Sports betting has forever been popular throughout the world but ever since COVID-19 hit, the business saw an immense increase in popularity. While on the one hand, placing bets in Norwegian bookmakers can be difficult, accessing online sports betting sites in Norway, on the other hand, is quite easy.
Online sports betting offers many advantages over the traditional one and Norwegian punters can enjoy sports betting the way most European countries do. Read on to find out more about sports betting sites in Norway for 2023, how to use them, and what to expect.
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Norwegian law prohibits gambling, with special exceptions for Norsk Tipping and other smaller lotteries as defined in the Lottery Act. An important element that forms the basis for Norsk Tipping being granted permission to conduct gambling is that the money they earn goes to charity or something else that is considered to be to the benefit of society, such as grassroots initiatives.
The authorities like to highlight the link about charity when Norsk Tipping’s monopoly scheme is compared with foreign gaming companies, often with the aim of blackmailing the foreign gaming companies. In reality, it often happens that foreign actors regularly donate money to charitable causes, such as cancer research. It should be noted that it will largely be a matter of international charity, in contrast to Norsk Tipping, which transfers its profits to players within Norway’s borders.
What in many ways puts sticks in the wheels of Norsk Tipping and the monopoly scheme is the EEA agreement that Norway has with the EU. Due to the EEA agreement, Norway has to comply with the economic laws that apply in the EU. This is what makes it possible for foreign gaming companies to advertise their services on Norwegian TV, as long as the TV signals are broadcast from abroad. The gaming companies’ services are defined as products, and since the EEA agreement goes both ways, we have to accept “sales” of products from the EU, in order for our goods to be sold in the EU. This includes gambling activities.
In principle, when gambling in Norway, the Lottery Act states that 28% tax must be paid on all individual winnings over NOK 10,000 won on foreign gambling websites. But thanks to the EEA agreement, the answer is not quite so simple. Since Norway is part of the EU’s internal economic market through the EEA agreement, all economic laws in the EU also apply to Norway. The law also states that as long as similar gambling is offered in the home country, no tax can be claimed on winnings won on gambling in other EU countries.
Norsk Tipping also offers gambling, both in the form of odds and digital slot machines. This means that similar games exist in Norway, and thus the Tax Administration has no authority to claim tax on your winnings, as long as they are won by a gaming company within the EU.
Note that the Tax Administration may still send a collection of tax for your gain, but you then have the right on your part to refuse to comply with the claim. Fortunately, this is not something that happens often. Should you still be exposed to it, you should be prepared for the Tax Administration to decide to open a case.
With that in mind, you may want to consider keeping your gaming activity out of social media, so as not to attract unnecessary attention. Also, remember that all winnings must be reported in your tax return and that it is your own responsibility to ensure that this is in order.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Norway?
Generally, only certain gambling activities are legal in Norway, but when it comes to online gambling and sports betting, the situation is a bit unclear. In any way, Norwegian bettors can access foreign betting sites and place sports bets but keep it secret just in case.
Choosing the right betting site in Norway can be crucial to a good sports and betting experience. In a market where there is almost an abundance of betting sites, it can be difficult to distinguish the good from the bad. Below we give you an overview of what factors you should think about when choosing:
One of the most important factors that separate the best betting sites from the bad ones in Norway is whether they are regulated. Bookmakers with a license value security very highly, which means that all your deposits and withdrawals are well taken care of. They also make sure that your personal information does not go astray and is not used for anything other than what is intended.
Secure betting sites with a good reputation provide a greater chance that you can trust them. They use encryption and high-security technology to take care of you as a player. You should therefore always check if the betting company you want to play with is regulated, or take a look at our list of recommended bookmakers.
Just about all online betting sites, and especially new sites, offer some form of a welcome bonus. This can be a bonus after registration, or a deposit bonus on your first deposit. A welcome bonus can be a great way to get to know the bookmaker, without having to spend your own money. At the same time, you get an extra chance to win prizes without having to pay for it yourself.
Placing a bet on your favorite matches should be possible with a few clicks. If the process is more complicated, you may want to consider another betting site. Serious sports betting sites in Norway have a user-friendly interface, with clear menus and where you can see if the bookmaker is regulated at the bottom of the page. They also offer several languages, where Norwegian players can use the betting site in Norwegian.
As of today, the newest and best betting sites use HTML5, which means that all the sites work just as well on a smartphone as they do on your computer. Some betting companies offer mobile apps, while others you have to use via a browser on your mobile device.
Football is one of the sports that are very popular for Norwegian players to bet on. Good sports betting sites in Norway will therefore cover everything from small matches to the biggest leagues and can include from 300 to 500 markets per match. Other sports that are popular in Norway are horse racing, tennis, basketball, winter sports, and ice hockey. It is therefore normal that you will find a great deal within these sports as well.
Security and safety come first when we talk about payment methods. It is therefore important that betting sites offer reputable methods, which are easy to use. By using known payment solutions, you do not have to doubt whether they are reliable or not. It is also essential that you can make quick deposits and withdrawals so that your funds become available on an ongoing basis.
When you bet on sports in Norway, it is entirely up to you how much you want to bet. But most betting sites will have a minimum deposit of 100 to 200 NOK. It is important to choose a betting site that has fast processing times for both deposits and withdrawals. No one wants to wait for weeks after winning a prize. The best bookmakers on the market process your withdrawals within 24 hours.
Mistakes can, unfortunately, occur, where for example the odds are not correct or you do not receive the bonus that you should have. What is important is that there is a solution to the problem and that a customer support agent is willing to help.
Efficiency and good customer service are key factors here. But good opening hours are also important. The best betting sites allow you to talk to an agent 24/7 through several channels such as phone, live chat, and email. If you are a Norwegian player, it is also good if you can get help in Norwegian.
There are a few steps to take in order to place sports bets online in Norway. The process of creating a user account will work very similarly to most sports betting sites in Norway.
The first thing you have to do is choose a suitable betting site in Norway, and create a user account. Go to the official website and click on “Play Now” or “Register”. You will be asked to fill in the email, the country you are in, the currency, and your telephone number.
In this step, you will be given an optional username and password, and proceed to the next step. Fill in name, date of birth, gender, city, postcode, and street address. It is important that you fill this in correctly as at some point you will have to verify your profile. Check that you have read the terms and conditions, and click on create an account.
After you have created your user account, it is time to make a deposit. Here you can choose from a variety of payment solutions, including bank cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies. Select the desired amount and follow the steps according to which method you have chosen.
All licensed bookmakers in Norway are required to verify their players to prevent fraud and money laundering. This is done by submitting a photo of your passport, driver’s license or national ID. In addition, you will need to submit proof of your residential address, which may be a photo of a bill or a bank statement. The document cannot be older than 3 months, and must show all corners of the document.
Betting companies also require you to prove that the payment method you have used is yours. You can do this by submitting a photo of your bank card, or a screenshot of your bank account or e-wallet.
If you submit an error, you may have to go through the whole process again as it will not be approved. This can, among other things, delay withdrawals. If you are unsure of how to verify yourself, you can contact the betting site you register with directly.
After you have made a deposit, you are ready to bet on the desired sport, match, or other sporting events. Select the sport and match you want to play. In the box to the right (usually), you can fill in how much you want to bet. How much you can win will then be visible. To confirm, simply click on “Place Bet”.
There is a long tradition of betting on sports in this country, and thanks to sports betting online, it has become even easier to bet on your favorite sport or your favorite team. There are many types of bets and markets to bet on, but the goal is always the same: to bet on the correct outcome or result in a match, tournament or other sporting events. It is the size of the odds that determines how much you win if you bet correctly, and the higher the odds, the more you can win.
Many people think that playing on a horse is a bit old-fashioned and outdated form of betting, but this could not be further from the truth in Norway. Betting on horse races is actually incredibly exciting, and you can bet on many different odds, such as winning races and various combination bets. Most betting sites offer odds on horse racing, both from Norwegian and international trotting tracks. In addition, it is possible to bet on the races live, which Norwegians often do.
Ice hockey is a physical sport where two teams with six players fight to hit a puck to the opponent's goal. Hockey is very common in North America and large parts of Europe, especially the north, and many fans like to bet on it. On many sports betting sites in Norway that offer ice hockey, you can bet on which team wins, the total number of goals, handicaps, and much more. In addition, it is possible to bet on the biggest matches while they are being played.
Football betting has been around for almost as long as the sport itself, and today football betting is more popular than ever. There are several reasons for this. First, football is played on every continent, and hundreds of millions of people watch it. Secondly, anything can happen in a football match, and the sport is, therefore, suitable for all kinds of betting. Regardless of whether you are a dedicated football supporter or just like to watch the Norwegian national matches from time to time, you can enjoy betting on football. It is possible to bet on everything from which team will win a match to more complicated combination games and handicaps.
Betting on dog races is not as widespread in Norway as in a number of other countries, but this is a fast-paced sport that is exciting to play. Dog races share many common features with horse races, and the most common type of bet is to bet on the winner of the race. It is mainly greyhounds that are used in dog races, a slim dog breed that can run up to 70 kilometers per hour. Many bettings sites also offer virtual dog races.
Formula 1 is sophisticated and fast-paced motorsport that is followed by millions of fans. The Grand Prix is held in several countries, including Italy, England, and Monaco. With F1 betting, you can bet on all races, and there are many betting options to choose from. In addition to betting on the winner of the race, you can, for example, bet on outrights, car brands, special bets, or a matchup where you put two drivers against each other.
The eSports market has long been one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and some economists predict that the global eSports market will have a value of around 100 billion kroner by 2030. With eSports betting, you can bet on all the biggest games, such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The betting sites in Norway often offer live streams of these events on their website so you can watch the matches live.
In recent years, live betting has become more and more popular in Norway, and no wonder. Betting on live odds is the most entertaining and exciting way to bet, as you can bet while the match is taking place. Live betting is primarily common in football, but it is also available in ice hockey, basketball, baseball, and several other sports. The odds change continuously based on what happens on the course or field, and this opens up completely new betting opportunities.
As Norwegians love to bet on various sports, it would be impossible to name all types of bets that are popular in this country. Instead, the most famous and popular betting markets are mentioned. Note that the examples below are mainly for football (as it is the most popular sport), but most of these bets are applicable to various sports:
One of the most classic bets, in which you bet on which team will be the winner at the end of the match, or if there will be a tie. It is the typical bet of the pools (1×2). Each option has a 33.3% chance without taking odds into account.
The same as in the winner bet at the end of the match, but in this type of sports betting you bet on who will be the winner at the end of the first half. Because the duration is shorter, the odds for home and away are higher compared to a draw.
There is a type of sports betting market that is a combination of the first two. In other words, you bet on who will be the winner in the middle of the game and who will be at the end of it, combining two forecasts in one.
With very similar rivals, it is sometimes difficult to predict the result. In these cases, you can bet double, so instead of choosing between “home win, away win, or draw”, you bet on two of these three variables.
Another very common type of bet is the one that refers to the number of goals scored. There are several types:
They are also called spread betting. The idea is to bet on a variety of outcomes rather than one particular outcome, so you win by approximation. Let’s say the bookmakers have a particular team as a 3.5-point favorite. If you place a bet on that team, they will have to win by more than 5 points for you to win your bet. If you bet on the opposing team, you will win if that team wins or loses by less than 3 points.
This type of bet is very popular in American football and rugby, but also in basketball, tennis, and soccer and can be played in its end-of-match or end-of-the-first-half variation.
Here, one of the two teams is given an advantage, before the match begins, so that there is more equality (the same as in the current handicap bets). The handicap can be +-0.0, +-0.5, +-1.5, +-2, +-2.5, +-3, +-3.5 and +-4.
Combination bets, also known as multiple bets or multi-bets, are the ones with the most excitement and complexity. In them, you can bet on two or three forecasts at the same time, being double or triple bets. The number of forecasts will depend on the bookmaker in Norway with which you are operating and their odds are multiplied by the following forecast, so if, for example, you have a double bet in which the odd of the first bet is 2.00 and the second of 1.50, the odds you will receive in total will be 3.00.
If you have some experience from betting at, for example, Norsk Tipping, or especially if you have visited betting sites in Norway from different parts of the world, you may have noticed that the odds format varies.
Decimal odds are written as a decimal number (e.g. 1.45), and are the most widely used format in Norway, most of Europe and Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. If you follow English football, you may have come across the fraction format (eg 11/4), which is the most common format in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the United States, another format called Moneyline odds is used.
If the betting company you play for offers a Norwegian version of their product, the odds will usually already be set to decimal odds when you enter the site. However, betting companies that mainly target the British market, for example, may show the odds in a different format. Odds formats you are not used to can quickly seem both foreign and confusing, and although you can always convert the odds using a simple Google search, fortunately, most betting sites offer the option to change the odds format as you wish.
Odds are the calculated probability a betting company gives a certain event or the outcome of a bet. The numbers give an indication of how much you want to win if you bet on the individual outcome and win the game. An example of this is:
If you place a bet on Norway for 100 kroner and they win the match, you get 230 kroner back, i.e. a win of 130 kroner.
A combination game means that you add several matches or events to the same game or betting coupon. The big advantage of this is that the odds on the selected events are multiplied and that you can get very high odds with a few matches.
If we take the same game as before, Norway wins against Belarus to 2.30 in odds and add that France wins against Germany at the same odds, 2.30, it looks like this:
2.30 x 2.30 = 5.29
If you bet 100 kroner on this game and both Norway and France win their respective matches, you get 529 kroner back, i.e. a win of 429 kroner. However, you depend on both teams winning. If only one of the teams wins, your game and your 100 Kroner will be lost.
Basically, it is not possible to place multiple, separate bets on one and the same match. The reason for this is that the odds affect each other. For example, if you bet that a team will win with exactly 2-0 to 5.00 in odds and combine this with the same team not conceding any goals to 3.00 in odds, then you would get 15.00 in odds (5.00 x 3.00). But, since your 2-0 game requires the team not to concede any goals either, you get too high odds, which does not work.
Several betting companies available in Norway, on the other hand, have begun to offer so-called bet builders or odds builders as they are often called in Norwegian. This feature is for you to be able to combine several different games in the same match. For example, you can bet that a team wins the match, the home team gets the most corner kicks, and that at least 3 cards are dealt. That way, you can get higher odds on multiple bets on a single match.
Most sports betting sites in Norway only offer this feature on football, but certain sites also offer the option to use bet builder on, for example, ice hockey and American football.
It depends a bit. In most cases, betting companies in Norway set the odds (or their odds provider), but these change from the time they are released until the start of the match, depending on how much money comes in on the various options. Some betting companies let the market completely control the odds, while others adjust them manually.
The betting companies assess the probability and release the odds based on various factors around the league and the team. Table placement, shape, and injuries are all factors that come into play. Since there are more intricate details, such as an injury to a key player in ice hockey plays less of a role than in football, as the football player often has a greater impact on the match in terms of time.
A bonus for betting is an extra boost for your gambling, where the sports betting site in Norway adds something extra to give you a good start as a new customer, and hopefully give you a positive first impression. Of course, it’s also about choosing exactly their company, getting to know their product, and continuing to play with them.
There are various types of bonuses in Norway and these are the most common ones:
The most common form of bonus in Norway is a percentage match of your first deposit. Usually, this is set to 100%, i.e. a doubling. This means that if you deposit NOK 100, you get NOK 100 in bonus and a total of NOK 200 to play for. Beyond this, however, there can be large differences between the gaming companies in terms of other terms and other possible additional bonuses.
Free games are also a common form of bonus. You usually get a free bet with the same value as the one you deposited on your first deposit. But because it is clearly easier to “sell” a free game, the value is often not as high as a percentage bonus.
For free bets, there are often no minimum odds. This is due to the fact that you can only keep the winnings if you win. So if you play with 1.01 in odds of 100 kroner, you will only get 1 Kroner if the game is in your favor. In other words, the gaming company has little to lose if you choose to place a game with low risk.
Risk-free games have many similarities to free games. But, instead of the Norwegian gaming company being responsible for the effort, you have to be responsible for it yourself. Instead, you get your money back if you lose, usually without any wagering requirements.
You get your bet back if you lose with a risk-free game. Sometimes there are wagering requirements for any winnings. Sometimes you get your money back, and sometimes not at all. Be sure to check what applies to your risk-free game.
Elevated odds are perhaps the easiest form of bonus to deal with. It is usually about a betting company raising the odds on a team that is the favorite to win, and you then get to bet on these increased odds with your first bet after you have created a new account. Usually, there will be a limit to how much you can bet on elevated odds offers. Any winnings are paid out either as real money or as free games.
To place bets and withdraw winnings, you will have to choose one of the payment methods offered by sports betting sites in Norway. There are plenty of options and in further text, they will be classified by type.
✅ Bank and Credit Cards – Deposits with cards, such as Visa and Mastercard, or bank transfers work in the same way as when you buy something in an online store, something most of us are well acquainted with. When it comes to using on betting sites, however, it is worth mentioning that both deposits and withdrawals with these solutions often go via a third-party payment provider in Norway.
This is normal, and not something to worry about. It is important that the transaction goes via a third party, since Norwegian banks have been ordered by the authorities to refuse all incoming transactions from foreign gaming companies, but not from independent payment providers.
✅ E-Wallets – E-wallets are constantly growing in popularity, and can best be explained as online services for handling money and transactions. Hence the name – electronic wallet. Many people have probably already heard of PayPal, which is an example of an e-wallet. However, PayPal is not as large in Norway as in a number of other countries, but there are also other similar players that can be used for deposits and withdrawals on betting sites.
After Paysafegroup in December 2020 somewhat surprisingly chose to stop offering its betting services on the Norwegian market, this meant that it was no longer possible to use well-functioning and reliable methods such as Skrill, Neteller, and Paysafecard to pay on betting sites. Thus, Norwegian customers who want to be able to deposit money on gaming sites online have had to look around for other alternatives.
The biggest advantages of using e-wallets for betting are that both deposits and withdrawals happen almost immediately, plus the security is top-notch. E-wallets are protected with encryption and other security measures to ensure that your money and transactions are safe.
Note that most betting companies will require that you have made at least one deposit using another payment method, such as a card or bank transfer before you can use e-wallets for deposits and withdrawals. This is due to money laundering legislation.
Many gaming companies and sports betting sites in Norway boast that transactions with e-wallets are free of charge, but in practice, this is not entirely true. You do not pay a fee to the gaming company, but the e-wallet service often charges a fee when you withdraw money to your bank account from the e-wallet. The positive thing is that you at least do not have to pay a transaction fee twice.
As previously mentioned, most sports betting sites in Norway do not offer welcome offers and other bonuses if you make deposits with e-wallets. Fortunately, exceptions are made to this rule for Norwegian players at some gaming companies. There are still some options to use, though, such as:
✅ Prepaid Cards – Prepaid cards work a bit like prepaid cell phone cards. Prepaid cards have a given value that you choose when you buy the card. The card has a code that you enter when you make a deposit with the sports betting site in Norway, and when the transaction is carried out, the amount of money is transferred from the card, or rather the provider’s online service, to your gambling account.
Paysafecard was the most popular choice for Norwegians until December 2020, when they somewhat surprisingly chose to shut down the Norwegian market. In the void left behind, Neosurf in particular has emerged as a good alternative.
✅ Cryptocurrency – Another payment option for betting that has emerged in recent years is cryptocurrency. This is a digital currency that is not linked to the traditional banking system, which means that no authorities or banks control them. Transactions with cryptocurrencies are both fast and efficient. Also, when you use cryptocurrency as a payment method on betting sites, you also do not have to worry about the money getting lost, as it is designed to be very secure in use.
✅ Bitcoin – As an emerging payment alternative, there are currently not too many betting companies offering the option of using cryptocurrency for betting, but given the restrictions imposed on Norwegian customers, we can imagine that this number will only increase in the future.
Bitcoin is the most well-known choice when it comes to cryptocurrency, but there are sites that also allow Litecoin and Ethereum.
What Is the Best Payment Option for Norwegian Players?
In general, cryptocurrencies are turning out to be the best type of payment option at online casinos and sports betting sites around the world. They are fast, secure, and void of all bank connections. The main downside is that both people and betting sites that deal with cryptocurrency are rare. The best alternative is e-wallets.
In general, gambling is illegal in Norway, although there are specific games and institutions that are legal.
Gambling online can always be safe when done properly. This includes the use of VPNs, e-wallets, and safe and reputable casinos and betting sites.
Although illegal, sports betting can be safe in Norway. Always go for reputable and licensed bookmakers and use all the protective measures, such as VPNs and e-wallets.
So far, there haven’t been any limits and Norwegian sportsbooks but the law seems to be changing soon. Legislation might be introduced where sports betting deposits and bets will have a certain limit. These limits are often non-existent in foreign betting sites (depending on a site).
In principle, when gambling in Norway, the Lottery Act states that 28% tax must be paid on all individual winnings over NOK 10,000 won on foreign gambling websites. But thanks to the EEA agreement, the answer is not quite so simple. The law states that as long as similar gambling is offered in the home country, no tax can be claimed on winnings won on gambling in other EU countries.
The usual time frame is around 24 hours, depending on a bookmaker and a banking method. Cryptocurrencies are the fastest, followed by e-wallets. The slowest ones are credit card and bank transfers.
As Norwegians can access some national and many foreign betting sites, the variety of selection makes it impossible to choose a single one as the best. Players should always go for trusted bookmakers that offer services suitable to their needs.
Players from Norway can find many sports to bet on, such as football, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, volleyball, horse races, dog races, moto races, martial arts, eSports, etc.
Unsurprisingly, football is the favorite sport among Norwegian bettors.
In Norway, decimal odds are the usual type of odds provided, although sometimes fractional odds are present as well. The odds are multiplied by each other and finally by the amount of money invested to calculate the potential winning sum.
Due to high competition, many sportsbooks in Norway will offer free bets to new and existing bettors.
The welcome (or sign-up) bonus is given to players who make an account at the sports betting site for the first time. It can be claimed either immediately or after depositing for the first time.
The absolute best advice that everyone should stick to is to never play for more than you can afford to lose. If you feel that your gaming has become a problem for you or your loved ones, you can always contact the Helpline on 800 800 40. The service is anonymous.
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