Alberta Sports Betting

Latest on legal sports betting options in Alberta

Alberta’s gambling regulator, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, made moves in 2022.

When the Canadian government lifted its ban on single-game wagering, the province’s PlayAlberta.ca casino and lottery game website became a full-fledged online sportsbook.

Now, the province has invited private operators to compete to be one of two who will bring a tethered commercial offering to the Alberta market.

That means hundreds of new legal online sports betting and online casino opportunities are headed to Alberta, well beyond what’s currently available. This will give 18+ old Albertans a variety of new and unique options for betting on their favourite sporting events.

This includes greater odds of a successful bet and a choice between betting markets, from outrights to point spreads and props. Here’s all you need to know about online sports betting in Alberta, including how Alberta sports betting works now and the changes that are yet to come.

How sports betting works in Alberta right now

Alberta had just a single option when it came to betting on sports before the new law passed: The Western Canada Lottery Corporation’s Sport Select. It is available at Alberta lottery retailers and open to players 18 or older and offers a variety of parlay bet types for sports, leagues, and tournaments around the globe.

Sport Select Betting

  • PRO-LINE: Pick from three to six games with three possible outcomes: Visitor Win, Tie, or Home Win. Bet from $2 to $100. If all your picks are correct, you win your bet multiplied by the posted odds of each outcome. Tie rules include Football games decided by three or less, Basketball games decided by five or less, and tied Hockey and Soccer games.
  • Over/under: Pick from two to ten games with two possible outcomes: Over or Under the totals line. Bet from $2 to $100. If all your picks are correct, you win your bet multiplied by the posted odds of each outcome.
  • Point spread: Pick from two to 12 games with two possible outcomes: Visitor Win or Home Win with a posted point spread factored into the final score. Bet from $2 to $100. If all your picks are correct, you win your bet multiplied by a set amount based on the number of picks made and the sport, up to 500-times your bet for 12/12 in all sports. Plus, there are subsidiary prizes for 9/10, 10/11, or 11/12.
  • Pools: $5 pools where you predict the outcome of every game on a POOLS Card. The most wins share the prize pool.
  • Props: Pick the winner of three to six head-to-head challenge match-ups. Bet from $2 to $100. If all your picks are correct, you win your bet multiplied by the posted odds of each outcome. Props include Basketball Points, Baseball Hitters, Hockey Points, Soccer Goals, Golf Scores, Football Receiving Yards, Quarterback Yards and Running Back Yards.

Combinations

  • Double play: Combine PRO-LINE and OVER/UNDER bets on one ticket.
  • Combo play: Combine PRO-LINE, OVER/UNDER or POINT SPREAD bets for the same games. Pick from 2, 3, 4 or 5-Game Combos. Bet from $2 to $20. Ticket cost is your bet multiplied by the number of combinations. If all your picks are correct, or close to it, you win. Payouts are based on odds, combo size and the number of games.

When is single-game betting coming to Alberta?

Single-game wagering will come to Alberta as soon as the AGLC launches it online on the PlayAlberta.ca casino and lottery game website. The federal government has already done its part, making The Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act a law at the end of June 2021. That means single-game wagering should be coming to Alberta and PlayAlberta.ca by the end of 2021.

Ultimately, that will eliminate the need to bet on parlays when betting sports in Alberta. That means no more combining bets together and single-game odds and lines will be available through PlayAlberta.ca. The AGLC is promising to bring Alberta new and unique options for sports betting, better odds of winning, and fair market prices.

Which retail and online sportsbooks are coming to Alberta?

Single-game wagering will come to the PlayAlberta.ca casino and lottery game website first. However, AGLC says it will also work with its industry stakeholders to offer sports betting in destination facilities throughout Alberta. In other words, land-based casinos in Alberta could soon offer sports betting, similar to sportsbooks in Ontario.

There are 28 AGLC licensed casinos and racing centres that offer slots, table games and a variety of entertainment across Alberta. Retail sports betting may be next. Here’s a complete list of Alberta casinos and racing centres:

Balzac

Century Downs Racetrack and Casino

  • 260 Century Downs Drive, Rocky View County, AB T4A 0V5
  • Tel.: 587-349-7777
  • cnty.com/centurydowns

Calgary

Casino Calgary

  • 1420 Meridian Road NE, Calgary, AB T2A2N9
  • Tel.: 403-248-9467
  • mycasinocalgary.com

Cash Casino Place

  • 4040B Blackfoot Trail SE, Calgary, AB T2G4E6
  • Tel.: 403-287-1635
  • cashcasino.ca

Deerfoot Inn & Casino

  • 11500 – 35 Street SE, Calgary, AB T2Z3W4
  • Tel.: 403-236-7529, 1-877-236-5225
  • deerfootinn.com

Elbow River Casino

  • 218-18 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB T2G1L1
  • Tel.: 403-289-8880
  • elbowrivercasino.com

Grey Eagle Casino (Tsuu T’ina First Nations)

  • 3777 Grey Eagle Dr. (37 St. SW & Glenmore Tr.) Calgary, AB T3E3X8
  • Tel.: 403-385-3777
  • greyeagleresortandcasino.ca

Century Casino Calgary Inc.

  • 1010 – 42 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB T2G1Z4
  • Tel.: 403-287-1183
  • cnty.com/calgary

Cowboys Casino

  • 421 – 12 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB T2G1A5
  • Tel.: 403-514-0900 or 1-888-610-UWIN (8946)
  • cowboyscasino.ca

Camrose

Camrose Resort Casino

  • 3201 48 Avenue, Camrose, AB T4V0S5
  • Tel.: 780-679-0904
  • camroseresortcasino.com

Cold Lake

Casino Dene

  • Hwy 28 & Hwy 897 ( ~7km S of Cold Lake)
  • Box 1859, Station Main, Cold Lake, AB T9M1P4
  • Tel.: 780-594-7900
  • casinodene.com

Edmonton

Casino Edmonton

  • 7055 Argyll Road NW, Edmonton, AB T6C4A5
  • Tel.: 780 463-9467
  • mycasinoedmonton.com

Casino Yellowhead

  • 12464 153 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5V1S5
  • Tel.: 780-424-9467
  • mycasinoyellowhead.com

Century Casino

  • 13103 Fort Road NW, Edmonton, AB T5A1C3
  • Tel.: 780-643-4000
  • cnty.com/edmonton

Century Mile Racetrack and Casino

  • 14711 Airport Perimeter Road, Edmonton International Airport, AB T9E 0V6
  • Tel.: 780-934-2698
  • cnty.com/centurymile

Grand Villa Casino Edmonton

  • 10204 – 104 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J4Y8
  • Tel.: 780-413-3178
  • grandvillacasinoedmonton.com

Starlight Casino Edmonton

  • 2710, 8882 – 170 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5T4J2
  • Tel.: 780-444-2112
  • edmonton.starlightcasino.ca

Enoch

River Cree Resort and Casino

  • 300 East Lapotac Boulevard, Enoch, AB T7X3Y3
  • Tel.: 780-484-2121
  • Visit the rivercreeresort.com

Fort McMurray

Boomtown Casino

  • 9825 Hardin Street, Fort McMurray AB T9H4G9
  • Tel.: 780-790-9739
  • boomtowncasino.ca

Grande Prairie

Evergreen Park

  • Grandstand Building, Evergreen Park, Grande Prairie AB T8V 3A5
  • Tel.: 780-532-3279
  • evergreenpark.ca

Great Northern Casino

  • 10910 – 107A Avenue, Grande Prairie, AB T8V7B2
  • Tel.: 780-539-4454
  • greatnortherncasino.net

Lethbridge

Casino Lethbridge

  • 3756 2 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB T1J4Y9
  • Tel.: 403-381-9467
  • mycasinolethbridge.com

Rocky Mountain Turf Club (Whoop Up Downs)

  • 3401 Parkside Dr S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4R3
  • Tel.: 403-380-1905
  • bullys.ca

Medicine Hat

Copper Coulee Casino

  • 1051 Ross Glen Drive SE, Medicine Hat, AB T1B3T8
  • Tel.: 403-504-4584
  • coppercouleecasino.ca

Morley

Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino

  • 888 Nakoda Way, Morley, AB T0L1N0
  • Junction of Hwy. 40 and Trans Canada (Hwy. 1 W)
  • Tel.: 403-881-2830
  • Toll Free: 1-877-865-4395
  • stoneynakodaresort.com

Red Deer

Cash Casino – Red Deer

  • 6350 – 67 Street, Red Deer, AB T4P3L7
  • Tel.: 403-346-3339
  • cashcasino.ca

Jackpot Casino

  • 4950 – 47 Avenue, Red Deer, AB T4N6P8
  • Tel.: 403-342-5825
  • jpcasino.ca

St. Albert

Century Casino St. Albert

  • 24 Boudreau Road, St. Albert, AB T8N6K3
  • Tel.: 780-460-809
  • cnty.com/stalbert

Whitecourt

Eagle River Casino and Travel Plaza

  • TWP Rd 602A and Hwy 32 N, Whitecourt, AB T7S1N3
  • Tel.: 780-779-2727
  • Toll free: 888-779-2727
  • Gift Shop (keno): Tel.: 780-706-7492
  • eaglerivercasino.ca

Possible private Alberta online sportsbooks

Should AGLC open up Alberta’s online sports betting market to competition, the following sportsbook brands will likely be lined up to jump in:

  • TheScore Bet: Canadian sports media and app company with a betting app in New Jersey, Colorado, Indiana, and Iowa eying the Canadian sports betting market.
  • Torstar: Canadian media corporation behind The Toronto Star plans to launch an online casino and sportsbook in Ontario. Alberta may also be targeted.
  • DraftKings Sportsbook Canada: DFS turned sports betting company is now in 12 states and looking at Canada next.
  • FanDuel Sportsbook Canada and FOXBet: Flutter Entertainment used to run sports betting PlayNow.com and could be bringing its two sportsbook brands to Canada next.
  • PointsBet Canada: Australian-based sportsbook brand now in the US could be eyeing Alberta as well.
  • BetMGM Canada: US casino and sports betting giant BetMGM may be thinking about Canadian expansion too.
  • William Hill Sportbook: The US’ biggest sportsbook operator may look to the Canadian market next.

What betting markets to expect in Alberta

Sports Select parlay wagering is generally limited to:

  • Hockey
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Golf

With single-game betting in Alberta the following list of sports and leagues should be available as well:

  • Australian Rules Football
  • MLB Baseball odds
  • NBA odds and NCAA Basketball odds
  • Cricket odds
  • Darts
  • Esports
  • NFL odds and NCAA Football odds
  • Golf odds
  • Handball
  • NHL Hockey odds
  • Rugby League, Rugby Union odds, Rugby Sevens odds
  • MLS odds, EPL odds, World Cup odds and Champions League Soccer odds
  • Table Tennis odds
  • ATP and WTA Tennis odds
  • Volleyball

Betting markets may also include major international competitions like the World Cup and various Olympic Sports in season.

Plus, bet-types will extend beyond parlays to individual game moneylines, point spreads, and totals. Plus, team and player props beyond head-to-head match-ups and futures. Parlays will still be available but payouts should be closer to true odds than Sports Select.

Teams, players, awards you can bet on

Single-game betting allows you to bet on individual player awards in major sports leagues without making your pick part of a parlay. That means Albertans can bet on things like:

  • Hart Trophy (NHL MVP)
  • NFL MVP
  • NBA MVP
  • AL and NL MVP
  • AL and NL Cy Young
  • And more…

Alberta sports betting laws

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase Sports Select tickets at an Alberta Lottery retailer and that’s currently the only legal way to bet on sports in the province.

The new Canadian sports betting law means Alberta can now offer single-game or event betting via the provincial lottery and the AGLC is making the necessary changes to PlayAlberta.ca to allow it. The gambling age for sports betting on PlayAlberta.ca will remain 18. 

Sports Select odds are different from those found on traditional sportsbooks in the US. However, the single-game wagering lines on PlayAlberta.ca will be closer to traditional retail and online and mobile sportsbook lines in the US. Local betting patterns will then dictate how different they are by game time.

Canadians don’t pay taxes on gambling winnings as long as gambling isn’t the player’s sole source of income. Issues with PlayAlberta.ca can be taken up directly with the site through Live Chat online, telephone 8 am to 10 pm  at 1-833-920-1447, or through a contact form with your email address on PlayAlberta.ca.

Cross-border betting in Montana

Sports betting was legalized in the nearby state of Montana in 2019 and launched in March 2020. However, it is operated as a monopoly under the Montana Lottery and the Sports Bet Montana app is limited to on-property mobile betting. That means you have to be at a retail sports betting outlet in Montana to use it. Fortunately, Sports betting is live at more than 100 retail establishments across the state. That means Albertans have a cross-border single-game wagering option while they wait for PlayAlberta.ca to give them one here.

Alberta sports betting timeline and recent updates

2022

  • The window to bid on the province’s RFP to become one of the first two privately-run sportsbooks in Alberta closed on Feb. 14, 2020. The province claims there was a high amount of interest. The list of interested vendors on the Alberta Purchasing Connection website featured some of the biggest names in North American sports betting, including DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM Sports, Caesars Sportsbook, and PointsBet Canada.

2021

  • AGLC was planning to take Sports Select and various other lottery products online in 2021. Then, on Aug. 27, the Safe and Regulated Sports Betting Act became law, legalizing single-game sports betting in Canada. This law gave AGLC the chance to launch an even broader sports betting product on PlayAlberta.ca, something akin to a full-fledged online sportsbook.  AGLC flipped the switch allowing single-game wagering through PlayAlberta.ca in August 2021. Then, the province issued an RFP  looking to bring two commercial sportsbooks to market in a tethered capacity. Applications from interested operators were accepted via Alberta Purchasing Connection through Feb. 14, 2022. The announcement of the two successful proponents will follow in the second half of 2022.

Early 1990s

  • The Western Canada Lottery Corporation and the government of Alberta launched the Sports Select sports betting lottery product at lottery retailers in Alberta. It offers parlay sports wagering, the only legal form of sports betting in Canada. Depending on the game type, Sports Select parlays are generally from three to six or two to ten legs. All legs of the parlay must be a winner for the parlay to win.

Why you should avoid unregulated sportsbooks

In speaking in support of federal sports gambling legislation, AGLC COO Niaz Nejad referenced Canadian Gaming Association estimates that $3 billion is gambled on unregulated offshore sports gambling websites by Canadians every year. Nejad says these sites provide “limited protections or means of responsible play, education or access to responsible gambling tools,” while PlayAlberta.ca uses the GameSense responsible gambling program, promoting healthy gambling behaviors and giving players access to various problem gambling tools and resources.

AGLC supported the legalization of single-game wagering because it believes it can bring all that to the new regulated sports betting market as well.

Unregulated offshore sports gambling websites can disappear with your money, employ underhanded banking techniques to fool Canadian banks into dealing with them, and even more predatory banking practices delaying withdrawals so they can hold on to your winnings long enough for you to lose them back again.

You have no Canadian government body to turn to when they do any of this to you. That’s why sticking with Sports Select and PlayAlberta.ca is Alberta’s best bet. That will guarantee your money and personal information are safe now and when single-game wagering eventually launches in Alberta.

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