Sports Betting in Canada: What a Bookmaker Is and What's Legal

A bookmaker is a company that offers sports betting, which lets you bet on the results of real sporting events. In Canada, a bookmaker is usually called a sportsbook. Because you can follow and support your favourite teams and players while you bet, sports betting is popular around the world, and in Canada it is offered online through each province’s regulated system.

What You Will Learn

• A sportsbook is the operator that takes sports bets and acts as the house.
• You can bet money on your predictions for the results of hockey, soccer, baseball and other sporting events.
• The payout percentage (the share of all stakes paid back to bettors) is generally put at about 90–98%, higher than that of lotteries and pari-mutuel horse racing.
• Since August 2021, single-event sports betting has been legal in Canada, and each province decides how it is offered.

This article takes about 14 minutes to read.

What Is a Bookmaker? The House Behind Sports Betting, with More Than 200 Years of History

A bookmaker is a company that lets you bet on the results of sporting events, such as which team will win; placing these bets is called sports betting.

Bookmaking has a long history that goes back to 18th-century Britain, and betting shops can still be found across Europe today.

Bookmaking Took Hold in Britain in the 1790s

Bookmaking is generally traced to the 1790s, more than 200 years ago, when Harry Ogden began offering odds on racehorses and taking bets at Newmarket Racecourse in England, home of races such as the 1,000 Guineas and the 2,000 Guineas.

At first there was opposition, with some arguing that the practice did not fit the traditions of horse racing. Bookmaking gradually became very popular, however, and in 1961 betting shops were legalized.

For this reason, Britain is often described as the home of sports betting, and the sports industry and sportsbooks remain closely linked there today.

William Hill and Ladbrokes: Britain’s Oldest Bookmakers Move Online

William Hill is one of Britain’s best-known bookmakers and a household name across Europe. Founded in 1934, it opened betting shops in many locations after they were legalized in 1961, allowing customers to place sports bets in person. In recent years it has closed and consolidated many shops, and the focus of its business has shifted online.

Ladbrokes, another of Britain’s best-known bookmakers, is even older. It was founded in 1886 as a commission agent for racehorses trained at Ladbroke Hall in Warwickshire, and it also grew into a large chain of betting shops after they were legalized in 1961. Ladbrokes merged with Coral in 2016 to form Ladbrokes Coral, which was acquired in 2018 by GVC Holdings (renamed Entain in 2020). Like William Hill, it now does much of its business online.

William Hill launched its online betting business in 1998, allowing customers to bet over the internet without visiting a shop. The world’s first online casino opened in 1996, so online casinos and online sports betting started at almost the same time.

What Makes Sportsbooks Appealing

One feature of sportsbooks is that your knowledge of the sport you bet on can inform your decisions. For this reason, some bettors feel they can make better use of their own judgment than with casino games.

Higher Payout Percentage Than Lotteries and Pari-Mutuel Horse Racing

The payout percentage is the share of the amount bet that is paid back on average. It is the flip side of the sportsbook’s margin (also called the vig or juice), which is the share the sportsbook keeps.

The sportsbook payout percentage is generally about 90–98%, depending on the market. Put another way, the sportsbook’s margin is 2–10%, and the rest is paid back, on average, to bettors as a whole. Because there is a margin, however, betting at random over the long run still leads to a net loss. Because online betting does not require physical shops, operators have lower overhead, which is said to be one reason the payout percentage can be this high.

Odds Are Locked In When You Place Your Bet

At a sportsbook, the odds are fixed the moment you place your bet, which is what lets your knowledge of a sport count.

In pari-mutuel betting, as used in horse racing, the odds are not set when you buy your ticket. They become final only when betting closes. This system is designed so that the house is unlikely to lose money, and bettors face a built-in cost equal to the operator’s takeout.

Sportsbooks, by contrast, use fixed odds (fixed-odds betting). The sportsbook sets the odds first, bettors place their bets knowing those odds, and the odds are locked in the moment the bet is placed.

A bettor who knows the NHL or the Premier League well, for example, can therefore look at the odds in those leagues and judge whether a price looks like good value. Fixed odds do not in themselves give you an edge, however.

Availability depends on your province, but most sportsbooks can be used from a smartphone, so they are easy to try.

Bet on Events Beyond Sports, Such as Elections

If you are interested in betting but do not watch many sports, specials (novelty markets) are a good option. Many sportsbooks let you bet not only on sports but on a wide range of future events.

Markets range from questions such as “Who will win Best Director at next year’s Academy Awards?” and “Will it snow in a particular city on Christmas Day?” to topics of wider public interest such as “Who will win the next federal election?” During the 2020 US presidential election, the odds on whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump would win were widely reported in the news. You can therefore bet on entertainment, politics and other areas even if you know little about sports. The markets on offer vary by site and by province.

The range of sports is also wide. Besides major sports such as hockey, soccer, baseball and basketball, you can bet on individual sports such as boxing and tennis, indoor games such as bowling and darts, and, more recently, esports titles such as Counter-Strike and Call of Duty.

Watch Games Live with Live Streaming

Watching the action is an essential part of sports betting. With money on the line, it is natural to want to see the result as it happens, and this is where live streaming helps: it lets you watch events as they are played.

You are not limited to the games you have bet on. Streamed events can sometimes be watched once you have registered (some sportsbooks require a deposit or a bet first). Which events are streamed, the conditions for watching and the regions where streams are available vary by sportsbook.

If paying for a subscription to watch leagues from other countries seems expensive, a sportsbook’s streaming service is one option.

Games Available via Live Streaming

Soccer

The Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga, the Champions League, the World Cup and more

Baseball

MLB (Major League Baseball)

Tennis

The Australian Open, the US Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and some tour events

Hockey, football (CFL and NFL), basketball, rugby, cricket, table tennis, futsal and other sports may also be streamed. Coverage varies by sportsbook and competition, so check the sportsbook’s official website.

How to Get Started at a Sportsbook

Once you have signed up on a sportsbook’s official website and made a deposit, you can start betting right away. Before you do, make sure the site is legal in your province (see “Legal Sports Betting in Your Province” below).

Start by Signing Up with a Sportsbook

The first step is to register with a sportsbook. Go to the sportsbook’s official website, enter the required information and create an account. There are only a few fields to fill in, so even first-timers can finish registering in about 10 minutes.

Sportsbooks differ in what they offer. Choose a site that is legal in your province, then compare the sports it covers, its betting limits and the quality of its customer support. Where your province has more than one legal site, another approach is to sign up with several and then pick the one you will use most.

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This guide explains, step by step, how to register with a sportsbook (also called a bookmaker), make a deposit, bet on a game, withdraw your winnings…

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Documents You Need After Signing Up

Online gambling sites, including sportsbooks, usually require identity verification (KYC) before your first withdrawal, and often earlier.

Identity verification is the process in which you submit documents so that the sportsbook can confirm that the name, address and other details you entered when creating your account are correct. It is carried out to prevent misuse such as money laundering. When it is required varies by operator.

You will mainly need two documents: a photo ID, such as a passport, driver’s licence or government-issued ID card, and proof of address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement. You may also be asked for proof of the payment method you used for deposits and withdrawals, such as a photo of your credit card or a screenshot of your bank account or Interac e-Transfer details. Documents are submitted through an upload page on the site.

In many cases you can complete verification as soon as your account is created, so if you do not want to wait for your first withdrawal, it is a good idea to finish verification when you sign up.

Ways to Bet at a Sportsbook

1X2 / Moneyline

The basic bet on who will win, with no handicap or other adjustment. In sports with draws, such as soccer, it is usually offered as a three-way choice of home win, draw or away win (a 1X2 bet, also called a three-way moneyline). In sports without draws, such as tennis, it is usually offered as a two-way moneyline.

Handicap

A bet on which team will win after a handicap has been applied to one of the teams, similar to the point spread in North American sports. The handicap can be applied to either team.

With a standard three-way handicap, if the result is a draw once the handicap is applied, the stake is not returned. With Asian handicap lines that use whole numbers, however, the stake is refunded (with quarter lines such as 0.25 or 0.75, half the stake may be refunded).

Over/Under (Totals)

A bet on whether the combined score of both teams will be higher (over) or lower (under) than a line set in advance. For example, an over 2.5 bet wins if the two teams score a combined 3 or more.

Basic Sportsbook Terms

These are the basic terms worth learning first.

Odds

The multiplier used to calculate your payout when a bet wins. All odds in this article are decimal odds (European odds), which include the stake. For example, if you bet C$10 at odds of 5.00 and win, you receive $10 × 5 = $50, including your stake. In Canada and the US, the same price is also often shown as American odds; for example, decimal odds of 5.00 are +400.

Cash Out

A feature, used mainly in live betting, that lets you settle a bet before the event ends, either to lock in a profit when the bet is going your way or to limit your loss when it is not.

Parlay

A parlay (also called an accumulator or multi) combines several bets into a single bet. If any one of the selections loses, the whole bet loses.

Fixed Odds

Odds that apply from the moment you place your bet, so later changes in the odds do not affect your payout. Sportsbook odds are fixed in this way.

Market

A general term for the types of bets a sportsbook offers. For a soccer match, for example, the markets include the match result, handicap and over/under.

Live Betting

Betting on a game that is already in progress, also called in-play betting. The odds change as the game unfolds.

Are Sportsbooks Safe?

Some bettors worry that gambling online will expose them to fraud. The best protection is to use a site that is regulated in your province. In Canada, single-event sports betting has been legal since August 2021, when the Criminal Code was amended, and each province decides how it is offered. There is no single national gambling licence, so check which sites are legal in your province and the minimum age before you sign up.

Legal Sports Betting in Your Province

Ontario

Since April 4, 2022, private operators registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) can offer sports betting through iGaming Ontario’s regulated market, alongside OLG.

Alberta

Since July 13, 2026, registered private operators can offer sports betting, alongside the government site PlayAlberta. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is the regulator, and the Alberta iGaming Corporation runs the market.

British Columbia

PlayNow, run by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), is the province’s legal online gambling site.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Saskatchewan has PlayNow Saskatchewan, and Manitoba has PlayNow, run by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries.

Quebec

Loto-Québec runs the province’s online gambling site, and its sports betting brand is Mise-o-jeu.

Atlantic Canada

In New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic Lottery (ALC) runs the regulated online site.

Sites outside these provincial systems are not regulated by the provinces. The minimum age is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and 19 in all other provinces and the territories.

Sportsbooks Need a Licence to Operate

To operate as an online sportsbook, a company must obtain and maintain a licence or registration from a regulator. In Ontario, for example, private operators must be registered with the AGCO. A licence is a permit that authorizes the company to operate as a sportsbook under the rules set by that regulator.

Before a licence is granted, the applicant is assessed against strict standards, such as compliance with the relevant laws and having enough funds to cover payments to customers. A licence is issued only once these standards are met.

A licence is not held permanently once it has been granted. Licensees are audited on an ongoing basis, and a licence can be revoked if a breach of the rules is found. A licensed sportsbook is therefore an operator that meets the issuing jurisdiction’s standards and is under its supervision.

Many Sportsbooks Sponsor Sports Teams and Events

Many sportsbooks are large businesses, and some of them sponsor sports teams.

For example, a crypto sportsbook became the shirt sponsor of a Premier League club in 2020, and a long-established British bookmaker has served as the official betting partner of another Premier League club. Sponsorships like these are public, so the companies behind them are easier to check. A sponsorship does not mean a site is regulated in your province, however, so check the legal options where you live.

What to Watch Out For When Using a Sportsbook

Sportsbooks operate under their terms and conditions. If a bettor breaks those terms, the sportsbook may void bets or withhold winnings, and in the worst case suspend or close the account.

Read the Terms Before You Bet

Every sportsbook has terms and conditions that cover how bets are settled, account limits, deposits and withdrawals. Read them before you place your first bet.

Any promotion an operator offers also comes with its own terms. The details vary, but most set a wagering requirement and minimum odds.

The wagering requirement is the total amount you must bet before promotional funds can be withdrawn as cash. For example, if a promotion requires 8x wagering on $100, you need to place $100 × 8 = $800 in total bets.

The minimum odds are the lowest odds a bet must have to count toward the wagering requirement. For example, if the minimum odds are 1.50, bets at odds below 1.50 do not count toward the wagering requirement (they are not added to your total bets).

Accounts may also have limits on deposits, stakes and withdrawals, so always read the full terms and conditions on the sportsbook’s official website.

Beware of Scams Selling Tools and Betting Systems

Interest in sportsbooks rises with every major sporting event. Many people bet for the first time at these moments, and some scams target these beginners.

Some individuals and groups try to take your money with completely baseless methods, such as pitching a “guaranteed profit” betting system or selling a “tool that raises your expected value.”

Legitimate betting communities exist too. A group whose members simply share picks or report their own results is not a problem. Some organizations, however, use such communities as a front to take people’s money, so be careful.

This applies especially to communities that recruit on social media. Before joining, check whether they ask for a membership fee or for you to buy a product, whether they back up their claimed winning record, and whether the people running them can be identified.

Arbitrage Betting Is Prohibited at Many Sportsbooks

Arbitrage betting (sure bets) is a technique that uses differences in odds between sportsbooks to bet on more than one outcome of the same game. In theory, it avoids a loss whatever the result, but in practice many sportsbooks prohibit it in their terms.

Suppose, for a simplified example that would not occur in practice, that two soccer teams, A and B, are playing. Sportsbook X offers odds of “A: 1.50, B: 2.50” and Sportsbook Y offers “A: 2.50, B: 1.50.” If you bet on B with Sportsbook X and on A with Sportsbook Y, in theory you would come out ahead whichever team wins.

Many sportsbooks detect it by monitoring odds and betting histories, and if it is discovered, it can lead to account restrictions or refused withdrawals. Avoid arbitrage betting.

Summary: Payout Percentages Are High, but Betting at Random Still Loses to the Margin Over Time

Sports betting, in which you predict the results of sporting events, is popular around the world, including in Canada.

Online sportsbooks in particular have a higher payout percentage than lotteries and pari-mutuel horse racing, and they let you bet on a wide range of sports, from major sports such as hockey, baseball and soccer to indoor sports and esports. Sportsbooks still build a margin into their odds, however, so if you keep betting without any analysis, you will tend to lose over the long run.

Simply predicting which team will win is enjoyable enough on its own, so sports betting is easy to get into, including for readers who are new to gambling. Before you start, check which sites are legal in your province and the minimum age, and set a budget you are comfortable losing.

If gambling stops being fun, help is available: in Ontario, call ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600, and elsewhere, contact your provincial helpline.