Colorado Sports Betting: Best Legal Sportsbooks

Is sports betting legal in Colorado?

Yes. Colorado sports betting is legal both online and at casinos. Voters narrowly approved Proposition DD in November 2019, authorising sports wagering and a tax on operators' net proceeds that primarily helps fund the Colorado Water Plan. The market launched on 1 May 2020, at a time when most live sport had been suspended by the pandemic, so early bettors were wagering on table tennis and overseas football.

The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission and the Division of Gaming oversee licensing and rules. Online operators must partner with one of the state's licensed casinos in Black Hawk, Central City or Cripple Creek. The minimum betting age is 21.

Colorado sports betting sites we review

All three of the US sportsbooks we cover are licensed in Colorado: BetMGM, bet365 and BetRivers. Colorado allowed remote registration from day one, so you can sign up from home in Denver, Colorado Springs or a ski town without visiting a casino.

Geolocation is required every time you bet. Mountain terrain and patchy mobile data can make location checks slower than in flat urban areas, so enabling Wi-Fi often helps. Once verified, you can bet on almost any major league and many international competitions approved by the Division of Gaming.

Rules specific to Colorado

Colorado allows wagering on college sports, including in-state teams, but player prop markets on college athletes are not offered. Promotional credits have been a political topic in the state because of how they affect the tax base, so welcome offers in Colorado are sometimes structured differently from other states.

Winnings are subject to Colorado's flat income tax as well as federal tax, and sportsbooks will issue tax forms for larger payouts.

In person, sportsbooks operate in the mountain casino towns of Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, which are popular day trips from Denver and Colorado Springs. Many visitors combine a casino trip with a big game, but the mobile apps offer the same markets without the drive, and the betting limits on mobile and retail can differ, so check before placing a large wager.

Teams, altitude and responsible gambling

Denver is one of the few cities with teams in all four major leagues: the Broncos, Nuggets, Avalanche and Rockies. The Nuggets' championship run and the national attention on the University of Colorado football programme have both helped betting volume grow.

For help, Colorado bettors can call 1-800-GAMBLER, and every licensed app must provide deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion tools.