Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada

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Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


– The ALC operates sports betting games in New Brunswick under the following brand entities: PRO-LINE, PRO-LINE Fantasy, PRO-LINE Futures and Stadium-Bets. – Along with the ALC, the province established their Lottery Licensing Regulations in 2002, which dictate the rules and regulations for gambling and sports betting. The Service Newfoundland and Labrador (Service NL) also serves as a ministry that helps govern gaming activities in the province.


Canada Sports Betting


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Sports betting, and online sports betting, in particular, is growing in popularity across the entire world, including in the North American nation of Canada.


Neighbors of the United States of America to the north, Canada’s online sports betting laws can be difficult to navigate.


In this article, we’ll discuss the current legality of sports betting and online sports betting, how things have evolved, and what online sportsbooks are best for Canadian residents.


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History and Sports Betting Laws in Canada


Since the 1800s, Canada has seen a dramatic shift in terms of gambling regulation, including sports betting. In 1982, the country banned all forms of gambling via its Criminal Code. However, the attitude towards gambling quickly pivoted and by the early 1900s both bingo and raffles were being allowed for charitable purposes. Shortly thereafter, horse racing was an allowed form of gambling throughout Canada.


Due to amendments made in the 1990s to Canada’s Criminal Code, the provinces of Canada were given individual authority to regulate lotteries, racing, slot machines, and casinos. In 1971, Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada effectively became the first land-based casino in Canada.


Today, Canada offers poker, casino, and slot machine games, as well as, sports betting.


In Canada, sports betting laws, are governed by the federal government and the 10 provincial governments. The country’s federal system is set up so that the federal government shares governing power with the 10 provincial governments, which are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.


Sports Betting in Canada: Rules by Province


To better understand the current climate of online sports betting, you must first understand sports betting laws in each province. Below is a summary of sports betting laws by province, as there are differences between the 10.


Alberta


– Gaming and sports betting operators must adhere to Alberta’s Gaming and Liquor Act, which was recently amended in 2013.


– The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) operate sports betting games in Alberta under the following brand entities: PRO-LINE, Point Spread, Pro-Picks Pools and Pro-Picks Props. Each has their own particular set of regulations and wagering limitations.


– Currently, there are no regulated online sports betting websites operating out of Alberta, however, there are several alternative options for residents.


British Columbia


– The Gaming Control Act of 2002 put in place laws and regulations that govern gaming and sports betting in British Columbia, which is regulated by the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB).


– British Columbia residents have the ability to bet online via the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), regulated by the sports betting company PlayNow.com. However, only six sports betting games are available, such as Oddset 3-Outcome, Oddset 2-Outcome, Point Spread, Over/Under, Toto and Props.


– PlayNow.com enforces restrictions on their online betting site, including regulating bet sizes and betting on a single game.


Manitoba


– Manitoba’s Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba (LGA) regulates all of the region’s gaming and sports betting operations. The Manitoba Lotteries Corporation (MLC) also works in conjunction with the LGA to govern, such as regulating and licensing video lottery terminal (VLT) operators.


– The MLC operates sports betting games in Manitoba under the following brand entities: PRO-LINE, Point-Spread, Pro-Picks Pools and Pro-Picks Props.


– PlayNow.com is also available to Manitoba residents for online gaming and sports betting.


New Brunswick


– The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC) oversees and regulates gambling and sports betting in the province of New Brunswick. The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) is also a governing body recognized in the province.


– The ALC operates sports betting games in New Brunswick under the following brand entities: PRO-LINE, PRO-LINE Fantasy, PRO-LINE Futures and Stadium-Bets.


– Online sports betting is accessible via ALC’s site, ProLineStadium.com.


Newfoundland and Labrador


– Along with the ALC, the province established their Lottery Licensing Regulations in 2002, which dictate the rules and regulations for gambling and sports betting. The Service Newfoundland and Labrador (Service NL) also serves as a ministry that helps govern gaming activities in the province.


– The ALC operates sports betting games in Newfoundland and Labrador under the following brand entities: PRO-LINE, PRO-LINE Fantasy, PRO-LINE Futures and Stadium-Bets.


– PRO-LINE websites allow for regulated online sports betting to be accessible for residents of the province.


Nova Scotia


– The Alcohol and Gaming Division (AGD) of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations is tasked with enforcing the laws and regulations set forth in the province’s Gaming Control Act, which was passed in 1995.


– The Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries & Casino Corporation (NSPLCC) and the ALC also have roles in regulating and governing gambling and sports betting in Nova Scotia.


– Online sports betting games are available via ALC’s ProLineStadium.com.


Ontario


– In 1998, Ontario established the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to managed and regulate casino gaming and wagering in the province.


– Today, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) now owns and manages both online and land-based casino and sports betting operations.


– The OLG operates sports betting games in Ontario under the following brand entities: PRO-LINE, Point-Spread, Pro-Picks Pools and Pro-Picks Props.


– OLG offers online sportsbook options, however, similar to many other provinces operating under the same entities, single-game wagering is not allowed.


Prince Edward Island


– The PEI Lotteries Commission along with the ALC is responsible for governing all gaming and sports betting operations for the province of Prince Edward Island.


– The ALC offers online sports betting for residents under their brand entities, however, they receive a lot of competition from offshore sportsbooks.


Quebec


– In 1993, Quebec formed the Quebec Alcohol, Racing, and Gaming Commission to regulate lotteries and casino gaming in the province.


– Currently, Loto-Quebec manages operations for all sports betting games in the Quebec, including online sportsbooks.


Saskatchewan


– The main governing entity for all gaming activities in Saskatchewan is the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), including oversight of casinos run by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA).


– The Saskatchewan Lotteries is responsible for handling all sports betting and online sports betting operations under various governmental entities, most notably PRO-LINE.


As you can see there are several similarities between the 10 provinces. For the most part, each province passes legislation related to casino gaming, sports betting, and online sports betting that is then governed by their respective government agencies.


Additionally, most of the sports betting is regulated by the ALC and operates under specific brand names such as PRO-LINE and Stadium Bets. These entities offer certain sports betting games for residents, however, they come with much regulation and fewer choices relative to offshore sites. The largest difference is the inability to wager on a single-team for any type of sports bet.


Therefore, residents of Canada often turn to offshore sportsbooks that are less regulatory and provide more choices for the types of wagers, bet sizes, etc.


Click Here to Join Our Top Canadian Sportsbook! While Canada has made the effort to actively govern online sports betting in each of its provinces they haven’t been able to pass definitive legislation that bans offshore sports betting. The law is more concerned with illegal operators inside the country that are not part of the regulatory system established by the federal government and the 10 provinces.


Thus, if you are a placing bet on an offshore sportsbook the government is less concerned by your actions as you are essentially taking advantage of a grey area due to the lack of jurisdictional power. There seems to be no known case of the Canadian government prosecuting a citizen for placing a sports bet online via an offshore book.


Canada Online Sports Betting: Regulated vs. Offshore


As indicated previously the government of Canada has established a number of online sportsbooks and brand entities to manage sports betting operations within each of its provinces. With this government control, comes less choice, less favorable odds, and a lack of enticing bonuses relative to offshore sportsbooks.


Below are a few differences you’ll find between Canada’s sportsbook brands such as PRO-LINE, PRO-LINE Fantasy, PRO-LINE Futures and Stadium-Bets, PlayNow.com, Point Spread, etc., and offshore options.


– In general, the odds via government regulated sportsbooks are less favorable compared to offshore online sportsbooks. In Canada, the average payout on a winning wager is up to 50% less than you’d receive from winning a similar bet via an offshore sportsbook.


– Due to unrevised Canadian law, you cannot place one wager on a single game. In fact, you can only partake in parlay wagers. In other words, you must bet on at least 3 games, or two games if you are betting point spreads, and you must win all your bets on your ticket in order to get paid.


– There are limited options with Canadian sportsbooks. For example, you will not find any college sports via PRO-LINE, and wagering on NBA basketball is not allowed in Ontario.


– Regulated sportsbooks, such as PRO-LINE, limit the maximum wager size to $100.


Betting on Sports at Casinos in Canada


Offline sports betting in Canada depends upon which province you are located in. For instance, sports betting at a land-based casino is possible in Toronto, ON, however, limited to Casino Niagara only. Otherwise, brick-and-mortar locations are controlled by the provincial governments. For example, in Toronto, ON, the government entity is the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).


In general, most land-based casinos in each province will not accept sports bets, and it is best that you refer to the local governing agency to find out the approved sports betting locations. Sports betting tickets are often times offered at the same locations where lottery tickets are sold.


Future Outlook and Final Thoughts


Lawmakers in Canada have been actively reviewing overall reform and current legislation since around 2011. In 2016, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act was introduced at the federal level in an attempt to make betting on a single game legal. It has only been voted on once, and it was denied. However, efforts such as this do not go unnoticed.


In 2017, Ontario took steps towards potential sports betting reform. The OGL is evaluating adding esports betting along with live-betting. Within their province. Additionally, Canada is a close follower of the United States. With more states pushing for online sports betting reform at the state and federal level in the US, the conversation seems to be having an effect in Canadians as well.


Can You Bet on Sports in Canada?


Sports Betting in Canada


Sports betting has subtly begun to establish itself in mainstream culture. Many states in the U.S. have started to adopt contemporary gambling laws in place of the antiquated policies that have remained in place for far too long.


This situation had me thinking about our neighbors to the north.


A Rich History of Sports Betting


Betting on sports has been a tradition in Canada since long before European settlers ever trekked across the Atlantic toward a new world.


Over 600 years ago, the natives in Canada were placing bets on events like archery competitions and canoe racing. Some of the first bookies to inhabit North America were likely standing on the sidelines in anticipation of the action.


These events were encouraged to not only entertain the locals but to sharpen the skills of those competing.


While today’s pro athletes live in lavish mansions with millions in their bank account, it was indeed a matter of survival for these pioneers of sport for a show.


Many believe that the first Canadian regulations on gambling came in 1774 after Europeans colonized “The Great White North.”


However, the resident population was so scattered that many of the regulations adopted from policies in the U.K. and France remained largely ignored. Having so many residents in such remote locations made it impossible and impractical for federal authorities to enforce any sports betting laws.


So, for hundreds of years, Canadian residents could gamble and bet on sports with impunity. That all changed in 1892 and the introduction of the Canadian Criminal Code.


Suddenly gambling of all forms was illegal, and there was a staunch prohibition movement in favor of the law.


Of course, there were still many underground activities available to those that needed to get a good gambling fix. Over the last hundred years, things have become far laxer.


Betting laws in Canada began to loosen up, and law enforcement largely ignored small-time sports bettors. It was essentially mirroring the United States’ stance of turning a blind eye to the common man.


Gambling Begins to Re-Integrate Itself


During the early 20th century, Canada saw bingo start to creep back into their world. Yet, strictly as a charitable endeavor. Those familiar with how bingo halls operate understand that there are certainly benefits to the charities involved.


Bingo halls can also be extremely lucrative for those lucky few who win big.


Next, Canada introduced horse racing as a legal means for gamblers to get some live action. Upon recognizing the tremendous revenue potential that gambling provides. Canada legalized both national and provincial run lotteries.


Canada went from having strict restrictions on gambling to opening up for horse racing and lotteries in under 50 years. As this progression took place, residents began to see gambling as an acceptable form of entertainment.


Canada Hockey


During this same period towards the late 1960s, Canada started seeing its first land-based casinos. Most of these casinos were vastly different from what you’d expect to see in Las Vegas. These casinos were primarily made up of modest banks of slot machines and perhaps a bingo room.


This type of casino experience may not appeal to you in the least. After all, we’re spoiled in a time where all of the luxury and extravagance one could ever hope for is a cheap flight to Vegas away.


However, the first Canadian casinos were incredibly popular with residents. Perhaps more important than what they provided for those crowding the bingo parlor’s slots, and tables are what they meant for future gamblers.


These casinos opened the door for tables games and sports betting to become legal and, at the very least, sports betting to be decriminalized largely.


1985 Was a Big Year for Canadian Sports Bettors


In 1985, the Canadian government again made amendments to the Canadian Criminal code.


These improvements to the law meant you were now allowed to bet on sports via gaming machines. While this meant you still couldn’t legally bet on individual games. It did allow for parlay betting using electronic devices.


As you can see, there are huge similarities between sports betting laws and their progression between the United States and its neighbor to the north.


There were ways to skirt these changes and bet on individual games. The sportsbooks merely added an option to place 2 separate bets on each team of a particular contest. This workaround created the opportunity for sports bettors to place over/under wagers within the prevailing laws’ confines.


We gamblers are a crafty lot, and history is littered with instances of our creativity regarding skirting gaming laws.


Sports Betting in Canada Today


Sports betting remains largely a murky pool to wade in throughout Canada.


Like many states in the U.S., Canada’s sports betting laws are mainly outdated and in need of sweeping reform.


Online betting has completely changed the sports betting climate in the country. In contrast, it is illegal for any company to conduct business as an online casino or sportsbook within Canada. The laws do not make any specific mentions of Canada’s residents being forbidden from engaging in online gambling.


So, it isn’t illegal for Canadians to engage in online sports betting. Offshore sportsbooks have taken notice of the Canadian market and cashed in.


Sports bettors in Canada spend billions with these offshore sportsbooks each year. The kicker is that the Canadian government is getting zero.


Sports in Canada


Legal forms of betting in Canada provide the local and federal governments with a massive influx of cash. The sheer amount of dollars spent on sports betting online could significantly impact social programs and infrastructure. That’s (a very big) if those dollars weren’t being wired overseas to companies operating remotely.


Government officials have taken notice. I suppose there aren’t any politicians that don’t turn green at the thought of millions in tax dollars being sent to other countries.


I don’t mean that as a slight, the amount of tax revenue generated from legal gambling can do some great things in the right hands.


I would expect to see sports betting in Canada have significant legal reform over the next 2-5 years. Opening the doors for punters to not only bet online but also enjoy the addition of sportsbooks.


Obviously, the Canadian government will take a healthy cut of the action and use that money for social programs.


What Are Canadians Betting On?


We know that you can’t walk into a sportsbook in Canada and bet on a single game. We also know the Canadians are betting billions annually on sports offshore.


The first question that fact raises for me is simple. What are Canadians betting on?


The truth is Canadians bet on the same sports as U.S. gamblers. Still, in terms of popularity, the 2 are very different. Let’s take a look at the breakdown of what sport is bet on the most.


1- Hockey


Canada eats, sleeps, and breathes hockey. Most Canadians are introduced to the great stick and puck as early as they can stand. I’ve heard interviews of players who were on skates before they could walk.


I don’t know how much truth there is in that. If you know how passionate hockey fans are in Canada, it sounds plausible.


The NHL provides an 82 game regular season plus playoffs. This means there is at least one game every night from October to April. Then the Stanley Cup Playoffs start-up and the real action starts.


Playoff hockey is among the most entertaining sports viewing available, even for the novice hockey fan.


2- Football


It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the NFL betting holds a significant stake in the hearts, minds, and wallets of sports bettors in Canada. The league is among the most popular in the world. Plenty of action every Sunday means those who bet on sports can spend an entire day watching their picks.


The CFL may seem strange to sports bettors in the U.S., but Canadians are very familiar with the league. Die-hard fans will lay multiple bets on the league every week.


3- Basketball


Did you know that James Naismith was Canadian?


That’s right, the man that invented the game was from the Great White North. Canadians love their basketball, and recently their fire for the game has only intensified.


4- Baseball


Once the beautiful summers finally arrive in Canada, baseball replaces hockey as the sport du jour.


The success of the Toronto Blue Jays translated to a massive bump in the sport’s popularity in the 1990s. Recent playoff appearances have solidified baseball betting as one of the top sports for Canadian bettors.


Conclusion


I posed the question of “Can you bet on sports in Canada?”


The answer is a definite yes. The waters are muddied by the legalities of the sports betting scene in Canada. You can bet on sports, but not on single games unless you use an offshore sportsbook.


I’ll close with this and let you decide for yourself. Not a single sports bettor has ever faced prosecution for betting on sports in Canada.


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Michael Stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry for well over a decade now and is considered an expert on all things casino and sports betting. Michael has been writing for GamblingSites.org since early 2016. .


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada
Michael Stevens

Michael Stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry fo .


Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US


As of the beginning of August 2019, there are 11 states in America with full-scale legalized sports betting. In addition, another seven states have passed bills and are in the process of launching their sports wagering models.


Moreover, there are 26 more states with sports betting bills under consideration.


Out of 50 states plus Washington, D.C., only seven states have yet to introduce a piece of legislation to legalize and regulate sports betting.


Meanwhile, there is no single-event sports betting in Canada.


Impetus for Legalization


It was in May 2018 that the United States Supreme Court set it all into motion with a single ruling.


The case was instigated by the state of New Jersey.


Then-Governor Chris Christie challenged the constitutionality of the Professional an Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 in the US District Court. The law had been put into place to stop sports betting from being legalized in most states. However, New Jersey wanted its Atlantic City casinos to be able to offer it.


New Jersey passed its own law to legalize sports betting in an attempt to bypass PASPA. But a group of professional sports leagues (NCAA, NBA, NFL, and NHL) sued the state. The case went to the US District Court, which ruled for the leagues. New Jersey appealed the case, which led to the Court of Appeals upholding that original ruling.


With New Jersey determined to pass its own law and the sports leagues just as set against it, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in June 2017. After oral arguments at the end of the year, the highest court in America ruled in May 2018 for New Jersey. PASPA was ruled unconstitutional by the 6-to-3 decision.


The case of Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (Murphy being the governor who took Christie’s place) opened up the sports betting industry for all states in America.


Prior to the ruling, Nevada was the only state with full-fledged sports betting in its casinos. Oregon, Delaware, and Montana were excepted from PASPA in a limited manner.


After the May 2018 decision, however, every state had the right to legalize and regulate sports betting.


Wasting No Time


New Jersey was one of the first states, along with Delaware, to launch full sports betting operations after the Supreme Court ruling.


Several other states followed in the next few months, such as Rhode Island, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Arkansas and parts of New Mexico were also in the mix.


In little more than a year, other states like Iowa and New York have launched sports betting. And Montana, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. preparing to launch in the coming months.


And according to the latest tracking by ESPN, more states could also legalize sports wagering this year. In fact, it is very likely to happen.


Canadians Crossing the Border


Without any legal single-event sports betting in Canada, many people are considering crossing the border into America to place their bets.


Right now, they can do so in New York, and New Jersey and Pennsylvania are not far.


Illinois and Montana are working on their sports betting launches, and those states border Canada.


Border states considering legislation at the current time include Washington State, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Vermont, and Maine.


With each state that joins the sports betting club in America, more Canadians will have the option to travel for their sports wagering needs.


Will this make Canadian lawmakers more likely to change the law to legalize single-event betting?


Ontario Might Lead the Way


In April of this year, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made a significant effort to start a conversation about sports betting, putting notes into his budget proposal. He indicated a strong interest in meeting with federal government officials to legalize single-event sports wagering across Canada.


Ford joined Ontario Finance Minister Vic Fedeli in the push. Fedeli has been advocating for the change from current sports betting options to that of betting on as little as one game or event. He has noted that the market would grow and be competitive with the US market.



While Ford seems to want the federal government to handle the issue, Fedeli is continuing to request that Ontario take the lead. “It should generate revenues for the province of Ontario,” he has said, “but primarily, it’s about legalizing something and offering choice for families.”


There are also more firms lobbying the federal government along the same lines. One company is theScore, a digital sports platform developer that is working closely with US companies. It wants to do the same in Canada.


Along with theScore, the Pathway Group of Toronto is lobbying the government with a special focus on MPs and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.


Jennifer Newell


Jennifer Newell has been writing about poker and gambling since 2004. From her days in the WPT offices to covering summers of WSOP tournament action, she also followed gambling legislation to Washington D.C. and women-only poker to the Bahamas. Meanwhile, she lived in Los Angeles and Las Vegas for many years before moving back to her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Now, Jen travels less, writing about poker and online gambling from her home with her two dogs watching her every move. In her spare time, she follows politics, works on her never-finished novels, and learns Italian in the hopes of retiring to Italy someday.


If you want to know more, you can follow Jen on Twitter @WriterJen


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Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


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Last May, the United States Supreme Court made a landmark decision by striking down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The decision effectively killed the United States’ federal ban on sports betting, which cleared the way for state legislatures to decide individually whether they wanted to legalize and regulate sports betting.


Since the decision, a number of states, including New Jersey, have opened betting on sports to the public. The industry is among the fastest-growing in the United States, and more states are expected to follow suit in the months and years ahead.


Meanwhile, the activity is still banned in Canada. That said, could the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court eventually help convince lawmakers to open their doors to sports betting in Canada, too? Back in March, the Toronto Sun reported that Ontario’s Finance Minister, Vic Fedeli, had sent a letter to Canada’s federal Finance Minister, Bill Morneau. In the letter, Fedeli asked Morneau to amend the country’s criminal code in order to legalize single-game sports betting in Ontario.


There is still no word on whether Morneau plans to act on Fedeli’s request, but the fact that the conversation of whether to legalize sports betting in Canada is happening is at least a step in the right direction.


Could sports betting become legal in Canada in the near future?


Current Canadian Sports Betting Situation


At present, a very limited amount of sports betting is permitted in Ontario, Canada’s largest province. The only platform available to bettors is called Pro-Line, which is a government-supported service that allows bettors to place bets on a minimum of 3 selections. Like a parlay bet, all 3 results have to be correct for the bet to win.


Fedeli reportedly stated in his letter that he is concerned that the increasing popularity of sports betting in the U.S. could mean that Canada will lose out on a potential revenue windfall. Fedeli stated that simply tweaking the law in Ontario alone would generate an additional $110 million in revenue on an annual basis, which would certainly benefit the government and citizens of the province.


Fedeli cited cities like Las Vegas that are notorious hotbeds for sports bettors. In the letter, he said, “Single event sports wagering is one of the fastest-growing categories of gambling entertainment. In fact, in a typical year, more than 90 percent of the sports dollars wagered in Nevada sportsbooks are on a single event bet.”


As it stands, Canadians are not permitted to place bets on a single event, such as the NFL’s Super Bowl or the CFL’s Grey Cup. Fedeli argues that Canada is potentially losing players that would be willing to bet in Canada to nearby states that have since planned to legalize it, such as New Jersey or Michigan.


Fedeli also stated that the fact that major professional sports leagues like the NBA and Major League Baseball have since come around on the idea of supporting the legalization of sports betting should serve as a reason for Canada to get with the times. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver offered his support by writing,


“The NBA would support the province of Ontario offering this form of betting, subject to appropriate safeguards.”


This is quite the turn considering it wasn’t long ago that the NBA was strongly opposed to all forms of gambling. Back when the Toronto Raptors joined the NBA in 1995, there was a condition that dictated that Raptors games were ineligible for the Pro-Line wagering service.


History of Sports Betting in Canada


Fedeli’s letter is just the latest call for the legalization of sports betting in Canada. In fact, some lawmakers have been trying to get the ball rolling on the issue since 2011. Unfortunately, little progress has been made over the years, but not for lack of effort.


The current laws are not equipped to deal with the growing number of players betting on sports or playing casino games online, which essentially leaves Canada in a grey area as far as regulation goes. In 2015, Ontario MP Brian Masse attempted to repeal a portion of the country’s criminal code that makes it illegal to bet on a single sporting event.


While Masse attempted to focus his efforts on consumer protection and the potential financial benefits legalization would bring to his region, those in opposition to the idea continued to cite the tired old concerns regarding potential game-fixing and the proliferation of gambling addiction among young people. As a result, the bill was eventually struck down by a 156-133 margin.


Following America’s Footsteps?


The renewed calls for gambling legalization in Canada coming on the heels of the aforementioned U.S. Supreme Court’s decision is no accident, of course. Legal sports betting is available across Europe, and the United States is hopeful that bringing the activity out of the shadows will ultimately prove beneficial for all involved.


Because Canada is at risk of losing huge amounts of money with prospective gamblers fleeing to the south, the time is now for the country to take the next step and finally step up to the plate on the issue. About 90 percent of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the American border, so it’s not exactly difficult for those wanting to gamble legally to do so.


The fact that the provincial legislature and federal parliament are not currently aligned politically may be a roadblock. Conservatives currently control the provincial portion of government, while liberals have control of parliament. This kind of alignment isn’t necessarily conducive to bold deals getting done.


Legalized sports betting will come to Canada at some point in the near future, especially as long as the industry continues to thrive and grow down in the United States.


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu .



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The History Of Sports Betting In Canada


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Whether it was throwing dice hundreds of years ago, betting on horse races, playing Bingo or buying Proline tickets, one thing has remained consistent throughout the history of sports betting in Canada.


We Canadians love to gamble.


Canada is one of the most liberal-thinking countries when it comes to gambling. Our government has a very relaxed policy on it (there’s nothing in the United States that resembles our provincial sports lotteries, and there’s been no crackdown on daily fantasy sports in Canada), and no Canadian has ever been prosecuted for using an online sportsbook.


Gambling is part of our culture. In a recent poll, 55% of Canadians said gambling is not a moral issue, while another 19% believe it is morally acceptable. Only 23% of Canadians felt gambling was an unacceptable behaviour.


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But where does this love for gambling in Canada come from?


In this article, we’ll look at the history of sports betting in Canada, from its native origins to the introduction of government-regulated sports betting to a Canadian founding one of the world’s most popular sportsbooks.


We’ll also assess the current climate of sports betting in Canada and see where the future may take us.


Let’s get started… at the beginning.


The Early History of Sports Betting In Canada



Gambling and sports betting in Canada may have evolved over the years, but it has always existed in one form or another.


In fact, we can trace the history of sports betting in Canada back more than 600 years, when natives were known to play a variety of games of chance.


When the Canadian government banned almost all forms of gambling in 1892, betting on horse races was the only wagering allowed.


Horse betting and the midways at county fairs were the only legal ways to do betting in Canada until 1969, when the Canadian Criminal Code was amended to allow provincial and federal governments to run lotteries in support of charities and other good causes (such as the 1976 Olympics in Montreal).


Once our governments realized gambling in Canada could be used to generate significant revenue, they began to open their arms to gambling more and more. More amendments were made to the Canadian Criminal Code to allow provinces to administer computer and video gaming devices like slot machines.


Government-regulated sports betting in Canada was not far behind.


Proline betting


Sports gambling in Canada was limited to illegal bookmakers until the early 1990s, when the provincial governments introduced Proline and other provincial sports lotteries like Sports Action and Mise-O-Jeu.



, wording in the Canadian Criminal Code prohibited Proline from offering single game sports betting in Canada. An amendment to the Code in 1985 meant provinces could only provide sports betting in a lottery format, so they offered parlay (multiple-game) betting. This required you to make 3-6 selections on one ticket and get them all correct to win your wager.


Proline betting in Ontario began with Sport Select, when you could pick which team would win. A few years later, Proline added Over/Under, allowing you to bet on how many points would be scored in the game. Shortly after that, Proline betting added Point Spread, a common way to bet in football and basketball. In the mid 2000s, Pro Picks rounded out the Proline betting options,


Proline and other provincial sports lotteries were quite popular at first because they provided a convenient way for us Canadians to bet on sports in a way we hadn’t before.


But the complaints eventually came.


Proline betting pros and cons


One of the early pros of Proline sports betting in Canada was that the odds were posted up to a week in advance of the games – and they didn’t change.


It was easier to pick 3 games for a ticket when you had a week’s games to choose from. Bettors were also able to take advantage of betting lines that had moved at sportsbooks but not at Proline.


According to a 2005 study by Glomecord.com gaming specialist Cameron Scott, a 1-point discrepancy between the Vegas betting line and the Proline point spread line was enough to put the odds in Proline players’ favour. That was eventually exploited by Ottawa-area brothers Brian and Terry Leblanc, who earned approximately $650,000 per year playing provincial sports lotteries in Ontario and Quebec from 1996-99.


Another one of the Proline betting pros was the convenience. You could play Proline at the corner store and for as little as $2 per ticket. If you won your Proline bet, you could cash your ticket at the corner store if the payout was under $300.


However, we Canadians quickly found a lot of things that we didn’t like. Here are six of the biggest Proline betting cons:



  1. The parlay requirement made it very difficult to win in Proline betting. It was already hard to pick winners against the spread 53% of the time; having to go 100% on 3-6 games in order to get paid made for a lot of losing tickets.

  2. Proline betting odds were not fair when compared to the probability of outcomes occurring, especially heavy favourites. The payout also included your original wager, so you weren’t “winning” as much as you thought.

  3. The various Proline tie rules turned many potential winning tickets into losers. All football games decided by 3 points (a very common margin of victory) or less were graded as ties. So were basketball games decided by 5 points or less. Proline tie rules depend on where you live, which only added to the confusion.

  4. Proline betting limits were low in order to protect the provincial sports lotteries from liability. You could only bet a maximum of $100 per Proline ticket, and you could not play the same combination of outcomes twice in a row. There were even cases when, if too many other people bet on the same games, you wouldn’t be allowed to.

  5. Over the years, Proline betting selection became very poor. NBA basketball was taken off Ontario Proline betting as a condition for the Toronto Raptors joining the NBA in 1994 (Proline tried to add NBA betting again in 2010, but those plans fell through).

  6. Eventually, Proline stopped offering betting on games that weren’t being played that particular day, another move to protect the provincial sports lotteries from liability.



Provincial sports lotteries may have been the most visible way to bet on sports in Canada, but many of us wished there was a better option.


Online sports betting in Canada


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The explosion of the Internet’s popularity in the mid-1990s brought many new possibilities. We could communicate more easily and efficiently than we ever had before, and there was a wealth of information suddenly at our fingertips.


It also opened exciting new ways to bet on sports in Canada.


The Canadian Criminal Code prohibits anyone in Canada from accepting sports betting wagers, unless they meet certain conditions, which is why there are no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in Canada. But the Internet allowed us to place our bets with online sportsbooks based outside of Canada, which was and remains perfectly legal.


Sports Interaction changed the history of sports betting in Canada even more when it was founded in 1997 on the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, about 15 minutes outside of Montreal. Sports Interaction and other online sportsbooks offered single-game sports betting in Canada on many sports Proline didn’t, and at better odds. The sportsbooks also offered generous signup and deposit bonuses.


Bodog was founded by a Canadian



A riveting chapter was added to the history of sports betting in Canada in 2000, when Saskatchewan-born Calvin Ayre launched Bodog, an online gambling site that would make him a billionaire.


Ayre may have grown up on a pig farm, but he was no country hick. He first thought of developing his own Canadian sports betting site after reading a 1992 newspaper article about a Caribbean-based company offering sports betting over the phone.


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key to success was that he understood network design, which allowed him to constantly improve his site without having to pay expensive licensing fees. He also chose the name of his website wisely, and he hit a home run by marketing himself as the ‘bad boy billionaire’ face of the company.


“In terms of making our brand more accessible and attractive to an international audience and our particular demographic, we made a very deliberate business decision early in the game to tack my face all over our website and on all campaigns associated with the Bodog brand,” Ayre told international IT news publication The Register in 2006. “More than simply a branding strategy, this tactic allowed us to add an extra layer of transparency that – along with our focus on customer service and our expansion into new forms of entertainment has allowed us to play an integral role in legitimizing an industry well in need of a face-lift.”


Ayre sold Bodog’s US-facing online gambling website to another Canadian company, the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group in Kahnawake, in 2006 and announced his retirement from the online gambling business shortly after.



Provincial sports lotteries moving online


Over the past decade, Proline and other provincial sports lotteries have gradually joined the movement towards online sports betting in Canada.


The British Columbia Lottery Corporation introduced Playnow.com in 2004, a website that offered online play and purchase of select lottery products. Playnow.com offers comparable betting odds to online sportsbooks, though it isn’t as good an option for sports bettors because it still requires you to bet multiple games at once.


Mise-O-Jeu in Quebec now allows you to do sports betting online, but once again you can’t bet on just one game at a time.


Other provinces in Canada appear to be following suit, though they’re doing so slowly. The Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation introduced a new online gambling website in early 2015, but it did not include sports betting capabilities.


The future of sports betting in Canada (Bill C-221 and C-290)



Proline and online sportsbooks might not be the only ways to do legal sports betting in Canada in the near future.


According to a 2014 TSN.ca article by Rick Westhead, Canadians bet nearly $16 billion on sports each year – only $500 million of which is wagered with Proline and other provincial sports lotteries.


Realizing the potential tax dollars that are being passed up, some government officials have begun pushing for government-regulated sports gambling in Canada. A bill that would legalize single-event sports betting in Canada, Bill C-290, was passed unanimously through the House of Commons in 2012.


However, Bill C-290 was never approved by the Canadian Senate and died in the summer of 2015. A new bill, Bill C-221 (The Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act) was introduced in early 2016, but was quickly met with opposition from the governing Liberal party.


Professional sports leagues have varying opinions on whether single-event sports betting in Canada should be regulated by the provincial governments, and it remains unclear when — or if — legislation similar to Bill C-221 or Bill C-290 will ever be passed.


Even if single-event sports betting in Canada is legalized and government regulated, there is no guarantee that provincial sports betting would compete with the odds and bonuses offered by online sportsbooks, and the odds offered by illegal bookmakers.


It’s entire possible that many of us would bet on sports the same way that we have throughout the history of sports betting in Canada.


Canada Has Every Reason To Follow US In Legalizing Single-Game Sports Betting


Canada Sports Betting






You may have heard some recent scuttlebutt about the U.S. allegedly getting ripped off by its neighbors to the north for years. Apparently, some in Washington really take that old South Park credo of “blame Canada” to heart.


But on the sports betting front, it’s Canadians who are poised to increasingly get the short end of the stick moving forward. That is, unless their government eventually opts to walk in the legislative footsteps of its neighbors to the south.


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Canada Sports Betting, Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


Canada’s single-game sports wagering ban persists


Just like the U.S. until a little over a month ago, Canada has a federal ban on single-game sports betting. The country’s individual provincial governments do have leeway to offer sports lotteries, but they must be in the form of a two-team parlay at minimum to avoid running afoul of the law. Hopes were high for a 2016 bill that sought to decriminalize single-game wagering, yet it was ultimately defeated in the House of Commons by a fairly narrow 156-133 vote margin.


As you’d expect in a case where there’s really no marketplace competition, the consumer essentially gets the shaft in this scenario in terms of betting lines. It’s no surprise that like many U.S. residents, a significant number of Canadian bettors have long chosen to take their action to offshore sportsbooks or a local bookie.


Legalized sports betting could boost one Canadian sports league’s profile


In the overall sports landscape, the Canadian Football League (CFL) carries somewhat of a reputation as the proverbial red-headed stepchild when compared to hockey. However, that perception isn’t necessarily accurate in every corner of the Great White North.


While the Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions are legitimately struggling to generate attendance, the likes of the Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos have consistently loyal fanbases.



  • A recent Canada Project survey revealed 63 percent of respondents feel the CFL is an integral part of Canada’s “sporting identity”.

  • An IMI brand study found the CFL to be the third biggest sports brand in the country, with one in two Canadians following the league at some level.

  • Last year’s Grey Cup championship reportedly was the most watched edition of the game in Canada since 2013, enjoyed a 10 percent increase in viewership over the prior year, and achieved a 34 share in TV ratings within the country.



The league also has national TV exposure throughout all of North America. In the U.S., various ESPN properties alternate the carrying of Canadian counterpart TSN’s broadcasts throughout the regular season, playoffs and Grey Cup.


In other words, they clearly have some traction. And the recent signing of a certain infamous Johnny Manziel has resulted in an extra uptick in mainstream attention. Thus, in Canada, the CFL would serve as a textbook example of a sports entity that could potentially vault to the next level of popularity with the extra awareness that legalized sports betting would bring.


CFL’s quirky scoring rules, style of play lend themselves well to sports betting


The CFL product’s inherent ability to provide a good ‘ol fashioned betting sweat certainly wouldn’t hurt, either.


Exponentially more fast-paced than its vastly more popular NFL cousin, some of the idiosyncrasies of the CFL’s rulebook tend to make it somewhat of a rollercoaster ride for those with skin in the game:



  • Three downs instead of four, leading to a much higher percentage of passing

  • Unlimited number of receivers in motion behind the line of scrimmage before the snap and running starts allowed.

  • A 110-yard long and 65-foot wide field.

  • A 20-yard end zone.

  • Missed field-goal returns much more common and occasionally result in touchdowns.

  • A single-point play, aka “a rouge”

  • Typically robust game totals.



Think of the NFL and Arena Football League having a baby. Just one that doesn’t propel into walls in full gear and that plays on a field bigger than your average family room.


Given how many extra possessions a CFL team typically sees because of the three-down structure and higher percentage of passing, you’d also be ill-advised to rip up your ticket in frustration before the final gun in most cases — wild last-minute comebacks are much more commonplace than on a typical NFL Sunday.


And what of that pesky “rouge”? As you might imagine, a single-point play can wreak some havoc on money lines and point spreads in a game’s closing seconds.


Sweating over/under action on a CFL game is also often an experience onto itself. Envision trying to make an educated guess on the final score of a Madden showdown between you and a buddy and you’ll start to get the idea.


There’s already plenty of money being wagered on CFL games


There’s a DFS- and soon-to-be-sports betting tie-in between the league and DraftKings, as well.


The DFS industry leader has been running CFL contests since 2016. What was initially a one-year “advertising and promotional” agreement is now officially in its third season.


In a press release announcing the renewal of the pact for a second year in back in 2017, DK touted the fact there were “nearly one million entries” in that first season (last season’s figures have been requested from DK but were not yet available as of this writing).


Of course, in fairly short order, residents in certain U.S. states will have another option besides DFS if they want to plunk down a few bucks on a CFL game within the platform.


The company will soon roll out its sportsbook in New Jersey in partnership with Resorts AC, and they expect to be a player in any other state that successfully introduces a legalized sports betting environment.


CFL and NHL games will naturally be on the docket daily when those leagues are in season. However, as long as the status quo persists, Canadians will be able to put money in play on either sport in the DFS “wing” of DK; however, they’ll be shut out of doing so on the sportsbook side, while a growing number of U.S. residents will have access.


Will Canadian sports betting push reach a tipping point?


Moving forward, Canadian sports fans and bettors will thus likely look on with at least a tinge of envy as legalized sports betting becomes increasingly prevalent in the United States.


Granted, some in the eastern portion of the country will certainly be within striking distance of states that already are (New Jersey, Delaware) or will soon be offering (Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island) single-game wagering. But that’s nowhere near the same as having the convenience of being able to go to a local sportsbook or placing an online bet.


Canada has no shortage of rabid sports fans. It also has an abundance of active bettors — in 2016, the Canadian Gaming Association estimated that the country’s residents were spending approximately $4 billion on offshore sportsbooks and another $500 million on provincial sports lotteries.


And perhaps we’re in the early stages of the stars aligning for the country’s sports betting supporters, considering:



  • The recent defeat of PASPA in the U.S.

  • A healthy appetite for sports betting that already clearly exists within Canadian borders.

  • Robust support for decriminalization of single-game wagering within government.



Can all these factors form a “perfect storm” and ultimately lead to the legalization of Canadian single-game wagering?


Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada


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NHL Odds


ATS NHL Odds Explanation: NHL Betting Lines


A good frame of reference for NHL betting is to think about MLB betting. Much like betting on baseball, betting on hockey primarily consists of money line wagering and totals action. Spreads, like what we see in basketball and football, are limited to +1.5 and -1.5 on most odds screens. Sportsbooks offer “alternate spreads”, but those are not widely published.


The reason why it seems easiest to compare NHL to MLB is that people are likely more familiar with the baseball betting markets. Baseball takes place in the summer when there is a lot less going on. During hockey season, football and basketball are happening and those usually take center stage, but NHL betting has steadily grown in popularity and it is important to know the bet types and how to read the odds before you dive in.


Top Sportsbooks for NHL Betting


One of the most important considerations for NHL bettors is to look at how the lines are structured. You can bet the Puck Line at +1.5 or -1.5, but most NHL betting is done with money lines and those can have big discrepancies across the betting markets. Most sportsbooks will have “20-cent lines” for the NHL, so something like -125 on a favorite and +105 on that underdog. There will be a 20-cent difference between the two sides.


Some sportsbooks have 15-cent lines. Some have 10-cent lines. Some are bigger than that. You want to look at the odds and use those to determine the best sportsbooks for NHL betting. Some suggestions to look at would be BetMGM, DraftKings, PointsBet, BetRivers, and William Hill.v


NHL Money Lines

The most common bet type for hockey leagues around the world, including the NHL, is the money line. That will be the default setting for most odds screens. The concept behind the money line is simple. All you have to do is pick the winner of the game.


However, it is more complex than that. The favorite, denoted by a minus (-) sign, and the underdog, denoted by a plus (+) sign, will have odds based on the likelihood of the favorite beating the underdog. For example, the Tampa Bay Lightning would be a big favorite over the Detroit Red Wings, but they would be a smaller favorite against the Boston Bruins.


Against the Red Wings, the Lightning might be -275. Against the Bruins, the Lightning might be -120. It all depends on the implied win probability of the teams in the game.


The bigger the favorite, the lower the risk, but also the lower the reward. The bigger the underdog, the higher the risk and the higher the reward.


For example, you could bet $275 “To Win” $100 on the Lighting. You could also bet “To Risk” $100 to win about $36 and change on the Lightning. To Win and To Risk are important concepts with money line wagering.


If you wanted to bet the Red Wings at +235, you could bet “To Risk” $100 and win $235 or bet $42.55 “To Win” $100.


Because there are no spreads, the money line odds, also known as the “vigorish” or “vig” will move based on betting action, injury news, and other factors.


NHL Puck Lines

Puck Lines are the NHL equivalent of Run Lines in MLB. They are “spread betting” for the NHL. The favorite will be -1.5 and the underdog will be +1.5. The vigorish on the +1.5 or the -1.5 will be related to how big of a favorite or how big of an underdog the team in.


If the Red Wings are playing the Lightning, their +1.5 line will be at plus odds. The Lightning’s -1.5 would be at minus odds. If the Lightning were playing the Bruins, though, then the -1.5 would be at a high plus price and the +1.5 on the Bruins would be at a very high minus price.


In order to win a Puck Line with a favorite, that team needs to win by two or more goals. The underdog would have to lose by one or win the game outright.


NHL Totals

NHL totals are a way to bet the combined score between the two teams. In the NHL, this usually ranges from an absolute low of 4.5 to an absolute high of 7.5. Like all forms of betting, vig is included. The industry standard is -110, but the vig will move around a lot on totals.


If the total is 6.5 and the game ends 4-3, that game goes “over the total”. If the game ends 4-2, that game goes “under the total”.


If the vig moves to -115 on the over, there will be a corresponding move on the under to -105. If the vig moves on one side, it will move on the other side as well.


NHL Prop Betting and Futures Betting

Futures betting for the NHL is the same as you would expect in any other sport. You can bet on teams to win the Stanley Cup. You can bet on teams to win their conferences or their divisions. When it comes to the Stanley Cup, the favorite(s) odds will usually be somewhere around +400 and the longest of the long shots will be as high as +50000 or so.


Prop betting in the NHL has increased in popularity as well, including stuff like will Alexander Ovechkin score a goal or over/under saves for Carey Price.


Another form of betting is called “derivative betting”, in which you can bet things like the first period money line or over/under.



Bet with your head, not over it. Call 1-800-GAMBLER if you have a gambling problem.




So, let's define, what was the most valuable conclusion of this review: Is live and online sports betting legal in Canada? Find out in our comprehensive review of sports betting laws by Canadian province. at Sports Betting Spreads Like Wildfire Across US in Canada

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