DraftKings celebrated the launch of online sports betting going live in North Carolina with a ceremonial first bet event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. 

Representatives from DraftKings, NASCAR and North Carolina Rep. Hawkins shared remarks, before Carolina Panthers legend Greg Olsen placed a ceremonial first bet via DraftKings’ online sportsbook. Olsen placed a $100 bet on Bubba Wallace to win the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. 

DraftKings announced plans to launch its top-rated online sportsbook in North Carolina on March 11, 2024. This announcement is the culmination of DraftKings’ continued work with stakeholders and regulators across North Carolina to offer fans a responsible form of sports betting.

Earlier this year, DraftKings and NASCAR agreed to terms on a written designation agreement, paving the way for the digital sports entertainment and gaming company to operate in the state. Once live in North Carolina, DraftKings Sportsbook will be available in 27 U.S. states, in addition to Ontario, Canada.

North Carolina is known for its strong sports culture, housing the majority of the NASCAR industry, professional teams in the NFL, NBA and NHL, as well as several universities competing at the Division-I level. Starting March 11, DraftKings will provide eligible fans in the state several new and responsible ways to get in on the action. DraftKings’ online sportsbook provides a wide variety of betting markets and key offerings such as same-game parlays, in-game betting, special odds boosts and more, on a safe, regulated platform with various customer protections in place, such as deposit and time limits, access to responsible gaming resource materials, cool off and self-exclusion features along with DraftKings’ all new “My Stat Sheet,” an innovative responsible gaming feature that shows customers exactly how much time they’ve spent on DraftKings, and the total amount of deposits they’ve placed on the platform.

“With the NCAA Tournament right around the corner and the NASCAR season in full throttle, we are thrilled to be launching our top-rated sportsbook app in North Carolina,” said Matt Kalish, President, DraftKings North America. “The Tar Heel State is home to a passionate fanbase and some of the most iconic college basketball programs of all time, making this an exciting time to introduce legalized online sports betting. We’re proud to be working alongside NASCAR as our market access partner and look forward to enhancing the fan experience across North Carolina with a fun, safe and seamless sports betting product.”

To celebrate the launch of legalized mobile sports betting going live in North Carolina, DraftKings, in collaboration with NASCAR, is teaming up with Carolina Panthers legend Greg Olsen for a ceremonial first bet on March 11, 2024. The event will take place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte and feature remarks from Olsen as well as DraftKings Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Elbaum and North Carolina State Rep. Zack Hawkins.