Sports Betting in Manitoba
One wouldn’t think the land of 1,000 lakes would be the go-to province for sports betting and other gambling endeavors. However, Manitoba is determined to prove its worth as one of the top sports betting destinations in all of Canada.
Thousands of punters who enjoy betting on NFL, NHL, NBA, and numerous other competitions across Canada and the world can do so freely in Manitoba since this province has regulated and licensed numerous forms of gambling, including sports wagering, casino gaming, the lottery, and more. Placing bets on the Winnipeg Jets or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers has never been easier, thanks to both online and offline sportsbooks and betting sites that operate under a licence from the government of Manitoba.
Stay tuned as we explore the legal framework of sports wagering in Manitoba, how it works, and more.
Online Sports Betting Sites in Manitoba
888sport
- Cashout time Pending time: 24 hours; E-wallets: 24-48 hours; Credit/Debit Cards: 3-5 business days; Wire Transfer: 4-7 business days
PointsBet Sports
- Cashout time KYC: up to 24 hours; Pending time: 1-5 business days
LeoVegas
- Cashout time Pending time: 1-5 business days; Processing time: up to 5 business days;
Sports Interaction
- Cashout time Pending Time: up to 48 hours; Credit Cards: 1-2 business days; Bank transfer: 3-5 business days;
ComeOn! Sports
- Cashout time Pending time: 24 hours; E-wallets: 24 hours; Credit/Debit Cards/Bank Transfer: 2-7 business days
Guts Sportsbook
- Cashout time Pending time: up to 24 hours; E-wallets: 15 minutes - 24 hours; Credit/Debit Cards: 2-5 business days; Bank Transfer: 2-7 business days
Mr Green Sport
- Cashout time Canada:; E-wallets: Up to 2 hours; Credit(not allowed for UK Players)/Debit Cards/Bank Transfer: 1-5 business days
Caesars Sportsbook
- Cashout time Processing Time: up to 72 hours; E-wallet: Instant; Online Bank Transfer: 2-5 business days
Bodog Sportsbook
- Cashout time Pending time: 24-48 hours; Bitcoin: Approximately 15 minutes; Check: 10-15 business days; Bank Transfer: 3-5 business days
Bet365 Sportsbook
- Cashout time E-wallets: within 24 hours Credit Card: 1-5 business days ; Bank Transfer: 2-10 business days; Cheque 5-28 days
Legal Framework of Gambling in Manitoba — Is Sports Betting Legal?
The chief regulating body for all types of gambling in the province is the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba, which is mandated by The Liquor, Gaming, and Cannabis Control Act. All land-based and online casinos, lottery vendors, and sportsbooks are required to obtain the appropriate licence before being able to offer their games to Manitoba residents.
According to the Manitoba laws, the only company through which sports betting and other gambling activities can take place is the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Commission, a Crown corporation of the Province of Manitoba.
There are several types of sports betting options available to punters, all of which are in essence parlays since betting on single sport events is still prohibited in all of Canada.
As we have briefly mentioned earlier, both offline and online betting options are available in Manitoba. The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Commission has partnered up with The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), which offers lottery and other gaming activities, including sports betting, in multiple Canadian provinces, and launched the so-called Sport Select betting lottery games available in multiple convenience stores and lottery outlets.
On the other hand, online punters will be happy to learn that The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Commission teamed up with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation to give Manitobans access to PlayNow.com, an online sports betting service available on all desktop and mobile devices.
Manitoba Sports Betting Statistics
Landbased
The following are statistics for landbased sports betting that took place in Manitoba from 2003 to 2020 (Note: current data for 2020 are estimates).
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseracing | $10.26m | $10.26m | $9.55m | $7.56m | $8.26m | $7.83m | $7.55m | $6.98m | $6.74m | $7.16m |
| Sports | $8.22m | $6.08m | $5.47m | $6.37m | $6.89m | $7.12m | $7.15m | $6.29m | $6.63m | $6.71m |
| Total Betting | $18.48m | $16.34m | $15.02m | $13.92m | $15.14m | $14.95m | $14.70m | $13.27m | $13.37m | $13.86m |
| Year | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseracing | $6.72m | $6.81m | $5.63m | $5.11m | $4.70m | $4.05m | $3.17m | $2.66m |
| Sports | $5.91m | $6.03m | $6.17m | $7.20m | $5.57m | $6.51m | $4.99m | $5.72m |
| Total Betting | $12.63m | $12.85m | $11.80m | $12.31m | $10.27m | $10.55m | $8.17m | $8.38m |
Interactive Gaming (Betting Online)
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Betting Online | $2.86m | $3.34m | $3.83m | $4.21m | $4.81m | $4.81m | $5.43m | $5.89m | $7.58m | $8.61m |
| Year | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Betting Online | $8.97m | $9.36m | $9.92m | $10.49m | $11.26m | $12.21m | $12.70m | $13.62m |
As you can see above, Manitobans have embraced betting online as it continues to grow in popularity since 2003 to date.
How Does Sports Betting Work in Manitoba?
One of the systems players from Manitoba can use to place bets on their favourite sports is Sport Select. This service allows players to fill their betting slips in one of the hundreds of retail shops across Manitoba. A similar service is present in almost all provinces in Western Canada.
Players who wish to place bets from the comfort of their home or on the go can do so on the PlayNow.com website that is the only legal online betting site in Manitoba. Here too the players can only bet using the parlay systems where each betting slip must contain a minimum of two selections. Let’s learn more about these betting methods.
Sport Select
There are a couple of betting types available with Sport Select. Players can bet between C$2 and C$100 per slip. There have to be at least two selections on the betting slip. The slip can be filled in one of the retail shops or online, in which case you need to print it and take it to a retail shop for the bet to be accepted. The maximum a player can bet during a single day is C$500.
Sport Select supports the following betting forms:
- Pro-Line — The players try to predict the winner of 2 – 6 games or if the games will end in a tie.
- Point-Spread — In point-spread betting, you will try to predict the winning team as well as the point spread.
- Pools — In pools, you will get one card with 10 or 12 matchups and try to have as many correct predictions as possible to get the biggest share of the prize pool.
- Props — Betting on props allows you to place more unusual bets, such as who will win the next US presidential elections, who will have the most yards or points in a football game and more.
PlayNow.com
PlayNow.com is a website where Manitobans enjoy sports betting on close to 20 different sports, including novelty and special bets. All bets on the site are parlays, and the most popular events can have 100+ different betting markets. The site also offers live betting, which gives it an advantage over Sports Select.
However, the odds available are not much different and remain sub-par compared to offshore online bookmakers. Still, all the major Canadian major sports leagues are present and the players can use acclaimed Canadian payment methods to fund their accounts. In addition, the site is prone to offering exciting bonuses and promotions for punters, such as free bets, much like the world-renowned online sportsbooks.
Are Offshore Sports Betting Sites Illegal in Manitoba?
Offshore betting sites are not legal, per se, but they are not strictly illegal either. Offshore betting sites can’t operate from within Manitoba and Canada without a proper license, but that does not mean Manitobans can’t access them. Technically, since the sites are not registered and run from Manitoba, the players are considered to be playing abroad in the eyes of the law.
It is worth noting that not all offshore betting sites are worth your time and money. As a player from Manitoba, you’d surely want a site that offers betting on the Canadian Football League, ice hockey, and other sports popular in Canada. Moreover, these sites should be licensed by reputable international gambling jurisdictions that guarantee their fairness and safety.
You should pay attention to bonuses and promotions as well, and see what you can get when you make a deposit.
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