Colorado Sports Betting Guide

While it might seem that it was late to the party for being the 19th state to legalize sports betting in the United States, Colorado is arguably one of the most vibrant markets in the country. Bettors in the state not only get to enjoy betting on several different online platforms but they can also dive into the action right from their mobile devices, something that is still unheard of in many other states. The state has been doing a lot of things right.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Colorado?

Yes, sports betting officially became legal in the state back in November 2019 when its residents voted in favor of Proposition DD which then paved the way for state-sanctioned betting activities. About six months after the legislation was passed, multiple top sports betting brands went live in the state and they were followed by several other operators.

Sports bettors in the state are now able to legally place bets with several different land-based bookmakers or online sportsbooks. The sector continues to show a lot of promise and growth potential, something that is great for both the players and Colorado’s economy.

Gambling in Colorado

Colorado has been a popular destination for gambling enthusiasts for over two centuries now and its appeal is still yet to wane. The Colorado sports gambling sector has evolved and expanded significantly over the years, a fact that is easily proven by the very impressive selection of offerings in the state. The Centennial State boasts of nearly 40 gambling destinations where you can enjoy a diverse selection of offerings including sports betting, bingo, raffles, and charitable games. As if that is not enough, the state’s lottery is available to give gamblers the chance to indulge in even more fun.

Is Gambling Legal in Colorado?

Just like it is the case in several other states across the country, there are some types of gambling that are considered to be illegal under state gaming statutes in Colorado. However, the state has changed some of its positions after seeing the potential of the gambling sector. That said, some forms of gambling are legal under the state’s gambling laws. These include sports betting, horse and dog race betting, social gambling, the lottery, raffles, and bingo.

Pari-mutuel wagering, tribal gaming destinations, and some full-fledged casinos in certain cities are also a huge part of the state’s gambling landscape. Online gambling and online poker are generally not regulated by the state with most people opting to use offshore sportsbooks instead. These are not subject to the Centennial State’s laws and are thus technically legal to use.

Gambling Age in Colorado

According to the state’s gambling laws, only those that are 21 years old and over are allowed to place bets at a physical or virtual gambling platform. This applies to most forms of gaming including sports betting, online casino games as well as land-based gambling. Notable exceptions are bingo and lottery games where the minimum age required to participate is 18 years.

Gambling Towns in Colorado

As mentioned earlier, gambling in Colorado goes way back to when it was a gold-mining haven. Things have since changed but people are still reaping riches from its three historic mining towns which are the only places that are allowed to host commercial casinos under state gambling laws. These towns are Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek.

If you are visiting casinos in Colorado and you would like to dive into some gambling action right away, these three cities are most likely to contain the best casino in Colorado. These cities have several amazing gaming venues to choose from which makes very popular gambling havens even for residents.

Gambling in Colorado Springs

Now, if you happen to land in Colorado Springs, you may be disappointed to find that there are no casinos in the region. However, the casinos in the neighboring town of Cripple Creek were built to cater to anyone who is in Colorado Springs. It helps that Cripple Creek is just an hour away making it very easy to access if you want to get in on some gambling.

A few popular gambling destinations you can access from Colorado Springs include Century Cripple Creek, Brass Ass, Midnight Rose, Johnny Nolon’s, Christmas Inn, Colorado Grande, and Double Eagle.

Gambling in Denver, Colorado

Just like Colorado Springs, Denver does not have any casino venues. Instead, the area is served by both Central City and Black Hawk. This was a rather strategic move especially considering how easily accessible the two casino-friendly towns are from Denver.

The best casino in Colorado is down to personal taste but some of the most popular casino venues in Denver include Ameristar Casino Colorado (Black Hawk), Bull Durham (Black Hawk), Century Central City, Easy Street (Central City), Famous Bonanza (Central City), Golden Gates (Black Hawk), Grand Z (Central City), Lady Luck (Black Hawk) and Z Casino (Black Hawk) among others.

Colorado Gambling Laws

The gambling laws in Colorado cover everything from the actual gambling activities, to government decisions as well as the gambling commissions that oversee state-regulated gaming activities. Generally speaking, Colorado has some strict laws prohibiting some forms of gambling but there are some pretty clear-cut exceptions.

For instance, when it comes to casino gambling, the state allows slot machines, poker, and blackjack but with some limitations. That is, maximum bets are capped at $5 and these casinos are only available in three cities. When it comes to dog racing and horse racing betting Colorado only allows off-track and parimutuel betting within the state.

Social gambling and gaming for charitable courses are also allowed but betting on elections is prohibited. The state further allows bingo and raffles but these are approved and have to be regulated by the secretary of state.

Colorado Sports Betting Regulations

As per the state regulations, sports wagering is regulated by the department of revenue and is overseen by the Colorado Gaming Control Commission. Only the licensees that are currently authorized to conduct limited gaming are allowed to offer sports betting. These licensees are the casinos located in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City and they all have what is called a “master license” which gives them the right to conduct sports betting should they want to.

Other categories of licenses are the “Sports betting operator,” and “Internet sports betting operator” but the holders of these must be contracted by a “master license” holder. Their sports betting operations can be land-based, online, or both.

The law also states that 10 percent of the net proceeds of sports betting activities in the state will go to state coffers. This revenue will be used to fund the implementation of Colorado’s water plan and other developments. Additionally, sports betting is only allowed for people who are over the age of 21. The sports bettors also need to have valid United States Social Security Numbers and be physically located in Colorado – the latest geo-location technologies are used to confirm this.

Colorado Sportsbooks

In case you are wondering where you can catch some sports betting action in Colorado you can try out several different venues. For the perfect sportsbook, Colorado has your back with venues located at the three approved casino towns in the state and features a variety of offerings for the customers.

Some of the best sportsbooks in Colorado include:

1. DraftKings Sportsbooks at Mardi Gras, Black Hawk
2. Betfred Sportsbook at Saratoga Casino, Black Hawk
3. Barstool Sportsbook at Ameristar Casino, Black Hawk
4. William Hill Sportsbook at Lady Luck Casino, Black Hawk
5. William Hill Sportsbook at Isle Casino, Black Hawk
6. ELITE Sportsbook at Red Dolly Casino, Black Hawk
7. BetMonarch Casino at Monarch Casino, Black Hawk
8. BetMonarch at Gilpin Casino, Black Hawk
9. IGT PlaySports Kiosks at Sasquatch Casino & The Wild Card Saloon, Black Hawk
10. BetAmerica Sports at Bronco Billy’s Casino, Cripple Creek
11. BetWildwood Sportsbook at Wildwood Casino, Cripple Creek
12. Johnny Nolon’s, Cripple Creek
13. Double Eagle Casino, Cripple Creek
14. Colorado Grande Casino, Cripple Creek
15. Brass Ass/J.P. McGill’s/Midnight Rose Casinos, Cripple Creek
16. Grand Z Casino, Central City
17. Century Casino, Central City

1. DraftKings Sportsbook at Mardi Gras Casino (Black Hawk)

In addition to eight sports betting kiosks, full-service betting cashiers and a massive wall of HD televisions, this branded sports betting venue also offers a bar and a full-service kitchen. This makes for an amazing gambling and entertainment experience.

2. Betfred Sportsbook at Saratoga Casino (Black Hawk)

Here bettors will find several self-service betting kiosks and betting windows as well as a plush seating area. That is further complemented by a massive video wall where they can keep up with the latest sports activities.

3. Barstool Sportsbook at Ameristar Casino Black Hawk

Featuring 20 sports betting kiosks that operate round the clock, this branded sportsbook offers dozens of real odds. Bettors will also certainly appreciate the polished sports betting area which features five wagering terminals, and a huge video wall.

4. William Hill Sportsbook at Lady Luck Casino (Black Hawk)

The venue features several sports betting kiosks where guests can wager on their favorite sports teams.

5. William Hill Sportsbook at Isle Casino (Black Hawk)

As it stands, sports betting enthusiasts in Colorado can enjoy betting on any of the kiosks that are conveniently placed all around this venue.

6. ELITE Sportsbook at Red Dolly Casino (Black Hawk)

Players at this venue can enjoy sports wagering at the features sports betting kiosks or opt to play on mobile and online.

7. BetMonarch Casino at Monarch Casino (Black Hawk)

The casino’s take on sports betting is an app that can be used anywhere within the feature-packed gambling and entertainment facility.

8. BetMonarch at Gilpin Casino (Black Hawk)

Yet another amazing retail location with all of the benefits offered by the BetMonarch brand.

9. IGT PlaySports Kiosks at Sasquatch Casino & The Wild Card Saloon (Black Hawk)

IGT shows its full prowess as a sports betting powerhouse with the amazing PlaySports kiosks available at these venues.

10. BetAmerica Sports at Bronco Billy’s Casino (Cripple Creek)

Sports betting at this venue is possible thanks to the amazing betting kiosks located at various points of the casino. Players also still get to enjoy every other gaming and entertainment offering offered by the operator.

11. BetWildwood Sportsbook at Wildwood Casino (Cripple Creek)

Here, sports bettors can enjoy access to several sports betting kiosks, a large video wall as a robust selection of food and beverage options.

12. Johnny Nolon’s (Cripple Creek)

Powered by ISI, a popular retail wagering operator, this sportsbook brings sports betting to the customers who can also still access the amazing selection of casino and entertainment offerings at the venue.

13. Double Eagle Casino (Cripple Creek)

Colorado sports bettors can visit this venue for a taste of its amazing PointsBet-powered sports betting experience. In addition to several betting outlets, the venue also has a massive multi-screen video wall.

14. Colorado Grande Casino (Cripple Creek)

Also powered by ISI, this casino’s sportsbook offers several wagering opportunities for bettors in Colorado. The players also have access to lots of dining and gaming options.

15. Brass Ass/J.P. McGill’s/Midnight Rose Casinos (Cripple Creek)

Thanks to a partnership with sports betting market leader BetRivers, these venues offer outstanding sports betting experiences that the customers keep coming back to.

16. Johnny Z’s Casino (Central City)

This bookmaker is powered by the PlaySports turnkey solution from IGT. Bettors can look forward to placing their wagers at world-class PlaySports kiosks.

17. Grand Z Casino (Central City)

The sports betting experience here is also powered by the IGT with players being able to place their sports bets at the PlaySports kiosks.

18. Century Casino (Central City)

Its sports betting operations are in Colorado are powered by Tipico, one of the most accomplished sportsbook solution providers in the industry.

It is worth noting that there are some honorable mentions when speaking about live sports betting venues in Colorado which are, as it turns out, not located in the three official casino cities. These include Ute Mountain Casino Hotel & Resort in Towaoc and Sky Ute Lodge and Casino in Ignacio.

Colorado Sports Betting Apps

The sports betting market in Colorado has grown quite rapidly and now in addition to the live sportsbooks, bettors in the state can also enjoy wagering right from the comforts of their homes. There are over two dozen online sports betting offerings most of which are also available as mobile sport betting apps.

Here is a list of these apps:

• DraftKings Sportsbook
• William Hill Colorado
• Bet MGM Colorado
• Sportsbetting.com
• FanDuel Sportsbook Colorado
• PointsBet Sportsbook
• Fox Bet Sportsbook
• BetRivers Sportsbook
• SBK App
• BetMonarch Sportsbook
• Barstool Bets Sportsbook
• Circa Sports App
• Sky Ute Sportsbook
• Elite Sportsbook
• BetWildwood Sportsbook
• BetAmerica Sportsbook

Colorado Online Sports Betting

The approval of Proposition DD in November 2019 saw the state jump into the legal sports betting bandwagon which includes in-person, mobile, and online wagering.

While some of the online and mobile sportsbooks can be accessed from just about anywhere in Colorado, some can only work when the users are in the land-based gaming venues that the apps are affiliated with. Despite this limitation in online betting, Colorado is still one of the leaders in the regulated sports betting market for the US.

For online sports betting Colorado now has several virtual sportsbooks available to bettors in the state, getting started is easy as creating an account and adding some funds to the account.

Colorado Online Betting Sites

Sportsbook	Casino Partner	Technology
Barstool Sportsbook	Penn National Gaming	Kambi/Penn Interactive Sports
Bet365	Century Casino	Bet365
BetAmerica	Full House Resorts	SB Tech
Betfred	Saratoga Casino	Playtech
BetMGM	Midnight Rose Casino	GVC
BetMonarch	Monarch Casino Resort Spa	Stadium
BetRivers	Triple Crown Casinos	Kambi
Betsson	Dostal Alley Casino	TBA
BetWildwood	Wildwood Casino in Cripple Creek	ISI Race & Sports
Circa Sports	Century Casinos	Stadium
Digital Gaming	TBA	TBA
DraftKings Sportsbook	Twin River	SB Tech
Elite Sportsbook	Red Dolly Casino	GVC
FanDuel Sportsbook	Twin River	IGT/GAN
FOX Bet	Lady Luck Casino	Stars Group
PointsBet	Double Eagle Casino	PointsBet
SBK (Smarkets)	Bronco Billy’s Casino	Smarkets
Sky Ute Sportsbook	Sky Ute Casino Resort	US Bookmaking
Superbook	Jacobs Entertainment	Stadium
theScore Bet	Jacobs Entertainment	Bet.Works
William Hill	Colorado Belle Hotel & Casino	William Hill
WynnBet Sports	Bronco Billy’s Casino	Miomni

Colorado Lottery

Besides the casinos and the sports betting options that are currently available in the Centennial State, bettors also have the option of choosing the state-run lottery. The Colorado Lottery which is now even available on mobile offers the players a chance to enjoy even more gaming options ranging from PowerBall to Colorado Lotto+, Bonus Draws, Mega Millions, and Scratch among others. It even has a Free Play Zone for those who are not willing to part with their hard-earned money in exchange for a little fun.

Colorado Sports Teams

One of the reasons why sports betting is such a big deal is that the state has multiple professional sports teams and a decent number of collegiate teams. The sports betting operators offer customers amazing odds on the games played by these teams and they can show their support for these teams by placing bets on them.

Some of the Colorado professional sports teams you can find are:

• Denver Nuggets (NBA)
• Denver Broncos (NFL)
• Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
• Colorado Rapids (MLS)
• Denver Pioneers (NCAA)
• Colorado State Rams (NCAA)
• Air Force Falcons (NCAA)
• Colorado Buffaloes (NCAA)
• North Colorado Bears (NCAA)
• Colorado Mammoth (NLL)
• Colorado Rockies (MLB)
• Denver Outlaws (MLL)

Off Track Betting (Colorado)

As of this writing, Colorado only has a single live horse racetrack facility which is located in Arapahoe Park in Aurora. Greyhound racing is currently not available but there are still several off-track betting venues spread out around the state offering simulcast horse and greyhound racing. These off-track facilities accept phone wagers from any person over the age of 18 who may want to set up a betting account.

The available off-track betting venues include Off To The Races, Arapahoe Park, Sundance Steakhouse & Saloon, Big D’s OTB At El Bandido Nightclub, Havana Park, Celtic on Market, Elevated Steaks, and Odds on OTB.

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