Last Updated May 25, 2022, 03:38 PM ET
Despite launching its first online sportsbooks during a global pandemic, Colorado has quickly become one of the most prominent betting markets in the United States. With 27 active operators, Colorado now boasts more online U.S. sportsbooks than any other state.
CO sports bettors can use mobile devices to register, fund accounts and place wagers anywhere in the Centennial State. With sign-up bonuses of $1,000+ available to new users, there’s never been a better time to get started.
At Covers, we’ve leaned on our 26 years of sports betting prowess to give you our list of top sportsbooks in Colorado.
Caesars Sportsbook stands as our top sportsbook for Colorado bettors. Its straightforward welcome bonus gets new players started on the right foot, while well-designed mobile apps for iOS and Android impress and reinforce its position as one of Colorado's best sports betting apps.
For Coloradans testing the sports betting waters, securing up to $1,100 in first-bet insurance from Caesars puts you in a position to claim one of the best Colorado sports betting bonuses. With an initial deposit of $50 or more, Caesars Sportsbook will cover your first wager up to $1,100 whether you win or lose. Just remember to use promo code COVERSCZR.
Whether on desktop or mobile, the Caesars Sportsbook generates a robust live betting section that pairs well with the solid selection of bet boosts, typically available for prominent matches.
Learn more about Caesars Sportsbook through our detailed review.
Most Colorado sports betting sites offer new users attractive sign-up bonuses to help kick-start the betting action. Here are the best Colorado sports betting bonuses for 2022:
FanDuel - $1,000 Risk-Free Bet: First-time FanDuel Colorado customers can claim a risk-free bet of up to $1,000. If your initial wager is a loss, the sportsbook will credit a 100% refund to your account in the form of site credit.
Caesars Sportsbook - Up to $1,100 in First Bet Insurance: Use Caesars Colorado promo code COVERSCZR to lock in up to $1,100 in first bet insurance. Should your initial wager come up short, Caesars Sportsbook will return the full amount to you as a free bet.
BetMGM - $1,000 Risk-Free Bet: BetMGM Colorado is another sports betting site offering new users a second chance at gambling glory. Bettors who lose their first bet can earn up to $1,000 in site credit — paid by BetMGM as five $200 bets.
PointsBet - $500 Risk-Free Bet: New PointsBet Colorado sports bettors can take advantage of a risk-free offer as well. If your inaugural wager registers as a loss, PointsBet CO will return the full amount — up to $500 — in site credit.
Terms and conditions apply to all bonuses and promotional offers.
Caesars CO stands out from a crowded, competitive Colorado sports betting market with its generous welcome offer — $1,100 in first bet insurance. If you lose your first bet, up to $1,100, Caesars will credit your account with a free bet of the same amount. In addition to its sign-up bonus, the sportsbook hooks up bettors with one of the most revered rewards programs in the industry and best-in-class customer support.
Read our Caesars Sportsbook Review to learn more.
Headquartered in Denver and hailing from Australia, PointsBet is another sportsbook that checks many boxes in Colorado. The sportsbook is packed with unique features like boosted parlays, "Karma Kommittee," and its proprietary Points Betting system, where users win or lose more based on the margin of victory or defeat.
Refer to our PointsBet Review to learn more.
Among the first sportsbooks to launch in Colorado, FanDuel opened its virtual doors to CO bettors in May 2020. Since then, it has established itself as a go-to option in the Centennial State thanks to an industry-best welcome bonus, an incredible mobile app, and a vast collection of unique bet types and promos. Get started with a FanDuel Colorado $1,000 risk-free bet today.
Check out our FanDuel Review for more on FanDuel CO.
Led by its amazing mobile sports betting app, DraftKings has carved out its spot among the best sportsbooks in Colorado. The betting site and app both feature user-friendly interfaces, making it easy for users to navigate and lock in their desired wagers. With fast and reliable payouts, a long list of sports betting promos, and tons of sports to bet on, DraftKings Colorado is worth a look for experienced and beginner bettors.
Read our DraftKings Review to learn more.
While it may not garner the attention of some of Colorado's other top sportsbooks, BetRivers offers a solid betting experience across the board. Its iRush rewards program, boosted odds, and free bets reward active users, and the sportsbook regularly doles out competitive odds. BetRivers' app is easy to navigate and surprisingly keeps pace with more prominent players in Colorado.
Check out our BetRivers Review for more information.
With remote registration and online betting, it’s easy to get started with sports wagering in the Centennial State. Alternatively, Coloradans may visit a brick-and-mortar sportsbook in a state-licensed casino if physical bets are preferred.
Colorado sports bettors should always take their time when choosing which sports betting platform best suits their needs. Then, consider the betting odds, bettor reviews, bonus offers, and customer support of each sportsbook.
Colorado sports betting law has made registration quick and straightforward. Once you’ve chosen a sportsbook, simply fill in your personal details via a mobile device or computer. Some Colorado sportsbooks may also ask for your driver’s license or SSN to verify your identity.
Always be sure to claim your bonus when completing the registration process with a new sportsbook in Colorado. These promotions are driven by competition in the state and provide new sports bettors with several great offerings.
All of the popular bets are available for sports bettors in Colorado.
These include moneylines, player prop bets (excluding college sports), point spreads, parlays, Over/Unders (totals), teasers, live bets, and futures.
There are many ways to make deposits into your sports betting account. Every Colorado sportsbook is different, but a combination of the following should be available: Play+, PayPal, credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, or PayNearMe. Cash can also be used at retail sportsbooks in the Centennial State.
Take a look at the transaction fees associated with each method before choosing the one that works for you.
Familiarize yourself with the various betting opportunities available with each sportsbook you’re considering. Not all Colorado sportsbooks offer the same betting lines, so a little bit of research could uncover more favorable betting scenarios than you may have anticipated.
Some sportsbooks may ask players to verify their identity via a driver’s license before processing a withdrawal. Withdrawals may be immediate but could also take a day or two, depending on how you choose to pull out funds from your account.
Colorado sportsbooks use American Odds — also known as moneyline odds — as the default option when displaying betting odds. For favorites, the number listed indicates the amount bettors need to wager to win $100. So, for example, -150 odds tell you that $150 needs to be put on this line if you’d like to take home $100 in profit.
Conversely, the number found next to an underdog specifies the profit up for grabs when placing a $100 bet. For example, +155 odds represent the $155 in profit you would receive following a winning $100 bet. As underdogs are not expected to win, you’ll stand to gain more when placing a wager on these teams.
Sportsbooks in Colorado may also allow you to view odds as decimals and fractions. Check out our odds converter to easily switch between American, Decimal, and Fractional odds.
Colorado legalized sports betting on May 1, 2020, but clearing the legislature was only the beginning. The path to legalization came less than six months after Colorado voters approved a ballot measure, by a slim margin, that would cover the regulation of sports betting through licensed casinos.
Both mobile and retail sports betting are permitted under Colorado law. The state will leverage tax revenue from sports betting to help fund various state water projects.
This timeline illustrates notable milestones in Colorado's sports gambling history:
May 10, 2022: The Senate-amended "Responsible Gaming Grant Program" bill is advanced by the House via a 50-15 vote. The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Polis to potentially be signed into law.
May 6, 2022: A bill that would fund problem gaming programs in Colorado is amended by the Senate to note that the $3 million dedicated to the issue would be provided "annually" rather than "continuously," upsetting advocates for gambling addiction treatment and prevention. The bill passes through the Senate, 25-8, and proceeds to the House.
April 28, 2022: Colorado's sports betting handle rebounded in March to $505.6 million, thanks largely to college basketball betting around March Madness.
April 27, 2022: BlueBet reveals that its U.S. brand, ClutchBet, will be used when it launches an online sportsbook in Colorado.
April 26, 2022: Alec Garnett, the state's Speaker of the House, introduces a bill that would fund responsible gambling programs in Colorado.
April 20, 2022: MaximBet and Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon announce a sports betting ambassador partnership. The deal is the first of its kind between a regulated sportsbook and an active MLB player.
April 5, 2022: Colorado sports betting slowed in February, with sportsbooks accounting for a total handle of $440.5 million —a 23% decrease from January’s handle.
March 17, 2022: The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission approves an adjustment to the state’s sports betting rules that allows for fixed-odds wagering on horse and greyhound racing. The practice is set to receive an 18-month trial run.
March 4, 2022: Colorado Division of Gaming suspends all betting on Russian sports.
March 1, 2022: Colorado posts an all-time single-month sports betting handle record of $573.7 million in January 2022, crushing its previous best of $491.5 million in October 2021.
Feb. 10, 2022: Betsson, the Swedish gaming operator, reveals plans to launch its mobile sportsbook in Colorado later in 2022.
Jan. 26, 2022: BlueBet signs a skin agreement with the Wild Card Saloon & Casino in Blackhawk. The Australia-based BlueBet will look to launch an online sportsbook in CO, pending licensing and regulatory approval.
Jan. 24, 2022: Kambi becomes the new exclusive sportsbook provider of MaximBet.
Jan. 3, 2022: Colorado sportsbooks registered record revenue in November, returning nearly $2 million in taxes for the state.
Dec. 17, 2021: bet365 receives approval to offer online sports betting in Colorado.
Sept. 2021: SI Sportsbook, partnered with 888, launches in Colorado.
Aug. 2021: Barstool Sportsbook, the Penn National Gaming controlled property, launches in Colorado.
May 2020: The first online sportsbooks officially go live as BetMGM, BetRivers, DraftKings, and FanDuel all launch their operations in Colorado.
Nov. 2019: Colorado Proposition DD narrowly passes a voter referendum, allowing the state’s 33 casinos to apply for licenses to offer in-person and online sports betting.
May 2019: Governor Jared Polis signs the 37-page bill into law.
April 2019: House Bill 1327 is introduced by Rep. Alec Garnett. The bill would legalize sports betting in Colorado.
Legal sports bets may be placed online via a computer or mobile device. In-person wagers are permitted in Colorado at one of the state’s several retail locations.
Online sportsbook | Mobile app | Odds provider | Online casino | Retail partner |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bally Bet | Yes | Bet.Works | No | Bally's Black Hawk |
Barstool | Yes | Kambi | No | Ameristar Black Hawk |
Betfred Sports | Yes | Playtech | No | Saratoga Casino Black Hawk |
BetMonarch | Yes | Stadium | No | Monarch Casino |
BetMGM | Yes | BetMGM | No | Midnight Rose Casino |
BetRivers | Yes | Kambi | No | McGills Hotel and Casino |
Betsafe | Yes | Betsson | No | Dostal Alley Casino |
Betway | Yes | Betway | No | Famous Bonanza Casino |
BetWildwood | Yes | ISI Sports | No | Wildwood Casino |
Caesars | Yes | Caesars | No | Lady Luck Casino |
Circa Sports | Yes | Circa | No | Century Casinos |
DraftKings | Yes | SBTech | No | Bally's Black Hawk |
Elite Sportsbook | Yes | Bet.Works | No | Red Dolly Casino |
FanDuel | Yes | Flutter | No | Bally's Black Hawk |
FOXBet | Yes | TSG | No | Lady Luck Casino |
MaximBet | Yes | Kambi | No | Johnny Nolan's Casino |
Play Maverick Sports | Yes | IGT | No | Maverick Gaming |
PlayUp | Yes | PlayUp | No | Bull Durham Casino |
PointsBet | Yes | Kambi | No | Double Eagle Casino |
SBK | Yes | Smarkets | No | Bronco Billy's Casino |
SI Sportsbook (888) | Yes | 888 | No | Colorado Grande |
Sky Ute | Yes | Sky Ute | No | Sky Ute Casino |
SuperBook | Yes | Stadium | No | The Lodge Casino |
theScore Bet | Yes | Bet.Works | No | The Gilpin Casino |
Tipico | Yes | Tipico | No | Century Casinos |
TwinSpires | Yes | Kambi | No | Bronco Billy's Casino |
WynnBET | Yes | GAN | No | Bronco Billy's Casino |
Sportsbook | Venue | Address | Phone number | Odds provider |
---|---|---|---|---|
Barstool Sportsbook | Ameristar Black Hawk | 111 Richman Street, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (720) 946-4000 | Kambi |
BetFred Sportsbook | Saratoga Casino Black Hawk | 101 Main Street, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (303) 582-6100 | Playtech |
BetMonarch | Monarch Casino Resort Spa | 488 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (303) 582-1000 | Stadium |
BetRivers Sportsbook | McGills Hotel and Casino | 232 Bennett Ave, Cripple Creek, CO 80813 | (719) 689-2446 | Kambi |
Bronco Sportsbook | Bronco Billy's Casino | 233 E. Bennett Ave., Cripple Creek, CO 80813 | (719) 689-2142 | Kambi |
Caesars Sportsbook | Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk | 401 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (800) 843-4753 | Caesars |
Caesars Sportsbook | Lady Luck Casino | 340 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (303) 998-7777 | Caesars |
DraftKings Sportsbook | Bally's Black Hawk | 300 Main Street Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (303) 582-5600 | SBTech |
Elite Sportsbook | Red Dolly Casino | 530 Gregory Street, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (303) 582-1100 | Bet.Works |
Play Maverick Sports | Grand Z Casino | 321 Gregory St, Central City, CO 80427 | (303) 582-0800 | IGT |
SuperBook | Lodge Casino | 240 Main Street, Black Hawk, CO 80422 | (303) 582-1771 | Stadium |
Woody's Sportsbook | Wildwood Casino | 119 Carbonate Street Cripple Creek, CO 80813 | (719) 244-9700 | ISI |
Anyone 21-years of age and over and located in the state may place a sports bet in Colorado. Players can visit a physical sportsbook or use a computer or mobile device to wager online.
Here’s everything you need to know before placing your first sports bet in Colorado.
You must be at least 21 years old to place a legal sports bet in Colorado.
Colorado sports wagers can be placed with legal online sports betting websites or mobile sports betting apps via a computer or mobile device. The Colorado Division of Gaming oversees all sports betting in the Centennial State.
Remote registration allows both Colorado’s residents and visitors to sign up and start betting online without having to verify their identity at a retail sportsbook. This is of major significance in Colorado as players would otherwise be required to visit a licensed casino — none of which are located in the more populous areas of Colorado.
Online sportsbooks use geolocation technology to confirm the exact locations of their users. So as long as you can prove you’re in Colorado, you’ll be able to partake in all legal sports betting activity online.
Several Colorado casinos house retail sportsbooks or self-serve betting kiosks. Any of the state’s 40 casinos can apply for a Master Sports Betting License. Brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in Black Hawk, Century City, and Cripple Creek comprise the available locations.
Colorado sports bet winnings are taxed at both the federal and state level. All gambling profits are subject to a state income tax of 4.63% in Colorado.
Fully remote registration is a massive win for Colorado sports bettors. With nearly all of the state’s casinos situated in three sparsely populated rural areas, accessibility could have been a significant hurdle otherwise.
There’s not much to gripe about when comparing Colorado’s sports betting laws to those of other states. The absence of college prop bets is the only real significant betting opportunity omitted from Colorado law.
Colorado has quickly become a significant market for sports betting in the United States. The state has registered over $3 billion in sports bets in the year following the legalization of sports wagering.
Colorado's monthly betting handle has surpassed $400 million on seven occasions and in January 2022, it broke the $500 million mark for the first time. The state's 6.4 hold percentage was second-lowest among all states with legalized sports betting in 2020.
Here's a look at Colorado's sports betting earnings to date:
Year | Total handle | Revenue | Hold percentage | Tax revenue |
2022 | - | - | - | - |
2021 | $3.83B | $250.1M | 6.6% | $11.7M |
2020 | $1.19B | $75.8M | 6.4% | $2.96M |
Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
2022 | $573.7M | $440.5M | $505.6M | $392.3M | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $1.89B |
2021 | $326M | $266M | $301M | $244M | $249M | $229M | $181M | $211.9M | $408.3M | $491.5M | $475.4M | $461.4M | $3.83B |
2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $25M | $38M | $59M | $128M | $207M | $210M | $231M | $284M | $1.19B |
Colorado may have the least restrictive sports betting law in the country. Flush with betting opportunities, Coloradans and visitors of the Centennial State can lay a sports bet on just about any event imaginable.
However, there are a few exceptions highlighted here:
There is no legal way to bet on politics in Colorado.
While popular with offshore sites, celebrity and pop-culture events such as the Academy Awards are off-limits.
Sports bettors are free to place bets on any college team in the country. Player props are not offered, however.
The NFL Draft is now a marquee offseason betting event and Coloradans are free to partake in the action.
While esports betting is legal in Colorado, all esports events must be approved individually by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC).
Coloradans adore their pro sports teams. Many state sportsbooks may even encourage small wagers on these clubs by attaching easily attainable bonuses to a player or team performance.
In the long run, however, bettors must treat home team bets like any other and put biases aside. Conduct your research and review our how to bet guides before blindly placing a bet on any of your favorite teams.
Colorado is home to 40 casinos, five poker rooms, and one racetrack.
Beyond sports betting, state lawmakers have remained hesitant to usher in any other forms of online gambling.
Most of Colorado’s casinos are located in Cripple Creek and Blackhawk. Each casino offers an exhaustive list of table games, including craps and roulette, which were added when the Colorado Limited Gaming Act was altered in 2009.
Online casinos are illegal in the Centennial State. Sweepstakes gambling sites are permitted, however, as these sites use “sweeps coins” instead of dollars and are legal in 49 of 50 states.
Poker enthusiasts can visit five poker rooms in Colorado. Ameristar Casino Blackhawk, Isle Casino Blackhawk, and Golden Gates Casino are home to the most popular poker tournaments in the state.
Like online casinos, there are no legal options for playing online poker in Colorado.
Colorado is home to a single-horse racetrack — Arapahoe Park Horse Track. Coloradans can place live or simulcast wagers at Arapahoe Park or at one of twelve off-track betting sites.
Pari-mutuel bets can be placed online with the best horse racing betting sites.
Daily fantasy sports have been legal in Colorado since 2016. Players must be 18 or older to enter DFS contests in the Centennial State.
DraftKings, FanDuel, YahooSports, Monkey Knife Fight, and Prize Picks are among the DFS operators in Colorado.
With legal sports betting taking off in Colorado, the Colorado Gaming Associated (CGA) has implemented several programs to educate casino employees and support problem gamblers.
The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado (PGCC) provides support in the form of a self-exclusion program. Individuals who fear having a gambling addiction may voluntarily prohibit themselves from all betting activity in the state.
Legal online sportsbooks also allow users to place a wide range of restrictions on themselves. For example, players can set deposit and betting limits or permanently join the self-exclusion list.
Visit the Colorado Gaming Association to Learn MoreColorado formally legalized sports betting, following the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn the long-standing federal ban on sports gambling. Sports gambling is also legal in these states:
The number of states moving toward legal sports betting continues to grow, but there are still many that have yet to take the plunge.
Here are the untapped markets which could potentially open up soon:
Offshore betting sites do exist in Colorado, but bettors are advised to avoid them. The following sites have been added to our blacklist because they are unregulated, unreliable and there is no guarantee players will be able to access funds placed in unsecured accounts.
Yes, sports betting is legal in Colorado. Proposition DD, the Legalize Sports Betting With Tax Revenue for Water Projects Measure, was approved in November 2019.
Colorado sports betting can be placed online using a mobile device or computer. Online wagers may be placed at one of the state’s retail sportsbooks.
No, bettors do not need to be residents of Colorado in order to place a wager. Still, players must be physically located in Colorado to partake in sports betting activities.
Visit a sports betting website, download a sports betting app, or head on over to a retail sportsbook to place a sports wager in Colorado.
Yes, wagering on Colorado teams at the professional and college level is permitted. College prop bets are not allowed, however.
Colorado took in $250 million in sports betting revenue in 2021.
Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek are home to Colorado’s retail sportsbooks. Online wagers can be placed state-wide.
The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission and the Colorado Division of Gaming provide oversight over the regulation of legalized sports betting in Colorado.
Yes, the Canadian-owned operator is live in Colorado and kiosks can be found at the Gilpin Casino in Black Hawk.
Yes, DraftKings has partnered with Mardi Gras Casino and was among the first sportsbooks to go live in May 2020.
Jeff Watters is a content editor at Covers. Before he began supporting Covers experts in making smarter sports bettors in 2021, the well-traveled Nova Scotian and Atlanta Braves fanatic spent time writing about education, software, and NHL prospects.
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