Best Sportsbooks in Ontario

If you are looking for the best, safest, and completely legal real money online sportsbooks in Ontario, you have come to the right place. In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about the top licensed and regulated Ontario sports betting sites — and all the info you need to get started placing bets on your favorite teams.

Prior to the opening of the newly regulated market, Canada had some peculiar laws when it comes to sports betting and gambling in general, with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC) — a Crown corporation owned by the government of Ontario — holding a monopoly over the online gambling market for many years.

In 2021, this monopoly was finally broken, as the necessary laws were passed to allow private gaming companies to come into the market and get proper gaming licenses and take real money bets in the biggest Canadian province.

2022 has seen the Ontario sports betting market fully revamped and revitalized, with many international sportsbooks getting their internet gaming operator licenses and starting to offer their services to the sports fans in Ontario.

With millions of people eagerly awaiting the launch of regulated online sports betting in Ontario, we are likely to see an explosion in the market in the coming months. Thanks to the influx of new operators and having a proper competition between them, we are sure to see each sportsbook strive to be the best and stand above the competition, providing better services and offering the kind of products that Canadian players deserve.

If you are looking to bet on sports in Ontario in the coming weeks and months, keep reading and find out which best Ontario sportsbooks to bet with, how we got to where we are not, and which betting markets and services you can expect from the new players in town.

The Best Sites for Sports Betting in Ontario

Rarely has a new online gambling market opened as strongly as Ontario, with dozens of gambling operators ready to launch their products and hit the ground running.

The main companies to enter Ontario are online sportsbooks that have made a name for themselves by offering sports betting and DFS in the regulated United States and are now expanding northward.

BetRivers Sportsbook Ontario

Based out of Chicago, BetRivers is our top pick for sports betting in Ontario. This is a big-name US operator that entered the Ontario market on Day One, bringing with it the experience and skills needed to offer premium services right away. BetRivers Sports Ontario joined the fray on April 4, wasting no time in pushing for a big share of the market.

Download the BetRivers Ontario Sportsbook app and get started placing wagers on your favorite teams.

BetMGM Sportsbook Ontario

BetMGM Sports is another name on our list of the best sportsbooks operating in Ontario. MGM Resorts International joined forces with Entain to create the online gambling powerhouse that is BetMGM. On April 4, 2022, BetMGM Sports Ontario went live, bringing its topnotch sports betting and casino products to Canadian players. BetMGM Sportsbook offers a top-notch product from the same owners as Coral, bwin, and Ladbrokes, some of the world’s biggest sports betting sites.

Download the BetMGM Ontario Sportsbook app and start placing bets or learn more in our comprehensive BetMGM Sports Ontario Review »

PointsBet Sportsbook Ontario

Australian bookmaker PointsBet is a major online sportsbook that was quick to announce its entry into Ontario, with the operator offering its unique signature “points betting” system which distinguishes them from the competition. PointsBet offers a bit of versatility and another premium mobile betting platform for everyone looking to place sports bets, especially on spread markets. PointsBet Ontario went live at midnight on April 4, and, the operator proudly announced that one of the very first wagers placed on the new PointsBet Canada Sportsbook was a $500 two-leg parlay of UNC over Kansas and, Ontario favorites, the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Download PointsBet and get in on the action »

DraftKings Sportsbook Ontario

DraftKings Sportsbook offers a similar product to FanDuel, which is why the two tried to merge back in 2016 before the Federal Trade Commission stopped the merger to avoid a monopoly. DraftKings Sportsbook Ontario continues offering one of the finest fantasy and sports betting products.

888sport Ontario

888 is one of the biggest names in the global online gaming industry and was one of the first operators to jump on the chance to be a part of the newly regulated iGaming market in Ontario, going live on Day One with all three verticals — poker, sports, and casino — and was, in fact, the only operator to have all three verticals up and running on launch day, April 4. Powered by its proprietary software, 888sport Ontario offers a state-of-the-art platform that offers a wide variety of betting markets.

888sport Ontario also offers bettors unique products including BetFinder, a tool that helps players filter games and matches to quickly find bets they want to place; BetFeed, its live betting platform that incorporates a live stream with real-time data to present the most popular bets; and BetBuilder, a best-in-class product that allows customers to build same game parlays and track them in real-time.

Download the 888 app and jump right into the action»

FanDuel Sportsbook Ontario

FanDuel Sportsbook is yet another operator with a strong presence in the US sports and DFS markets, which has decided to come up to Canada and expand its reach. The popular daily fantasy sports platform now offers hundreds of sports betting markets and is one of the most modern sportsbook platforms around. Ontarian bettors are surely very excited to finally get a chance to try out this iconic brand and now they finally can. FanDuel Sports Ontario went live and started accepting wagers on April 4, 2022.

Ontario Online Sports Betting Laws and Regulations

For many years, single-event sports betting was illegal in all of Canada, which meant players who wanted to make sports bets would go to offshore betting sites to place their bets. In June 2021, Bill C218 abolished this ban on single sports bets, paving the way for legal sportsbooks in Ontario.

The new law also abolished the monopoly that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC) had in the province, allowing for licensing of other private gaming companies. The government founded iGaming Ontario (iGO), a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), in July 2021 to license and oversee the operation of online poker, casino gaming, and sports betting in Ontario.

Once all the rules and standards were put into place, the iGO and AGCO announced in February that the official launch of online gambling in Ontario was scheduled for April 4, 2022.

From this point forward, private gaming operators who want to operate in Canada need to apply with the iGO and AGCO and prove that they meet this regulatory body’s standards. With that done, a license is issued and, once it receives final approval to launch and passes requisite RG (responsible gaming) checks, the operator can go live and run its sportsbook as it could in any other legal market.

Ontario Online Sports Betting and Taxes

When it comes to taxes on sports betting in Ontario, there are two things to consider. The first is the taxes that sports betting operators will be paying to the government and the other is the taxes you may need to pay on your sports betting winnings.

According to the current laws and regulations in Ontario, online gambling operators will not be paying taxes as such, but will rather enter into a revenue share deal with the government. While this may not be a tax on paper, it is in fact a tax on all revenue generated and, at this time, it appears that operators will pay about 20% of their gross revenue. That said, this is significantly lower than the 55% that live casinos in the province have to pay.

When it comes to actual players, there is good news. Everyone who bets on sports in Canada and is not a professional gambler does not need to pay any tax on their gambling winnings. That’s right, gambling profits are exempt from taxes, with the operators being the ones paying the tax from the money they win off players.

How to Get Started Betting on Sports in Ontario

Starting on April 4, 2022, all sports fans in the province of Ontario have plenty of options to legally bet on sports of their choosing. With about half a dozen operators available from the get-go and more likely to join in the days, weeks, and months ahead, the market will be saturated, creating some great opportunities for the bettors.

In order to bet on sports, you will need to sign up for an account with one of the licensed operators and confirm your identity. You can download the sportsbook’s app to your phone for quick and easy betting on the go, with each of the best Ontario sportsbooks offering a dedicated betting app for Android and iOS devices alike.

Once you register and fund your account, you will have the option to bet on any sporting events you choose. The list of betting markets is long and there are plenty of options for fans of all sports, ranging from hockey, football, and basketball, to tennis, boxing, soccer, and, of course, curling.

The operators will also be allowed to offer live betting, which means you can bet on matches that are already underway, with odds and betting options updating in real-time as the action unfolds. Placing in-play bets via a mobile betting app has never been easier. Some sportsbooks even provide live streaming of the game in the app, so you can watch and bet all in one place. Live betting is a great way to make watching sports even more fun.

Why Legal is Better: Safety and Fairness at Ontario Online Sportsbooks

With the arrival of legal sports betting in Ontario, some things are about to change. Instead of placing bets with risky offshore bookies outside the Canadian jurisdiction, all bets will now be taken by operators that are legally registered within Canada.

The iGO, the new regulatory body for online gambling will issue all internet gaming licenses for gambling sites in Canada. The regulator will ensure that the operators adhere to the strictest security and fairness standards and provide their customers with the best care and the utmost privacy.

Licensed Ontario betting sites are protected by SSL certificates and high-end encryptions that prevent data leaks. They are also obligated to keep all their user data private and neither sell it nor share it with other entities. This is all a very nice change from offshore sites where your financial and personal data may not be secure and you have very little protection in place if things go afoul.

When it comes to monetary transactions, these are also very secure. Operators can only use the best and safest payment methods in the world and, for further security, you can use payment options such as PayPal and Skrill to avoid having to share any financial information directly with the sportsbook. This means you will always be protected, and you can be sure that your money will be kept safely and segregated from any operating funds of the companies running the sportsbook.

Furthermore, the iGO and AGCO require all licensed operators to provide responsible gaming tools directly on their apps and websites. These responsible gaming tools help protect players from harmful gambling behaviors by providing built-in options to control how much time and money is spent on the site.

The odds on most wagers are very similar across all licensed platforms in Ontario, while offshore operators might lure bettors with unrealistically high odds. In order to maintain overall fairness and integrity, independent auditing firms regularly verify that accurate, correct, and fair odds are available on all licensed sports betting sites in Ontario.

Banking Options at Ontario Sportsbooks

As already briefly mentioned, all licensed sportsbooks in Ontario are required to use tried and tested payment methods on their platforms, ensuring the security of their users.

Players still have more than enough different methods to move their money around, with traditional banking options and e-wallets both available. Quick and affordable transactions are key, and moving money with these payment methods will ensure that.

The following are some of the payment methods that players can expect to find at the best Ontario sportsbooks:

• MasterCard
• AmEx
• Visa
• PayPal
• Skrill
• Neteller
• ACH/e-check
• Online Banking

FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Ontario?

Yes! Sports betting is now fully legal in Ontario, following the Parliament’s decision from 2021 that legalized single event sports betting. Starting on April 4, 2022, private online sportsbooks with proper licensure can accept wagers on their online sportsbooks and apps.

Where can I bet on sports?

A number of sports betting sites have been granted sports betting licenses and are now live. Some of the biggest ones to launch on day one are BetMGM Sports Ontario, BetRivers.ca, PointsBet Ontario, DraftKings Ontario, and more. You can bet legally on any sportsbook that’s licensed by iGaming Ontario (iGO).

What sports and markets can I bet on in Ontario?

Canadian sports bettors in Ontario have access to a whole range of betting options. Popular sporting competitions from Canada, the US, and the rest of the world are all available, with dozens of different betting markets on offer, including moneyline, spread, and points betting.

Who regulates the Ontario betting market?

Online sports betting, and other forms of online gambling, are regulated by iGaming Ontario, a newly founded subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

How can I fund my online betting account?

You can use a range of payment methods to make deposits into your online betting accounts. These methods include popular credit and debit cards, direct bank transfers, checks, and e-wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal.

Do I need to pay taxes on my sports betting wins?

No! Canadian players are exempt from paying tax on their gambling winnings unless they are registered as professional gamblers. Instead, the government will be taking a share of the revenue made by online gambling sites, in the 20% region.