On May 14, 2018, the United States Supreme Court ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) as unconstitutional, allowing states to offer legal sports betting—including Delaware.

1. Delaware Park Sports Betting
2. Delaware Park Sports Betting Parlay Cards

Just less a month later, the state’s three casinos—Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Raceway & Casino—opened sportsbooks to begin taking sports bets.

How PASPA Affected Sports Betting in DE Before 2018

Delaware Park Parlay Cards With our recently added Vegas-style betting on all professional and college sports, we no longer post the parlay cards online. Please note that off-the-board lines and available sheets are updated continuously in-house.

Delaware Park Sports Betting

Congress enacted PASPA in 1992, making it illegal for states and private organizations to “sponsor, operate, advertise, or promote” wagering on competitive games involving professional or amateur athletes.

1. The Delaware Sports Lottery is sponsored solely by the Delaware State Lottery and is not associated with or authorized by any professional or collegiate sports organization. ½ point parlay Card 3 for 3 pays 6.5 for 1 4 for 4 pays 11 for 1 5 for 5 pays 20 for 1 6 for 6 pays 40 for 1 7 for 7 pays 75 for 1.
2. There are several types of parlay cards to choose from during football season, and each has a different payoff scale. The most popular variety of parlay card is the “1/2 point” card, in which ½-point point spreads are used, eliminating the possibility of a tie. TEASERS – We offer 6-, 6 ½-, 7-, 10- and 14-point teasers in football. A teaser allows the player to add extra points from the point spread on an underdog.
3. There are two ways to bet on sports in-person in Delaware: parlay cards and at sportsbooks. Parlay cards are limited to the NFL and college football but are much more available throughout the state. Sportsbooks, on the other hand, accept wagers on a variety of sports.

The PASPA didn’t block all sports wagering in Delaware, however. Section 3704 of the law allowed existing sports betting operations in states to continue to operate.

The Delaware Lottery offered NFL parlay cards starting in 1976. Though the cards were ultimately discontinued after the first year, the law allowing them remained intact, meaning they would be still allowed after PASPA passed.

This is why the Delaware Lottery was allowed to begin offering parlay cards again in the 2000s.

In 2009, Delaware’s government attempted to pass a law that would allow full-scale sports betting in the state. The U.S. Third Court of Appeals ruled that Delaware was only permitted to offer types of sports betting that were offered before PASPA passed (the parlay cards).

New Jersey began fighting to get PASPA overturned or to circumvent starting in 2011. In August 2016, the U.S. Third Court of Appeals ruled that NJ didn’t have the authority to offers sports betting due to the law.

All hope was not lost, though.

In June 2017, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Chris Christie and the state of New Jersey about the legality of PASPA. Just under a year later, on May 4, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled the law unconstitutional in a 6-3 vote.

With PASPA being overturned, states began plans to start offering single-game sports betting, with Delaware being the first state (fitting, right?) to do so.

Delaware now offers Vegas-style sports betting including single-game pets, parlays, teasers, futures, and more. That doesn’t mean, however, that Delaware doesn’t have any rules or limits in place. You can see the full list of rules here, but the following are some highlights to know about:

• Age. To start, you must be 21 or older to bet in Delaware.
• Teams you can bet on. You can bet on all professional sports teams and most college teams. Betting on Delaware-based teams (such as the University of Delaware) and high schools is not allowed.
• Restricted bets. While there aren’t many specific rules about which bets are not allowed, the Delaware Lottery has the power to reject any wager and can determine minimum and maximum limits at any time.
• Lost, stolen, altered, or unreadable tickets. Any tickets that fit into one of these categories are void.
• Where you can claim winnings. You can claim your winnings at any of the three sportsbooks in Delaware or by mailing your ticket to the Delaware State Lottery (1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904).
• Unclaimed tickets over one year old. You have one year from the conclusion of the game(s) you bet on to claim your winnings. After this time, the wager is void and no winnings can be collected.
• Payout timing. Payouts of over $10,000 may be delayed until the next regular banking day. All other payouts are allowed on the same-day as the bet as long as the sportsbook is open.
• Appeals. If you don’t agree with the ruling of one of the sportsbooks, you can submit a written appeal to the Delaware Lottery, which will make the final ruling.
• Online betting. Though online sports betting is not illegal in Delaware, there is currently no way to do so. Learn why and when it may be offered in our Online Sports Betting in Delaware Guide.

After the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned on May 14, 2018, Delaware was quick to act.

The “First State” was in fact the first state to adopt sports betting after PASPA was repealed. Less than a month later on June 5, Governor John Carney placed the first bet in Delaware. Sports betting is now regulated at all three casinos within state lines.

Since that time, residents are still awaiting a move to regulate online and mobile sports betting.

With less than a million residents and no major league sports teams, the gambling enthusiasts of Delaware credit gambling as their fourth-largest source of revenue. In fact, Delaware was one of a few states that had offered parlay-style three-team NFL bets prior to PASPA.

Though parlays are the primary type of bet available, single-game wagers are accepted at all three casinos.

With such limitations on online betting and the kinds of bets offered, there has been adamant support for expanding the sports betting market.

If Delaware sports bettors are looking for fewer wager restrictions, New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer legal retail and online sports betting as an alternative.

Where to Bet on Sports in Delaware

Delaware has three casinos that offer retail sports betting. The state has a long history of gambling dating back to 1933 when they formed a racing commission. Each of Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Raceway offer sports wagering, a racetrack, table games, and over 2,000 slot machines.

However, Delaware has so far been slow to legalize mobile sports betting which has taken away slightly from the experience in the state. Instead, they rely heavily on their parlay cards available at many retailers to offer sports betting outside of the casinos.

Here’s where you can bet on sports in Delaware:

Delaware Sports Betting FAQs

Is sports betting legal in Delaware?

Yes, you can legally gamble on sports in Delaware.

Where can you bet on sports in Delaware?

You can bet on sports at one of the following retail locations:

• Delaware Park Casino
• Dover Downs
• Harrington Raceway and Casino

Does Delaware have online sports betting?

Delaware Park Sports Betting Parlay Cards

While betting on sports online is legal in Delaware, it is currently not available.