Typically, Canadians like the same sports as their counterparts across the border in the United States so that involves a keen interest in Ice Hockey and American Football in particular. Baseball and Basketball are also followed extensively while soccer is also a growth sport with Canadian teams competing in North America’s Major League.
What Makes a Great Canadian Bookmaker?
Canadian betting sites looking to make inroads with the betting public there will therefore have to keep this in mind as the community will demand extensive coverage and plenty of betting markets on these individual sports.
In addition, there may be some limited interest in sports that are generically popular across the world such as horse racing, golf and tennis but in general, they like to focus on their core events.
Best Sports Betting Sites in Canada
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Betway
100% Deposit Bonus up to $200VISITKey Terms:New Canada customers only. Opt-in required. Bonus based on 1st deposit of $10+. 10x bonus wagering at odds of 1.75+. Terms apply -
Betway
Ontario Sports Offer from BetwayVISITKey Terms:New customers only from Ontario (CA). 19+. Full Terms apply. Play Responsibly
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Unibet
100% up to $250VISITKey Terms:19+ only. New customers only. Minimum first deposit of $20. Wagering the bonus money: Bet your bonus x 6. Only bets settled within the bonus validity period of 30 days will count. Bets cannot be placed on any product other than Sportsbook. Unibet Sports Bonus Money can't be used for the following products: Poker, Casino, Live Casino, Games, Bingo. The bonus will expire after 30 days of opt in. If you don't complete the wagering in this time the Unibet Bonus Money and the winnings you've made by wagering the Unibet Bonus Money will be lost. General Unibet terms and conditions apply.
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Ontario
Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario.
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SIA (Sports Interaction)
First Deposit Match Bonus up to $1000VISITKey Terms:New customers only. Bonus equal to your 1st deposit up to $1000. T&Cs apply. 19+. Play Responsibly.
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SIA (Sports Interaction)
SIA offer for Ontario residentsVISITKey Terms:New customers only. Bonus equal to your 1st deposit up to $200. Check the SIA website for the actual offer. T&Cs apply. Ontario only. 19+. Play Responsibly.
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888sport
100% up to £250 w/ code 250BONUSVISITKey Terms:#Ad. 18+. £10 min deposit using promo code 250BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly - www.begambleaware.org
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bet365
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free BetsVISITKey Terms:#Ad. 18+ New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £50* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you five times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply.
Significant Terms and Conditions
• Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5* or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 500% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £50* in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable.
• To release your Bet Credits for use, you must place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £10*) and they must settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Only qualifying bets placed and settled after claiming the offer will count towards this requirement.
• Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, paysafecard and all other prepaid credit and debit cards, where available, cannot be used for either your qualifying deposit or any subsequent withdrawal of returns from Bet Credits stakes unless we have successfully verified an accepted form of your Identity Documents and you have entered a Postal Verification Code (PVC), or we have successfully verified two accepted forms of your Identity Documents. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
• Bets placed must meet certain conditions to count towards the release of your Bet Credits:
- Must contain at least one selection at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater.
- In market/fixture combinations that only have two or three potential outcomes (for example Soccer Full Time Result), where you have placed bets on more than one potential outcome, either pre-match or In-Play, only the outcome with your highest cumulative stake will count.
- Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, only the remaining active stake will count.
- Where a bet has been edited using our Edit Bet feature, only the new stake on the new bet will count.
- Fully Cashed Out, Instant Games, Gaming, void bets or In-Play bets which are settled as a push will not count.
• Your Bet Credits are non-withdrawable, and Bet Credits stakes are not included in any returns. Any returns from Bet Credits placed will be added to your Withdrawable Balance. Bet Credits cannot be used on certain products, offers/promotions and bet types. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
• Your Bet Credits will be forfeit and removed if your account is inactive for 90 consecutive days.
*or currency equivalent
T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. See full Terms. Registration required. Please gamble responsibly! www.begambleaware.org -
888sport
100% bonus up to $300 + $10 casino bonusVISITKey Terms:$10 min deposit • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater • Wagering must be cleared within 60 days • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Wagering limit of $50 per bet Applies • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply
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888sport
888Sport's Ontario offerVISITKey Terms:#Ad Full Terms and Conditions Apply. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+
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LeoVegas
100% Match up to $1,000 extra AND a Free Bet worth up to $75!VISITKey Terms:Full Terms and Conditions Apply. Please gamble responsibly. LeoSafePlay.com 18+
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LeoVegas
Leo Vegas Sports Offer for OntarioVISITKey Terms:Full Terms and Conditions Apply. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. LeoSafePlay.com 19+
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SIA (Sports Interaction)
Bet $10, Get $200 in Bet CreditsVISITKey Terms:New customers only. Deposit & bet $10 to get $200 in Bet Credits (T&Cs apply). 19+. Play Responsibly.
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Betway
Get up to £90 in Free BetsVISITKey Terms:Opt-in required. Upon weekly qualification, customers will be credited with £/€10 in Free Bets in two £/€5 installments on Saturday and Monday. From 24th September until 18th November 2022, an extra £/€5 Free Bet will be added to Quest to Qatar pot, which half will be credited on 19th November 2022, and the other half credited on 3rd December 2022. £30 Acca Offer New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. Debit card deposits only. Valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Full terms apply.
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Betfred
Stake £10 Get £40 in BonusesVISITKey Terms:New 18+ UK customers only. Register using the promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. 'TAKE TIME TO THINK.' www.begambleaware.org #ad
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Mr Play
Bet £10 Get £15VISITKey Terms:18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £15 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org #ad
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ComeOn
100% Matched Deposit Bonus up to ₹6000VISITKey Terms:India 18+ customers only. You will have a total of 30 days to complete the bonus from the activation date. ComeOn! will double your first deposit, up to ₹6,000. Minimum deposit is ₹200. Maximum bonus amount is ₹6,000. Minimum wagering requirements apply. You will need to wager your bonus before you can withdraw as follows: Sportsbook: 10 x deposit and bonus. Each way bets or bets placed on Asian Handicap are excluded. The ₹6,000 Sports Welcome Bonus will be credited to your account within 24 hours after your first qualifying bet has been accepted. Terms and Conditions Apply.
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10bet
50% up to £50 Welcome BonusVISITKey Terms:New Customers only; Min. deposit £15; Bonus amount 50% of deposit up to £50; Wager deposit and bonus 8x within 60 days; 4/5 Min. single odds or 2/5 min. acca selection odds; Max. stake contribution equal to the initial bonus; Certain bet types and payment methods excluded; See full Terms apply; 18+ www.begambleaware.org #ad
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Unibet
£40 Money Back + £10 Casino BonusVISITKey Terms:18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first sports bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Visit Unibet.co.uk for full T&Cs. #Ad
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LV BET
Bet £10 Get £10VISITKey Terms:18+ | New UK players after 31.03.2021 | Valid on first Sports bet | Min. dep. £10 req. | Min. £10 wag. on the first bet with min. total odds of 1/1 to qualify | Bet must be settled | Bonus Wag. req.1x on min. 2-fold Acca bets (min. 1/4 odds each selection) with min. final odds of 1/ 1| Virtual and cashed out bets do not qualify | One-time offer | Bonuses credited following working day | T&Cs apply | BeGambleAware.org #ad
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LV BET
100% up to €50VISITKey Terms:18+. New Customers Only. 100% Welcome Bonus up to €50. Minimum deposit: €10. Maximum Bonus: €50. Wagering Requirements: 12x (Deposit+Bonus). Minimum 2 selections with total odds of 2.00. Payment method and country restrictions apply. The offer is valid until 31.12.2021. Bets placed on different selections within the same market or bets placed on equivalent markets are not eligible for this offer. Gamble Responsibly.
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ComeOn
Bet $25 and get $100 in Free BetsVISITKey Terms:18+ Begambleaware.org Min. deposit: $20. Wagering requirements (min odds 1.75) must be fulfilled within 30 days before a withdrawal. Accepted payment methods for the welcome offer are: Credit or Debit cards, MuchBetter, Local Bank Transfers, Interact. Any fraudulent or unethical behaviour be suspected in the Player’s Gameplay, the company has the right to reject the withdrawal and confiscate winnings.
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LeoVegas
100% profit boost of up to £100 of winnings on first bet - mobileVISITKey Terms:Full T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100. 18+ BeGambleAware.org #ad
As for the choice of Canadian sportsbooks, that’s obviously down to the individual but there are many familiar and established industry names who are Canadian-friendly. Intertops were the first betting site to officially trade online, having first opened their virtual doors in 1996 and they are happy to accept any betting customer from this part of North America.
Joining them are the likes of Bodog, SportInteraction, BetOnline, William Hill and newcomers such PowerPlay so there you have a good mix of betting operators. Some, like BetOnline have a main focus on North American sports and markets while for others, this is just part of their wider services.
Customers who can place a bet in this country are free to choose but they will look for certain qualities. A welcome bonus is a nice way to start a relationship with your bookie and hopefully there will be ongoing betting promotions further down the line.
Overall value for money is equally important so punters in Canada will want to see strong betting odds, particularly in betting markets for those popular sports that we mentioned above. Anyone looking to succeed here needs to address these points; it’s not enough just to trade here and hope that the business will come in just because you are offering a rare outlet for Canadian punters.
Betting in Canada
Like many countries, Canada’s attitude to gambling was severely tested when the internet came along and the rise in online betting and betting sites in Canada began. Traditionally, this was a nation opposed to the process and while certain laws regulating sport betting in Canada were relaxed from 1970 onwards, it remained extremely difficult to place a bet if you were a Canadian citizen.
It’s much easier now in the digital age and it is estimated that Canadians will stake some 15 Billion Dollars a year through those channels. The law makes it clear that they cannot stake on a single event – only multiples with three events are strictly permissible – but this hasn’t stopped the average citizen from enjoying this pastime.
Present Day Rules
From 1985 onwards, the government gave individual provinces the choice of whether to allow an organisation to establish a gambling operation in that region. Certain provinces relaxed the laws to allow casinos to be created but of course, the internet provides something of a legal grey area.
No online betting operator has to obtain a license in Canada in order to trade here so that can pose a problem to those provinces to wish to keep things heavily regulated. Effectively, the law simply states that any business based in the country that wants to trade in gambling must have an official government license. Therefore, a sportsbook who is based outside of the country and licensed in Malta, Isle of Man, Curacao and in other parts of the world is effectively circumnavigating that restriction.
Sports betting sites that are Canadian friendly will commonly originate from Curacao or possibly the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory. It’s not a country that everyone embraces however due to the government’s attitude and there are a number of popular bookies, online sportsbooks who won’t trade here. You may also find that if a betting operator has opened their doors to Canadian business, there may be some exclusions in terms of the promotions that are offered to betting customers. Along with other countries, Canadian players may well be ineligible for some betting promos so do check the relevant offer in order to be completely certain.
History of Gambling in Canada
Prior to 1970, the act of gambling on any sporting event or slot, cards, table game was widely outlawed in Canada. Inevitably, the betting practice was driven underground so the government finally decided to give individual provinces the right to choose whether they would allow betting sites to trade officially.
The applicable law here is the Criminal Code and this was initially relaxed in 1970, but it wasn’t until 1985 that provinces were able to choose whether to allow gambling across their region. From this point onwards, we saw a limited number of casinos being built while state lotteries also began to appear on a sporadic basis.
That law still applies and nothing has really changed since the internet boom. If a betting operator is licensed outside of Canada then the reality is that they can freely trade and offer betting services to its citizens, even if some sites have been slow to get involved with these markets.
There are certain restrictions in terms of the number of events a Canadian can bet on and while single stakes are frowned upon, it is permissible to make a parlay stake involving three or more events. Overall, the attitude displayed by the government is an accepting one: they know that they cannot stop the rise of betting sites in Canada and they cannot stop their citizens from making a bet but they are looking to promote responsible play.
In turn, Canadian bookmakers must be aware of certain rules but in general they can freely trade here. In order to succeed they should be looking to cater for this very specific audience who favour a fairly restricted range of sports but if the company can get things right for this market, there is a lot of betting business to be done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Canadian Betting Sites Have Mobile Apps?
There is no definitive answer to that question but in the modern day, the vast majority of Canadian bookmakers should have a mobile app. It offers flexibility and convenience for the account holder and as a byproduct of that service, the operators who publish apps will naturally increase their customer base.
All of our recommended sportsbooks will have apps for you to use and you should find that these are available for both iPhone and Android devices. To download an app onto an iPhone, you simply have to head to the store and type the name of your chosen sportsbook into the search box. Click on the ‘get’ button and this should be set up on your device in just a few seconds.
With Android phones, it should be a case of heading to the operator’s mobile website and completing a download from that point. Alternatively, they may provide an OCR code which you simply scan.
No matter what device you have, this should be a quick and simple process taking up no more than a few minutes of your time. The apps should also be free and carry the same functionality as the main website. Once installed, you now have the flexibility and freedom to place a bet, no matter where you happen to be.
What Payment Methods Are Available For Canadian Bettors?
The exact list of deposit and withdrawal options will vary depending on which sportsbook you are using but there are certain minimum methods that all operators should provide. Those minimums are VISA and Mastercard and you should be able to access these options at the very least.
Most operators will also include bank transfers in that package and while that should allow most punters to get on board, a growing number of customers will demand more payment methods.
Those with the widest choice of options tend to be based in Canada or the USA. If we take Sports Interaction as an example, we find that there is a host of alternative methods including iDebit, Instadebit, PaySafeCard, EcoPayz, Neosurf and MuchBetter. The presence of IDebit and Instadebit is important because these are Canadian companies and it’s very easy for Canadian nationals to sign up for an account.
If we look at other North American companies such as BetOnline, 5Dimes and Bodog, the situation is quite similar although iDebit and Instadebit may not be so accessible outside of Canada.
When we move further afield and consider other global brands, there are many that extend their roster to include Skrill and Neteller. Outside of North America, these are the two most popular eWallet providers for betting companies and they are very common amongst those brands who are located overseas.
On occasions, you will find PayPal listed as a deposit and withdrawal option. This is the world’s biggest eWallet provider but they don’t tie in with every gambling operator on the net so they only tend to be attached to the biggest and most established betting companies.
The full list of payment methods should be listed at the bottom of a bookmaker’s homepage and they may also have a separate section showcasing them in full. If you are in any doubt as to what is available, simply fire over a question to customer support.
Is Online Betting Legal In Canada And Is It Safe And Secure?
This is perhaps the most common question that Canadian punters like to ask. We all know that betting is highly regulated inside Canada but is the practise actually legal? The short answer is yes, providing that you are of legal gambling age and that the operator in question is actually licensed to trade here.
Operators who are actually based in Canada have to adhere to very strict licensing and regulation rules and that’s why there are relatively few of them. For those companies who are based overseas, those restrictions aren’t quite so tight. Not all betting sites in the world opens their doors to Canadian customers but there are many who work hard to get a presence here. Once again, as long as they are registered and you are of legal gambling age, you are OK to play.
Safety and Security is another question so read up on the company’s steps to make sure your personal and financial details are safeguarded. Once again, there should be a separate section detailing these measures in full but if you are in any doubt, you can fire over a question to customer support service.
What Are The Most Popular Betting Events In Canada?
Canada may not be seen as the centre of the sporting universe but there is plenty going on here for locals to enjoy. The country has teams taking part in some of North America’s biggest divisions and because of that, they will always fall under the global radar.
Canada provides competitors in Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association and all of those sports are popular among the nation’s betting community. There may not be any representatives in the NFL but Canada has a thriving equivalent in the Canadian Football League – CFL.
Winter Sports is another thriving sport inside the country, both for recreational skiers and those who are good enough to take it up professionally. Not all bookmakers provide a wide range of winter sports markets but if you follow our list of recommended operators then you should be fine.
Horse racing is hugely popular in Canada and there are a number of top class events taking place across the calendar year. For horses, jockeys and trainers, the pinnacle is the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing which combines the Queens Plate, the Prince of Wales’ Stakes and the Breeders’ Stakes.
Elsewhere, the Canadian Open Golf Championship is now starting to attract the best players in the world and the same can be said for tennis’ equivalent. Rugby and Cricket are also growing in popularity as Canada starts to make more of an impact on the global stage.
In short, there are plenty of markets to enjoy here and lots to focus on for the Canadian betting community.
