How to Start Sports Betting in North Carolina: A Step-By-Step Guide for Beginners

North Carolina sports betting launches in just a few hours. If you're new to sports betting, you probably have plenty of questions about how to get in on betting today. Well, we're here to help. Here's your step-by-step guide to finding a sportsbook, creating an account and placing your first bet in North Carolina.

Step 1: Choosing a Sportsbook

Multiple major sportsbooks apps are launching in North Carolina — each offering their own new user bonus offers upon signing up. The legal betting age in North Carolina is 21 years old, but most sportsbooks require bettors to be 21+ regardless of location.

bet365 is offering new users the option to get $200 in bonus bets if they bet $5 or a $1000 first bet safety net. BetMGM has a North Carolina pre-registration offer of $200 in bonus bets that will be available when it goes live.

FanDuel is offering up to $300 in bonus bets for people who pre-register at the sportsbook while ESPN BET has a promo that gives you up to $225 in bonus bets when you pre-register.

We advise you sign up for at least a couple of sportsbooks so you can shop for the best lines. For this sign up example, we'll talk through the bet365 sign-up process.

Step 2: Signing Up for a Sportsbook 

Once you've downloaded the bet365 app, you can create an account by following these steps:

1. You must be inside North Carolina (the app's geolocation will know your location).
2. Click "Sign Up" button fill out personal information, including name, address, and the last four digits of your SSN.
3. Accept the Terms & Conditions

Note: You must have a valid deposit method. Credit cards, bank account transfers, and PayPal are the most popular, but some credit cards might flag gambling and not allow you to deposit.

Step 3: Depositing Funds Into Your Account

Once you're ready to add funds into your account, here's a step-by-step of what to do:

1. Log in to your account
2. Tap the "Deposit" button in the top right-hand corner of the screen
3. Verify your identity
4. Pick your preferred payment method
5. Choose the total funds you'd like to deposit (minimum $10, or $30 for PayPal) and set your deposit limit
6. Click the green "Deposit" button

When it comes to your preferred deposit method, there are an array of choices you can use and they all process instantly and for free. Note that withdrawal times vary depending on the method:

• Online Bank Transfer: takes 1-5 business days
• Debit/Credit Cards: typically within 24 hours
• PayPal: typically within 24 hours

Step 4: Placing Your First Bet

Once you've signed up and deposited money into your account, you can place a bet on any listed sport or market offered by the sportsbook. You can use bet365 NC promo code ACTION to Deposit $10 and get $100 in bonus bets + a $1,000 first bet safety net upon launch. Your account will be credited with bonus bets once bet365 goes live Monday. Since bet365's national offer is the dual option between $1k or $200, NC users can also use promo code ACTION for the Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets promo if they choose to do so over the $1k.

So how does each offer work? If you chose the safety net offer, you just need to make a deposit of at least $10 when you sign up, place your first cash bet up to $1000, and if your bet loses, you'll get a refund in bonus bets.

If you chose the $200 in bonus bets, you'll go through the same process of making a deposit of at least $10 and you must place a wager of at least $5 from your account. Once the bet settles, the bonus bets will be added to your account and you can use on them on any event as long as you select "use bonus bets" on your bet slip.