For years, it’s been a lot easier to put down a bet on a New York Liberty game by crossing the state line into New Jersey. With the advent of legal New York online betting, that’s no longer the case.
Six licensed sportsbooks have the green light to start taking bets in the Empire State. That means fans will soon be able to get their bets in on their phones while watching the Liberty play for the win.
New York online betting is finally here
On Thursday, Jan. 6, the NY State Gaming Commission gave a go-live authorization for 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 8, to the following NY licensed operators:
- BetRivers Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
On Monday, Jan. 17, BetMGM Sportsbook got off the bench. PointsBet Sportsbook followed on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 25. That isn’t the entire contingent of options that New Yorkers will someday have, though.
Three other operators like Bally Bet and WynnBet Sportsbook have licenses. So far, there is no information about when they might launch in NY. It could be quite soon, however. The state aimed to have online wagering up and going before Super Bowl LVI.
With the launch of these six apps, the state has beaten that objective. It also means that all nine apps could be live in time for the next New York Liberty season. The Liberty begin the 2022 regular season on Saturday, May 7.
So far, the Liberty do not have a sports betting partner. In the same way, that could change before the season starts. It’s also possible that other wagering options might await Liberty fans when they descend upon the Barclays Center in May.
Betting kiosks in Barclays Center? There’s a chance
A bill to further expand sports betting options in NY is currently alive in Albany. If it becomes law, there could be betting kiosks at the Barclays Center. The bill would allow sports stadiums in NY to partner with licensed sportsbook operators in the state to offer them to fans.
The bill is mum on guidelines like how many kiosks each facility could hold. If the bill does pass, that would likely be up to the NYSGC to determine. It seems likely that Joseph Tsai would jump at the chance to do so, however.
Tsai’s holdings have existing sponsorship deals with FanDuel. In past seasons, that has included having FanDuel as the Liberty’s primary jersey sponsor. Thus, the probability is that if able, Barclays will probably put FanDuel self-service kiosks on the concourse.
Of course, fans in the arena would still be able to choose to wager on their phones instead. Regardless of which of the three operational apps New Yorkers want to try, the process is quite similar.
How to get started with NY online betting
The ice has been broken and legal online wagering is now available in the Empire State. You can get started with all or any of the six active apps right now if you wish. All you need is your smartphone, a few minutes of your time, and a data or wifi connection.
No matter whether you’re using an Android or iOS device, the steps are almost identical. Visit the App Store or Google Play and search for the name(s) of the sportsbook(s) you want to try out. Let your device do its thing to install the app(s), then open it/them.
If you’ve decided to give any of the six books a spin, don’t do so without taking advantage of these stellar offers that give you perks like free bets, odds boosts, and site credit:
- BetRivers – Get a 100% match of your first deposit up to $250
- BetMGM – Enjoy a risk-free first bet worth up to $1,000
- Caesars – Get a $300 free bet upon registration and a 100% match of your first deposit as another free bet up to $3,000
- DraftKings – Receive up to $1,050 in bonuses upon registration and your first deposit
- FanDuel – Bet $5 Win $150 or risk-free first bet of up to $1,000
- PointsBet – Two risk-free bets worth up to $2,000 on sign-up
Follow the prompts in the app to sign up for an account. That’s it, you’re ready to go. When the time comes, make your first deposit (or use the free site credit attached to the offers above) and place your bets. One option for using that site credit is a bet on the Liberty to win it all in 2022.
Liberty futures at NY online sportsbooks
Odds vary a bit from one operator to the next on New York winning the 2022 WNBA Finals, but all four have the Liberty among the longest shots to do so. With a new head coach and some questions to answer in free agency, it’s understandable.
Here are the odds as of early Friday, Jan. 7 morning:
- BetRivers +3000
- Caesars +1800
- DraftKings +4000
As of this morning, the opportunities to legally bet online on a wide array of women’s sports became a reality in the Empire State. It could be a game-changer for fans looking for a new way to interact with their favorite athletes and teams.
