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Caesars first to launch sports betting in North Carolina with tribal partnership

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Caesars first to launch sports betting in North Carolina with tribal partnership


Caesars Entertainment has become the first operator to launch legal online sports betting in North Carolina, rolling out its sportsbook in partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

North Carolina is not due to launch full-scale legal sports betting until 11 March. However, Caesars’ deal with the tribe and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act has made it possible for the operator to go live ahead of this date.

Players can place bets at two Cherokee-run casinos: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel. Betting is also permitted on Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tribal lands.

Caesars’ online sports betting offering will be extended across all North Carolina when the market fully launches next week. The operator has been running retail sportsbooks in the state for a number of years, with the online offering to complement these. 

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“We’re thankful to be able to offer wagering at the Harrah’s Cherokee properties as part of our longstanding relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and with the sports calendar heating up, there is a lot to be excited about,” Caesars Digital president Eric Hession said. 

“Thank you to the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, and its Sports Betting Committee for making this day a possibility.”

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians principal Michell Hicks also welcomed the launch. He said it builds on the long-running partnerships with Caesars in North Carolina.

“Over the years, the partnership between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Caesars Entertainment has only flourished and strengthened,” Hicks said. “We eagerly anticipate the chance to introduce mobile sports betting to North Carolina, offering a fresh and new experience to all sports fans.”

North Carolina: one week out from sports betting launch

With just one week to go until the entire market opens, preparations are well underway for sports betting in North Carolina.

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Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law in June 2023 he gave approval to a timeline for implementation. This includes North Carolina publishing regulations before 8 January 2024, and operators accepting wagers before 14 June 2024.

FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, Bet365, BetMGM, ESPN Bet and Underdog have all been granted licences

North Carolina met the regulations guideline last month and operators will start taking bets well ahead of June’s deadline. Operators were also given a deadline of 26 January to submit their internal controls ahead of launching.

Last week, the first round of licensees were also confirmed in North Carolina, with some big-hitters among those securing approval. North Carolina’s State Lottery Commission awarded eight interactive sports wagering licences in total.

FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, Bet365, BetMGM, ESPN Bet and Underdog picked up licences.

Who is partnered with who?

Operators seeking to offer sports betting in the state must partner a sports team, league or venue within North Carolina. All those issued a licence have secured such a deal.

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DraftKings is partnered with stock-car racing series Nascar and BetMGM teamed up with the Charlotte Motor Speedway. ESPN Bet gained entry to North Carolina by signing a PGA Tour deal to become the official betting operators of the Wells Fargo Championship, held in the state. FanDuel is also working with golf’s PGA Tour to launch in North Carolina. 

Meanwhile, Fanatics Betting and Gaming is working with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. This will see Fanatics become the team’s official sports betting partner. Bet365 signed a partnership deal with the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets in November 2023

In addition, Underdog has expanded its position as a paid fantasy sports operator via a partnership with McConnell Golf.

Aside from operator licences, approvals have also been confirmed for sports wagering suppliers licences. Successful applicants include GeoComply, SBTech and Sportradar.

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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers

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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers


Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:

BERTIE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)

CARTERET COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)

CRAVEN COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)

DUPLIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)

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EDGECOMBE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)

GREENE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)

HYDE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)

JONES COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)

LENOIR COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)

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MARTIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)

ONSLOW COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)

PAMLICO COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)

PITT COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)

TYRRELL COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

30.49% (723 out of 2,371)

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WASHINGTON COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)

WAYNE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)



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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety

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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety


Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM

NC schools and businesses encouraged to practice tornado safety

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.

The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.

Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.

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SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend

Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo

Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam

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North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam


Nida Allam in 2022; Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in 2025.

Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images


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Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee holds a narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional district as ballots continue to be counted.

In a race seen as an early test of whether Democratic voters desire generational change within the party, Foushee holds a lead of just over 1,000 votes with 99% of results in so far, according to the Associated Press.

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Under state law, provisional votes will be counted in the coming days in a district that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. If the election results end up within a 1% margin, Allam could request a recount.

Successfully ousting an incumbent lawmaker is often extremely difficult and rare. However, there have been recent upsets in races as some voters are calling for new leaders and several sitting members of Congress face primary challengers this cycle.

Allam, a 32-year-old Durham County Commissioner, is running to the left of Foushee, 69, framing her candidacy as part of a broader rejection of longtime Democratic norms.

On the campaign trail, Allam ran on an anti-establishment message, pledging to be a stronger fighter than Foushee in Congress, both in standing up against President Trump’s agenda and when pushing for more ambitious policy.

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“North Carolina is a purple state that often gets labeled red, but we’re not a red state,” she told NPR in an interview last month, emphasizing the need to address affordability concerns. “We are a state of working-class folks who just want their elected officials to champion the issues that are impacting them.”

She drew a contrast with the congresswoman on immigration, voicing support for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foushee has declined to go that far, advocating instead for ICE to be defunded and for broader reforms to the federal immigration system.

Allam also clashed with Foushee over U.S. policy towards Israel. As a vocal opponent of Israel’s war in Gaza, Allam swore off campaign donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups, such as AIPAC, and repeatedly criticized Foushee for previously accepting such funds.

Though Foushee announced last year that she would not accept AIPAC donations this cycle, she and Allam continued to spar over the broader role of outside spending in the race.

Their matchup comes four years after the candidates first squared off in 2022, when Allam lost to Foushee in what became the most expensive primary in the state’s history, with outside groups spending more than $3.8 million.

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However, this year is poised to break that record. Outside groups have reported spending more than $4.4 million on the primary matchup, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

WUNC’s Colin Campbell contributed to this report.



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