Alaska Legal Online Sports Betting Guide For 2024
There are not any brick and mortar sports betting opportunities in Alaska at this time. Sports betting is not legal in Alaska. The PASPA that was passed in 1992 makes sports betting in the United States illegal except for a few select destinations which were grandfathered in, and Alaska is not one of these destinations. This guide will provide bettors information on precisely what legal sports betting options are available to residents of Alaska, what Alaska state laws says about gambling and sports betting, and what types of sports programs are supported in the state.
This page answers some of the main questions surrounding this industry and covers other questions that are being asked by gamblers in Alaska. Though the population is small in the state, there is still a substantial interest in sports betting among fans, and there are legal options available for those Alaska residents who enjoy this type of responsible gambling entertainment.
Best Online Sportsbooks That Legally Accept Alaska Residents In 2024
| Sportsbook Name | Welcome Bonus | Rating /5 | USA Friendly | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Sportsbook | 50% Max $1000 | 4.8 | Yes | Play Now |
| BetUS Sportsbook | 125% Max $3125 | 4.5 | Yes | Play Now |
| Betonline Sportsbook | 50% Max $1000 | 4.4 | Yes | Play Now |
| Bookmaker | 50% Max $300 | 4.4 | Yes | Play Now |
| SB Sportsbook | 50% Max $1000 | 4.3 | Yes | Play Now |
Are There Legally Licensed And Regulated Online Sportsbooks For AK Players?
As mentioned above, there are a number of legally licensed and regulated online sportsbooks that operate legitimately within the industry, offer a high quality betting experience, and accept bettors from the state of Alaska. Now it is important to remember that just because an Internet betting site accepts AK residents as customers does not mean they are legally licensed or legitimately offering their services to you.
There are questionable operations out there, and we suggest that you limit your selections to those sports betting sites that have been vetted by professionals and approved as legal and secure destinations for bettors. This guide includes brands which our team of review specialists has approved. These sites have exceeded licensing requirements and industry standards, and represent the best options that the industry has to offer.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Alaska
Sports betting at brick and mortar destinations in Alaska is not legal at this time. Gambling laws in Alaska do not address online sports betting. This means that it is also not legal at this time to own or operate an online gambling within the state’s borders. This does not however eliminate all options for Alaskan bettors. There not any state laws or federal laws which make it illegal for Alaska residents to participate in legally licensed and regulated online sportsbooks that are based outside of the United States.
This guide provides a listing of the industry’s leading offshore online sports betting sites that are legally licensed, subject to regulatory oversight, and that accept bettors from Alaska. Participating in legal sports betting at one of these sportsbook destinations is not illegal, and does not break any state or federal laws. You can review the state’s laws and statutes by visiting the official Alaska Legislature website.
What is the Legal Gambling Age in Alaska?
According to Alaska’s gambling laws, bettors in Alaska must be at least 21 years of age prior to engaging in any type of gambling. Even if an online gambling site offers 18 as the minimum eligible age for their site, those participants from Alaska must still be 21.
What Sports Programs are Supported in Alaska?
Due to Alaska’s rough terrain, weather and small population, it simply doesn’t support a wealth of professional or collegiate sports programs. In fact, the state is not home to any professional sports teams, and two well established collegiate sports programs. As you can imagine, the state’s climate does not provide ideal conditions for some outdoor sports, such as football and baseball.
However, the two colleges still offer strong sports programs that include basketball, cross country, gymnastics, hockey, skiing, swimming, and volleyball, among a few others. Following are the two college sports programs that garner strong support from Alaska sports fans.
Your Guide for Betting in Alaska
Alaska is by far the largest state in America, but most of the land there is uninhabited mountain ranges and shores. It’s not really the best place for humans in America, and thus you won’t find a whole lot going on in Alaska in terms of pro or even college sports. Alaskans might still appreciate sports betting, but there aren’t any real home teams to speak of. However, if you do live in Alaska and wish to bet, you still need to know a few tips to help you out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska Sports Betting Laws and Betting Options
This section of our guide is designated for assisting players in navigating through some of the frequently asked questions concerning sports betting in Alaska. With so many changes taking place in the online gambling landscape in the United States, it is sometimes difficult to navigate through the ‘gray’ concerning the legality of online sportsbook wagering. We intend to provide fact based, concise and up to date information here that will empower you to make informed decisions concerning your online gambling options.
Will I get in trouble for participating in offshore sports betting?
There are not any federal laws or Alaska state gambling laws that prohibit bettors from participating in Alaska online sports betting that has been deemed to be legally licensed and regulated outside of the United States. You will not be doing anything wrong, nor will you get in trouble for participating at these types of sportsbooks. Any inquiries or investigations that have been made by federal law enforcement in the past have all been directed at gambling site operators and payment processors suspected of not adhering to federal regulations.
They have not had any interest in attempting to stop participants or include them in any type of investigations. You can learn more about Alaska state gambling laws on the official Alaska Legislature website.
How can I fund my online sports betting account?
The brands that are recommended in this guide offer US friendly options for funding your account, including the following: credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, bank wire, person to person wire, electronic check, and physical check. The specific options available will vary from site to site. My preferred payment method is my Visa, and I’ve never had any issues using it. You may have heard that some of the US based gambling sites in NJ, NV and DE are struggling with funding options for their customers. The offshore brands are not having these types of issues.
What federal laws are in place that impact Alaska sports betting options?
There are several federal laws which address sports betting in the United States. The first one is the Federal Wire Act, which the DOJ maintains prohibits bets from being placed via electronic means. They have interpreted this to include any gambling facilitated by the Internet. Many argue this position due to the intent of the original passing of the law that surrounded eliminating powerful mob run illegal sports betting rings, and the fact that the Internet was not in place when the law was passed. So far nobody has been successful in challenging it.
The second law affecting sports betting the US is known as PASPA, which was passed in 1992. In essence, it made sports betting illegal in the US aside from a few designated areas which were grandfathered in. At the time of this writing, New Jersey is currently challenging this law in the Supreme Court, arguing that it is unconstitutional and infringes on sovereign state rights. NJ is attempting to legalize sports betting options for their residents and visitors. Should they be successful, they will be opening the door for other states to follow, including Alaska should they so choose.
Will Alaska ever offer state regulated sports betting options to their residents?
This is difficult to say. Everyone is waiting and watching to see what happens with New Jersey’s efforts to bring legal sports betting to their state. As laid out on https://sportsbetting.legal/, Alaska has not necessarily shown a strong interest in establishing state licensed sports betting destinations within their state, so we’re not sure where exactly they stand on the issue.
We can tell you that the NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA are strongly opposed to the possibility, and that they don’t mind spending a great deal of resources to fight for their cause. They are a strong opponent. Should the conditions for this possibility ever change in Alaska, we will update this site to reflect those changes.
Are all online sportsbooks legitimately licensed and regulated?
This is a big resounding no. There are a substantial number of questionable, predatory, and simply low quality destinations out there that can place bettors personal identity and sensitive financial information at risk. All of the brands that we recommend in this guide are in fact legally licensed, compliance certified, and regulated by an authentic and respected governing jurisdiction.
If you limit your betting activities to those sites approved by industry professionals, you eliminate your risk of landing at a dangerous sportsbook website.
Tips to Help You Win When Betting On Sports In AK
1: Find the Right Sportsbook
Your first step should always be finding the right location at which to bet. This means a website that meets a certain list of criteria. The website needs to be friendly to US-based players, first and foremost. These sites aren’t hard to find, but there aren’t nearly as many of them as there used to be.
Secondly, you need a sportsbook that offers you a lot of options. Look for a book that offers all the popular sports, niche sports, horse racing, and other sports. Options are what you want when betting. Also make sure the sportsbook in question is lucrative. Find one that offers welcome bonuses and loyalty rewards. A site should make it worth your while, not the other way around.
2: Never Bet as a Fan
As an Alaskan, you may like teams that are relatively close, like the Seattle Seahawks. But being a fan and being a winning better are often mutually exclusive propositions. You shouldn’t attempt to bet as a fan of any sport. Take the fan out of it. Instead of betting on teams you have a rooting interest for, divorce yourself from the outcome and bet only on teams where you’re not looking to cheer.
3: Learn about Trends
Check up on trends before you bet. See how a team does against the spread (ATS), with over-under scores, etc. Find out how well they do at home vs. away, or after a win, loss or a bye week. By looking at these trends, you will find out how statistical likely it is that you win by placing a bet on the team at the time of their game. These aren’t hard numbers to crunch; you simply have to learn to spot winning and losing trends to avoid bad situations.
4: Leverage Your Bets
Is it better to place a $200 bet on one game, or a series of $20 bets on a variety of games? You may be leaning toward the larger number, but that’s actually the much larger risk. If you lose that one game, you’ve lost your stake. Whereas betting in smaller increments allows you to suffer some bad luck without affecting your bottom line. You won’t win as much through smaller leverage bets, but the idea here is that you won’t lose nearly as much. And as long as you’re not subtracting, you’re adding, and these small increments equate to a large total over time.
5: Refrain from Chasing
Two reasons you want to follow the above tips: 1) Betting as a fan will leave you chasing, out of pride or obstinate goals or whatever; 2) Not leveraging your bets will leave you chasing because you will be attempting to win all that money back in one bet. You never, ever chase a loss. If you do it correctly, with smaller, leveraged bets, you don’t need to chase a small loss. You simply double-down on researching trends and betting on teams statistically likely to win.
These tips aren’t guaranteed to make you rich while betting, but we are fairly certain that they will help you win money. If done correctly, you should be able to leverage small and win in incremental fashion way more than you lose. Once you do the math, you find a stake growing.
Resources:
- Alaska Nanooks – University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Alaska Seawolfs – University of Alaska Anchorage