Your Complete Guide to Delaware Legal Sports Betting [June 2019]

Following the landmark Supreme Court decision to overturn the federal sports betting ban known as PASPA (The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act), all eyes were on New Jersey to become the first state outside of Nevada to offer legal betting.

However, it wasn't the Garden State who broke through with legal betting first. Instead, it was the small mid-Atlantic neighboring state of Delaware.

On June 5, 2018, Governor John Carney kicked off legal betting in the Blue Hen state by placing $10 on his favorite team, the Philadelphia Phillies. The Governor cashed the state's first legal bet as the Phillies ended up beating the Chicago Cubs 6-1.

Delaware got up and running so quickly because the state had already done the legwork needed to quickly pass legal sports betting legislation. In fact, Delaware was one of only four states that was previously grandfathered in and allowed to offer limited legal sports betting under PASPA.

DELAWARE LEGAL SPORTS BETTING TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Does Online Betting Exist in Delaware?
2. Sports Betting Locations in Delaware
3. Who Runs Legal Sports Betting?
4. Does Delaware Have Specific Rules?
5. Sports Betting Fundamentals
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
7. Bankroll Management
8. How to Place a Bet in Delaware
9. More Betting Tips and Links

DOES DELAWARE ONLINE SPORTS BETTING EXIST?

Online sports betting is technically legal in Delaware, but is not offered as of June 2019. Since only three casinos (through the state lottery) offer sports betting, they'll need to ramp up online betting themselves or through a partner — no outside companies will enter the online market.

WHERE TO BET IN-PERSON IN DELAWARE

In order to place a bet in Delaware, you have to travel to one of three physical casinos within the state and place a bet live and in person. Here are the three sportsbooks that offer legal sports betting.

Delaware Park

• Address: 777 Delaware Park Blvd. Wilmington, DE 19804
• Phone: 800-41-SLOTS

Dover Downs

• Address: 1131 North Dupont Highway, Dover DE
• Phone: 302-674-5600

Harrington Raceway & Casino

• Address: 18500 South Dupont Highway, Harrington, DE 19952
• Phone: 888-887-5687

Click here to return to the table of contents.

WHO RUNS LEGAL SPORTS BETTING IN DELAWARE?

The Delaware Sports Lottery. It is a division of the Delaware State Lottery, which runs, oversees and regulates sports betting within the state.

For more information click here.

Click here to return to the top.

DELAWARE SPORTS BETTING RULES

How old do I have to be to bet on sports in Delaware?

The minimum age for legal sports betting is 21.

How do I cash a winning bet?

You can cash a winning bet in person at one of the three physical casinos or you can mail in your winning ticket to the Delaware State Lottery.

Address: Delaware State Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904

What teams can you bet on in Delaware?

You can bet on all of the professional sports teams, however some college teams, Delaware based teams and high school teams cannot be bet on.

Click here to return to the top.

SPORTS BETTING FUNDAMENTALS 

Now that we've gotten all of the fine print out of the way, it's time to talk about some betting fundamentals. What terms do you need to know? What common mistakes should you avoid?

For a full glossary of sports betting terms click here

1. Favorites vs. Underdogs

When creating odds for a game, books first determine who is the favorite and who is the underdog based on statistics. The favorite is the stronger team expected to win the game, while the underdog is expected to lose.

However, in order to level the playing field, sportsbooks provide risks and rewards for each, otherwise everyone would just bet favorites all of the time. Underdogs receive points and bigger payouts, which favorites give (or lay) points and have more expensive prices. Underdogs will have a plus sign (+) in front of their odds while favorites will have a minus sign (-).

2. Point Spread

The great equalizer. The point spread is a margin of victory projection assigned by oddsmakers to encourage balanced betting action on both teams. Say the Eagles are a ten point favorite (known as -10) against the Dolphins.

If you bet on the Eagles, they need to win the game by 11 points or more for you to win your bet. If the Eagles win by 11 points or more, you “cover.” If the Eagles win by exactly 10 points, that is called a “push,” which means you get back the money you originally bet. If the Eagles win by 9 points or fewer (or lose the game all together), you lose your bet.

3. Moneyline

With a moneyline, you're only betting on who will win the game — no point spread — but it's adjusted for team strength. In that same Eagles-Dolphins game, Philadelphia would be a -450 favorite, meaning you'd have to wager $450 to win $100, and you cash your bet if the Eagles won by 1 point or 50 points and anywhere in between. The Dolphins would be +325, so a $100 bet would win you $325 if the 'Fins could pull off the upset.

4. Over/Under

Also known as a total, it's a wagering option involving the combined points scored by both teams in a game. Bettors can wager on whether the game will go over or under the total. Points scored in overtime will count toward the total.

Totals are created by the oddsmakers and adjusted with things like pace of play, offensive and defensive efficiency, specific matchups and more in mind.

For example, the Washington Wizards might be playing the Boston Celtics and the game total is 215.5. If you bet the under, the teams would need to combine for 215 points or less in order for you to win your over/under bet. If you bet the over, the two teams would need to score 216 points or more for you to cash.

5. What does -110 mean?

Oddsmakers put a "tax" on every bet, which is typically called the "juice" or "vig". The juice is the commission you have to pay to the sportsbook for them to accept your wager.

Typically, standard juice is considered -110 — which commonly referred to as "ten cent juice."

This three-digit number is listed to the right of the odds on every team. You might see the Redskins as a 3-point favorite, which appears as Redskins -3 (-110). So you would need to risk $110 in order to win $100 if you wanted to bet on Washington.

If they don't cover the spread, you lose the $110 you risked. But if they do cover, you win $100, plus you get the $110 you risked back.

Juice is also built into moneylines, over/unders and futures odds.

Click here to return to the top.

COMMON SPORTS BETTING MISTAKES TO AVOID

Sports betting isn’t easy. If it were, Vegas would go bankrupt and Average Joe bettors would all quit their day jobs and live lavishly as millionaires. Seasoned wiseguys know that there will always be ups and downs.

The key is staying the course, remaining disciplined and steadily building your bankroll over the course of the long haul.

If you’re new to betting, here are nine common mistakes to avoid.

Click here to return to the top.

IMPORTANCE OF BANKROLL MANAGEMENT

When it comes to being a successful long-term sports bettor, bankroll management can be just as important as picking winners.

Being reckless with your bankroll is the quickest way to go bankrupt. If new bettors love a game, they’ll bet more on it. If not, they’ll bet less. In turn, when they’re winning big they’ll double down because they’re overconfident. When they’re cold, they’ll start chasing with the hopes of winning it all back in one fell swoop.

That strategy is dangerous and unsustainable. Instead, sports bettors should embrace a Flat Betting approach. It will keep you in the game long-term.

Click here to return to the top.

HOW DO I PLACE A BET IN PERSON IN DELAWARE?

Alright. We've learned the betting fundamentals, which mistakes to avoid and outlined our bankroll management strategy. Now it's time to place a bet at Delaware Park, Dover Downs or Harrington Raceway and Casino.

For the uninitiated, walking into a sportsbook or casino for the first time can be overwhelming and intimidating. The lights are bright and it’s busy and loud, with hundreds of bettors watching countless games on wall-to-wall big screen televisions.

There is also a massive LED scoreboard displaying teams and odds across all different sports. A huge line of bettors are waiting to place their bets at the cashier, which is popularly referred to as the “ticket window” or just the “window.” The last thing you want to do is be the idiot who is holding everyone up with no idea what to do.

1. Find a seat

This seems trivial and obvious, but it’s important. Depending on the day and what sports are in season, it might be packed and hard to find a seat. Finding a good seat will allow you a spot to post up and watch your bets. But more importantly, it gives you your own “office” or “work station” where you can write down notes, break down games and make your picks.

2. Grab betting sheets

This is often overlooked, but it’s critically important. Once you find your seat, head up front to the ticket window and grab as many betting sheets as you can. Betting sheets are pieces of paper that every sportsbook hands out for free detailing all the games and lines offered. If you can’t find them, ask one of the employees at the ticket window. Sheets are printed out in the morning and the lines will move throughout the day. By comparing the opening numbers on the sheet to the current lines on the LED scoreboard you can gain insight into how the lines have moved. Circle the games you are interested in and jot down notes in the margins.

3. Know the game details of your bet

Once you’ve selected a bet, you need to know a few housekeeping details before walking up to the window and actually betting it. First, look for the ID number of the game. This will be a 3-digit number to the left of the game. Also make sure you know the bet type you are selecting: spread, moneyline, over/under (total), win total, future, etc. Don’t forget to have your cash ready (most sportsbooks only accept cash) along with the specific amount you’re going to bet. Make it easy on yourself and just bring the betting sheet with you to the ticket window, along with the game circled that you’re betting.

4. Be friendly and courteous to the ticket writer

Find the shortest line and then wait for your turn up at bat. Once it’s go time, smile and say hello to the cashier. Tell them what you’re betting on: give them the game ID, bet type, amount you’re betting and then hand them the cash. For example, if you want to bet $50 on the Baltimore Ravens as a 6.5-point favorite, tell the cashier: “50 dollars on 137 spread” (or whatever the correct game ID is for the Ravens).

5. Hold on to your ticket

Once you tell the cashier your bet and give him or her your money, they will print out a ticket, also known as betting slip or receipt. Before you leave the ticket counter, immediately double check the ticket to ensure it’s the correct game number, bet type, amount and team. If it’s incorrect, give it back to the cashier so they can fix it. Once you walk away, you lose all power. You cannot come back later and ask to change the ticket after the fact. All sales are final. If it’s correct, you can walk away from the window and go back to your seat to watch the game. Make sure you hang on to the ticket.

6. Cash your winning bet

Hopefully you’ve won your bet and need to cash your ticket. To do so, go back to the same place where you placed your bet and get in line. Hand the cashier your betting slip. They will scan the ticket and hand you your winnings in cash. If you aren’t sure if your bet won or lost, there’s no harm in handing them your ticket to scan. If you have to leave town early, don’t worry. You can always flip the ticket over and mail it in to the address on the back and they will send you your winnings.

7. Tip your ticket writer

If you won your bet, it’s a good idea to tip your ticket writer, just as you would tip the poker dealer if you won a big hand or the delivery driver who handed you your pizza. Not only is it the right thing to do, but you’ll feel good about yourself, impress your friends or significant other and it will set you up with some good karma down the road.

Once you’ve placed a few wagers in person, you’ll be an expert in no time.

Remember, smartphones are allowed at the sportsbook. So be sure to bring The Action Network app along with you so you can dive deep into the lines, read our analysis and track all of your bets.
Click here to return to the top.

HELPFUL LINKS

• How to Bet on Sports for Beginners: 10 Tips to Know
• How Do Betting Lines Work?
• What is the Difference Between Square and Sharp Bettors?
• What is a Parlay Bet? And Why Do Sportsbooks Want You To Make Them?
• The Important of Closing Line Value in Sports Betting
• How to Bet on Sports and Win with Action Network Data
• Sharp Betting 101: How to Track Professional Action