North Carolina Sports Betting Starting March 11, In Time for NCAA Tournaments

After months of haggling, North Carolina has finally set a start date for legalized sports betting in the state, as March 11 was selected by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission.

The date isn't a coincidence, as that happens to be the weak of most of college basketball's conference tournaments, with Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament set for Sunday, March 17.

"The plan approved today means that North Carolinians will be able to place bets on their favorite teams in many of this year's college basketball conference tournaments, including men's tournaments in the ACC, Conference USA, the MEAC, and the AAC, as well as throughout the men's and women's NCAA tournaments," said Ripley Rand, chair of the commission. "Bets on sporting events have been made for as long as those events have taken place, but this time they will be legal, they will be done securely and fairly, and they will be made under rules designed to encourage responsible gaming."

The Commission has been establishing parameters for how sports betting would be handled in North Carolina, and taking applications from sports wagering operators - like Draft Kings and FanDuel - to get ready for the move.

"Gov. Roy Cooper, in recent weeks, has mentioned the tournament as the goal. Men’s college basketball is incredibly popular in the state, with North Carolina and Duke ranked among the top teams in the country," BetCarolina.com reporter Steve Bittenbender said in his story about the announcement. "The NCAA Tournament also happens to be one of the most popular wagering events for gamblers in the U.S."

In 2023, North Carolina approved online sports betting, but this is the first time that a definitive date to launch has been put forward. The NC General Assembly set a deadline of June 15 for it to begin.

The Commission said it has not issued any licenses or certificates of compliance yet, but that they are reviewing nine vendors currently.

According to BetCarolina.com, the applicants that have issued applications are: bet365, BetMGM North Carolina, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics, FanDuel and Underdog Sports.

The companies that are authorized can begin allowing sign-ups and account registrations and deposits on March 1.

"The commission and its staff have made great progress in efficiently adopting rules for sports betting, building a system to accept and review technical certifications, and assisting applicants with their applications," said Cari Boyce, chair of the commission’s Sports Betting Committee. "This establishes the framework for a responsible gaming program in North Carolina. Now it is up to the applicants to finish the job in order to go live on March 11."

This new authorization doesn't allow for advance deposit wagering, or pari-mutuel horse race wagering.Those rules are being drafted separately.

Initially, the state will only allow sports wagering on mobile devices. In-person wagering will be handled on a case-by-case basis in the future.

With many highly entertaining shows set to release new seasons this year, it looks like 2024 is shaping up to be an incredible year for my fellow TV junkies. And there's plenty of time for you to hop on each show's respective bandwagon. Let's take a look at some of the TV shows you should absolutely binge just in time for their new season premieres in 2024!

We're still coming off the heels of another unforgettable year of quality television. The live-action adaptation of the popular video game franchise The Last of Us on HBO was a groundbreaking success, with fans all around the world falling in love with the pairing of Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie. Nevermind how the internet collectively agreed to bequeath Pascal with the endearing title of "daddy."

And right after Pedro's turn as gloomy apocalypse daddy, Jason Sudeikis resumed his role of happy football daddy in the third (and possibly final?) season of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. The witty and unrelentingly wholesome soccer sitcom was a perfect chaser to the emotional devastation and moral ambiguity of The Last of Us.

Netflix subscribers also had a banner 2023, with its original show Beef becoming a sleeper hit that raked in the accolades at this year's Emmy Awards. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong have outrageously good chemistry together and both of them deserved their flowers for this series.

And of course, you can't talk about TV in 2023 without mentioning HBO's Succession. The highly acclaimed series came to a harrowing, yet satisfying end last year with its masterful final season, which tied for the most awards at the Emmys (alongside The Bear). Succession is without a doubt some of the most gripping television I have ever watched in my near-30 years of couch potato-ing.

As amazing as 2023 was for television fanatics, 2024 promises to bring even more excitement and entertainment to your TV screen. Here are the five most binge-worthy shows to dive into before their 2024 season premieres!

Season two of Invincible has technically already started, which compels me to include it as an honorable mention. The season has been divided into two parts, however, with part two set to premiere March 14. This leaves you with plenty of time to tear through season one like a Viltrumite tears through, well, anything really. (when you get caught up with the show you'll understand how solid that reference was).

You can watch Invincible on Prime Video.

Abbott Elementary's creator Quinta Brunson shines as an idealistic second-grade teacher at the beleaguered school. This slice-of-life mockumentary series is as cathartic to educators as it is hilarious (and oftentimes insightful) to all sitcom fans. Season three of Abbott premieres February 7, which gives you ample time to start and get caught up with this hysterical show.

You can watch Abbott Elementary on ABC, as well as many streaming services.

All good things come to an end. And apparently so does Curb Your Enthusiasm (Larry David would definitely appreciate that joke). After over 20 years of providing fans with laughs and cringe-induced winces in equal measure, the long-running and critically-acclaimed comedy powerhouse is preparing to enter its final season.

With eleven seasons worth of episodes, all ranging from 30 minutes to nearly an hour long, it may be a tall task to binge the entire series before its final season premiere on February 4. But it will be SO worth it. The "Shaq" episode alone will have you howling with laughter for a good while.

You can watch Curb Your Enthusiasm on MAX.

I won't lie, I was skeptical going into this show. After the bitter taste that Game of Thrones left in my mouth, I didn't know if I was ready to re-enter the world of Westeros. But after witnessing the pure spectacle and intrigue of House of the Dragon season one, by the old gods and new I am ready to get hurt again!

Set over 200 years before the events of GoT, House of the Dragon offers a whole new slew of palace intrigue that will leave viewers pledging fealty to different houses like they're going to battle. And don't worry, there be dragons. Oh man, do there be dragons.

As of now season two is speculated to premiere sometime in August of this year. That sounds far out but it'll be here before you know it, so get your binge on before it's too late!

You can watch House of the Dragon on MAX.

There's not much I can say about The Boys that I haven't gushed about at length already. Rarely have I ever felt so tense and uneasy watching a show, especially one about superheroes who should ostensibly be "the good guys." Is there even such a thing as a good guy in their world? I don't know, but I'm anxiously ready for more!

There's no official release date for season four, but it's confirmed that it'll definitely premiere sometime in 2024. And when it does, it's sure to be absolutely diabolical. (again, I am KILLING these references. Please watch these shows so you can appreciate them properly).

You can watch The Boys on Prime Video.

I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to finally watch The Bear. I started AND finished both of its first two seasons in a single weekend. The episodes have a strange habit of ending just when you need them to so you can catch your breath, but also leave you hungry for more.

Jeremy Allen White is a revelation as Carmy Berzatto, a brilliant but troubled chef who's constantly at war with past trauma as he fights to bring his brother's restaurant to new heights. Ayo Edebiri brings her A-game as well in her nuanced, endearing performance as Sydney Adamu, a hungry young chef who, though talented in her own right, sometimes bites off more than she can chew.

The way White and Edebiri play off each other leaves you no choice but to root for their success, and the success of the restaurant as a whole. This show offers a painfully accurate portrayal of life in the food service industry, with many food experts and restaurant workers at all levels often praising its authenticity.

Season three of The Bear is coming out sometime in 2024, but no official release date has been set as of right now. There isn't even a trailer for it out yet, which only adds to the agonizing anticipation. But if I can watch both seasons in their entirety in a single weekend, then you can too! Remember cousin, every second counts. (Yes, that's yet ANOTHER show reference. I can't be stopped.)

You can watch The Bear on Hulu.