Montpelier Sportsbooks
Montpelier, Vermont, is the capital of the state, so you’d think it would be one of the bigger cities in the region. However, Montpelier is actually the least populous capital city in America, with just over 8000 permanent residents calling it home. Still, because it is the seat of Washington County and has a number of government employees who drive in for the workday, the daytime population climbs to nearly 22,000. And fully 1/5th of these folks bet on sports. However, none of them has the luxury of using local Montpelier sportsbooks, because Vermont actually has no legal sports betting at any land-based venue.
Even though the Profession and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA, 1992) has finally been overturned by the Supreme Court, opening the door to legal sports betting in every US state, Vermont may be one of the last American destinations to finally institute and regulate the pastime. This is because VT is historically strict re gambling in general. Indeed, there are no land-based casinos or racinos in the state, and while horse racing betting is legal by state law, there is not a single horse racing track or simulcast OTB location inside Vermont. If you live in VT and wish to bet on sports or gamble, you’re out of luck.
Or are you? Well, as it turns out, Montpelier residents legally bet on sports every day. They do this by using offshore sportsbooks like Bovada, SportsBetting, MyBookie, BetOnline, and various other highly-rate gambling services. Since these sportsbooks operate outside of US/Vermont jurisdiction, and since it’s 100% legal for VT residents to place bets (they just can’t accept them), these overseas books remain completely legal to use, and no Montpelier resident has ever been arrested for doing so.
Best Vermont Sports Betting Sites - 100% Trusted + Safe |
Is Sports Betting Currently Legal In Montpelier?
Residents of Montpelier and the surrounding areas spend a lot of money betting on sports each year, making up part of the small state’s comparatively hefty $5 billion annual sports wagering handle. And though sports betting in Vermont is not currently legal in Montpelier at land-based, in-state venues, those living in the area simply use the aforementioned online sportsbooks to legally place their wagers.
Remember, because these books operate overseas, they are not bound to any US laws, and they are able to conduct business per the rules and regulations of their home countries. Vermont – much like the federal government – has not criminalized individuals for placing bets of any kind. Instead, the anti-gambling laws in the state are designed to go after those individual and commercial parties that make books and accept bets. Per Title 13, Chapter 51, § 2151 of the Vermont Statutes:
“[A] person shall not...engage in bookmaking or pool selling, except deer pools or other pools in which all of the monies paid by the participants, as an entry fee or otherwise, are paid out to either the winning participants based on the result of the pool or to a nonprofit organization...record or register, at any time or place, any wager upon such result; [or]... lay, make, offer or accept any wager, upon such result or contest of skill, speed or power of endurance of human or beast, or between humans, beasts, or mechanical apparatus.”
As you can see, according to the explicit language of the above VT betting laws, only bookmakers – or bookies – are banned when it comes to Vermont sports betting. This means that any Montpelier or VT resident who wishes to wager on sports can do so at any time, provided they simply stick to the above trusted websites (Bovada, SportsBetting, etc.).
Best Sportsbooks In Montpelier, Vermont
The best sportsbooks in Montpelier are the offshore sportsbooks already mentioned, like SportsBetting, Bovada, MyBookie, and the rest. These sites have been serving the Montpelier area – and all of Vermont itself – for over a generation, and their combined 100-plus years of experience offering fair lines, comprehensive odds on national and international events, and guaranteed payouts have made them each a solid choice for anyone living in the Green Mountain State who is looking to kick off their wagering career.
Nevertheless, land-based sportsbooks and betting lounges could eventually come to Montpelier, though there is no timeline for when this should happen. As Vermont has no real gambling inside the state save for the state lottery and various charitable bingo stuff, it may very well take years before folks in Montpelier can walk up to a local kiosk or counter and place a sports bet on state soil.
Fortunately, other nearby gambling destinations in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut should have their own sports betting lounges launching much sooner (likely within the next year), giving VT travelers and vacationers several opportunities to not only wager on sports but to enjoy bona fide, high-class resort casino experiences at the same time.
Some of the out-of-state casinos most heavily-trafficked by Montpelier residents include the Resorts World Catskills in New York and the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Once construction is complete, the Encore Boston Harbor in Massachusetts is also sure to be a popular hotspot for Montpelier and Vermont sports bettors.
Minimum Legal Age To Bet At Montpelier Sportsbooks
The minimum legal age to bet at Montpelier sportsbooks like Bovada and SportsBetting (and the rest) is just 18 years old. However, even though there is no law against sports betting or gambling (and thus no mandated legal age minimums), if you sign up and wager at an online book underage, you will have your account permanently banned and all your deposits and winnings will be forfeited.
For those Montpelier gamblers that play at out-of-state casinos, the age limit to enter these venues and wager on sports inside them is 21. That means that simply by using an online sportsbook, Montpelier residents can get as much as a three-year head start on learning the ins and outs of the industry before they ever set foot into a brick-and-mortar sports betting lounge.
- Resorts World Catskills
- http://www.rwcatskills.com/
- Address:888 Resorts World Drive, Monticello, NY 12701
- Phone: 1-833-586-9358
The Resorts World Catskills is a new, state-of-the-art, modern hotel-casino located in Monticello, New York. Just 285 miles southwest of Montpelier, the Resorts World Catskills is the perfect weekend destination for VT gamblers looking for an authentic, traditional casino gaming experience. The venue has over 100,000 square feet of gaming space filled to the brim with nearly 2000 slot machines, 150 table games of all kinds, a poker room, and even private gaming salons for groups of all sizes. Of course, when the Resorts World sportsbook opens for business sometime in the next few months, the facility will be more popular than ever.
The hotel and amenities available at the Resorts World Catskills are second to none. The venue, having just opened in 2018, is brand new, and its 18-story tower holds nearly 350 luxurious rooms and suites, all boasting the coveted AAA 5 Diamond rating. Restaurant and bar options abound, and you can unwind after an exciting day of gaming at the Resorts World’s Crystal Life Spa. All in all, the hotel-casino really lives up to its billing and is truly “Where five-star service is at your service all day, every day.”
Of course, given that it’s in the Catskills, there’s also lots to do outside the Resorts World property. Montpelier day-trippers and weekenders will not want to miss out on the various local attractions available in Monticello, like the Holiday Mountain Ski Resort, the Museum at Bethel Woods, and the De Hoyos Memorial Park. Antique shops and local eateries abound, as well, filling your days with fun and your belly with good food.
- Encore Boston Harbor
- http://www.encorebostonharbor.com/
- Address: One Broadway Everett, MA 02149
- Phone: 857-770-7890
While it won’t be open for business for another year, Montpelier sports betting enthusiasts and gamblers will be thrilled with everything the Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, MA, has to offer. Naturally, the $2.5 billion Wynn Resorts venue – located just outside Boston 180 miles southeast of Montpelier – will have a tremendous gaming floor with thousands of slot machines, hundreds of table games, and all the luxury one would expect from a world-class casino destination. Hopefully, by the time the facility opens its doors to the public, sports betting in MA will have been passed into law, and the Encore Boston Harbor sportsbook should be up and running from day one.
The hotel aspect of the property – a 27-story tower nearly 300 feet tall – will feature 670-plus rooms and suites, and the property will also include fine dining on the Mystic River, several pools and Jacuzzis, a grand ballroom, and more. Of particular interest to visitors will be the $28 million Popeye sculpture by the curiously renowned Jeff Koons, which Steve Wynn himself purchased at auction specifically for the lobby of the Encore Boston Harbor. Will America’s most famous sailor-man make the Encore Boston Harbor America’s most famous waterfront casino resort?
- Foxwoods Resort Casino
- https://www.foxwoods.com/
- Address: 350 Trolley Line Blvd Mashantucket, CT 06338
- Phone: 860-312-3000
The Foxwoods Resort – like the neighboring Mohegan Sun – needs no introduction to Montpelier residents, as it’s the single most popular casino destination for those living in and around Vermont. As the largest casino in the US (and third largest in the world), the Foxwoods – owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on their Connecticut reservation, is a sight to behold. And though the introduction of the forthcoming Foxwoods Resort sportsbook is sure to give a boost to the venue’s daily traffic, over 4 million people visit the Foxwoods each year already. By this time next year, the site’s 2300 hotel rooms may not be enough!
Outside of the Foxwoods Casino itself, there’s an almost unlimited number of things to do for gamblers and their families. The Foxwoods features a massive 5500-square-foot pool, two five-star spas, the 7300-yard Lake of Isles professional-grade golf course (consistently rated as the finest in Connecticut), the High Rollers bowling alley, the Tree House Arcade for the youngsters in your party (or the kid in you!), and special activities – like zip-lining, 3D multisensory gaming theatres, real-track kart racing, and the Foxwoods Thrill Tower, which will take you “Beyond your wildest screams.” Of course, there’s also plenty of Mashantucket Pequot cultural attractions, including an on-site museum and various tours of the surrounding reservation area.
Given all the things to do at the massive Foxwoods Resort Casino, it’s genuinely relieving that the venue will be making its Foxwoods sportsbook mobile-accessible, so guests on the property can enjoy all the wonders of this one-of-a-kind locale without missing a minute of sports betting action.