Pennsylvania sports betting is underway, but it is still a ways away from fully launched. Pennsylvania sportsbooks managed to take in $32 million in January, but that was without online betting.
Online betting apps are not the only thing Pennsylvania bettors are doing without. Neighboring New Jersey has 13 apps up and running. It also has something PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB) said not to expect as an offering in the Keystone State: Oscars betting.
Oscars betting alive in NJ
For the first time ever, legal US betting is taking place on the Academy Awards.
The NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement authorized state operators to accept wagers on the 91st Academy Awards. The ceremony takes place Feb. 24.
In an email to NJ sports betting operators, the DGE noted it had “received multiple requests” to allow wagering on the Oscars.
“After reviewing the relevant information on integrity issues, the Division has determined that pre-event betting on The Oscars can be offered for this year only.
Please let me know if you intend to offer this event and, if so, what wagers you plan to offer and what limits you intend to place on the amounts of bets.”
For 2019 only, sportsbooks in the Garden State can accept wagers on the Academy Awards. While perhaps not a lucrative market in terms of revenue, those operators have the opportunity to dip into untapped customer bases.
PA bettors can cross the state line to bet online
Pennsylvania does not allow Oscars betting. An email from a PGCBspokesman at the time of the DGE authorization emphasized the Keystone State’s stance on Academy Awards wagering.
“The law allows only professional and amateur (not high school) sports and auto racing.”
Where can you bet on the Oscars?
Oscars betting will not be a financial windfall for NJ operators. Most of them are placing relatively small limits on bet size and potential winnings/losses.
Regardless, of the state’s 13 online sportsbooks, 12 products offer wagers on Sunday’s Academy Awards.
| Sportsbook | Oscars Lineup |
|---|---|
| DraftKings Sportsbook | Best Picture only |
| BetStars NJ | Eight categories |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | 14 categories |
| Caesars | Big Six |
| 888 Sportsbook | All 24 categories |
| SugarHouse Sportsbook | Best Picture only |
| Golden Nugget | All 24 categories |
| Resorts Atlantic City | All 24 categories |
| PointsBet | All 24 categories |
| Hard Rock Atlantic City | 14 categories |
| playMGM | 23 categories |
| William Hill NJ | Big Six |
What can you bet on?
As noted above, the number of Oscars offerings varies from product to product. DraftKings Sportsbook and SugarHouse Sportsbook are currently offering odds on Best Picture only. Just because DraftKings limits its scope of Oscars markets does not mean it’s not serious about the awards. The sportsbook introduced a promo that carries 100/1 odds for Best Picture, allowing customers to turn a $5 wager into a $500 payday.
Several other books limited action to the Big Six categories:
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
Some online sportsbooks go well beyond the spotlight awards, offering lines in all 24 categories. Check out our sister site Play NJ’s Oscars betting page for a complete odds breakdown.
