Canada's Best Gambling Sites in 2023

Sports Betting at Canadian Gambling Sites

The best Canadian gambling sites offer both casino games and online sportsbooks. The latter allows you to place wagers on all manner of sporting events and competitions. Below, we’ve run through the typical sports betting options you’re likely to find at any Canadian sportsbook

Basketball

Basketball betting is extremely popular at sports betting sites, with the National Basketball Association (NBA) being the most bet-on league. The Toronto Raptors are the sole Canadian NBA team, who play in the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. The best gambling sites in Canada offer lots of in-play betting options, which are perfect for the fast-paced game of basketball.

Ice Hockey

The National Hockey League (NHL) is the most popular ice hockey league in the world. It comprises 32 teams, 7 of which — including the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs — are from Canada. The Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize, awarded annually to the NHL playoff champion.

Football

Football betting at Canadian gambling sites peaks with the annual Super Bowl, held in February each year. However, there are regular opportunities to bet on the National Football League (NFL), which is split into the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). College betting is also immensely popular, with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Soccer 

Soccer is the biggest sport in the world, so there are always tons of games and markets available to bettors. The biggest leagues include the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, and Major League Soccer (MLS) in North America. You’ll even find plenty of markets on Canadian Premier League (CPL) games. And if you’re more into international matches, the World Cup is the holy grail — coming to Canada, Mexico, and the United States in 2026.

Esports

Whether you’re a keen gamer or just looking for some fast-paced betting action, esports are some of the most exciting markets at online betting sites. Popular esports to watch and bet on include Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and League of Legends.

Horse Racing 

Horse racing is another sport that’s great to bet on ahead of time, or in-play if it’s a longer race. There are lots of promotions available for the top meetings, such as free bets and best odds guaranteed. The most prominent events include the Kentucky Derby, Cheltenham Festival, and the Grand National.

Virtual Sports

There are also lots of opportunities to bet on simulated virtual sports. These aren’t real matches, but are still played out on screen so you can watch along as you bet. The best thing about virtual sports betting is that matches take place all throughout the day, so you can jump into some in-play action whenever the mood strikes.

Common Sports Betting Markets

Within each sport or event, you’ll also find different types of bets you can make — some are simple and others are more complex. Here are a few you’ll see most often at Canadian gambling sites. 

Moneyline

What many would think of when it comes to sports betting, a moneyline is sometimes known as a head-to-head or straight-up bet. You’re betting on the team or player to win the match, like the Toronto Maple Leafs to beat the Boston Bruins — pick correctly and you’ll win. 

Point Spread

When you bet on point spread, you’re betting on a team to win or lose by a certain number of points. Let’s say the Raptors are playing the Celtics with the following point spread: 

• Toronto Raptors -5
• Boston Celtics +5

Raptors are the favourite, ‘giving five’ — they need to win by at least six points for your bet to come good. However, bet on the Celtics who are ‘getting five’ and they need to either win the game or lose by less than six points for your bet to win. If the Raptors win by exactly five points, it’s a push and all bets are refunded.

Totals

Sometimes called over/under bets, totals are bets on a specific aspect of the game, commonly how many points, runs, or goals will be scored. For example, you might bet on over 5.5 goals to be scored in an upcoming Oilers v Kings match. A final score of 3–3 would see your bet win as that’s six goals in total — over the threshold. Depending on the sport, there can be many different totals markets. Take soccer: you can also bet on things like the number of yellow or red cards given.

Parlay Bets

Parlay bets are a special kind of bet where you chain together multiple different wagers. Also called accas, accumulators, or multis, these bets come with much longer odds for a chance at a huge payout. Of course, every bet needs to come good for you to win — drastically lowering your chances of success.

Canadian Gambling Site Bonuses 

There are a wide variety of bonuses up for grabs for casino players and sport bettors at the best gambling sites in Canada. Here’s a breakdown of the most common bonuses and what they have to offer.

Matched Deposits

Matched deposits are the most common type of welcome offer at Canadian gambling sites. The first thing you’ll want to do after signing up to a new site is to add funds to your account, which you’ll then use to place bets or play online slots and casino games. Matched deposits give you a bit of extra bang for your buck when you add funds for the first time. They come in different percentages — for example, a 100% matched deal on a $20 deposit would effectively double your money with $20 in bonus cash. It’s common to see smaller percentages available for the second and third deposits on the site too.

Free Spins

Free spins apply exclusively to online slots. They give players the chance to spin the slot reels free of charge and still collect real money prizes. Naturally, there are limits on how much players can win using free spins, but they’re a great way to try out some new slot games without risking your own cash. Free spins are available in-game too, and traditionally are triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols.

Free Bets 

Free bets are the free spins of the betting world. They may be acquired in different ways, but the premise is simple: sports bettors are given a free bet set to a particular value, which can then be staked on eligible markets. If the bet wins, the bettor keeps the profit. Free bets may be offered as part of a welcome offer, or as part of a regular deal for existing customers.

No Deposit Bonuses

A deposit isn’t always required to unlock exciting bonuses — with a no deposit deal, you can claim a bundle of free spins or bet credit as soon as you sign up. The rewards tend to be smaller with no deposit bonuses, but it’s a great way to try out a site before committing any cash.

Low Wagering Bonuses

Wagering requirements apply to most casino bonuses and many promotions at sports betting sites too. This pesky stipulation can make it very challenging for bettors to withdraw any winnings gained from a bonus. However, the lower the wagering demands are, the easier they are to fulfil. Sports betting bonuses often only require punters to wager the bonus once, ensuring there’s still plenty of value in the deal. In the online casino space, 20x wagering or below is generally considered low.

How to Withdraw Funds from a Canadian Gambling Site

1. Before withdrawing, make sure you’ve satisfied all of the associated terms and conditions;
2. Head to the cashier page and hit the withdraw button;
3. Key in the amount you’d like to request and select the method with which you want to withdraw;
4. Depending on the payment method, your withdrawal request can be processed in minutes or days – make sure you’re aware of the processing times of your banking option;
5. Enjoy your winnings!

Play Online Slots at Canadian Gambling Sites

Online casinos are packed full of computerized slot machines. These online video slots work in the same way as mechanical slots, with players spinning the reels in the hope of landing winning combinations of symbols. Wagers can be placed from as little as 5¢–10¢, while progressive jackpot slots can offer prizes in the millions, but at significantly longer odds. 

RTP and Variance

When you’re picking a slot, it’s good to have an understanding of RTP and variance so you can choose a game to suit your style of play. RTP stands for Return to Player, and it’s the percentage of money bet on the game that’s paid back out to players on average over the long term. Say you’re playing a slot with 95% RTP — for every $100 wagered, $95 is paid back out in prizes. It’s important to remember this number is theoretical and based on millions of spins, so it’s unlikely to bear out during a standard play session.

Consider the variance too and you’ll get a full picture of how the slot pays out. Also known as volatility, this is a rough idea of how often you’ll hit wins and how big they’ll be. On average, low-variance slots will pay out smaller wins more frequently, while a slot with higher volatility will pay out less often but in larger amounts. Typically, low volatility is better suited for those on a smaller budget as you’re more likely to land some wins before you burn through your bankroll.

If you’re looking for some ideas on where to start, here are a few of the best slots to try at Canadian gambling sites:

Top Slots for High RTP

• Ugga Bugga by Playtech – 99.07% RTP
• Mega Joker by NetEnt – 99% RTP

Top Slots for Special Features

• Immortal Romance by Microgaming – 96.68% RTP
• Deadwood xNudge by Nolimit City – 96.03% RTP

Top Slots for Low Volatility

• Starburst by NetEnt – 96.1% RTP
• Reel King Mega by Red Tiger – 96.17% RTP

Top Progressive Jackpot Slots

• Mega Moolah by Microgaming – 88.12% RTP
• Age of the Gods: God of Storms by Playtech Vikings – 96.14% RTP

Other Casino Games at Canadian Gambling Sites

You’ll find hundreds of different games besides slots at the best online gambling sites. Here are some of the most popular. 

Blackjack

Blackjack’s popularity has survived many centuries and it continues to rank as the most played card game at both land-based and online casinos. The aim of blackjack is to attain a hand through a series of bets that gets as close to 21 as possible without exceeding the number and going bust. There are lots of blackjack site variants available, and players should pay attention to multi-deck games that increase the casino’s house edge.

Roulette

While 17th century French mathematician Blaise Pascal failed to invent a perpetual motion machine, he inadvertently created one of the world’s most popular casino games: roulette. Players at roulette sites have the option to wager on low odds outside bets – such as red or black – or high odds inside bets – such as a specific number. You’ll find American, European and French variants at the top Canadian sites, as well as other interesting innovations. 

Poker

Texas Hold’em, Omaha 8, or 7-card Stud – whatever your preferred poker variant, you can play it online at the best Canadian casinos. Although there are many different poker variants, the hand rankings remain the same in each. The order and sequence of bets – and the number of cards dealt to each player – are the variables, so make sure you’re familiar with the rules before you start committing real money to wagers.

Baccarat

Similar to blackjack, baccarat is a card game where players bet on a hand to get as close to nine as possible. Cards 2-10 hold their face value, while each picture card (jack, queen and king) is worth nothing. Aces will count as one. 

Online Poker

Poker is one of the most famous casino card games in the world, so naturally it’s available at a number of Canadian gambling sites. When it comes to online poker, players have a number of options. If you’re not all that familiar with the game, we recommend you try playing RNG poker against the house — either for free or for real money — before you think about entering tournaments and playing against other players. 

Although, if you’re a seasoned poker player, feel free to start playing more competitively right off the bat, but be aware that you may have to download some poker software in order to do so.

Video Poker

Video poker works differently to the more traditional forms of online poker. It combines slot mechanics with elements of poker to create a mix of luck and skill that is seldom found in slot-based games. To play, you press ‘deal’ to reveal your five-card hand, at which point you get to decide which cards you’d like to hold onto before the hand is redealt, with a view of achieving the best possible poker hand. After the redeal, your hand is paid out according to conventional poker hand rankings.

Mobile Gambling Sites

With smartphones playing such a significant role in our lives today, it comes as no surprise that there are plenty of mobile gambling sites available. With a mobile-optimized site or app, punters can play their favourite games on the go or place a sports bet without missing any of the action. 

At BestOnlineCasinos, we expect any online gambling site worth its salt to be compatible with a range of operating devices and systems, whether it’s through the mobile browser or a dedicated app you can install. In either case, functionality should mirror that of a full desktop site — that means the same range of payment options, access to customer support, account management tools, not to mention a strong selection of games and betting markets. 

As a quick word of warning, while they’re highly convenient, mobile gambling sites do make it easy to pick up and play at any time — which can encourage problem gambling and addiction. Always keep a close eye on how much time and money you spend on gambling, and make use of on-site limiters to ensure the hobby remains healthy. 

Reasons to Play at a Mobile Gambling Site

There are plenty of great reasons to gamble on your mobile:

• Play anywhere, any time – Whether you’re on the bus or the couch, you won’t have to be at the desk to place a bet
• Fast loading times – With solid 4G connection speeds and lightning-fast 5G rolling out, you won’t be kept waiting by loading screens or sluggish gameplay
• Choice of games and betting markets – Top mobile casinos and sportsbooks give players access to all the same games and betting markets they’d have on desktop
• Safety – Mobile gambling sites must be regulated and licensed just as desktop sites are, and all our top picks at BestOnlineCasinos are 100% safe and legitimate

Apps vs Mobile Sites

You might be wondering what the difference is between mobile gambling apps and sites. With an app, you’re likely going to get the most robust experience, as every gambling app has been designed from the ground up with touch screen handsets in mind. The best gambling apps give punters access to all the same games or sports markets they’d get on the desktop or mobile site, all accessible within a few taps. 

Bonus hunters will want to take note of one key feature of mobile gambling apps: push notifications. When you enable these, you’ll get pinged every time a new offer appears in your account, ensuring you never miss out, whether it’s a juicy reload offer, a bundle of no deposit free spins, or a risk-free bet on the upcoming match. 

That said, mobile sites do win out in some areas, namely compatibility. As they’re accessed via your phone’s mobile browser and built with the latest HTML5 technology, they’re agnostic of operating system and device. Gambling apps are generally only available for iOS and Android handsets — and sometimes only one or the other — so if you use something else, a mobile gambling site will be your best bet. The same goes for tablets: mobile apps aren’t always optimized for their larger screens so a site may offer a more user-friendly experience. There’s also no need to download anything, which is an advantage if storage space is at a premium.

Here’s a quick round-up of the pros and cons of each option: