Here are the 17 sports betting apps coming to Colorado
On your mark. Get set. Bet!
Legal sports gambling comes to Colorado on May 1, and despite the absence of most major league competitions, several sportsbooks are ready to bring wagering entertainment to Centennial State residents.
Casinos in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek remain closed under Gov. Jared Polis’ statewide “safer-at-home” COVID-19 response, so betting in person won’t be an option right out of the gate. Instead, mobile and web-based apps will be the only games in town.
Four digital sports betting operators plan to go live on Day 1, offering a mix of free-to-play games, niche sports like table tennis and more. That’s a fraction of the 17 companies currently licensed to operate in the state, meaning Coloradans will have plenty of choices of where to place their digital bets when sports return full-force.
Fans can already download apps like FanDuel and DraftKings, but geofencing technology restricts their ability to place wagers inside Colorado until May 1. (FanDuel and DraftKings’ platforms specific to fantasy sports are available and legal to play.) Many companies release apps exclusive to each state where they operate, so some might not be available to download until a later date.
Here’s a list of digital sportsbooks coming to Colorado this year.
Barstool Sportsbook
Expected release: Third quarter of 2020
Ameristar parent company Penn National Gaming acquired a 36% stake in media company Barstool Sports in January and is preparing to bring both digital and retail sportsbooks to Colorado under that brand. The app is currently under development and slated for a Q3 release, Penn President and CEO Jay Snowden said in a recent letter to stakeholders.
Bartstool Sportsbook will be available for iOS and Android devices, and online.
BetAmerica
Expected release: TBA
BetAmerica is a sportsbook owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated, owner-operator of more than a dozen racetracks and casinos, including its namesake and home of the Kentucky Derby. The company also has a license to open a retail sportsbook, but hasn’t offered any details about it.
BetAmerica will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at betamerica.com.
Betfred
Expected release: TBA
UK-based bookmaker Betfred is coming across the pond through a partnership with Saratoga Casino in Black Hawk. Plans include building a retail sportsbook and launching its digital app later this year, said Mark Pearson, head of communications.
Betfred will be available for iOS or Android devices, and at betfred.com.
BetMGM
Expected release: May 1
Colorado marks the fifth market expansion for BetMGM, a product of MGM Resorts. The sportsbook is also planning a retail location at a yet-to-be-announced casino.
BetMGM will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at betmgm.com.
BetRivers
Expected release: May 1
In addition to live odds and betting, BetRivers has recently begun streaming live table tennis games on its website.
BetRivers will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at betrivers.com.
Betwildwood
Expected release: Late May
This app, the product of a partnership between Internet Sports International and Wildwood Casino, is currently in beta testing. But Andrew Jones, director of marketing for the casino, expects it will be available by the end of sports betting’s first month in Colorado.
Betwildwood will be available for iOS or Android devices, and online.
Circa Sports Colorado
Expected release: TBA
Launched in June 2019, Circa Sports is a newcomer to the betting scene with a stronghold in its hometown Las Vegas, where it operates two retail locations. Colorado marks the company’s first expansion market.
Circa Sports Colorado will be available for iOS or Android devices, and at circasports.com.
Digital Gaming Corporation
Expected release: TBA
Digital Gaming Corporation obtained an internet sports betting license, but is staying quiet about what’s in store for Coloradans. Spokesman Keith Furlong offered “no comment” when asked to discuss what the app will be called, when it will debut, or where it will be available.
DraftKings
Expected release: May 1
DraftKings began as a fantasy sports app in 2012 and has grown into one of the most popular wagering platforms — No. 2 in the United States, according to a ranking by gaming trade publication EGR. DraftKings also plans to open a retail sportsbook at Black Hawk’s Golden Mardi Gras casino.
DraftKings is available for iOS and Android devices, and at draftkings.com.
FanDuel
Expected release: May 1
Touted as the top sportsbook in America by handle and revenue, FanDuel adds live sports to its fantasy offerings already available in the Centennial State. Expect free-to-play games exclusive to Colorado, among other ways to build betting credit (up to $5 per day) to use when major leagues return.
FanDuel is available for iOS and Android devices, and at fanduel.com.
FOX Bet
Expected release: Late May
Former Denver Bronco Shannon Sharpe is just one of the many experts offering real-time betting insight on the FOX Bet app. Though it won’t be live May 1, the company’s free-to-play Super 6 app, which allows users to make predictions in six specific games, will be.
FOX Bet will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at foxbet.com. Super 6 is available for iOS and Android devices, and at foxsuper6.com.
PointsBet
Expected release: TBA
With a new headquarters in Denver, PointsBet wants to be synonymous with Colorado sports betting. Though the app won’t be available May 1, it “won’t be far behind,” said CEO Sam Swanell. PointsBet also plans to open a retail sportsbook at Double Eagle Hotel and Casino in Cripple Creek.
PointsBet is available for iOS and Android devices, and at pointsbet.com.
SBK
Expected release: Late May
SBK is powered by a proprietary betting exchange that Jason Trost, CEO and founder of parent company Smarkets, claims has “the best odds in the world.” Colorado marks the first place the UK-based app will be available in the United States.
SBK will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at getsbk.com.
theScore Bet
Expected release: TBA
This app integrates game scores and sports news with betting odds to help give users the information they need to make wagers. According to the company, it serves 4 million to 5 million fans each month.
theScore Bet will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at thescore.bet.
SuperBook
Expected release: TBA
The iconic SuperBook and NFL SuperContest are expanding beyond Nevada for the first time with plans to open both retail and digital sportsbooks in Colorado. The retail location will be housed in Lodge Casino in Black Hawk. The SuperBook app is expected to launch around the kickoff to football season.
SuperBook will be available for iOS and Android devices, and at superbookusa.com.
William Hill Sports Book
Expected release: TBA
Founded in 1934, William Hill began its gaming operations in the UK before expanding in 2012 to the United States, where it now operates more than 100 race and sportsbooks. The company has yet to announce its plans for Colorado, but has obtained three operating licenses — two retail and one internet.
WSI US
Expected release: TBA
WSI US, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts, received an internet sports betting operator license in Colorado, but has yet to disclose details about its digital platform. One, called Wynn Sports, made an untimely debut on Feb. 4, right before the coronavirus pandemic forced sports on hiatus, according to Legal Sports Report.