The Best Sports Betting Sites Canada – Compare the Leading Sportsbooks 2024

Main Sports and Leagues to Bet on in Canada

Elite Canadian sports betting sites offer wagers on more than 20 sports and hundreds of leagues from across the globe. These are the most popular sports and leagues:

NHL

Hockey is the most popular sport in Canada. There are seven NHL teams spread across the country, and you can bet on every game featuring the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens.

The best sportsbooks have hundreds of betting markets on their games, including the puck line, moneyline, total goals, props, correct scores, and same-game parlay bets. You can also bet on different leagues, such as those taking place in Europe.

Football

You will be offered a variety of betting markets on every CFL game at top Canadian sports betting sites. Fans of the BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans can bet on all the action throughout the season. NFL games are also covered comprehensively, along with NCAA football.

NBA

The Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA Championship triumph galvanized interest in basketball across the entire country. You will be able to bet on every NBA, WNBA, and NCAAB game at sports betting Canada sites, along with Euroleague basketball and various other leagues in Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America.

MLB

Canada is the only other country apart from the United States with an MLB franchise, and you can place single-game bets every time the Toronto Blue Jays are in action at the best Canadian sportsbooks. You should also find betting on leagues in Japan, South Korea, China, and potentially Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Soccer

The top betting sites in Canada cover the EPL, MLS, Liga MX, Champions League, Europa League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and dozens of additional leagues and cups from around the world. You will always find more betting options on soccer than on any other sport. Any fans of the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC, or CF Montreal should find lots of markets on their games at sites like Bodog, Stake.com, and MyBookie.

UFC

UFC is also covered in detail at the best sports betting sites in Canada. They accept wagers on the moneyline winner of a fight, but also the total rounds, the method of victory, and other markets. You may also find props on Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night.

Esports

Esports betting is fully legal in Canada, so you can place bets on games like CS:GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, StarCraft II, Honor of Kings, Valorant, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege, and Overwatch. Bodog is a great option for esports betting. You can wager on full matches, individual maps, and overall tournaments, with various handicap markets and player props available on big events.

Horse Racing

Betting on international horse racing is available at grey market operators. You can place bets on horse races at a couple of small, specialist sites in Ontario, but top betting sites that are licensed and regulated by iGaming Ontario cannot offer horse racing wagers, as it was not included in Bill C-218.

Golf

Sportsbooks like Bodog and Stake.com provide an excellent choice of betting markets on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, DP World Tour, and major tournaments. You will be able to bet on the winner of the tournament before it begins and while it is in play, while additional markets include a top-10 finish, to make or miss the cut and head-to-head matchups at the top sites for sports betting in Canada.

DFS

Sports fans in Canada can use American DFS sites DraftKings or FanDuel to enter fantasy contests covering hockey, football, basketball, and various other sports. However, DFS contests are unavailable in the newly regulated Ontario market.

All betting in Ontario must be ring-fenced within the province, including DFS contests, poker tournaments, and so on. DraftKings and FanDuel say there is not enough liquidity in Ontario alone to offer DFS. They have launched legal online sportsbooks and casinos in the province, so they stopped accepting DFS customers in ON.

Other Sports

Anyone interested in sports betting in Canada will find a wealth of options at elite sites like Bodog, Stake.com, and BetOnline. They take bets on everything from alpine skiing and curling to volleyball and water polo. Winter sports are very popular in Canada, along with lacrosse, tennis, motorsports, boxing, rugby, and cricket. You can also bet on sports as diverse as Aussie Rules, handball, Pesapallo, and snooker.

Popular Bets at the Best Sports Betting Sites in Canada

As we have mentioned several times in this sports betting Canada guide, top sportsbooks provide their customers with hundreds of betting options. These are the most popular choices in Canada:

Moneylines

Sports betting in Canada sites accept straight moneyline bets on every sport. All you need to do is predict the result, such as the Blue Jays beating the Pirates, the Oilers beating the Islanders, or Bianca Andreescu beating Harmony Tan.

Point Spreads and Puck Lines

The top sportsbooks Canada has to offer will accept point spreads on football games, puck lines on hockey games, run lines on baseball games, and so on. The concept is always the same: the supposedly superior team is given a handicap, and bettors then need to decide which team will cover the spread or line that arises.

Over/Under Betting

This is a simple bet on the total goals, runs, or points in a game. The sports betting in Canada sites might set a total goals line of 5.5 on an NHL game, for instance, with odds of -110 (1.91) on over 5.5 goals and -110 (1.91) on under 5.5 goals.

Prop Bets

Hundreds of prop bets are available on certain sporting events at the best sites for sports betting in Canada. They include game props, such as the highest scoring period in a hockey game, or player props, such as an NBA star recording a triple-double.

Parlays

The best betting sites Canada allow you to combine two or more selections to form a parlay. Each of your picks must be correct for the parlay to pay off, but you can earn a large profit if you guess correctly.

Futures Bets

Top sports betting sites in Canada offer futures bets on which teams will win major events, such as the Stanley Cup, the Grey Cup, or the NBA Championship. You can also bet on player awards, like the Hart Memorial Trophy, or over/under on a team’s regular season wins. There are lots of additional futures bets on offer too at the best Canadian sportsbooks, so head into the “Futures” section on any league to see your options.

Live Wagering at the Best Canada Sportsbooks

The best sports betting sites in Canada allow you to continue wagering on a game after it has started. You can watch the start of the game, gain an appreciation for how well each team is shaping up, and then bet from a strong position. Stake.com and BetOnline stand out as excellent live betting sites with live streaming capabilities.

How Betting Odds Work at the Best Sports Betting Sites in Canada

To be able to stand a chance of placing winning bets understanding how betting odds work is essential. Odds let you know how much you have to risk to get a specific reward if you win. Usually, you’ll stand to receive higher odds so a bigger reward if the outcome you are betting on is less likely to happen.

Odds can be shown in several different ways. Let’s take a closer look at the 3 most common types of odds formats you’ll see at the best Canada betting sites.

American Odds

American odds are perhaps the most complex odds format of the three most common odds. That’s because how to read them depends on whether you’re betting on the favored outcome or the underdog outcome.

The favored outcome is represented by a – sign. In this case, the number indicates the amount you need to bet to win $100. So, odds of -200 mean that you must bet $200 to win $100, plus get your original $200 wager back (a total payout of $300). If you lose, you’ll lose $200.

The underdog outcome is represented by a + sign. In this case, the number indicates the amount you’ll win if you wager $100. So, odds of +200 mean that if you bet $100, you will win $200 and get your original $100 wager back (a total payout of $300). If you lose, you’ll only lose $100.

Fractional Odds

Fractional odds are slightly easier to follow as they are formatted to show how much you will win for every $1 you bet. For example, odds of 10/1 mean that if you win your bet, you’ll receive $10 for every $1 you wager – plus you’ll receive your original bet back. So if you bet $5 on 10/1 odds you will win $50 plus your original $5 back ($55 total)

It gets a little more complicated when the second number isn’t a 1 but still fairly straightforward. For example, if you bet $5 on odds of 8/5 and win, you’ll receive $13 – that includes $8 for winning and a refund of your original $5 bet. If you bet $10 on 8/5 you will win $16 plus your $10 stake ($26 total)

Decimal Odds

You are most likely to see decimal odds being used by online sportsbooks in Canada, which is useful as they’re easy to understand. They simply display the amount you’ll win, in dollars, for every $1 you bet – including your original wager. So, odds of 2.9 mean that if you bet $10, you’ll receive $29 (2.9 x $10).

How To Calculate Your Winnings From A Wager

In betting, you will hear the terms winnings and return a lot and there is an important distinction between the two. Winnings are the profit you make from a bet whereas returns are your winnings added to your original stake.

Maximizing your profits is the main aim of any bettor, so knowing how to work out your potential winnings is important. Profits can be worked out as follows:

Single Bets (Positive Moneyline Odds)

The formula you need is profit = stake x (odds/100). So, a $10 bet on odds of +110 = $10 x (110/100) = $10 x 1.1 = $11. Your full return will be $21 ($10 + $11).

Single Bets (Negative Moneyline Odds)

The formula here switches to profit = stake / (odds/100). So the $10 bet on odds of -110 becomes = $10 / (110/100) = $10 / 1.1 = $9.09. Your return will be $19.09 ($10 + $9.09).

Decimal Odds

Decimal odds give your return by multiplication. If you want to get your profit, subtract 1 from the odds. So, decimal odds of 1.50 for a $10 will give a $15 return, but a $5 profit.

Fractional Odds

Fractional odds only give your profit, not your return, again by multiplication. A $10 bet on odds of 5/4 will give a profit of $12.50. To get your return, add on your stake (in this case, a total return of £22.50).

Double/Parlay/System Bets

Here’s where the math skills really kick in. To work out profit (or potential profit) from a bet with more than one leg, you take the return (not the profit) from one bet and use it as the stake for the next. The order you work out each step does not matter as the outcome will be the same.

Let’s say we are staking $10 on three parlay bets with odds of +110, +120, and -110.

• $10 * (110/100) = $11 profit + $10 stake = $21
• $21 * (120/100) = $25.20 profit + $21 stake = $46.20
• $46.20 / (110/100) = $42 profit + $46.20 stake = $88.20

Therefore, if all three of your legs are wins, your total return will be $88.20, therefore your total profit will be $88.20 – $10 = $78.20.

It’s worth noting that all the best Canadian sportsbooks will have bet slips that will show you your potential winnings and returns before confirming a bet but it’s worth knowing the maths behind it.

Exchanges vs. Sportsbooks

If you’ve never heard of a betting exchange you may be wondering what it is. In some ways, they are similar to sportsbooks as you can go place bets on sports at both. However, the main difference is that at exchanges you are betting against other players rather than placing a bet with a bookmaker who offers a set price on a bet.

Because you are betting against other players the options are more flexible. At a sportsbook, the bookmaker sets the odds and players can decide to take the bet or not. At exchanges, the players can set their own odds, and other players can decide if they think it’s worth wagering.

Pros of Exchanges

One of the major advantages of Exchanges is that because there are low overheads you can often find better odds on offer. The difference is not usually that high but if you are placing bug wagers or many then a small differential in odds can make a large difference in winnings.

Another benefit of exchanges is that because players set their own bets then the options are practically limitless. At most sportsbooks even ones with large markets, there are certain bets that won’t be offered. But at exchanges, if you can think of a bet you can place it.

Cons of Exchanges

There are some drawbacks to exchanges, however. The first is commission, betting exchanges make their money by taking a commission from all winning bets. Most exchanges only take a commission on winning bets. The rate of the commission depends on the bet made but most range from between 2-5%. You need to bear this in mind when calculating your total winnings.

Another con for exchanges is that there are generally fewer bonuses. While the best bookmakers in Canada offer welcome bonuses and a whole host of other promotions, at exchanges, the number of and value of any promotions is generally not as good as sportsbooks.

Top Bonuses at Best Sports Betting Sites in Canada

You will receive a large sign-up bonus at the best Canada sports betting sites. They offer these bonuses to attract new customers, as the market in Canada is very competitive. Sportsbooks then offer ongoing bonuses to drum up repeat business and reward your loyalty. These are the main bonus types:

Match Deposit Bonuses

This common form of sign-up bonus matches a percentage of a new player’s first deposit with bonus funds. For example, you might be offered a 100% welcome bonus of up to $200. If you were to deposit $200 of your own money, you would be given $200 in bonus credits, and you would then need to complete a rollover requirement on the credits before cashing any remaining profits out.

Matched First Bet

Some sites for sports betting in Canada may match your first bet, rather than your first deposit. For example, if you deposit $1,000 and place a $50 bet, you will receive $50 in bonus funds. Once again, you need to roll the bonus funds over a certain number of times – it could be a 1x rollover or a 10x rollover, depending on the sportsbook – before withdrawing.

No Deposit Bonuses

This is a rarely available but attractive form of the welcome bonus, which does not require you to risk any of your own cash. A sports betting in Canada site will just give you bonus credits. You then need to complete a rollover requirement, which is usually high, before cashing out. In that time, the Canadian sportsbook hopes to win you over as a long-standing customer.

Risk-Free Bets

Some apps and websites for sports betting in Canada offer a risk-free bet as a welcome bonus. If your first bet loses, it will reimburse you, up to a certain limit – such as $500 or $1,000. The refund takes the form of cash at some sportsbooks, but it is normally paid as site credit, which comes with a 1x rollover requirement. You need to complete that before requesting a withdrawal.

Promotions for Existing Customers

There are lots of promotions for existing customers at the best Canadian sportsbooks. They include odds boosts, profit boosts, parlay bonuses, free bets, and loyalty programs. Visit the “Promotions” page of any sportsbook to see which offers you can claim that day.

Payment Methods available at the Best Sports Betting Sites Canada

You will have plenty of options at your disposal when funding a Canadian sportsbook or requesting a payout. These are the main methods available:

eWallet Payment Options

An eWallet ensures you do not have to enter any card details on a web form, so it is a quick and secure way to fund a sportsbook account. PayPal, MuchBetter, ecoPayz, Skrill, and Neteller are among the most widely accepted eWallets available at the best sportsbooks Canada players can access.

Traditional Payment Methods

The most common payment methods at sites that offer sports betting in Canada are Interac, Instadebit, iDebit, Visa, and MasterCard. The best Canadian sports betting sites offer those methods, and they are free of charge.

Crypto Betting Options

You can use crypto to fund an offshore account at a sportsbook. Examples include Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Tether. It is a very quick and secure withdrawal method, but you may incur network fees. For that reason, it is useful to consider alternative blockchains to Bitcoin and Ethereum, some of which come with tiny fees and very quick transaction speeds. Learn more about crypto sportsbooks.

Canada Sports Betting Apps & Mobile Sites

Mobile apps and mobile-optimized websites make it very quick and convenient for you to enjoy sports betting in Canada. No matter where you are, you can just pick up your smartphone and jab the screen a few times to place a bet.

Offshore sportsbooks do not offer native mobile apps via Google Play or the App Store. However, the best operators have built very impressive mobile-optimized sports betting sites. You can access them rapidly from any mobile browser, and you will find that they offer an almost identical user experience to a native app, but they do not take up any storage space on your mobile device, and there is no need to download or upgrade anything.

New Canada Betting Sites

New Canada Betting Sites appear every year so, whether you’re looking for Quebec sportsbooks or Alberta sportsbooks, you can find them. While not every new sportsbook will be one of the best Canadian sportsbooks, some of them have a lot to offer.

One plus for new sites for sports betting in Canada is they often have bigger welcome bonuses and more seamless mobile experiences than existing sportsbooks. They can also offer new features like parlay builders, odds boosts, and live streaming.

When considering sportsbooks in Canada, be sure to do your homework. New sportsbooks don’t have the same track record as more established players, so it’s important to make sure your money will be safe.

Parlays

Combining multiple single bets into one overall bet is known as a parlay but may also be referred to as an accumulator bet (or acca for short) or a combination or combo bet. With a parlay, you chain together several bets (the order is immaterial) so that the winnings from one bet become the stake of the next, and so on.

Parlays can significantly increase the odds and your potential winnings. However, bear in mind that all your singles have to win else your overall parlay bet fails. If you place a ten-game parlay and get 9 out of 10 correct and lose on only one you win nothing and lose all of your original stake.

Another parlay-type option is a round-robin bet. Here all possible combo bets are included within the bet – so if you bet on four events, you also have four triples, six doubles, and four singles covered. Because you are placing multiple single, double, triple bets, etc, you are going to need to stake more but the upside is you don’t lose everything as long as you get at least one bet comes in, unlike traditional parlays

 Online Vs Offline Betting

There are a number of retail outlets throughout Canada where legal sports betting on single events is now permitted – and indeed in some provinces, it is the only way you can wager. However, in most jurisdictions, you can also bet online, plus you always have the option of using an offshore sportsbook that falls outside of Canada’s jurisdiction.

So, what are there any advantages of sports betting online as opposed to visiting a retail sportsbook? Take a look below to see a few of the benefits online sportsbooks have over brick-and-mortar bookmakers.

Welcome bonuses – all of the best bookmakers in Canada and indeed most online sites will offer patrons a welcome bonus or some other kind of promotional deal. Retail sportsbooks do not.

Ongoing promotions – the majority of online sportsbooks in Canada will also offer a stream of promotions throughout the duration of your membership. These come in many forms, like reload bonuses, cashback, competitions plus many more.

Cashing out – the live betting option of cashing out is a great way of stopping winning bets from becoming losing ones. While you may lose less than if you did not cash out early it also means that you make some profit and do not take a loss. Retail sports books do not generally offer cashout.

Betting is easy – it’s just far more convenient to bet online at one of the top bookmakers in Canada than braving the weather conditions and driving to your ‘nearest’ retail sports, which could be over 100 miles away! You can stay warm and cozy at home and place whatever bet you want. Now with most online sites offering apps or mobile sites, you can bet from anywhere at any time.

Different providers – it’s unlikely that you’ve access to over two dozen different retail sportsbooks within your local areas, but you should have access to over two dozen online sportsbooks. This means checking the options and odds at one sportsbook is quick and easy, and if you don’t like what you see, you can just move on to the next one!

Other Types of Gambling Available In Canada

At present, running an online casino in Canada is not legal, and neither is playing at an online casino that is run in Canada. This is despite Canada having many real-world casinos. Offshore sites often have casino options though, including most of the top 10 Canadian sportsbooks from the top of this page,  meaning you can play casino games at them as they are outside of Canada’s jurisdiction.

Below are details of the kind of games you can expect to be available to play on your PC, laptop, tablet, or phone.

Slots

Online video slots are the most popular and populous option at online casinos for Canadian players. There are thousands to choose from, all with countless different themes and features.

Roulette

The simplest kind of gambling game. Bet on a number or a group of numbers (or red/black) and hope the ball lands in the pocket of a number you’ve covered. Our tip here – choose European Roulette over American Roulette as the odds are better for you.

Blackjack

The world’s most popular casino card game. You need to score as close to 21 without going bust and hope that you beat the dealer’s total. Our tip here is to research ‘perfect strategy’ which should help to maximize your chances of coming out of a blackjack session in profit. Like roulette, most casinos offer a few different variations such as European, American, and multi-hand.

Poker

There are three main ‘types’ of poker available at online casino sites:

• Ring Games: Where you play against real people. Such games can be tough, especially for newbs. You have to know what you are doing when it comes to this type of poker play.
• Video Poker: Draw poker played on a video screen. The better your hand, the more you win. Commonly, if your hand is worth less than a pair of jacks, you lose your stake.
• Casino Poker: Usually Texas Hold’em poker but played head-to-head against the casino dealer. The rules are not the same as ring games, so make sure you understand them before you sit down to play.

Baccarat

A popular European card game where the aim is to score a total of nine. You cannot bust as only the final digit of your total is your score. All cards that are usually worth ten are worth zero, and you can bet on yourself to win or lose (you cannot lose on purpose!) or for there to be a tie.

Craps

Craps is a dice game that is popular in North America but is rarely found at online casinos as the participation factor in craps is important. Playing on your own is just not as good! If you like dice games try sic bo, which is a Chinese game that works much like roulette.

The Best Sports Betting Site in Canada