Canada betting sites are operated by companies that are licensed in jurisdictions outside of the country. There’s no legal sports betting that is expressly sanctioned by the Canadian government except provincial parlay lotteries.
We have taken the time to research the Canada betting websites to save our readers a lot of time and trouble. Our rankings are listed below, and you can go forward with confidence if you use this list as your guide.
As we all know, Canada has very cold weather in the winter, and this certainly impacts the sporting tastes in the country. The fact that it borders the United States is also a relevant factor. Of course, popular participation sports and betting sports can oftentimes be two different things.
In this section, we will look at the sports that take the most action at the Canada betting sites.
Ice Hockey is Canada’s undisputed national pastime, and residents first started playing the game back in the 1800s. Few people make it to the pros, but it is played at lower levels by youngsters and adults alike.
The National Hockey League was originally established in Montréal in 1917 with four teams that were all representing Canadian cities. Seven years later, the Boston Bruins were brought into the fold, and the league has continued to grow since then.
At the time of this writing, there are 31 teams, and most major cities in the United States have hockey teams. Clearly, a lot of money is wagered on National Hockey League games at the Canada betting sites, and the excitement reaches a fever pitch during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Lacrosse is a ball and stick game that native North Americans developed hundreds of years ago. It is the second most popular sport in Canada, and betting websites take a lot of action on lacrosse matches.
There are two prominent professional lacrosse leagues in the country: Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League. The former one is for field lacrosse, and box lacrosse is played in the NLL.
Lacrosse bets that are offered by the Canada betting sites include moneyline wagers, point spread bets, and over/under wagers.
The Canadian Football League arose out of an interest in rugby and American football. It is very similar to the game that is played in the United States, but the field is slightly larger, and offenses only get three downs to get a first down.
CFL fans that enjoy betting in Canada anxiously await the Grey Cup every year, which is their version of the Super Bowl. Pigskin enthusiasts also follow the National Football League, and there are plenty of bets placed on NFL games on the Canada betting sites.
Baseball has traditionally been a popular sport in Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays are a source of pride, and the Montreal Expos had a good run from 1969 to 2004. Unfortunately for Canadian baseball fans, the team was moved to Washington for the 2005 season, and it is now the Nationals.
Canada betting websites gladly take wagers on baseball games, including moneyline bets, run line wagers, totals, and futures bets.
Cricket is a game that was first played in England during the 1500s, and it is similar to baseball in many ways. The sport is firmly established in Canada, and some of the online sportsbooks offer wagering on cricket matches.
The game that Americans and Canadians call soccer is referred to as association football around the world. This sport has its fair share of fans in the country, and Canada betting websites take action on soccer.
Rugby is big as well, and the sport is organized by the Canada Rugby League. Rugby betting is available at online sportsbooks that cater to Canadian players.
Sports fans throughout much of the country are totally tuned into American sports. As a result, the Canada betting sites post point spreads and totals on NBA basketball games, and they take futures bets.
It’s very easy to walk into a brick-and-mortar sportsbook and lay down some cash to make a wager. The matter is a bit more challenging when it comes to the online deposit methods in Canada.
Of course, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and there are a number of convenient deposit methods that are offered by Canada betting websites.
If you have a Visa or Mastercard, you can use it to make deposits. This applies to debit cards and prepaid cards as well as credit cards that are issued by banks to creditworthy customers.
Cryptocurrency is a deposit method that is extremely appealing if you are familiar with it. Bitcoin is instantly deposited, and you can also get fast withdrawals when you use virtual currency at online sportsbooks.
This is a service that is frequently used for transferring funds in Canada. It’s fast and secure, and it’s connected to your checking or savings account.
Services like MoneyGram and Western Union facilitate wire transfers. This is another one of the deposit methods Canada betting sites accept.
Skrill and Neteller are e-wallets, and they are both owned by the same British company. Many people use e-money transfer services like these to fund their online sports betting accounts.
PayPal is one of the leading services in the entire world for sending and receiving payments. There are Canada betting sites that support PayPal utilization.
This list of the popular deposit methods in Canada is very comprehensive, but the options can vary depending on the site in question. You may come across a betting website that offers a different method or methods, and things are always subject to change.
When you want to withdraw your winnings, you can typically utilize the same method that you used to make your deposit. The processing time is something to take into consideration when you are choosing a deposit method if you want to use the same service for your withdrawals.
This is something that will be well explained at all of the online sportsbooks that we recommend. You should certainly take the time to gain a thorough understanding of the deposit and withdrawal processes and time frames.
There are ten distinct provinces and three territories in the country. Gambling laws in Canada are specific to each separate jurisdiction.
Casino gambling is quite widespread, and there are over 100 casino gaming facilities in the country. Just three provinces do not allow casino gaming.
As we stated in the opening, single-game wagering on sports isn’t available, but there are lotteries that revolve around multi-team parlays. This is just one type of lottery game that is played in the country, but there are others.
Horse racing is a large part of Canadian sporting culture, and many different Thoroughbred and harness racing tracks legally accept pari-mutuel wagers.
Until and unless lawmakers decide to license and regulate Canada betting sites, the international sites are the only game in town for people that enjoy sports betting online.
If you do not have any experience betting on sports, but you are ready to take the plunge, we have some great resources for you right here on this website.
We’ve devoted a lot of time and energy into the creation of comprehensive sports betting guides for all the most popular sports. You can also tap into an explanation of the different types of sports bets and betting odds that you will find at the Canada betting sites.
When it comes to the sites themselves, you can use our rankings as a starting point. There is no accounting for taste, so you may identify a certain site that is especially easy for you to navigate.
Some betting websites emphasize certain popular sports more than others, and this is another consideration if you’re focused on a particular sport. You can also compare the deposit and withdrawal options and the processing times for payouts.
In closing, we’ll provide the answers to some frequently asked questions about betting online in Canada.
Is there any risk of legal trouble if I wager on Canada betting sites?
People have been doing this for many years without any government interference. There would certainly be some warning if the powers-that-be ever decide to alter their hands-off approach.
What are the risks of betting online from Canada?
If you stick to the betting websites that we have approved, you should be okay. One of the criteria that we utilize in our rankings is the longevity of the sites. When an online sportsbook has been up and running for years, you know that the customer satisfaction rate is stellar. We also take a deep look at their license, reputation, terms and conditions, and more to verify that they’re safe and worth betting with.
This being stated, nothing in life is absolutely foolproof, but the risks are minimal.
Do these sites work effectively on mobile devices?
The companies that operate betting websites are well aware of the fact that people rely on their smartphones and tablets to access the internet. They design their websites accordingly, so the answer is yes.
Are there limits on the amount that you can bet on a single contest?
Canada betting sites do set limits on wagers, but they are relatively robust. It is not uncommon to see a $5,000 maximum on point spread bets. The limits on other types of wagers are lower, but they are large enough for most betters.