Top stories around our network this week
Even in a short week filled with holiday distractions, sports betting can be big news. That was certainly the case as Maryland, the nation’s 19th most populous state with 6.2 million residents, welcomed the start of online/mobile sports betting Wednesday. It picked a good time to do so — even if it was delayed almost a year after the state’s retail start — as one of the NFL’s biggest betting weeks combined with NCAA football’s Rivalry Saturday, the start of the World Cup, and a ton of other events on the sports calendar.
No serious hiccups were reported as seven of the nation’s major digital sportsbooks launched in a state where the presence of major Washington, D.C., and Baltimore sports franchises should combine with colleges like the' University of Maryland to draw plenty of betting action. Operators like Barstool Sportsbook quickly advertised special promotional offers to sign up new customers, and more such welcome bonuses are certain to accompany launches by three additional licensed competitors in upcoming months.
Ohio in January and Massachusetts soon thereafter are next up on the list of states that have legalized sports betting and are just waiting to implement it. network of sites and staff will be on top of those just like Maryland’s launch, in addition to providing so much more coverage, as this week’s articles show.