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Sports betting simplified
Located on the coastal heart of New England, the state of Rhode Island borders Massachusetts and Connecticut, making it a haven for sports gambling in one of the most rabid pro sports supporting areas of the entire country. Sports gambling has been legal in the state of Rhode Island since 2018. Because of its location there is profound optimism that sports wagering will be a natural fit. New England boasts some of the most historic professional sports franchises with among the biggest fan bases that can be found anywhere in the country. Let’s take a look at the sports gambling landscape of Rhode Island and how it works.
How Does Sports Gambling Work in the State of Rhode Islan
Currently Rhode Island offers on site in person sports wagering at two traditional brick and mortar casinos. The Twin River Casino in Lincoln and the Twin River Tiverton Casino both offer sportsbook wagering. The Rhode Island Lottery is tasked with regulation and oversight of sports gambling in the state. Gamblers must be 18 years of age or older to bet on sports in the state of Rhode Island.
Is their Online and or Mobile Sports Betting in the State of Rhode Island?
Online sports betting is legal in the state of Rhode Island but has been limited with a solitary site run by the Rhode Island Lottery and does require an in-person registration requirement. Mobile sports betting was legalized last year but the in-person registration requirement has dampened enthusiasm. Another factor that has stunted growth is that the state-run lottery site is the only one available to gamblers. William Hill IGT is the online partner for both casinos.
Sports Teams of Interest in the State of Rhode Island
Directly sitting on the northern border of Rhode Island is the state of Massachusetts. The city of Boston, Massachusetts is only 45 minutes away from Providence, the largest city in the state of Rhode Island. As one could imagine this makes the Boston professional sports teams highly popular in the state of Rhode Island, where there are no major league sports located within state lines.
Rhode Island does have a direct connection to two of Boston’s major league pro sports teams. The Pawtucket Red Sox are the top minor league baseball affiliate of the Major League Baseball Boston Red Sox. While the Providence Bruins are the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League Boston Bruins. These affiliations are enhanced by generations of fans that have favored the Boston pro sports teams.
The Boston Red Sox have been Rhode Island’s favorite baseball team for over 100 years. The close proximity to Boston makes it easy for Rhode Island baseball fans to consider the Red Sox their home town team. Dating back to the days of Ted Williams has the state embraced the Red Sox as their own.
The same holds true for the Boston Bruins. Rhode Island has long been a hockey hotbed and has supported the Bruins with tremendous enthusiasm since the “Big Bad Bruins” days of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Stars such as Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Gerry Cheevers made fans for life out of Rhode Island residents.
Of course, the National Football League New England Patriots are the team of choice for Rhode Island pro football fans. Born in 1960 as charter members of the American Football League the Patriots were not fully embraced until coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady teamed to form one of the greatest dynasties in the history of sports.
Another major league team with a long record of excellence and profound history are the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Speaking of dynasties, the Celtics of the 1960’s remain legendary to this day and made bonds for life with Rhode Island families because of their star players and championship banners.
Due to the rabid fan bases for those four Boston located teams in the state of Rhode Island, betting lines may be different from what you would see at other sportsbooks.
Meanwhile college sports are not nearly as popular in the state of Rhode Island compared to states in the Midwest, Great Lakes, or Southern regions of the country.
Sports betting simplified