Best Ways to Bet Super Bowl 60 from California

• Sports betting remains illegal in California, even with Super Bowl LX being played in Santa Clara at Levi’s Stadium
• Californians can still get legal Super Bowl action through prediction markets and select skill-based alternatives
• Prediction markets like Kalshi offer the closest sportsbook-style experience for Super Bowl LX without violating state law

Super Bowl LX is being played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California this Sunday, putting the biggest spectacle in football right in the heart of the Golden State. The energy will be electric, and for many fans that means wanting to put real money behind their picks.

But as of Super Bowl LX, traditional sports betting in California is still not legal — even though the game itself is taking place there. That doesn’t mean Californians completely miss out: there are legal alternatives for fans who want to have skin in the game through modern formats like prediction markets and skill-based contests.

Why California Still Doesn’t Have Legal Sportsbooks

Unlike many other U.S. states, California has no licensed sportsbooks (online or retail) right now. Voters rejected both Proposition 26 and Proposition 27 in 2022, ballot measures that would have legalized retail and online sports wagering. Both went down by wide margins, leaving traditional betting prohibited under state law.

Additionally, recent California legislation (AB 831) has banned sweepstakes-style dual-currency apps that once offered casino and sportsbook-like experiences with redeemable cash prizes. That means one of the more common gambling substitutes (sweepstakes betting apps) is no longer available for cash prize play in the state as of January 1, 2026.

So what can Californians legally use to get action on Super Bowl LX?

Legal Ways to Bet Super Bowl LX in California

Even without sportsbooks, there are a few alternatives:

🔹 Prediction Markets — Legal Option

Prediction markets like Kalshi allow you to trade on the outcome of events — including sports outcomes — by buying and selling contracts tied to yes/no questions (e.g., “Will Team A win Super Bowl LX?”). These are regulated at the federal level by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), not by California gaming laws, so residents can legally use them to participate.

Prediction markets are the closest thing available in California to traditional sports betting in terms of real money action on game outcomes.

⚠️ Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) — Legal Status Murky

Daily fantasy sports have operated in California for years, and many major DFS platforms still accept entries from Californians. However, a formal opinion from the California Attorney General says DFS may constitute illegal betting under state law — a point that’s debated and could change. Despite the opinion, major DFS operators still run contests, and players continue to win cash prizes.

Because the legal landscape is fluid, DFS remains a possible but uncertain alternative.

❌ Sweepstakes Betting Apps — Banned for Cash Prizes

As mentioned above, dual-currency sweepstakes sportsbooks that once mimicked casino or sportsbook play and let you redeem virtual credits for cash are now prohibited in California under AB 831. That cuts off a popular workaround used in other non-sports betting states.

Comparison: Ways to Get Action on Super Bowl 60 in California

My Favorite Alternatives for Californians

If I were placing action on Super Bowl LX from right here in California — especially with the game in Santa Clara — my go-to would be a prediction market operator like Kalshi.

What I like about prediction markets:

• You can legally trade outcomes on the game even though sportsbooks are banned.
• They pay real money based on results.
• You’re essentially speculating on yes/no outcomes like “team wins” or “total goes over X,” much like betting.
• No complicated sweepstakes or virtual credit systems that have been banned in California.

DFS contests are a decent secondary option, but forecasting lineups and player performance isn’t as direct as a straight game outcome trade.