Ontario, Canada

With 14 million residents, Ontario is the second biggest province in Canada, and accounts for almost 40% of all Canadians. The majority are European (English, Scottish, French, Irish and Italian) and the official language is English, while French is spoken mainly in the northeast.

Ontario itself doesn’t have a lot of tourist attractions (in comparison to other provinces in Canada), however it boasts more than 250 000 freshwater lakes. So what is there to do in the form of entertainment, especially if you want to do some online sports betting? Let’s take a look at the gambling laws in Ontario, as well as land-based bookies options and some of the best online sports betting sites in Canada.

Sports betting, as well as gaming, are legal in the province of Ontario, however they are regulated by the Gaming Control Act, and enforced by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. This ensures that any gaming is conducted in a socially responsible manner, and in the interest of the public.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation currently operates land-based bookies in Canada under the brand names of Pro-Picks Pools, Point-Spread, Pro-Picks Props and PRO-LINE. While there are plenty of land-based bookies around, it’s a very archaic form of sports betting, as you still need to use a pencil and paper in order to select the sports you wish to bet on. You can also place wagers at retails stores, however you still need to visit the land-based bookies in order to place the bet. Plus, betting on single games is not allowed.

It is, however, not for these reasons that bettors tend to move towards online sports betting. The main reason is the odds, which are less favourable than that of offshore bookmakers. It’s almost as if the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is saying to bettors that “something is better than nothing”.

If you are a sports bettor, though, and still want to visit a land-based casino to possibly play some slots or table games instead, you can visits any of the 10 destinations that are either owned, or co-owned, by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. These include land-based casinos in Thunder Bay, Point Edward and Brantford.

As mentioned, online sports betting is becoming the norm in Ontario, as bettors don’t wish to drive all the way to land-based bookies to place their bets. Luckily, we have found some of the best online sports betting sites in Canada, so you can start placing your bets immediately. These online sportsbooks include Bodog, Bet365 and 5Dimes, known for their excellent customer service. The odds at an online bookmaker are a lot better than those of their land-based counterparts, and there are plenty of sports to bet on, including ice hockey, rugby, tennis and cricket. Plus, online sportsbooks usually have casino and poker sites as well, so you can quickly and easily move from placing a bet to spinning a slot machine, or even rolling the dice on a craps table.

The question remains: which do you prefer? If you’re in Ontario and don’t feel like making the trip to land-based bookies, your best bet would probably be to sign up at an online sports betting site. It’s quick, easy and you’ll be able to place your bets in no time, plus you’ll get a great welcome bonus or free bet by simply registering an account and placing your first bet.

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