Sports betting in Maine has been signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills. This comes after the issue was shelved for the 2021 legislative session, so it’s a long-anticipated victory for would-be sports bettors in the state.
Now, the state will need some time to set up all of its regulations. However, once that is done, the four state-recognized Native American tribes in Maine will each partner with an online sportsbook.
The upshot is that Maine will have four sports betting apps, likely sometime in 2023.
Maine Sports Betting Bonus Codes – Here’s What To Expect
Bonus offers aren’t available in Maine yet. But when things finally do go live, sportsbooks will offer welcome bonuses with terms and conditions that are easy to miss. That’s why understanding sportsbook promos and codes is so important even before sports betting goes live in Maine.
Though we don’t know for sure which apps will launch once the state decides upon the regulation process, here are some of the ones we would expect. They are some of the biggest names in the industry and they offer the best welcome bonuses.
- DraftKings Sportsbook Maine: Best overall sports betting experience
- BetMGM Maine: Best for new bettors
- Caesars Sportsbook Maine: Best for a $1,500 bonus offer
- BetRivers Maine: Best for Deposit Bonus offer
- FanDuel Maine: Best for iOS and Android App
- Unibet Maine: Best for $500 bonus bet
- PointsBet Maine: Best for two bonus bets up to $2,000
If you are still unsure what the sports betting landscape will look like in Maine then take a look at other nearby states that allow sports gambling;
- NJ Sportsbook Promos
- NY Sportsbook Promos
- Massachusettes Sports Betting Promos
Maine Online Sportsbook Bonuses December 2023
While sports betting in Maine isn’t legal yet, we expect some of the best sportsbooks in the US to become available in the state once it’s live. Here are some of the best.
DraftKings Maine
- DraftKings – Best overall sports betting experience
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Missions that allow bettors to unlock more bonuses
Claim $50 bonus bet (w/ $5 deposit) + 20% deposit match up to $1,000 with our exclusive DraftKings link
DraftKings is in more markets than any other sportsbook in the United States. It also has one of the better welcome offers. New users get a $50 bonus bet with a deposit of at least $5. They also get a 20% deposit match of up to $1,000.
The 20% deposit match has important terms though. Bettors get $1 for every $5 they deposit. However, bettors must also play through that money to get the site credits. Bettors must wager $25 to get $1 in site credits. So, bettors should wager at the rate they expect to play at normally to maximize this bonus’ value. DraftKings tends to have competitive odds on favorites. So, bettors should keep this sportsbook handy while they’re odds-hunting.
BetMGM Maine
- BetMGM – Best for Mlife Rewards redemption
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Easy parlay builder
Claim bonus bet of $1,000 with BetMGM Maine bonus code PLAYSPORTS
BetMGM is one of the three major sportsbook brands in the United States. Betting on the app allows bettors to accumulate Mlife points, which are part of MGM Grand’s rewards system. It offers an easy parlay builder tool for bettors who want to increase their risks for higher rewards. Its bonus offer is straightforward, too. It offers a $1,000 bonus bet on a bettor’s first wager. If bettors lose, they get their stakes back in site credits up to $1,000. But if bettors win, they get their winnings, which they should be thrilled about, anyway.
Caesars Sportsbook Maine
- Caesars Sportsbook – Best for $1,000 bonus bet
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Sleek interface that’s one of the easiest to use on the market
Claim $1,000 bonus bet with Caesars promo code SBBONUS1000
Caesars Sportsbook underwent a major rebrand after taking over William Hill. Caesars Sportsbook is offering a $1,500 bonus bet to continue to build its customer base after the rebrand. However, this is a temporary promotion that may not be available by the time Maine could legalize sports betting. (Even Ontario will legalize it first!) Caesars Sportsbook is one of the cleanest sportsbook apps, so new bettors will have an especially easy time browsing through it.
BetRivers Maine
- BetRivers – Best for sportsbook rewards program
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Rewards program can unlock expedited withdrawals
Claim 100% match up to $250 using BetRivers bonus code BONUSPLAY
BetRivers is common in major sportsbook markets. It offers a 100% deposit match up to $250. Its playthrough requirement is also only 1x, so bettors will get $1 in site credit for every dollar they wager. That makes this one of the easiest deposit bonuses to fully redeem. BetRivers also has a rewards program that unlocks new features that bettors could take advantage of. Finally, bettors will find odds that are almost point for point the same as DraftKings. Those are good odds along with a rewards program that high-rollers, in particular, can get a lot out of.
FanDuel Maine
- FanDuel – Best for competitive underdog odds
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Major opt-in promotions available throughout year
Claim $1,000 no sweat first bet from our exclusive FanDuel Maine link
FanDuel is one of the United States’ major sportsbook brands. When it’s in the same market as DraftKings, it can capture more market share than DraftKings. FanDuel also has a $1,000 no sweat first bet for bettors to redeem. It only counts for bettors’ first wagers, so bettors should consider a large bet upfront to maximize this bonus. FanDuel also tends to have competitive underdog odds. It also has many ongoing promotions where bettors can win additional incentives.
PointsBet Maine
- PointsBet – Best for risk-seeking bettors and two bonus bets totaling $2,000
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Pointsbetting feature that allows bettors to make precise bets for high rewards
Claim 2 bonus bets up to $2,000 using PointsBet promo code Click to Claim
PointsBet is one of the most unique sportsbooks on this list. This startup offers a new type of wagering. Pointsbetting allows bettors to make precise predictions on over/unders and point spreads. However, bettors can lose money on these bets if they’re wrong. Rewards and penalizations are both exponential, so bettors should take care with pointsbetting. It’s also why the pointsbetting bonus bet is $1,500 and the fixed-odds bonus bet is $500.
Unibet Maine
- Unibet – Best for $500 bonus bet
- Available for iOS, Android, and web browser
- Key feature: Easy to switch between sportsbook, casino, bingo, and poker
Claim up to $500 bonus bet with Unibet promo code BETBONUS
Unibet is a smaller sportsbook brand, but it’s another common name across the United States. It offers a bonus bet up to $500 (it varies by state), which is in line with the industry standard. Again, it’s all about that first bet, so bettors should plan for a large bet upfront to maximize that bonus bet. It has competitive odds that make it worth checking for bettors who go odds-hunting. So, if it comes to Maine, it’s worth checking out.
Online Sportsbook Bonuses That’ll Be Available In Maine
Deposit Bonus
A deposit bonus (or deposit match bonus) is when an operator matches your first deposit up to a certain amount.
Deposit bonuses tend to hover around $500. However, the largest can reach as high as $1,000. But the biggest thing that can undercut or boost a bonus’s value is the match rate. If it’s low, then bettors can have a harder time redeeming the bonus’ full value. But a higher match rate often comes with a lower bonus total to compensate.
Often, a bettor’s first deposit sets the number of site credits they’re eligible for, and a playthrough requirement actually awards the site credits. For example, DraftKings offers a 20% deposit match up to $1,000. But it also has a 25x playthrough requirement. Bettors must deposit $5 to qualify for $1 in site credits, but wager $25 to actually get the site credits.
Second Chance Bet
Second-chance bonus bets are usually around $500 but can be much higher. Caesars Sportsbook, for instance, offers a $1,000 bonus bet. Second-chance bets usually only apply to a bettor’s first wager. If bettors lose, then they’ll get their stakes refunded up to the advertised amount. But if bettors win, then they get their winnings instead of the bonus. These are bonuses with few strings attached. But the ones that are attached are important to understand because bettors can miss this bonus easily.
No-Deposit Bonus
No-deposit bonuses are small amounts of site credits that sportsbooks award for completing account registration. These are usually awarded alongside larger welcome bonuses, like deposit bonuses or second-chance bets. These bonuses are also paid in site credits, so they can’t be withdrawn and spent like cash can.
Bonus Bet
A bonus bet is much like a no-deposit bonus in that you get site credit for completing a task. However, in this case, you do have to make a deposit, but it is usually a fairly small one.
Bonus bets that are given are usually fairly small. DraftKings’ $50 is about the highest you are going to see.
Also, you can only withdraw winnings from the bonus bet; you don’t get back the original wager. For example, if you made a $50 bet at +200 odds, and it won, you would normally get back $150 ($100 winnings, plus your original bet). However, if you used your bet credit at DraftKings, you would get back only your $100 winnings.
Which Sports Can You Bet On In Maine?
Betting On US Pro Sports In Maine
Professional sports form the core of any sportsbook, regardless of market. Professional sports are the backbone of every sports betting market because they’re the sporting events with the clearest rules and least ambiguous outcomes. If the Broncos beat the Cowboys, then there’s no doubt about who beat who and how it happened. Professional leagues also have data agreements with many sportsbooks that feed sportsbooks the necessary data to settle bets. Professional leagues have the infrastructure in place to accommodate sports betting.
College Sports Betting In Maine
Maine’s current sports betting bill allows college sports betting from Maine sportsbooks. However, there are important restrictions on college sports betting in that bill. Maine sportsbooks will not be able to offer college lines on games when Maine college teams are playing. (It doesn’t matter whether the games are being played inside of Maine or not.) That comes from concerns about college sports integrity and shielding college athletes from potential bribery scandals. However, it could limit Maine’s sports betting industry’s potential, too.
What International Sports Can You Bet On In Maine?
There are many international sports for bettors to choose from in Maine. That includes sports that are more popular overseas but played in the United States, like cricket. However, bettors can also wager on sports like Gaelic hurling that don’t have major audiences in the United States. There are also many international leagues within sports that Americans are familiar with. Soccer is known for the massive list of international leagues listed in sportsbooks. Bettors will find soccer leagues based in countries on most continents. When sports betting comes to Maine, international sports lines will too.
Can You Bet On Esports In Maine?
Yes. So far, there’s no prohibition against esports betting in Maine. Maine’s sports betting bill explicitly allows esports betting. Major esports do just as good a job of creating clear winners and competition with clear rules as professional leagues. Sportsbooks are also cautious enough to avoid taking bets on events that don’t lend themselves to clear betting outcomes. So esports betting is often available in states that legalize sports betting. Some states are still cautious about it, but mostly make the right decision and allow sports betting.
What Else Can You Bet On In Maine?
Even if Maine legalizes sports betting, Maine bettors will have few other betting options. Maine bettors can go to one of the state’s casinos if they want to do any casino gambling. Bettors in Maine could try signing up for another prediction market company. PredictIt is a New Zealand company that allows bettors to wager on the likelihood of real-world events. If bettors wanted to try their hand at betting outside of sports, that’s one company where bettors could do it. But as bettors can tell, there’s only so much they can bet on.
Can I Place Parlay Bets At Maine’s Online Sportsbooks?
Once Maine legalizes sports betting, bettors will be able to place parlay bets at Maine sportsbooks. Parlay bets are large bets that are made of single bets. If every bet in the parlay wins, then the whole parlay wins, and bettors get better odds than they would’ve by betting on each wager individually. However, if just one bet in the parlay bet loses, then the whole parlay bet loses. Parlays offer increased rewards for increased risk. They can be great odds boosters or kill an entire bet slip.
In some countries, parlays are the only types of sports bets available. Until recently, parlay bets were the only legal sports wagers in Canada. It took a decade-long effort to allow single-event sports betting. However, the bill was finally passed in 2021, leading some analysts to think that no bettor would choose to make another parlay bet again. However, parlay bets can play important roles in a bettor’s bet slip. They can string a series of low-risk bets together whose risk can be balanced out with single-event wagers on the slip.
Since Maine bettors are so close to Canada, they may be exposed to grumblings about parlay bets. However, they’re just wagers that come with trade-offs like any other sportsbook wager. Futures bets have high odds for bettors who can predict season championships correctly. Moneylines on favorites have lower odds, because the risk is low and many bettors will likely choose the favorite to win the game. Likewise, parlays are a higher-risk type of wager that will be right for some bettors and bet slips and wrong for others.
What Will I Need To Create An Online Sportsbook Account In Maine?
Despite the different names and welcome bonuses, sportsbook registration processes are almost identical. For example, here’s how bettors can create an account for FanDuel:
- Download FanDuel and find the registration button in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Enter the information provided on the next three pages. The required information includes personal details, the last four digits of a bettor’s social security number, and account security questions. The social security number portion helps sportsbooks differentiate between prohibited bettors and legitimate bettors.
- Complete registration and make a first deposit. The deposit section will be where the registration section was before bettors logged in.
- Start betting.
Legal Online Sportsbooks Versus Illegal Online Sportsbooks In Maine
We harp on bettors to use legal sportsbooks instead of illegal sportsbooks because legal sportsbooks are so much safer. Illegal sportsbooks answer to no governing body or oversight organization. So, they can steal from bettors without being shut down. Illegal sportsbooks can put different parts of their organizations in different countries, making them practically impossible to close. So, illegal sportsbooks have everything they need to con bettors then wipe out a bettor’s bank account. In contrast, legal sportsbooks are transparent, accountable to government agencies, and able to be shut down if needed. Legal sportsbooks are clearly better choices.
Maine Online Sportsbook Bonuses FAQs
Yes. Gov. Mills has signed a sports betting bill into law. However, the apps are not live yet. Now that the bill is signed, the state will need some time to decide upon all of the logistics and set a launch date.
21. Maine allows 18-year-olds to do things like bingo and the lottery. But casino-style gamblers must be at least 21. Sportsbooks aren’t casino games, but they get set on the same tier as casino games. It also allows casinos to offer retail sports betting without any interference with their liquor licenses. Other states also follow similar gambling age regulations for the same reasons.
Yes. Welcome bonuses are standard offerings for sportsbooks. It’s how they quickly acquire new customers in new markets. The specific welcome bonuses may change before they have a chance to arrive in Maine. But sportsbooks will offer sports betting bonuses.
Yes. Bettors can claim every sportsbook’s welcome bonus if they want to. However, bettors cannot claim the same welcome bonus multiple times at the same sportsbook. Welcome bonuses are meant to be used once. Creating a new account to get around that rule is bonus abuse, and sportsbooks know how to catch it. Don’t do it.
Yes. Mobile sportsbooks are built to allow bettors to sign up for accounts remotely. Typing in three pages of information isn’t hard for anyone who can use a smartphone. Once online sports betting is legalized, online registration is the least of an online sportsbook’s problems.
Maine sportsbooks will offer bonuses that will allow bettors to win site credits. Bettors won’t get any site credits for free. They’ll have to wager their own money before they can get a chance at any site credits.