The more than 20 million people who live in New York City can now legally bet on sports using their phones, including golf.
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As mobile sports betting has become increasingly legalized across the country in recent years, New Yorkers have been left behind, forced to travel to a neighboring state or find other ways to place their bets. PGA Tour or NFL every week.
But now, residents of the state with the country’s fourth-largest population can step into action openly and legally.
At 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, the doors to mobile betting were opened to New York-based punters after the state Gaming Commission authorized four mobile betting operators to start taking sports betting in the state.
The change comes after New York lawmakers included an exemption for mobile sports betting in the state budget last April. Four operators, which will pay a 51% income tax, are currently allowed to offer betting, including DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook and BetRivers. In total, the Gaming Commission will issue nine mobile betting licenses, with the operators BallyBet, BetMGM, Wynn Interactive, Resorts World Bet and PointsBet awaiting final approval, according to Gothamist.
Professional golf betting has grown in popularity in recent years, with the PGA Tour even teaming up with FanDuel to increase the game’s presence on the world’s best golf circuit. The Tour recently announced a three-year extension of the Fanduel partnership until 2024.
With the bet change going into effect on Saturday, hours before the start of the third round of the Tournament of Champions, this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii will be New Yorkers’ first chance to bet on all of the games. betting the tournament from the comfort of their own home.
If you want to get in on the action, place your bets quickly. The Sony Open kicks off Thursday afternoon at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.