There are some states where sports betting is just not going to be a thing. Alaska is one of those. Alaska has no pro sports teams and only a handful of college sports teams, so sports just aren’t nearly as big of a part of the emotional fabric as they are in other places.
Alaska has some gaming centers and some bingo halls, but there has not been much discussion and no proposed legislation for sports betting. The dream is that all 50 states eventually have some sort of legal wagering on the books in either a retail sports betting site or mobile sportsbooks, but the fact of the matter is that Alaska would be one of the last, if it ever happens at all.
If you’ve ever hit a magic parlay at a US sportsbook at long odds, think of that like Alaska. Could it happen? Sure. Is it likely to happen? No, not at all.
How Do I Bet on Sports in Alaska?
Well, quite frankly, you really don’t. A trip to the Lower 48 would give Alaskans the opportunity to place some sports wagers, depending on where they went. The closest state, Washington, was working on legislation to add sports betting at the tribal casinos as of the first quarter of 2020, but even that, as we know, is a long trip.
Betting is legal in parts of Canada, but Alaska shares land borders with the Yukon Territory and British Columbia. Betting is allowed in British Columbia with the PlayNow software and the offshore gaming establishments are not illegal to use, but none of those are actually options for Alaskans.
If you want to bet on sports in Alaska, you’ll have to take a trip to somewhere like Las Vegas, Nevada or any of the states with approved betting in the Lower 48. Obviously, that requires being there in-person, so it would not be a regular and consistent option.
For the most part, Alaskans are out of luck when it comes to betting on sports.
