Three years ago, the world of sports betting changed forever, and DraftKings is marking the anniversary with “Free To Bet Day.”
The short of it? If you’re a customer of DraftKings in Virginia, a free bet awaits you this Friday, May 14.
It’s a way to celebrate May 14, 2018. That’s when the US Supreme Court struck down the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
With the PASPA ruling, US states were then free to pursue legal sports betting.
That ultimately led to the launch of regulated sports wagering here in Virginia earlier this year. It’s also led to the annual Free To Bet Day at DraftKings, where new and current customers can snag a free wager.
Free To Bet Day details
As part of the promotion, a free $5.14 bet is available for all DraftKings customers.
However, you must opt in and use it on Free To Bet Day, which is this Friday, May 14. Additionally, like most free bet offers, the amount of the free bet won’t be included in any returns or winnings.
Additionally, the free bet is limited to one per qualifying user, it’s not redeemable for cash and is nontransferable and nonrefundable.
Simple enough, eh?
Free To Bet Day is the latest promotion for Virginia sports bettors, who have enjoyed a host of them since sports betting launched on Jan. 21.
Following the repeal of PASPA, which came via the Murphy vs. NCAA decision, a host of states quickly pushed through sports betting legislation. Virginia took a more deliberate approach. Ultimately, though, FanDuel launched first, and a handful of other sportsbooks, including DraftKings, launched in the following days and weeks.
Currently, seven sportsbooks are now operational in VA, and three more have permits and plan to launch soon. In March, just the second full month of legal wagering in Virginia, bettors had tallied nearly a third of a billion dollars in sports bets. That ranked Virginia seventh among all sports betting jurisdictions (27 states plus Washington, DC) in March.
Wagering options on May 14
So, what are you going to do with your $5.14 wager on Free To Bet Day?
As a reminder, you must place your bet on May 14.
Here are some wagering options on that day that might be of interest to Virginia sports betting enthusiasts:
- Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees (7:05 p.m.)
- Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (7:05 p.m.)
- Washington Nationals at Arizona Diamondbacks (9:40 p.m.)
Or, as long as you place the bet on Friday, you can wager on some Saturday (May 15) action:
- Washington Mystics vs. Chicago Sky (1 p.m.)
- NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Drydene 200 (1:30 p.m.)
- Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees (7:05 p.m.)
- Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins (7:15 p.m.)
- Washington Nationals at Arizona Diamondbacks (8:10 p.m.)
