not saying that we need to avoid betting on Arizona-based franchises altogether, but you should just be aware and separate being a fan from your sports betting.
NBA | NFL | NHL | MLB |
---|---|---|---|
Phoenix Suns | Arizona Cardinals | Arizona Coyotes | Arizona Diamondbacks |
Do you want to read the HB 2772 tribal gaming pact in its entirety? I guess not, but don’t worry – that’s where experts like me come in.
To save you the trouble I have highlighted the most important sports betting laws in the Grand Canyon State here:
So far in my betting guide, I have focussed on sports wagering specifically. If you wish to know more about other in-person and online gambling niches, here’s the lowdown:
I’ve given you a lot of information to digest so far, so how about a handy guide that contains all of the basic up-to-date facts? That’s exactly what I’ve provided you with below:
Launch date: | 09/09/2021 |
Age limit: | 21+ |
Online sports wagering: | ✅ |
Max number of licenses: | 19 |
Live sportsbooks online: | 16 |
Remote registration: | ✅ |
Retail sports betting: | ✅ |
College sports betting: | ✅* |
Esports betting: | ❌ |
Retail casinos: | ✅ |
Retail poker: | ✅ |
Online casino: | ❌ |
Online poker: | ❌ |
State population: | 7.4 million |
Total handle (2023: | $5,825,403,471 |
Retail sports betting tax: | 8% |
Online sports betting tax: | 10% |
Tax on sports betting winnings: | 2.59% – 4.50% |
Regulatory body: | Arizona Department of Gaming |
If you, or someone you know, has or is suffering from gambling-related problems, the Arizona Department of Gaming has several resources and programs available.
Here is a list of the main tools and resources you and check out:
Looking at things from an inward US perspective first and foremost, make sure that you register with a sportsbook that has a valid ADG license. Out-of-state licensed sports betting sites are not legal in Arizona and advanced geo-location technology will prevent you from accessing them.
More importantly, you should be aware that offshore betting sites are completely illegal and should be avoided at all costs. I can assure you that these sites are unsafe and that your risk of falling victim to hacking, fraud, and theft is much greater.
At the end of the day, you’re not short of options when it comes to betting on the NBA and other sports in the Grand Canyon State. With 16 licensed sportsbooks and around the same number of retail betting units, so you have plenty of choices.
All that being said, BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Bet365, and Caesars definitely stand out for me as the top five. If you choose to sign up to one of these platforms today – and I recommend that you do – don’t forget to claim your welcome bonus.
Yes, retail and mobile sports wagering is legal in Arizona for persons aged 21 and older. Visitors to the state can also bet online while still located within state lines. However, as you need your SSN to register, non-US tourists can only place bets in person.
In total, there are 16 licensed betting apps that you can use to wager on sports in the Grand Canyon State. I have tested them out and here are my top five recommendations: BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Bet365, and Caesars.
It is indeed – in February 2024 Bet365 officially launched its app and website for sports betting in AZ. This made it the 16th sportsbook to go live in the Grand Canyon State. Discover more about the other AZ sportsbooks here at Dunkorthree.com.
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.