Arizona Sports Betting

Arizona sports betting is live! With more operators launching in the state there’s no better time to take advantage of the welcome offers.

There were some recent bills to legalize Arizona sports betting, and those pieces of legislation were supported by professional sports teams. Professional sports franchises and online betting operators were critical in the legalization process of sports wagering in this state. Without these groups, sports betting would have been nonexistent at this point in time.

State legislators set a goal to launch online sports betting in early September of 2021. That goal was met with some hard work and dedication by more than a few proponents of this legislation. Now that AZ is live with online sports wagering, the state could become a significant part of the US sport betting market.

Updated on 12/21/24

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Arizona Sportsbooks

There are currently 24 casinos in the state of Arizona, and most of these locations will offer retail sportsbooks. The state’s sports betting law allows for mobile and retail sports wagering. The bill will provide up to 20 online books to be available to bettors in Arizona.

The 20 online sportsbooks will be split between the tribal nations that run casinos and the professional sports organizations. Each party will be able to open ten online platforms. The combination of retail and online sportsbooks will give AZ a prominent betting market.

As part of the rollout process, Arizona gaming regulators announced the first 18 applicants selected to receive a sports betting license a few weeks before the eventual launch. Eight of these licenses have been approved for in-state professional sports teams. There are 10 more licenses approved for in-state tribal nations with gaming operations.

The NHL’s Arizona Coyotes were the only pro team without a set partnership in place with a sportsbook operator. That changed in early January of this year with the announcement of a partnership with SaharaBets.

Of the 10 tribes selected, many have already formed an agreement with a sports betting operator.

In another recent development in the state, Hard Rock Sportsbook has partnered with the Navajo Nation to launch a mobile sportsbook app. With a launch date set for this April, this will be the 12th mobile operator to offer a betting app in Arizona. Hard Rock currently operates in New Jersey and Iowa. The mobile app for Arizona will be an expanded version of the one that was briefly available in Florida.

The Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized Native American nation in the US. Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) operates five gaming venues across Arizona and New Mexico.

The recent approval gave each sport betting partnership the right to begin the registration process for player accounts. However, in response to these actions, there were a few lawsuits filed by entities excluded from the application process. This development did not end up being a strong deterrent to Arizona’s successful launch on Sept. 9.

Sportsbook Welcome Offer Types

Second-Chance Bet

A second-chance bet is your most common welcome offer bet type that you will find across different sportsbooks. A second-chance bet ensures that if you lose your first bet, you will receive bonus credit in return as a form of insurance.

This bonus credit comes in the form of a bonus bet. We will go over what a bonus bet is below.

Deposit Match

A deposit match bonus is another common promotion used by sportsbooks. And these are precisely what they sound like. A sportsbook will offer a match of your initial deposit up to a certain amount and match you in bonus bets.

For example, if a sportsbook offers a deposit match bonus of up to $250, you must make an initial deposit of $250 (or more), and you will receive $250 in bonus bets.

Bonus Bet

A bonus bet is the most common giveaway for new and existing customers for all sportsbooks.

Think of a bonus bet as a form of bonus credit on a sportsbook. It is a non-cashable voucher you can use on your wagers without the fear of losing your money.

For example, if you have a $5 bonus bet and you decide to place it on a bet with +100 odds, you have a chance to win $5 in real money. You don’t lose any money if you lose, but you are out of your bonus bet.

Arizona Casinos

Arizona Professional Teams

Arizona Diamondbacks

Major League Baseball put a team in Arizona in 1998. As an expansion team competing in the National League West, the Diamondbacks managed a paltry 65 wins in their inaugural season. They quickly turned things around as they won NL West the following season with a stunning 100 wins. In 2001 the D-Backs became the fastest expansion franchise in MLB to win the World Series. Unfortunately, the next two decades would not be so kind to them. In the 20 years following that momentous occasion, Arizona has just four post-season appearances and three division titles.

The 2021 season was an unmitigated disaster for the D-Back and their fans as Arizona finished dead-last in the division for the second straight year. Despite not having a lot of on-field talent to work with, manager Torey Lovullo looks like a prime candidate to take the fall when the season ends.

Diamondbacks fans can solace in knowing that things can’t get much worse. However, die-hards that continue to support their team shouldn’t expect the type of turnaround the team experienced in 1999. The NL West is a very tough division, and it’s not like management’s been nailing it lately. We might have to wait a few years before the Diamondbacks give fans something to cheer about again.

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have been breaking the hearts of their supporters since they hit the hardwood in 1968. They’ve had some great campaigns, and a few deep playoff runs, but they have yet to claim an NBA title. Oh, they’ve made it to the finals three times, but their opponents clearly outclassed them on all three occasions.

The Suns were somewhat of a powerhouse in 2020-21, winning the Pacific Division with a record of 51-21. After posting losing records for six straight years, this was quite the reversal of fortune. In the playoffs, they beat the Lakers in six games, swept the Nuggets, and then sent the Clippers packing. Things were really looking up for Phoenix when they started the finals with two straight wins. Alas, they crumbled and dropped the next four in a row, leaving their fan base devastated.

While drastic roster changes are a driving force behind Phoenix’s recent rise, one must also give credit to coach Monty Williams who has been at the helm for this resurgence. The short-term outlook for this team is positive. The Suns may have blown it again last year, but the upcoming 2021-22 season gives them a legitimate shot at redemption.

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Arizona Cardinals

Here’s a fun fact: The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest continuously operating pro football franchise in the US. They were originally located in Chicago back in 1898. The team adopted the Cardinals moniker in 1901 when the team’s owner, Chris O’Brien so generously bought his players used red jerseys. Well, they were “Cardinal red” according to O’Brien. Hence, the team name.

The Cardinals entered the NFL in 1920. They remained in the Windy City until the team ran into financial troubles, which caused them to relocate to St. Louis in 1960. After wallowing in mediocrity for the better part of 27 years, the franchise was once again forced to move in 1988. This time, they landed in Phoenix. They adopted the Arizona Cardinals name in 1998.

Historically, the Cardinals have been misery incarnate. They have made the post-season just eight times in the Super Bowl era. While they made it an exciting game, they ultimately fell short in their only Super Bowl appearance back in 2009. At least they beat the 7-point spread.

Hopes are high entering the 2021-22 NFL season. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has had time to settle into his role, third-year QB Kyler Murray looks like a stud, and management spent the offseason adding talent in a bid to keep pace in an ultra-competitive NFC West.

Arizona Coyotes

In 1996, the NHL’s Jets left a frigid and mosquito-infested Winnipeg for the more golf-friendly confines of Phoenix. Despite making the post-season nine times, the Yotes have only made it as far as the Western Conference Finals once. In case you forgot, that happened in 2012, and they got slapped by the Kings. Since then, they have made the playoffs just once.

While the Yotes have been competing in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division since the 98-99 season, they will now play in the Central Division as a result of Seattle’s entry into the NHL. Arizona’s new head coach, Andre Touringy, has his work cut out for him. Actually, the entire franchise has its work cut for it as the team is looking for a new arena to play in. While fans hope that the Coyotes stay in Arizona, moving out of the Grand Canyon State is a possibility.

Arizona made a few big moves over the off-season. However, none of them really improve the team. While fans are delusional if they think Arizona is a Stanley Cup contender, this is a team that should at least compete for a playoff spot this season. That would bring some much-needed excitement to Arizona’s hockey community.

Phoenix Mercury

Believe it or not, the Phoenix Mercury have been around for nearly 25 years. Members of the Western Conference, Phoenix is one of the WNBA’s original teams. They are a perennial playoff team that has won three WNBA championships and four conference titles. Their last championship title happened in 2014. That was current head coach Sandy Brondello’s first year at the wheel. While the Mercury have not been able to replicate that success, Brondello has taken Phoenix on a few deep playoff runs. However, the Mercury has been mired in mediocrity for the past two seasons.

Like several other Arizona-based professional sports teams, the Phoenix Mercury play in a tough conference. This season, the Aces, Lynx, and Storm are all posting winning percentages above .650. One of the most troubling things about Phoenix has been their record at Footprint Center where they went just 7-9. On the flip side, they currently lead the league with a 12-4 road record

They are relying on the likes of Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith to get them over the hump. A healthy but aging Diana Taurasi is also still a force. With just a handful of games remaining in the regular season, Phoenix is once again playoff-bound.

University of Arizona College Sports

The University of Arizona is home to several excellent sports programs. Perhaps the favorite college team in the state is the University of Arizona Wildcats. It’s not a rich tradition of winning that grabs the attention of football fans—quite the opposite. The Wildcats have only compiled 8 winning seasons since 2000. They had little success with Kevin Sumlin running things, and this season hasn’t started very well under new head coach Jedd Fisch.

The University of Arizona Wildcats baseball team is a different story. Founded in 1904, this PAC-12 squad has won four NCAA Tournament championships, with the latest coming in 2012. They put together a magnificent regular season in 2020-21, compiling a record of 45-18. Ex-MLB second baseman Chip Hale will take the reins heading into the new season after spending the past 14 years coaching in the majors. You may recall he managed the Diamondbacks in 2015 and 2016.

While softball doesn’t draw the type of hype that some other sports do, but the Arizona Wildcats’ softball program deserves a lot of credit for making the sport as popular as it is. Between 1991 and 2007, the women’s team claimed a whopping 8 National Championships. Of course, the program has boasted some pretty big names like Jennie Finc,h who set various NCAA records, including 51 consecutive games.

The University of Arizona has produced some great golfers too. Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, Erica Blasberg, and Jim Furyk all played for the University of Arizona. We should also mention that the Wildcats’ women’s basketball team was the talk of the town as they cruised to the National Championship game in 2021. They lost a 54-53 heartbreaker to a #1 ranked Stanford team.

As far as NCAA team national championships go, the University of Arizona has won 19. On the men’s side, the baseball team won titles in 1976, 1980, 1986, and 2012. They claimed their one national basketball championship in 1997, a golf championship in 1992, and one in swimming in 2008. The aforementioned women’s softball team leads the way with 8 championships, while the women’s golf team has three, including one in 2018. The women’s swimming team won their only national championship in 2008.

For those interested in taking in a game featuring the University of Arizona Wildcats, you might want to get familiar with the following venues.

• McKale Center: Home of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, women’s gymnastics, and women’s volleyball.
• Arizona Stadium: Arizona stadium was constructed in 1928 and is the home of the Wildcats football team. The stadium holds up to 56,000 spectators although close to 60,000 packed the stadium in 1996 to watch their Wildcats take on Arizona State.
• Hi Corbett Field: This 9,500-seat facility is home to the Wildcats baseball team. It has also served as a training facility for the Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Indians.
• Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium: Hosts the University’s softball games.
• Lanelle Robson Tennis Center: Home of the men’s and women’s tennis programs.
• The Tucson Convention Center: Ice hockey rink.

Sportsbook Partnerships

Sports Venue Partnerships

Sports Events in Arizona

Within the Phoenix Metropolitan area resides the Arizona Cactus League, where half the MLB teams flock for spring training before each season.

Spring training is when established players work out the kinks while bubble guys are vying for a roster spot. The Cactus League spans over March and coincides with many US college kids’ spring breaks and some vacation for folks looking to get out of the cold weather.

Phoenix International Raceway

In Avondale, Arizona, you will find the Phoenix Raceway.

The motorsport race track hosts two separate NASCAR weekends, including the final championship race.

The track is just over a mile long and is owned and operated by NASCAR.

Phoenix Open

There’s a reason it’s called “the Greatest Show on Grass.” Also known as the legendary Waste Management Open, the PGA Tour event may be the most exciting golfing event on the calendar.

The event is held in January/February in Scottsdale, Arizona, at TPC Scottsdale. Although the event does not have the prestige of the Masters, the raucous environment makes it the most unique. In 5 days, the Phoenix Open has averaged nearly half a million visitors annually, easily the highest on the Tour.

The Waste Management Open is home to one of the more legendary Par 3’s on the Tour, known as the Coliseum. The hole is notoriously short and easy for PGA standards and is enclosed by a 20,000-seat grandstand full of screaming fans. In 2022, PGA golfer Sam Ryder hit the first ace on the hole since Francesco Molinari did in 2015.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl is an annual bowl game that has been played in Arizona since 1989. 

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl has taken on many different names and sponsors over the years, such as the Copper Bowl, Insight.com Bowl, Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, and the Cheez-It Bowl.

The bowl has floated the state in Tucson and Tempe and is currently played on Chase Field in Phoenix. In 2021, the Minnesota Golden Gophers topped the West Virginia Mountaineers 18-6 in the bowl game. 

Fiesta Bowl

One of the staples of bowl season is the Fiesta Bowl which has been in Arizona since 1971. The game was formerly hosted in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe and has since moved to State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale.

In 2014, the Fiesta Bowl became a member of the College Football Playoff and agreed to host a semifinal game every three years. The last time this occurred was in 2019, when Clemson topped Ohio State 29-23 in a thriller. The Fiesta Bowl is set to host one of the CFP semifinals this upcoming season.

Last year, Oklahoma State topped Notre Dame in a barn-burner 37-35, where quarterback Spencer Sanders and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez received offensive and defensive game MVPs.

Arizona Sports Betting Rules

Sports betting is legal in Arizona and there are a few rules that have already been established. You must be 21 years of age to bet on sports in person at a retail casino or online through your mobile device.

To place an online wager, you will need to be inside Arizona’s state borders. All online sportsbooks will use your mobile device’s GPS software to assure that you are within the state.

You will be able to view and even register with Arizona online sportsbooks outside of the state. However, you will not be able to place a legal real money sports bet unless you are in the state.

Arizona has a professional sports team in every major league. There will be no betting restrictions on professional competitions.

The professional sports franchises will drive most of the sports betting volume, but there are popular college teams as well. You will be able to bet on college sports that take place inside Arizona, and throughout the rest of the nation.

The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals lead the way as the most popular professional sports betting team in the state. The NBA’s Phoenix Suns would be next on the list. The MLB franchise is the Arizona Diamondbacks and the NHL team is the Arizona Coyotes.

The only exception with college sports betting in AZ is that you are not allowed to wager on prop bets. These will not be listed on any legal sportsbooks in the state.

• Learn how to read odds for wagering on sports.
• Use our betting odds calculator to figure out your profits.

Arizona Sports Betting Regulations

There was a pair of sports betting bills introduced in 2021 that both passed in their respective chambers. Each bill had plenty of support and it showed an overwhelming number of positive votes.

HB 2272 and SB 1797 were the two sports betting bills that were passed in the AZ House and Senate. These bills were accompanied by an updated tribal gaming compact. At one point, legal sports betting seemed hopeless because of the disagreements between the tribal nations and the legislature.

However, the bills along with an amended compact were finally established. This gave Governor Ducey the ability to make sports betting a reality. AZ sports betting could turn into a major market in the legal US industry. It will cover retail sports betting at professional sports venues and sporting events. Online wagering will be available through multiple mobile sportsbook apps.

All 24 casinos in the state and the professional sports franchises will be able to open a retail sportsbook. These properties will most likely be used by the tribes as a way to bring visitors to their casinos. Retail books typically take a back seat to online wagering because of convenience but states that offer both options generate the most revenue.

At one point, there were predictions that sports wagering was only going to be available in a retail format. It did not appear that the tribal nations were going to budge in terms of online wagering.

The professional sports franchises in AZ, the Cardinals, Coyotes, Suns, and Diamondbacks, all lobbied for the two bills to pass. These organizations were joined by sports betting platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM to rally support for online betting.

The legislation that Governor Ducey signed into law allowed as many as 20 sports betting platforms in the state. The professional sports teams and tribal nations will each be able to sponsor ten sportsbooks.

Horse tracks and off-track betting facilities will be given the ability to open retail books, but they will not be awarded any online betting licenses.

FanDuel and the Phoenix Suns have formed a partnership. A retail sportsbook will be constructed at Phoenix Suns Arena and FanDuel will be given one of the online licenses. Many of the existing partnerships were put into place as part of the preparation for the launch of legal sports wagering on Sept. 9.

This date just happened to coincide with the start of the new NFL regular season.

Legislators wanted to establish sports betting by football season to take advantage of the lucrative nature of the sport.

Banking Options

As online sports betting proliferates around the country, it’s become easier to deposit money into your accounts and withdraw your winnings.

From using credit and debit cards to e-wallets or even a visit to the casino cage, here are the most common banking methods you can expect when you use an online Arizona sportsbook:

• (ACH) VIP preferred e-Check
• Bank wire transfer
• Cash at the casino cage
• Online banking transfer
• Paper checks
• PayNearMe
• PayPal
• Play+ Prepaid Cards
• Skrill
• Visa/MasterCard credit and debit cards

Tribal Licenses

As discussed above, 16 tribes operate each casino in Arizona but there are 22 tribes that hold a gaming license. The Grand Canyon state has more tribal land than any other state, as 27% of Arizona’s land base adds over 20 million acres. Here are the tribes with licenses to operate casinos and/or have slot machine rights.

Geolocation

New and existing sports bettors will need to familiarize themselves with geolocation software. 

Each sportsbook you play on will use geolocation software to pinpoint your location. As long as you are within the state borders of Arizona, you will be able to navigate a legal sportsbook. Sportsbooks automatically ban users that try to circumvent geolocation software via a VPN.

The only notable detail that users need to know when using geolocation software is to try to navigate your sportsbook app a few miles away from the state border. Whenever you are close to a state border, it can confuse your location services and create some lag. Even if you are bordering a legal state, different states will prevent other markets for its users; therefore, if you stay a few miles away from the state border, you should have no issues.

Arizona Revenue

The state of Arizona is reaching record-setting territory on a monthly basis. The state has cleared $500 million in sports betting handle in three of the first four months of 2022.

Throughout 2022, Arizona has cracked into the top 10 as one of the more prominent sports betting markets in the United States.

Responsible Gaming

Sports betting is fun and can be an excellent supplement to watching the big game.

However, it can quickly become a slippery slope. If you feel you are losing control of your sports betting habits, there are plenty of resources you can tap into.

Deposit and session limits

Sportsbooks will offer ways for you to limit the amount of money you can deposit into your account and limit the amount of time you can be logged into the site on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. 

Self-exclusion list 

Sports bettors that feel they need a break, you will have the chance to put yourself on a self-exclusion list.

If you place yourself on the self-exclusion list, you will be prevented from accessing your sportsbook account and funds for a certain period of time. This can be a great way to cleanse yourself from sports betting.

Helplines 

You should seek a national hotline if you believe you need professional help. Whether you feel you are addicted or you want someone to consult with, professionals are available for you to call, text, or live chat about your situation.

For more information about problem gambling in Arizona and other states, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) treatment/resource finder by state.

• Call the NCPG: 1-800-522-4700 (24-hour confidential national helpline)
• Text the NCPG: 1-800-522-4700 (24-hour confidential national text service)
• Chat with the NCPG:ncpgambling.org/chat (24-hour confidential national chat service)

Neighboring States

New Mexico

New Mexico runs its sports betting operations differently than other states.

Although sports betting is technically not legal, it’s also not illegal, at least at their tribal casinos. There is no retail or online sports betting, but tribal casinos launched in-person sports betting in 2018.

Recently, an online sports betting bill has not been introduced in New Mexico.

Colorado

Colorado was the 19th state to legalize sports betting at the inception of the pandemic in May 2020, and they have not looked back since.

Every form of sports betting is legal – from retail to online sports betting, Colorado has several options for residents and tourists alike.

Utah

No forms of sports gambling are legal in Utah, and it does not appear this will be reversed any time soon.

Utah is one of only two states (Hawaii) that has a ban on all forms of gambling. That means no casinos, poker, daily fantasy, or sports betting in the Beehive state.

Nevada

As sports bettors know, Nevada is the home of sin city and is the mecca for sports gambling.

However, unless you’re from the state, you may not know the state of Nevada is the only state in the US where you must visit an in-person casino to create an online sports betting account. Illinois and Iowa had similar provisions that have since been dropped.

So, for tourists passing by, you will not be able to create an online sports betting account if you happen to drive through the state. Much of the allure of Vegas is being in a casino and wagering at a retail sportsbook. For this reason, it does not appear state officials have any urgency to reverse this clause.

California

California currently does not have sports betting, but this may change very shortly. After seeing the blueprint New York has presented on the east coast, California may want to make a move. In a state with the country’s biggest population of nearly 40 million people, along with its robust tourist scene, California would present the country’s most significant sports betting market.

There have been initiatives put forth to bring sports betting to California potentially. Sports betting operators would be tethered to three tribes in northern California to start – California legislators will vote on this proposal in November.

Arizona Sports Betting Summary

Sports betting is legal and now officially live in Arizona. The exact launch date of Sept 9 became rather firm in recent weeks. Everything then fell into place to take things live.

HB 2272, SB 1797, and an updated tribal compact were all signed by Governor Ducey in April of 2021, legalizing the form of gambling. Native American tribes supported sports betting after compromises were formed with the state in the updated gaming compact.

Arizona sports betting will feature mobile and retail betting. All casinos and professional sports teams will have the ability to open retail betting facilities. There will also be up to 20 mobile wagering providers in AZ.

This all-encompassing system gives Arizona the potential to become one of the largest wagering markets in America after legal sports betting becomes part of the gaming economy.

Arizona FAQ