Sports Betting in Massachusetts
Sports betting is legal in Massachusetts — at the sportsbooks inside Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park, and on licensed betting apps statewide. On a Patriots Sunday, half the state has a little action down. If you would rather bet cash than run it up on a credit card, a pawn loan at 3% per month* is the cheapest way to put that cash in your hand: no credit check, nothing on your credit report, and your item stored safely until you pick it up.
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Customers across Greater Boston rate LBC Pawn 4.9 out of 5 across 1,022 Google reviews — for fair offers, straight answers, and loan costs printed in plain numbers before anyone signs anything.
Legal here — and everywhere you look
Massachusetts opened retail sportsbooks in January 2023 and mobile sports betting that March. Anyone 21 or older can walk into the sportsbook at Encore or open an app and bet the Patriots, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Sox — legally, out in the open. The apps make funding a bet a two-tap decision, and that is exactly where the quiet costs creep in: most people fund the account with a credit card.
Do not fund bets with a cash advance
A credit-card cash advance is the most expensive money in ordinary life: typically around 29% APR plus an upfront fee of about 5%, with interest charged from day one — and it sits on your credit report. Carrying a regular card balance at 25%-plus APR is not much better.
A pawn loan is secured by your item instead of your credit, so it costs a flat 3% per month with a one-time 8% charge in the first month only. Borrow against a gold chain, a watch, or a stack of coins, take the cash, and pick your item up when you are ready. If you never redeem it, the item may be sold as allowed by Massachusetts law — no balance owed, no debt collectors, no mark on your credit.
| If you borrow | After month 1 | After month 2 | After month 3 | After month 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $111 | $114 | $117 | $120 |
That first month includes the one-time 8% charge; after that it is a flat 3% per month. The same math scales — $1,000 costs $1,110 after month one. No hidden fees; the full cost is printed on your ticket.
*Pawn loans: 3% per month interest plus a one-time 8% charge in the first month only. Example: a $100 loan costs $111 after month 1, $114 after month 2, $117 after month 3 and $120 after month 4. Loans run up to 4 months and may be renewed by paying the interest due. Borrowers must be 18 or older with valid photo ID. Items not redeemed by the end of the loan term may be sold as allowed by Massachusetts law.
Bet with money you can afford to lose
That is not fine print, it is the whole game: bet entertainment money, set your number before the game starts, and never borrow to chase a loss — a loan that makes sense for a planned night out makes no sense against last week's losses. If betting ever stops being fun, Massachusetts runs a free, confidential Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-327-5050.
What fans bring us on game week
Gold chains and bracelets (broken pieces are fine — we pay on weight and purity), Rolex and other fine watches, gold and silver coins, diamond jewelry, designer bags, and good cameras lead the list. Loans over $2,000 are handled in our private VIP room with bank-level privacy. Rather sell than borrow? We buy outright too — text a photo to 857-867-6468 for a ballpark before you come in.
Text a photo of your item to 857-867-6468 and get a ballpark before you make the trip. Prefer to talk? Call the same number during shop hours.
Questions we hear
- Is sports betting legal in Massachusetts?
- Yes. Retail sportsbooks opened in January 2023 — including the sportsbook at Encore Boston Harbor — and licensed mobile betting apps followed in March 2023. You must be 21 or older to bet.
- Do you take bets or cash winning tickets?
- No. LBC Pawn is a pawn shop, not a sportsbook. We make pawn loans and we buy gold, watches, coins and other valuables. We do not book bets and we do not cash betting tickets.
- How fast can I get cash before a game?
- Most loans are completed in a single visit, usually in minutes once the item is evaluated. Bring the item and a valid photo ID; you must be 18 or older for a pawn loan.
- What does a pawn loan actually cost?
- 3% per month interest plus a one-time 8% charge in the first month only. On $100 that is $111 after month 1, $114 after month 2, $117 after month 3, and $120 after month 4 — the full cost is printed on your ticket before you sign.
- Will a pawn loan hurt my credit?
- No. There is no credit check to get one and no reporting if you do not repay. The loan is secured entirely by your item — the worst case is you do not redeem the item, and that is the end of it.
Visit the shop
LBC Pawn Cash 4 Gold 3% Loans*
1107 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00 AM–6:30 PM · Sat 11:00 AM–4:30 PM · Sun Closed
Call or text: 857-867-6468
Heading to the Encore sportsbook in Everett? We are about a 20-minute drive into Boston in normal traffic — stop here first, then head to the game with cash in your pocket.