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Coronavirus Sports Betting Guide

COVID-19COVID-19, the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic, continues to spread worldwide, and most professional and college sports have been suspended or canceled to help limit the global outbreak of the viral disease.

As a result, legal sports betting—both in the United States and internationally—is sure to take a massive hit due to there being far fewer sports and events to wager on at sportsbooks and betting sites.

We’ve compiled a list of everything you can bet on legally—sports, politics, entertainment, events, and more—during the coronavirus pandemic as well as what’s not currently available for action.

Is it legal to place a bet during the Coronavirus?

Yes. Whether it’s during the coronavirus pandemic or normal times, there are two ways to bet on sports and other events legally:

  1. States ‒ Several states have legalized sports betting following the repeal of PASPA in 2018. To if sportsbooks accept wagers where you live, check out our State By State Legal Sports Betting Guide.
  2. Offshore ‒ Because U.S. law cannot be enforced on other countries and jurisdictions, there is no law, at both the state or federal level, that can prohibit you from placing a bet at offshore betting sites.

Below you’ll find our vetted list of the best online sportsbooks available during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The betting sites we recommend are among the world’s most trusted options for age 18+ bettors will continue to be the preferred way to wager for years to come.

Best Betting Sites During Coronavirus Pandemic

 Site NameCurrent BonusAgeU.S.Visit Site
Top Rated #1 IconBovada Sportsbook50% Max $1,00018+USA Players Legally AcceptedVisit Site Review
2BetUS125% Max $3,12518+USA Players Legally AcceptedVisit Site Review
3Betonline Sportsbook50% Max $1,00018+USA Players Legally AcceptedVisit Site Review
4sports betting logo50% Max $1,00018+USA Players Legally AcceptedVisit Site Review
5MyBookie Sportsbook50% Max $1,00021+USA Players Legally AcceptedVisit Site Review
6xbet logo50% Max $50021+USA Players Legally AcceptedVisit Site Review

How has COVID-19 affected sports betting?

Numerous sports leagues—both in the United States and internationally—have temporarily suspended or outright canceled games, seasons, playoffs, tournaments, championships, and other events to limit the spread of the COVID-19 viral disease.

On Wednesday, March 11, the NBA announced the league would be suspending the season indefinitely after Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. Since then, the vast majority of professional and collegiate sports leagues have followed as more athletes, both stateside and worldwide, continue to test positive.

Without sports being played, an outcome can’t receive odds and wagers can’t be placed. Sportsbooks look forward to March Madness betting since it’s second only to the Super Bowl in regards to handle amount and annual revenue projections will take a major hit due to the cancelation from the NCAA.

The best bet for bookmakers is to try and get creative until coronavirus pandemic is under control because sporting events with large gatherings won’t be held across the entire world for the foreseeable future.

Everything You Can Still Bet On

Here you’ll find all the different ways to place a bet online during the coronavirus outbreak. In addition to the sporting events that are still planning to take place, we’ve also included various ways to gamble legally at the online sportsbooks.

Also: It’s worth noting that even though major sports leagues have suspended or canceled play, betting sites still have various futures available. Although, we recommend waiting to see how the coronavirus situation plays out since it may have a great effect on a team or player’s title chances when play resumes.

NFL ‒ Although football is not currently in season, the 2020 NFL Draft in Las Vegas, Nevada is still scheduled to take place Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25. Odds for Super Bowl 55 and AFC and NFC championship futures are available.

Boxing ‒ Top Rank has recently postponed upcoming events, but there are still futures available for big-time bouts, such as Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder III. New matches are also being currently held in stadiums and conference centers with no fans in attendance.

Chess ‒ The 2020 Chess World Championship is still scheduled to take place and has odds available.

Entertainment ‒ Events such as the Scripps National Spelling Bee, American Idol, Hot Dog Eating contest, Razzie Awards, and more currently have odds.

Cricket ‒ Several pro cricket leagues around the world have delayed the start to their seasons, including the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, there are futures to bet on at this time.

Olympics ‒ The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan have not been postponed. The relay is already underway after the torch was lit in ancient Olympia on March 12.

Rugby ‒ Australia’s National Rugby League and some others have not suspended play but several rugby leagues around the world have postponed their seasons.

UFC ‒ Dana White has said UFC Fight Night Brazil, Bellator 241 and future mixed-martial arts events will be held, but without fans.

eSports ‒ Several esports competitions, such as League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Call of Duty, are still being held with teams playing online or in empty venues. However, this varies from game to game and some, like Overwatch and DOTA 2, have postponed esports tournaments until further notice.

WWE ‒ The WWE did not shutter during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's financial losses are likely why Vince McMahon chose to abandon the XFL outright.

Politics ‒ As long as there are politicians, there will be odds available. However, there is a possibility voting for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary may be moved back but several pundits have dismissed the idea.

Virtual Sports ‒ Several sportsbooks are displaying virtual sports, which is a video simulation of a game or sport, as a betting alternative.

Snooker ‒ The Gibraltar Open is taking place despite some players withdrawing due to the coronavirus.

Horse Racing ‒ Various horse races are still on but major events, like the Kentucky Derby and other Triple Crown races have all been postponed.

Restarted Sports Leagues 2020

Each of the following sports leagues have finally resumed or started their 2020 seasons. In every case, games and races are being contested in venues where there are no fans in attendance. It is unknown how long these no-fan policies will remain in effect, but they are likely to last most of the rest of the year.

KBO League – The Korean Baseball Organization returned to the diamond for its Opening Day on May 5, 2020.

Bundelsiga Soccer – Germany's Bundesliga restart got underway on May 16, 2020.

NASCAR ‒ NASCAR is back on the track, having restarted racing on May 17, 2020, at Darlington Raceway.

Golf ‒ PGA Golf is back in the swing of things, as pro golf returned on June 11, 2020, with the Charles Schwab Challenge.

La Liga Soccer – The Spanish La Liga restarted on June 11, 2020.

Premier League Soccer –  The Premier League restarted on June 17, 2020.

NPB – Nippon Professional Baseball had its Opening Day on June 19, 2020, and will play a 120-game season.

NBA ‒ The 2019-20 NBA regular season and playoffs will begin anew on July 31, 2020.  22 teams will play an 8 game mini-season that will determine playoff seeding, with the playoffs expected to begin on August 17. All games will be played at Walt Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports facilities in Orlando, Florida.

MLB ‒ The 2020 MLB season has been scheduled to start on July 23 with the postseason beginning on September 29. All games will be played against regional teams as to alleviate the need for excessive travel. The exact schedule of games is still being determined and will be revealed soon.

Canceled/Suspended Sports List

The following is the current status of major sports leagues from the United States and around the world. We will update this list as more information becomes available.

College Basketball ‒ The NCAA has canceled March Madness 2020 for both the men's and women's basketball tournaments. The 2020-2021 season should go ahead as scheduled.

NHL ‒ The 2019-20 NHL regular season has been suspended and the pro ice hockey league hopes to reschedule all 189 remaining games that were on the calendar. The NHL restart is scheduled for later this year. The league will forego the remainder of the season calendar and instead host a 24-team tournament to determine Stanley Cup Playoffs seeding.

MLS ‒ The MLS restart is scheduled for July 2020.

XFL ‒ The XFL's first season was canceled at the halfway point, and the league is now in bankruptcy. However, there is talk that a new buyer will revive the league for next season or in 2022.

Tennis ‒ Both the ATP and the International Tennis Federation have suspended all pro tennis tournaments until August 14, when the ATP returns with the Citi Open in Washington, DC.

College Football ‒ Conferences and colleges have begun postponing all football-related activities, including pro days for players who are eligible for the NFL Draft. The 2020-2021 season is scheduled to start on time.

Darts ‒ The Premier League Darts has been rescheduled for September.

Formula One ‒ The Formula 1 restart is scheduled for July 5, 2020, in Spielberg, Austria.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Resources

For the latest updates about COVID-19 and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, please use the following resources and guidelines provided by health officials and medical experts to avoid potentially spreading misinformation on social media, news sites, blogs, and other websites.

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