FanDuel has launched as the only sportsbook that is available in the whole of Washington, D.C.
BetMGM and Caesars are also available, but you're only able to bet on those platforms in specific locations. For BetMGM, it's around Nationals Park or at the sportsbook adjacent to the stadium. For Caesars, it's by the Capital One Arena and at its adjacent sportsbook, too.
At FanDuel, you're able to bet anywhere in the district.
FanDuel replaces GambetDC, a state-run operation that was rife with mismanagement from the start.
Users were unable to properly sign up for the app and the interface was unintuitive. In addition, the odds were abysmal compared to the rest of the market — an abnormally high vig on Gambet meant a loss in up to 50% of value on a simple moneyline pick relative to the rest of the market.
Then, even after some of those issues were addressed, the product still suffered. The sportsbook started to hang horrible lines — enough for one bettor to hit them for $400,000 over a five month period, according to the Washington Post.
And in June 2023, the sportsbook did the unthinkable — it lost more money than it won without factoring in marketing spend or overhead costs: unheard of in the gambling space.
That five-year, $215 million deal struck between a Greek gambling company called Intralot and the district has been scrapped in the process.
