GREENSBORO, N.C. — Sports betting is one step closer to going live.
Starting Friday, March 1, people can start pulling up their apps and legally sign up in North Carolina.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission has granted its first sports betting licenses to eight companies ahead of the statewide launch on March 11.
- Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise
- Betfair Interactive US, LLC (dba: FanDuel Sportsbook)
- BETMGM, LLC.
- Crown NC Gaming, LLC (dba: DraftKings)
- FBG Enterprises Opco, LLC (dba: Fanatics Sportsbook)
- Hillside (North Carolina), LLC (dba: bet365)
- Penn Sports Interactive, LLC (dba: ESPN BET)
- Underdog Sports Wagering LLC
North Carolinians will be able to register with these companies, starting at noon.
This news brings excitement to people like Kyle Webb.
He is from Greensboro and said he would drive to Virginia, just to legally place bets.
Now, he can sign up Friday to join in on the fun.
"It's exciting, I think my wife will be excited that I no longer need to keep driving to Virginia," Webb said. "No, but really me and my friends have been talking about it and are excited to play."
The benefit of signing up starting Friday will be the promotions.
"I think it will be kind of like a gold rush or a mad rush for some of the bigger sports books that are going to be legalized here," Webb said. "Usually they do a huge registration promotion where a lot of players and people signing up for the first time will get bonus bets, cash back for things like that so I am curious to see what that going to look like tomorrow when we get all of those ads and emails and all that fun stuff."
The advertisements have been going nonstop.
David Bockino is an Elon Associate Professor of Sports Management. He said he has tracked the states that have legalized sports betting and has seen it firsthand.
"You're gonna be basically bombarded with more gambling ads than you've ever seen in your life," said Bockino. "They want you to go on their site and they might give you really good odds or promotions in order to sign up because they want you to stick around. They want you to win that first couple of bets so that you can then translate those bets into eventual losses."
Bockino said this is allowing people to bet legally and in a safe way now.
"Now it's all going to be legitimate and credible and there's going to be a lot of excitement, especially with March Madness coming up and college basketball, the conference tournaments, especially in North Carolina, you know, that's going to be the first sport that a lot of these people are going to bet on with ease and accessibility and it's now the key for a lot of people," said Bockino.
Bockino said there is also concern. He said Friday means that people need to look out for those who might get addicted to gambling.
"Parents, college professors like myself, you need to keep an eye on those students who have a tendency to do things like this when they're bored to get a pick up their phone and throw 10 bucks because that stuff multiplies," he said.
Bockino said to keep an eye on friends and family. If they are getting into debt or putting money into games they weren't interested in before, get them help.
A reminder, sports betting does not begin on Friday. You will only be able to register, set up accounts, and make deposits.
Active betting begins on March 11.