Connecticut Sports Betting Bonuses

Connecticut launched three online sportsbooks – FanDuel, DraftKings, and SugarHouse. The soft launch occurred on Oct. 12, 2021. The Department of Consumer Protection announced it expects a full statewide launch to occur on Oct. 19.

Sports betting in Connecticut now includes access to three welcome bonuses, countless ongoing promotions, and highly competitive odds. There’s no CT law against joining more than one platform, so you can always get in on the best deals and shop around for the best odds. Just be sure to practice Responsible Gaming.

Retail sports betting was underway nearly two weeks before the launch of online sportsbooks. DraftKings launched sports betting at its retail sportsbook inside Foxwoods Resort Casino the month prior, followed by FanDuel launching its retail sportsbook inside Mohegan Sun Casino on the same day.

Best Connecticut Sports Betting Bonus September 2023

Connecticut Sports Betting at a Glance

Connecticut’s Online Sportsbook Bonuses

All sports betting bonuses are tied to terms and conditions. Please bet responsibly.

SugarHouse Connecticut

• Best for 2nd Chance Bet offer
• Available as an Apple iOS app, Android app, and via desktop
• Strong live bet and “buy out” options

The Connecticut Lottery partnered with Rush Street Interactive to launch the SugarHouse Sportsbook. SugarHouse is known as BetRivers in some states, but the quality is the same no matter how it’s branded. And the SugarHouse Sportsbook Connecticut promo code is the best welcome bonus in the US.

New members can get a second chance bet up to $500 with code FREEBONUS. Best of all, the playthrough is only 1x, so you just have to bet the deposit and bonus amount once (-200 minimum odds) to withdraw associated winnings. Most sports betting promo codes have 5x playthrough for deposit bonuses.

FanDuel Connecticut

• Best for a $200 no sweat first bet
• Available as an Apple iOS app, Android app, and via desktop
• Extensive coverage and market variety

FanDuel offers a $200 no sweat first bet for new bettors. However, that no sweat bet isn’t quite stress free. First, bettors must place a wager with their own money. If they lose, FanDuel will credit bettors’ accounts with bonus bets equal to the amount lost, up to $200. Those site credits then must be wagered an additional one time before you can cash out, and the minimum odds are -200.

Still, that’s a worthwhile offer. It’s better than placing your first bet and losing it altogether. It should just be called a “second-chance offer” to be the most accurate.

Plus, most online sportsbooks in the US offer a first bet bonus. Almost none refund the amount in multiple bets but instead provide a single bonus bet of equal value. So, in terms of a bonus bet offer, the FanDuel deal is among the best.

DraftKings Connecticut

• Best for a $50 bonus bet and for sports bettors willing to invest the time in a 20% deposit match up to $1,000 with 5x playthrough
• Available as an Apple iOS app, Android app, and via desktop
• Huge bonuses and payouts

New players at DraftKings get two offers.  First, they get a bonus bet with just a $5 deposit. This is one of the better deals in the industry. New players also can receive a 20% deposit match up to $1,000. Bettors receive $1 in bonus money for every $25 wagered, which is essentially a 5x playthrough. This deal is geared toward those planning to bet at DraftKings Sportsbook for the long-term. The deals at SugarHouse and FanDuel are more immediate, and better for those who want their bonus money right away.

Terms and conditions apply.

Connecticut Sportsbook Bonuses

As bettors have noticed, there are a few different types of bonuses. Here’s what bettors need to know about each of them. 

Deposit Bonuses

A deposit bonus is where the sportsbook matches however much you fund your account by a certain percentage up to a maximum amount. To qualify for this bonus, be sure to meet the minimum deposit amount, and read all terms and conditions so you know the playthrough requirements. For example, the SugarHouse deposit bonus has a 1x wagering requirement on bets with odds -200 or longer. Additional T&Cs apply.

Bonus Bets

Bonus bets (called a no sweat bet at FanDuel) reward bettors for making large wagers upfront. If bettors lose their first wagers, they get site credits in their account equal to the amount they lost up to the advertised amount. But if bettors win, they get no bonus. Winnings are cash that can be withdrawn while site credits must be used for betting. Winning a big bet upfront is a better bonus than anything sportsbooks offer. So, not getting your betting credits is actually better than receiving them.

Loyalty Programs

All online sportsbooks in Connecticut offer loyalty programs. As you wager, you’ll earn rewards points that unlock new sportsbook features or contribute to casino loyalty programs. Here’s each one:

• SugarHouse Connecticut: iRush Rewards program invites bettors to climb the loyalty tiers to receive better bonuses and faster cashout.
• FanDuel Connecticut: The Players Club has bettors earning rewards points that can be exchanged for bonus bets and other promos. It has a tiered system like iRush Rewards as well.
• DraftKings Connecticut: Bettors can earn Crowns, which can be exchanged for DK Dollars (betting credits) and other benefits, including exclusive NFTs.

Connecticut Sports Teams

The only professional team in the state is the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, but that doesn’t mean the Sun are the only team followed by Connecticut residents.

In fact, it’s easy for Connecticut residents to keep up with pro teams located in Boston to the north and New York to the west. Both cities feature some high-profile teams such as the New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and New York Mets.

Professional Sports

Professional sports form the core of any licensed sportsbook. These consist of mainstream sports like the Big Four: football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. They also include sports like soccer, which has widespread international appeal. You can expect the best odds boosters and other promotions for major league sporting events at US sportsbooks.

College Sports

College sports come in second to professional sports. They’re available in most states, but Connecticut bettors will not be able to bet on college teams based in the state unless they are in bracket events such as March Madness.

International Sports

Sportsbooks offer international leagues on many popular sports, especially soccer. However, large sportsbooks will also offer lines on popular international sports like Australian rules football. Sports that are more popular abroad, like cricket, rugby, and darts, also get a lot of real estate in popular sportsbooks. These additional lines give bettors something to bet on whenever they open their sportsbooks. Offering international sports are great ways to ensure sportsbooks always have live betting available for bettors. 

eSports

Most major sportsbook brands offer Esport lines when Esport leagues are in season. However, some states place restrictions on esports. Connecticut still has to decide whether Esports are worth restricting or whether sportsbooks can offer any Esport lines they’d like. Mainstream leagues that focus on games like CS:GO will likely be fair game for sportsbooks.

How To Register For Connecticut Sportsbook Accounts

Connecticut sportsbooks are to join. Sportsbooks want to attract new bettors, and a simple signup process is one of the keys to that goal. 

First, bettors will have to hit the register button and fill out three sections of information. That will cover bettors’ personal information, social security number, and account security measures. After that, bettors can make their first deposits. While deposit options vary across sportsbooks, bettors will find a few common deposit options almost everywhere: 

• Credit/Debit Card
• Bank Transfer
• Online Wallet
• E-Wallets
• Cash at partnering casino cage (Mohegan Sun for FanDuel, Foxwoods for DraftKings)

There are often several brands or services that will cover the same deposit methods. For example, PayPal and Skrill are two of the most common e-wallets that can be used to make sportsbook deposits. However bettors want to deposit funds, there’s probably a deposit option available. 

After that, bettors can make their first wagers. All bettors have to do is click on the odds they want to bet on, select their wager size, and confirm their bets. If bettors win, they’ll be able to withdraw their winnings from their accounts’ cashier sections. Withdrawal options are limited, but bank transfers and online wallets remain reliable options.

Connecticut Retail Sportsbooks

Connecticut residents will have up to 17 choices for placing sports bets in person at a retail casino.

The Mohegan Sun Casino and Foxwoods Resort Casino will each have one retail sportsbook. The Connecticut Lottery Corporation will be allowed to open up to 15 retail locations across the state.

Ten of those locations are in Stamford, Windsor Locks, New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury, Torrington, New Britain, Milford, Norwalk, and Manchester.

None of the Lottery’s locations will be allowed within 25 miles of either tribal casino. The Lottery’s goal is to have the retail locations spread out to the point that most Connecticut residents will not have to drive more than 30 minutes to place a bet in person.

There is nothing like the thrill of cheering for the team you bet on with and against other bettors in the same sportsbook. But it should be noted that the bonus offers given for online sportsbooks generally do not qualify for in-person bets.

Why Choose Legal Sportsbooks Over Illegal Sportsbooks

Legal sportsbooks are safer than illegal sportsbooks. Legal sportsbooks are subject to oversight that, done properly, ensures sportsbooks pay due winnings. Illegal sportsbooks have no such oversight and have little incentive to reliably pay bettors. It’s easier to lure unsuspecting bettors in with incredible odds and then refuse to pay winnings because of an illegitimate technicality. It makes bettors think they did something wrong and decreases the winnings that illegal sportsbooks pay. 

If bettors get caught in a bind like this, there’s little they can do about it. Since they were gambling illegally, they often have no legal recourse against the illegal sportsbook that scammed them. Meanwhile, the illegal sportsbook continues operating with impunity until someone manages to shut it down. 

Shutting down an illegal sportsbook can be tricky. Law enforcement may be able to pick up one or two bookies, but if the FBI shut down an illegal sports betting server in Connecticut, that illegal sportsbook could set itself back up in another state or another country. The disparate pieces of an illegal sportsbook make it challenging to eliminate. 

That’s what makes competitive legal sportsbooks such a compelling solution to illegal sports betting. They’re safe, they’re fair, and they have guardrails that illegal sportsbooks not only lack, but ignore.

Connecticut Sportsbook Bonuses FAQs