Be ready to find the best online sportsbook for your individual needs and preferences, and to learn how to bet on sports the proper way. Our detailed guide will help you out with a complete list of legal online sports betting sites and apps plus the states where you’re allowed to wager. All these top online sportsbooks pass How To Bet’s strict criteria for fair odds, diverse markets, attractive bonuses & promotions, rapid transactions, reliable payouts, proven safety & security, and obliging customer service. This guarantees you the best online sports betting experience ever! Just keep on reading, then get on our train and enjoy the ride to Winville Station with us.
Ranking the best online sports betting sites and apps is not an easy task but here at How To Bet we have a criteria set that helps us be thorough and objective. In the intro we already discussed what factors we follow in order to make the cream rise to the top. All in all, our goal is to help you find the one that suits your individual needs and preferences. Discovering the best online spportsbook for you will bring you closer to making winning bets and, as a result, serious money in a consistent manner. Of course, you may find two or even more venues where you can reach your objectives.
Our list of the top online sportsbooks will undoubtedly assist you perfectly in that mission. Some of the stated ones are household names, and others are innovative and aggressive on the market. The common thing between them all is the fact that they provide excellent and safe services with great bonuses and promotions. And they make the gambling websites in USA more and more attractive.
Follow the links provided and they will take you to our online sportsbook reviews which discuss the respective sites in more detail.
DraftKings Online Sportsbook
You will read this name repeatedly in our article, and that’s because DraftKings is an industry leader and considered by many to be the best online sportsbook in the US. It offers a huge number of sports to bet on and an impressively wide range of betting markets, especially NCAA football & basketball. New registrants here can get a very generous deposit bonus, and the operator also offers plenty of ongoing promotions for regular bettors.
Strengths
Trustworthy name
Wide range of online sports betting markets
Superb for live sports betting
Excellent Fantasy Sports selection
Easy to construct parlays
Invite-only VIP program
Weaknesses
Not the best odds around
FanDuel Online Sportsbook
Another leading player according to our online sportsbook reviews is the FanDuel online sportsbook. Widely regarded as the main rival to DraftKings, this operator is just as impressive in its range of sports (20) and markets, especially in the Fantasy Sports territory both for real money and for free. Wagering on horse racing is also available. FanDuel is one of the best sports betting sites USA offers for NFL, MLB, and NBA, so take advantage. It also competes very well on the bonus front, offering new bettors a risk-free bet of up to $1,000, and is considered by many to be the best online sportsbook for payouts.
Strengths
Trustworthy name
Competitive odds
Best for Fantasy NFL, MLB, and NBA
Best for Enhanced Odds on NBA
Live betting
Easy to construct parlays
Detailed stats for multiple sports
Officially licensed for betting on NFL, MLB, NBA, and more
Weaknesses
Not the deepest online sports betting markets
BetMGM Online Sportsbook
Among the best sports betting sites USA has on offer today is definitely present BetMGM online sportsbook. With a great variety of betting markets on many dozens of sports (and an impressive associated online casino in those states where online casinos are legal), this is definitely an operator to consider. It’s great for bonuses too: new bettors can place their first bet of up to $1000 risk-free and each week you can benefit from giveaway $10 bets.
Strengths
Trustworthy name
Officially licensed for betting on NFL, MLB, NBA, and more
Five-tier loyalty program with attractive rewards
Appealing bonuses and promotions
One of the top online sportsbooks for parlay betting and round robins on NFL & MLB
Flash odds
Maybe the best online sportsbook for live streaming
Best sportsbook site for Las Vegas odds
Good coverage of not so popular sports and leagues
Great cash-out options
Weaknesses
Could do better at eSports betting
BetRivers Online Sportsbook
A keen proponent of online sports betting from the very beginning, BetRivers online sportsbook was launched just as soon as it became legal to do so. The deep betting markets, including not so popular sports worldwide like cricket, and diverse betting lines are some of the main reasons why this operator has one of the best sports betting sites. It also provides top-notch bonuses and promotions. Sign up with this operator and you can get a 100% bonus on your first deposit, up to a maximum of $250.
Strengths
Deep betting markets and diverse betting lines
Great bonuses and promotions
One of the best online sportsbooks for US players who use stats to wager
NFL parlay boosts (each week)
$1,000,000 beat-the-spread contest for NFL
20% MLB profit boosts (on Wednesdays & Fridays)
Among the best online sportsbooks for USA live betting
BetRivers iRush VIP rewards program
Weaknesses
Lack of live streaming options
Caesars Online Sportsbook
A jewel in the crown of the gambling industry, Caesars online sportsbook offers all the markets you'll ever need. It also has a fantastic bonus package for anyone who signs up as a new bettor, so get involved today and you can claim a risk-free bet worth up to $1,100. This operator is fast catching up with DraftKings and FanDuel as one of the best online sportsbooks for US players.
Strengths
Trustworthy name
Deep betting markets
Best online sportsbook for loyalty rewards
Superb bonuses and promotions
Excellent customer service
Easy to navigate
Unibet Online Sportsbook
Although it isn’t quite as well-known as DraftKings or FanDuel, Unibet is becoming increasingly popular in the US. It gives new bettors two free $10 bets just for signing up, and a risk-free bet of up to $250 for those who stick around to place a first bet with their own money. This is more than enough for us to put Unibet in our list of online sportsbooks with the best credentials.
Strengths
Trustworthy name worldwide
Attractive odds
Fast payouts
Great customer service
Borgata Online Sportsbook
The Borgata online sportsbook was launched in 2019. It is one of the most comprehensive operators around and allows you to bet on almost any sport you can think of. The reward for new bettors here is one that everyone can take full advantage of – simply bet $20 and you'll get $100 in free bets.
Strengths
Appealing sign-up bonus
Big choice of online sport betting options
Easy to navigate
SugarHouse Casino Online Sportsbook
The SugarHouse Casino online sportsbook might not be quite as famous a name as some of the others we have mentioned here, but that is almost certain to change. This online sportsbook has been operating since 2018 and has a great 100% match bonus that can give you as much as $250 extra to bet with.
Strengths
Competitive odds
Diverse banking methods
Tipico Online Sportsbook
The Tipico Sportsbook headquarters are in Germany, where it has been operating since 2004. It is now fastly becoming one of the best sports betting sites USA can offer too, and it is fully optimized to run as smooth-as-silk on your mobile. Make a first deposit of $10 or more and you'll get a 100% bonus worth up to $250.
Strengths
Enticing promotions
Easy to navigate
Excellent customer service
FoxBet Online Sportsbook
FoxBet Sportsbook is one of the newer kids on the sports betting sites USA block, having just arrived on the scene in 2020. Sign up for a new account and you'll get a risk-free bet worth up to $500. There are other promotions that you can take advantage of too, including daily odds boosts, so look out for those.
Strengths
Licensed in many states
Established name
Best Sports Betting App Contest
All of the top sports betting apps have multiple features that make you a potential user of theirs. How To Bet will show you in brief which characteristics make them appealing to both new and loyal customers. Any online sportsbook reviews would be incomplete without information on mobile sports betting options, so let’s get started with popular operators that are available in many states.
DraftKings online sportsbook app
This renowned online sportsbook provides superb usability with a clever interface and easy to navigate mobile online sports betting app, available for both iOS and Android devices. You will have access from here to the same features as you would on the DraftKings website.
It is beautifully designed, smoothly acting, very safe, and one of the most user-friendly on the market. These are some of the reasons why you could classify FanDual as having the best sports betting app in different categories. It works fantastically with iOS and Android devices, and downloading, installing, navigating, and placing a wager is really a piece of cake.
After the acquisition of William Hill’s US assets, Caesars sportsbook is fastly growing and offers an excellent mobile experience for bettors. Its platforms are exquisitely designed and optimized, and the interface is terrific. All of this makes life really easy for even the most inexperienced users in the field of online sports betting. Swipe compatibility is a top feature too.
This might be the best sports betting app in terms of functionality and design. You can log in with one username and password to BetMGM’s online poker, casino, and sports betting platforms. Navigation and placing a wager in the sportsbook app is incredibly smooth and having multiple personal settings available will make you feel more comfortable.
This app is easily available at the moment only for Android users, while iOS devices need a bit more effort. The design is not the prettiest and the interface could do better, but a feature that compensates for it all is the appearance of bet slips. They pop up in small windows and you won’t lose any entered data so far when you minimize them. Besides, this app runs really smoothly.
This might be the best online sportsbook app in terms of being easy to navigate and use. In fact it's the most downloaded app for online sports betting in Pennsylvania. The Unibet online sports gambling platform is reliable and robust, so don’t hesitate to check it right away.
The Australian company has one of the top sports betting apps around. It can be downloaded and installed on Android and iOS, and makes deposits, bets, and withdrawals an easier and smoother task in comparison to the desktop version. The only downside is the interface design of the data visualization, but you can live with it.
FoxBet online sportsbook app
FoxBet may not provide the best online sports betting app you’ve ever encountered, but it’s still pretty good. There is a huge choice between sports to place a wager on and the user experience is on a high level.
List of Online Sportsbooks with Important Features
(*States with in-person registration and betting only. **Only allowed for betting at Nationals Parks.)
Best Online Sportsbook for Payouts
This is an important category because the high payout speed means that the operator in question is more trustworthy than others. Check our Top 10 list and find who the best sportsbook for payouts is in the USA.
Position
Online Sportsbook
Payout Speed
1
Bet365
0-5 days
2
DraftKings
1-3 days
3
PointsBet
1-5 days
4
Caesars
1-5 days
5
Barstool
1-5 days
6
FOX Bet
1-5 days
7
FanDuel
1-7 days
8
BetRivers
1-14 days
9
BetMGM
2-7 days
10
Unibet
3-10 days
Best Online Sportsbook for Specific Sports
For each online sportsbook USA has concrete sports that one could say the operator in question is specialized in. Of course, the site/app will feature more sports than indicated, but the truth is that sportsbooks can’t be perfect in all areas. So we at How To Bet will point out where it would be better to place your wagers when you decide to try your luck in a specific league or tournament.
Live betting is the main market you must explore here and the best online sportsbooks USA has in store now provide this option with superb odds.
Bet365
How to Pick the Best Online Sportsbook for You
Discovering the best online sports betting site/app for you depends mostly on your individual preferences and needs. There exists a certain criteria though in terms of what constitutes a good online sportsbook. See the main factors you should consider when making a choice between operators.
Know your own betting profile: Keep in mind what sports and markets you bet on (see our advice above) and if you prefer the desktop or mobile option.
Research, research, research: Read as many online sportsbook reviews as possible and learn how to recognize the legal online sports betting operators. All the names on our list have a long history of treating bettors in a fair manner and have the liquidity to cover all winning wagers, so you can bet with them without a care in the world.
Safety and security: your personal and banking information must be in safe hands.
Early release of opening lines: This means that the operator in question is a leader and not a follower in the market.
Offering the best odds: Sharp bettors know where to do their line shopping and we at How To Bet can help you with our odds comparison.
Offering no-juice or reduced rake spreads: Look out for example for -105 odds on spreads rather than the standard -110.
Loyalty programs: Don’t run away from any benefit you might get, so check all of the best online sports betting apps and sites to find the best offers for loyal users.
Attractive bonuses and promotions: Whether they be one-time offers or constant, they are always worth it, but never forget to read carefully the terms and conditions.
Check the banking methods and payout speed: Rapid and easy-to-make transactions via diverse channels must be high on your list of priorities because you want to be able to enjoy your winnings right away, no?
Usability and having a mobile platform: The design should be attractive for bettors, navigation should be easy, and you must be offered the possibility to wager from your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device.
Excellent customer service: You’d like to have constant support from competent agents whenever issues arise.
It’s similar to a bet credit: you are given money to wager with, but can withdraw it. Some operators offer free bets when you sign up without any deposit needed.
You get to keep any winnings from a free bet.
Risk-free bet
If you succeed, you keep the winnings just like any other bet. If you lose, the online sportsbook will refund your stake up to the amount indicated in the promo.
In case of a losing bet, you’ll have to play with the amount of the refund on the site.
Deposit match
Usually given at your first deposit as a percentage of the sum.
You can’t withdraw matched funds.
No deposit
A small free bet in the region of $10-20 just for signing up.
If you want to continue afterwards, you’ll still need to deposit some of your own money.
This is money added to your account which you can use for placing a wager.
You can withdraw any winnings made from bet credits, but not the sum added to your account by the sportsbook.
Bet guarantee
You get to succeed with your wager automatically, if by a certain point of a game you are on the winning side, like guessing the outcome of the first half in a soccer match.
This is another way to feel insured in sporting events you have already decided you’d bet on anyway.
Some sportsbooks offer the possibility to get your money even if you lose one leg on a parlay bet.
This option minimizes the high risks of constructing parlays, but be aware of the number of total legs required.
Free play contests
Here you compete against other users and there’s a nominal prize amount.
Free contests give you a great option to test a site or app. It’s difficult to win though, as typically there’s a lot of competition involved.
Available Betting Markets in Any Online Sportsbook
With all sports betting sites and apps you will get the opportunity to bet on a given event in many and different ways. The main ones are outlined below.
The Moneyline Bet
Betting on the moneyline requires you to predict which participating individual or team will win the event. You’ll therefore need to select the fighter you expect to win a boxing match or the team you expect to win a football game. If your prediction is correct and your selection wins, your bet also wins.
The Totals Bet (Over/Under)
This market requires you to predict how many points or goals will be scored in total in a particular event. Fortunately, you don’t have to be precise. Simply bet whether the total will be Over or Under the prediction made by the sportsbook. Again, if you are correct, then your bet will win.
The Point Spread Bet
In point spread markets, the online sportsbook will assign a theoretical handicap to the favorite and a similar advantage to the underdog. This allows fans of both teams to take comparable odds. Your selection must either overcome the stated handicap or win with the help of the stated advantage for your bet to win.
The Parlay Bet
A parlay bet allows you to wager on several events and to win big if they all go your way. For example, you could predict the outcome of four football games. If all of your predictions are correct, then the odds for each game will be multiplied together and you’ll land a bigger payday. However, if one or more of your selections fails to win, the whole parlay bet loses.
The Prop Bet
A prop bet is one that doesn’t depend on the overall result of the event. You could wager on the first player to score in a soccer game, on how many aces will be scored in a tennis match, and so on. These bets can win for you no matter who wins the match itself.
The Futures Bet
This is a bet that concerns the outcome of an event in the more distant future. For example, after watching the latest Super Bowl game, you might decide that you want to bet on a particular team to win the next one, even though it’s almost a year ahead. That’s what the futures betting markets are for.
How to Get Started with an Online Sportsbook
The process of starting your way in sports betting sites and apps is pretty straightforward. Just follow our step-by-step guide and you’ll be fine.
Step 1: Sign Up at the Online Sportsbook of Your Choice
This is the initial stage where you will be asked to provide personal information (name, date of birth, phone number, email address, region, etc.).
Step 2: Make Your Deposit
It’s your choice how to fund your account, but be careful when submitting your depositing info. The best sports betting sites and apps allow you to make deposits via debit & credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, etc.), e-wallets (PayPal, Neteller, etc.), and even cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash, Ethereum). Bitcoin may even grant you a sweet crypto bonus or a special promotion.
Step 3: Place Your Bet
First, select the event you’ll place a wager on. Then pick the betting market and the amount of money you bet. The last step is submitting your ticket and then all that’s left for you is to wait for the outcome of the event.
Step 4: Make Your Withdrawal
Some representatives in our list of online sportsbooks offer you the possibility to withdraw money the same way you deposited them (see Step 2). This is not a policy of all online sports betting companies though, so some will require a different option for cashing out. They may even offer you paper checks apart from more traditional payout methods.
Important Tips when Starting with Online Sports Gambling
Once you have found the best online sportsbook for you, and then have registered and deposited some money, the next step is to know and understand the fundamental keys to being successful at online sports gambling. Here are those things that we at How To Bet consider the most important.
Search for the best sources for betting tips and picks: There are thousands of writers, statisticians, analysts, experts, and podcasters who compete for attention. Be very careful whom you trust and always check the credentials of the tipsters. Once you’ve found proven experts who provide valuable advice for free, like the team responsible for our NFL picks, stick to them.
Start with the markets you’re most comfortable with: When you are a novice in this field, don’t throw yourself in uncharted territory. Instead, begin with the most basic markets, like moneylines or totals.
Stick to a strict budget: The temptation to put a massive bet is huge, especially after a heavy loss, but don’t fall in that trap. Be cool-headed and systematic. Remember you’re in online sports betting for the long haul, so don’t put your future at risk.
Keep records of your bets: This will help you learn your lessons from both the high and the low times. Then you may use it in your favor and become more successful.
Bet with your head: Forget about emotions and team loyalty if you want to enjoy success in online sports gambling. Having a hunch is one thing but betting on it, when it contradicts all objective factors (stats, injuries, etc.), is borderline stupid. The clever fellas always win at the sports betting game, remember that.
Where is Online Sports Betting Legal in USA
Legal online sports betting is not available in all states but in many of them it’s possible to enjoy it after the U.S. Supreme Court historic decision in May 2018. Check our table and see where it’s allowed to place a wager online and/or in a land-based sportsbook.
Yes and no. It depends on the state you’re located in. Legal online sports betting is constantly expanding in the US though, so in the future it might be available in all states.
Where is online sports betting legal?
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Check the above table and you will find your answer. How To Bet updates this information every time a change in the situation occurs.
How to bet on sports online legally?
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First, you have to check if legal sports betting is available in your state. Then you have to make sure your age complies with the law requirements (in most cases you have to be at least 21 years old). The final step is to find a legit online sportsbook, create an account, make a deposit and place a bet. The sportsbooks on our list all provide that option for you.
Are online sportsbooks fair?
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Online sportsbooks are tightly regulated in the US and can only operate within strict legal guidelines. This means that all legal sportsbooks are perfectly fair.
How can I win at an online sportsbook?
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Winning at online sportsbooks comes down to being able to correctly predict the outcome of sporting and other events. The way to win is therefore to develop your ability to make successful predictions.
How does an online sportsbook stay in business?
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Online sportsbooks stay in business by offering odds that are slightly lower than their assessment of an outcome's merits. This gives them a likely long-term profit, although they can and do get it wrong and lose huge chunks of cash from time to time.
How many online sportsbooks can I join?
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As many as you want, and we at How To Bet encourage you to do that. The benefits of signing up with two or more sportsbooks are huge: you’d get more bonuses and a wider choice of betting markets.
Which are the best online sportsbook sites and apps?
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All legal online sportsbooks have something to offer, and the best one for you might not be the best one for someone else. Choose a sportsbook that gives you access to all the betting markets in which you personally want to participate. FanDuel, DraftKings and William Hill are all leaders in the industry, so check them out to begin with and go from there.
Which online sportsbooks accept PayPal?
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There are plenty of online sportsbooks that accept PayPal, and that method of transferring cash is becoming increasingly common. Just a few of the operators that accept PayPal are FanDuel, BetMGM and Unibet.
Which are the best online sportsbook Reddit communities?
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Giving the names of the best online sportsbook Reddit communities isn’t easy, because there aren’t that many. The best general community that you’d probably be interested in is r/sportsbook. You may also find r/SportsbookReview, r/BetMGM and r/PointsBet of interest.
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