Canada is generally seen as a pretty liberal country that does not prohibit too many things. They even have legal marijuana there these days. But there limits to even Canadian freedom – especially when it comes to the gambling markets.
So, how does that affect Canadians who love betting on sports? Let’s find out.
Sports Betting is Legal, Just Not Completely
When it comes to sports betting, placing wagers on single matches or even doubles is illegal according to the Canadian criminal law. This means that if you wanted to bet on the 2019 Canadian Grand Prix legally at an offline sportsbook in Canada that would have been impossible.
Sports betting in Canada is all about accumulators or parlays. You can bet on the outcome of a minimum of three matches, and maximum six. Pro-Line is the single major company allowed to accept sports bets in most provinces within Canada.
Their website makes no mention of Formula 1, so it is safe to assume that F1 bets are not available with Pro-Line. They do accept wagers on many other team sporting events like hockey, football, baseball, and basketball.
Anything Goes at Online Sportsbooks
Canada does not prosecute its citizens if they gamble at online casinos and sportsbooks. Since these two businesses are not fully legal in the country, the government is free to go after any business illegally operating online gambling within Canada.
But since players are usually left alone, Canada has evolved massive online gambling and sports betting market over the years. According to a Toronto Sun article highlighting the economic loss to the government due to lack of gambling legalization, they had the following interesting figures:
- Canadians spend $10 billion on bets placed at illegal bookmakers
- An extra $4 billion is also spent at online sportsbooks (offshore)
The US is usually seen as a far more conservative place. But this time around, they have stolen a march on their northern neighbors by legalizing sports betting in 2018. Now, it is the Canadians who have to play catch up if they want to harness all that potential hidden in the Canadian sports betting markets.
Top Sports in Canada for Bets
In any country, to find the most popular betting markets, all you need to do is check out the sports that the people there are most crazy about. A vast majority of sports betting enthusiasts tend to be fans of specific sports and teams.
From that perspective, the NHL is the most popular betting market in Canada by a country mile. The Canadians are mad about hockey in a way that the Americans just are not. This is why NHL is the top dog out of the big four North American pro leagues.
According to the Pro-Line, other popular sports include MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS, and the many European soccer leagues. They accept bets on games from all these major leagues at Pro-Line. If you find a decent offshore sportsbook, you can also bet on other events like Tennis, Athletics, and of course F1 as well.
For example, with the Singapore Grand Prix up next, online sportsbooks are inviting wagers on the winners. Lewis Hamilton is the obvious favorite, with odds ranging from 6/5 to 11/8. Leclerc is a much better option at odds of 15/2 and 17/2. Max Verstappen of Red Bull is another good punt at 6/4 and 13/8.
As you can see, betting is legal in Canada, but the current situation is untenable, especially with sports betting legalization south of the border. The Canadian government needs to act quickly if they want to improve the plight of the gambling industry in the country.
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