Betting on a game? There’s a new online sports gambling scam to watch out for in NC

Chyna Blackmon
·2 min read

Online sports betting has officially made its way to North Carolina — but you may want to take a timeout before you gamble on a game.

Under the new law, anyone 21 and older is allowed to bet on professional and college sports by computer, mobile app or in-person. Now that mobile sports betting has been legalized, the Better Business Bureau issued a warning about fake sports betting apps and websites that could leave you losing money rather than winning.

“You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a cent,” the BBB said. “Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now in the hands of scam artists.”

According to the BBB, some scammers may claim that there are technical issues and ask for additional identity verification, or the site may require that you pay even more money before you can withdraw any “winnings” — but in the end, it’s all fake.

“I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet [and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined,” one person reported to the BBB. “Spoke to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver’s license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my bank. With all the run around I’ve been given, it prompted me to read their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card company to file a fraud report.”

Online sports betting is now legal in NC. Here’s what you need to know to get started

How to avoid sports betting scams

Here are some tips experts recommend if you plan to download a sports betting app, or place a bet on a sports betting website, according to the BBB:

  • Check to make sure you are on an established service or sports books.

  • Watch out for gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam or other texts.

  • Read the fine print on incentives for new users and around major games that may be deceptive.

  • Check terms of service to know if sports betting sites can freeze any winnings.