Best Betting Sites ??? Legal US Sportsbooks 2024

Best Betting Sites In the US – 2024

Big betting operators like DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM provide a myriad of bonuses and promotions, including a hefty sign-up offer. All popular US sports and markets will be covered at the biggest recreational and regulated online sports betting sites and good software will be used to provide competitive odds and a strong browsing experience.

The ratings of these sports betting sites will be high in terms of customer experience. Below are some of the best online sports betting sites to choose from:

If you’re in a state with regulated sports betting on offer, you can click on any of the promotional offers above and get instant access to some of the biggest bonuses in online sports wagering across the US. Stick with us.

Best Sportsbooks To Bet On Major Sports Leagues

You can bet on every major sports league and all the popular teams and popular sports in states where legal sports betting is live. The best options to wager on each sport and the different sports betting markets are outlined below.

NFL Betting Sites

BetMGM, DraftKings, and Caesars are some of the best NFL betting sites. Football specials like odds boosts are offered daily throughout the season and NFL seasonal promos will be rife at these legal sports betting sites.

We can bet the moneyline, totals, or spreads as liquid markets in the NFL or we can place a wager on a prop bet or futures bet like your favorite team to win the Super Bowl or make the Playoffs. NFL betting is the most popular sport to wager in the US and receives the most handle in the business of sports betting.

NBA Betting Sites

Is LeBron James the MVP? Can Steph Curry break that record? These are the types of NBA prop bets available at NBA betting sites. NBA is an action-packed game and we like to bet on the totals, especially the overs in these games. We usually receive odds of -110 if we go with the overs in a basketball game. Featured NBA games will offer specials at online sportsbooks like Caesars, and BetMGM.

MLB Betting Sites

Bet the run line, predict who might crush a home run, or how many strikeouts a pitcher might have. If any of these sports betting markets interest you, then make sure to open an online betting account at one of the best MLB betting sites like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel. There will be a myriad of specials at these books through MLB season. These include special sign-up bonuses such as ‘bet $5 on an event occurring in a game and win $200’, or check out the ‘profit boost’ specials or parlay insurance or round robins.

College Football Betting Sites

In-state college sports are also available to bet at online sportsbook platforms with sports betting legal in several US states and still growing. Make sure to check out the stipulations on betting on college sports in your state.

Certain restrictions can apply to college football (NCAAF) and other collegiate sporting events and these restrictions vary by state. Some states don’t allow wagering on in-state college teams while others don’t allow for player prop wagers.

College Basketball Betting Sites

Depending on where you are betting from, your sports betting market options might be limited on college basketball (NCAAB). Still, books like Caesars offer loads of daily enhanced odds and boosts on college basketball along with the usual spreads, totals, and moneyline bets.

Prop betting is a grey area when it comes to betting college sports in America. Some states to legalize sports betting will allow betting props on college sports and it can be both fun and lucrative to have an extra bit of skin in the game when your local side or school is hitting the field or the court.

Best Online Sportsbooks In Each State

There are more than 15 US states where sports betting is now legal. Below, we’ve taken a look at the best betting sites in each of the legal sports betting states. Most of the brands have sports betting apps in each state, so you can bet on your favorite teams from the comfort of your home.

Arizona Betting Sites

In April of 2021 a sports betting bill was passed in Arizona by the Senate making legalized sports betting the most talked about phenom in the state at the time. Both online sports betting and the retail section of Arizona sports betting became legal, and the first Arizona sportsbooks opened their doors in September of the same year. To legalize online betting after the sports betting bills were passed, the Arizona Department of Gaming granted licenses to ten professional Arizona sports teams and ten tribal casinos.

• Legalized Since: April 12, 2021
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Arizona: BetMGM AZ, Caesars AZ, WynnBET AZ

Arkansas Betting Sites

The new law for Arkansas sports betting was activated in early 2022. Under the legislation and the state’s sports betting laws, physical casinos located within state lines could legally offer sports betting. Online sportsbooks like Betly started popping up, some in partnership with land-based casinos in the state. Some of Arkansas’ online sportsbooks are using Kambi-powered software. Arkansas’ Oaklawn racing casino resort is one of the premier thoroughbred horse racetracks in America.

• Legalized Since: March 5, 2022
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Arkansas: BetMGM AR, Caesars AR, WynnBET AR

Colorado Betting Sites

May 2020 saw online wagering and retail Colorado sports betting legalized. The sports betting bill proposed included tax revenues for the Water Projects Measure and statewide mobile betting was born. Colorado is now one of the bigger states in the US when it comes to legal sports betting. There are currently more online betting sportsbooks in CO than in most other US states.

• Legalized Since: May 1, 2020
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Colorado: BetMGM CO, bet365 CO, Tipico CO

Illinois Betting Sites

Illinois sports betting, both online and in-person, was approved by the state and signed into law in 2019. Illinois was one of the first states to allow online sports betting in the US. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the bill on June 28 and BetRivers was the first mobile sportsbook to officially accept an online bet. Now you can sign up with online sportsbooks in Illinois without needing to register at a physical casino/sportsbook location.

• Legalized Since: June 28, 2019
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Illinois: BetMGM CO, DraftKings CO, Tipico CO

Indiana Betting Sites

Indiana’s legal sports betting laws incorporate mobile and in-person wagering and are both allowed since Governor Eric Holcomb endorsed Indiana’s sports betting bill on May 8, 2019. The Supreme Court ruled to overturn the federal ban on single-game wagering and with that Indiana sports betting was alive. Economic growth in-state was a big part of the reason for making sports betting legal in the state.

• Legalized Since: May 8, 2019
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Indiana: WynnBET IN, BetMGM IN, DraftKings IN

Iowa Betting Sites

The Iowa sports betting legislation was passed in IA in May of 2019, and Iowans were able to start placing bets just a few months later in August. Retail sportsbooks opened on sites of land-based casinos in the state, and online and mobile betting became available to increase turnover to these sportsbooks. You can register and deposit online and claim all the juicy bonus offers via our links.

• Legalized Since: August 15, 2019
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Iowa: DraftKings IA, BetMGM IA, FanDuel IA

Louisiana Betting Sites

January 2022 saw online betting in Louisiana take off with seven sports gambling operators including Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, and BetRivers allowed to take bets. Retail sports betting started a few months prior in October 2021. Louisiana sports betting law allows all the parishes within the Pelican state to make their own rules and criteria for Louisiana sports bettors. 55 of 64 parishes had voted to legalize Louisiana sports betting back in 2020.

• Legalized Since: October 31, 2021
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Louisiana: WynnBET IA, DraftKings IA, FanDuel IA

Maryland Betting Sites

Online Maryland sports betting launched in November 2022 when ten different online sportsbooks got licenses for legalizing sports betting in the state. The Sports Wagering and Application Review Commission (SWARC) launched mobile sports betting in MD. Gov. Larry Hogan signed the Maryland sports betting bill in May of 2021. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission continues to regulate and oversee sports betting in the state.

• Legalized Since: November 23, 2022
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Maryland: BetMGM MD, Caesars MD, FanDuel MD

Massachusetts Betting Sites

Legal Massachusetts sports betting online was one of the later arrivals onto the US sports betting space in March 2023. Six of the biggest betting sites opened their virtual doors in the Bay State immediately. Legal sports betting was announced by Karen Wells, the director of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Sports betting legislation in MA had allowed for retail sportsbooks to open just a couple of months before the online launch.

• Legalized Since: March 10, 2023
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Massachusetts: BetMGM MA, Caesars MA, FanDuel MA

New Jersey Betting Sites

New Jersey was one of the first states to go live with online sports betting following the Supreme Court overruling a ban on sports wagering. Now nearly two dozen online New Jersey sports betting mobile apps are active. Legal online sportsbooks began taking bets in August 2018, two months after the sports betting bill was signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy. Legal sports betting accounts on internet betting sites can be registered completely remotely in New Jersey.

• Legalized Since: August 1, 2018
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In New Jersey: BetMGM NJ, DraftKings NJ, bet365 NJ

New York Betting Sites

January 2022 saw online and mobile sports betting taking off in the Empire State. New York sports betting saw four licensed mobile sports betting operators at the start: Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers. WynnBet and other big brand names weren’t far behind them to launch. Players of Daily Fantasy Sports on DraftKings were over the moon to see a sports betting product added to their wagering options as state-wide mobile betting began its journey.

• Legalized Since: January 8, 2022
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In New York: BetMGM NY, Caesars NY, FanDuel NY

Ohio Betting Sites

Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s HB 29 into law in December 2021 and with that, both retail and online Ohio sports betting became legal. The Ohio Casino Control Commission took its time and was very deliberate with getting legal sports betting up and running, as it wasn’t launched for over a year until January 1st, 2023.

• Legalized Since: January 1, 2023
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Ohio: BetMGM OH, Caesars OH, Tipico OH

Pennsylvania Betting Sites

The first online sportsbook went live in Pennsylvania in June 2019 after Pennsylvania sports betting had been legalized in the state by Gov. Tom Wolf prior to this. A gambling expansion bill was signed that included online casinos and daily fantasy sports. PA is now one of the biggest states where sports betting is legal; retail, online, or on mobile devices.

• Legalized Since: June 2019
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Pennsylvania: BetMGM PA, Barstool PA, Betway PA

Tennessee Betting Sites

The Tennessee House vote brought about the authorization of online Tennessee sports betting in May 2019 with the sports betting bill allowing wagering in an online-only model that kicked off in July of 2019. Tennessee sports bettors can place wagers via mobile betting apps at several Tennessee legal betting sites and take advantage of all the deposit bonuses and promos.

• Legalized Since: July 1, 2019
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Tennessee: WynnBET TN, BetMGM TN, Caesars TN

Virginia Betting Sites

Virginia sports betting is live and you can place a legal sports bet both online and at retail sportsbook locations throughout the state. VA lawmakers approved Gov. Ralph Northam’s amendments to a couple of sports betting bills on April 22, 2020, and signed sports betting bill SB 384 into legislation.
Virginia online sports betting then surfaced on January 21, 2021, after Gov. Northam signed SB 384 into law on April 29, 2020. The first retail sportsbook opened its doors in VA in July 2021.

• Legalized Since: January 21, 2021
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In Virginia: BetMGM VA, Caesars VA, DraftKings VA

West Virginia Betting Sites

You could have placed a legal sports bet in West Virginia since August 30, 2018 when the state legalized online sports betting. Only a handful of online gambling sites came into operation at the birth of West Virginia sports betting but with sports betting legal, Senator Michael Maroney pushed for more online sports betting action and retail sports betting outlets.

• Legalized Since: August 30, 2018
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks In West Virginia: BetMGM WV, DraftKings WV, FanDuel WV

North Carolina Sports Betting

North Carolina has been attempting to pass legal sports betting since 2019 and the state’s lawmakers efforts finally came to fruition in June 2023. Finally in March 2024, sports betting went live in the state.

While new, North Carolina still has one of the most competitive sports betting markets in the country.

• Legalized Since: March 11th, 2024
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks North Carolina: Fanatics Sportsbook, DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook

Vermont Sports Betting

Legal sports betting in Vermont launched in January 2024 after the Senate amended sports betting bill H.127. This bill legalized sports betting via mobile betting apps and online sportsbooks with retail sportsbooks to be looked at further down the road.

• Legalized Since: January, 11th, 2024
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks Vermont: Fanatics Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel

Kentucky Sports Betting

Kentucky legalized sports betting on March 31, 2023, when Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed House Bill 551 into law. This bill legalized both retail and online Kentucky sports betting. Kentucky sports betting focuses around the Kentucky Derby in horse racing and we the action is heavy on college sports as well.

• Legalized Since: March, 31st, 2023
• Top 3 Online Sportsbooks Kentucky: Fanatics Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel

Which States Will Legalize Sports Betting Next?

Sports betting bills are proposed and passed into law by the House and the Senate through a voting capacity in individual states. Each US state has its own criteria and reasoning to legalize online sports betting, along with its own rules, regulations, and governing bodies. The Governor has the last say on the sports betting bills and signs off on them, although the Supreme Court can overrule these bills at their discretion.

With sports betting still on the rise in the US, here are some of the states that are likely to make sports betting legal soon.

Florida Sports Betting

The Florida sports betting bill is still pushed and illegal for the moment. Mobile betting was banned at the end of 2021. The Indian tribal lands dictate sports betting in Florida and any proposals must be allowed by them and their compacts. Florida sports betting is constantly being discussed so we hope to see real movement in the move to legalize sports betting in FL soon.

Maine Sports Betting

The executive director of the Maine Gambling Control Unit is advising legal sports betting could arrive in Maine by January 2024. Gov. Janet Mills signed LB 585 into law which went into effect on July 31, 2022. The tribes and tribal casinos will gain sizable control of mobile betting and online Maine sports betting once it is launched across the state.

Nebraska Sports Betting

Legalized sports wagering is in the process of being passed into law in the state of Nebraska. In late 2022, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission investigated new rules for sports gambling and for sportsbooks at operating casinos. The sports betting bill for Nebraska sports betting still needs to go through the Senate and be passed off into law by the Governor.

How We Decide Which Legal Online Sportsbooks Are Best

As sports betting experts and reviewers, we focus on a specific list of criteria to decide which are the best legal online sportsbooks and sports betting sites, both for our desktops and our mobile device.

Promos & Bonus Bets

With oddsmakers adding a margin or “hold” into their betting markets, it’s important that we as sports bettors extract as much value back on the other side. Sportsbook promos and bonus bets can put the edge back into our favor.

Best Betting Odds

Would you buy a football shirt for $70 when you can get it in a shop down the road for $50? Smart sports betting is all about finding value and line shopping across the different legal sports betting bookmakers is the way to do this. We want the most competitive odds on the market.

User Experience

When we are in-person sports betting, we don’t need to worry so much about user experience but if we are using legal betting sites on the internet we want to be able to browse and get our bets on as quickly and efficiently as possible. We want a clear and concise layout, reliable performance, and fast loading times for a top-class browsing experience.

Fast Payouts

When we win, we want our funds delivered as quickly as possible and online betting allows us to have our withdrawals processed in just a few clicks. The best sportsbooks process our withdrawal requests as fast as possible.

Customer Service

Bad customer support is a big put-off when dealing with any company in any niche. From personal experience, talking to a support agent who obviously knows little about the subject and often just regurgitates automated messages is very annoying. If we don’t get a quick response to our issue, we might want to turn to another legal betting operator with better customer service.

User Reviews

If we want to see first-hand some of the issues or indeed the best features of a certain internet or mobile betting platform why not go straight to the user review page and see what real customers have experienced on the betting site?

Taking a few minutes to browse through some reviews before downloading and depositing with a sportsbook can save you time and money down the road.

Legal Online Sports Betting vs. Offshore Betting

Legal sports betting online at regulated and licensed sportsbooks is our port of call. Offshore sports betting books bring with them their own problems and with that comes unnecessary risks. With legal sports betting at regulated sportsbooks, your funds are always safe and held in a separate account should something happen to the company.

Regulated books are audited and overseen by gambling control boards or gaming commissions while offshore books are independent operators with their own rules and regulations in place. In case of a dispute with an offshore sports betting book, there’s not much help (if any) provided. Illegal offshore betting sites can sell your personal information and refuse to honor withdrawal requests with no repercussions.

Remember that offshore betting is still illegal across the entire US.

Differences Between Online Sports Betting And Retail Betting

In the states to legalize sports betting, retail betting usually comes before online betting is available. This is because retail betting typically occurs at casinos which are already built. Adding sports betting kiosks or a retail lounge to those spaces is much easier than starting up mobile betting from scratch. Keep in mind each state sets its own sports betting rules and regulations, so wagering can differ between states.

When it comes to betting in person at retail sportsbooks, the atmosphere is the biggest difference when compared to online betting. It can be nice to walk into a physical sportsbook, talk to other sports bettors, watch games together, and even get paid in cold hard cash straight away if you win a bet.

On the other hand, online sports betting or mobile sports betting allows you the flexibility to bet from home or on the go in a short amount of time. No queuing, just populate the bet slip, browse a myriad of markets quickly and efficiently, and away you go. It’s simple to fund your account with several payment methods available and you never have to carry cash. The main key advantage of online betting is being able to claim very generous welcome bonuses and promotions. When you place bets in person at retail sportsbooks, these promos aren’t available.

Is It Safe To Bet On Sports Online?

If you are using a regulated and approved online sportsbook in a state where sports betting is legal, it is completely safe to bet on sports online. All legal online sportsbooks are regulated and overseen by the state bodies and Senates that make sports betting legal, and fairness is paramount. Software on these online betting sites will include the latest in SSL technology as well as Two-factor-authentication (2FA) for extra security. Your personal information and data are protected at all times, and payment methods are secure.

You can always check out user ratings and reviews of any sports betting apps you want to download. Any online or mobile betting sportsbook you find here is fully reviewed in an honest fashion and we let you know everything you need to know from the good, the bad, and the ugly.

How To Bet On Sports Online

When we are betting on sports, be it at retail sportsbooks or legal sports betting online, there are several main bet types to know when it comes to the sports betting market.

Moneyline Bets

A moneyline bet is a straight wager on a selection to win. This is the simplest wager you can make as you’re simply betting on who you think will win.

Odds can vary and sports betting markets can be two-way or multi-way.

Spread Bets

Spread bets are the most popular wager type where the oddsmaker sets a handicap to make it a theoretically fair contest. We can use the 2023 NFL season opener as an example. The Chiefs (-6.5) are taking on the Lions (+6.5). This means Chiefs bettors would need Kansas City to win by 7 or more points. On the flip side, the Lions need to lose by fewer than 7 points (or win the game outright) for a successful wager. If you want to find out more details about spread bets, check out what does +1.5 mean in sports betting. You can also read more about the differences of moneyline vs spread bets here.

Totals Bets

Like spread betting, the totals will be set using a line that predicts the combined number of points or goals scored in a game. Also called over/unders, you are betting on whether the teams combine for more or less than the betting line.

Parlay Bets

Parlays allow bettors to combine more than one wager into a single bet slip. The more bets you add, the higher the odds climb. Parlays are extremely popular due to the chance at a big payday.

Proceed with caution, however, as all legs of your parlay must hit for your wager to win.

Prop Bets

All good sports betting operators will offer a prop betting menu. These are usually bets on something to happen in a game: like a player to score a certain number of points in an NBA game or a quarterback to have a certain amount of passing yards. Prop bets are lower liquidity markets with the potential to find an edge for the sports bettor. Prop bets can be difficult to price up for the oddsmakers as there may be limited data available.

What You Can’t Legally Bet on in the U.S.

For the most part, individual state laws dictate what you can and can’t bet on. This means you might see a different sports betting product and menu at the same online sportsbooks in different states.

A list of generally outlawed types of sports wagering or online gambling can be seen below. College sports and some prop betting markets are a grey area and regulations regarding college football and college basketball betting differ a lot between states.

• US Elections
• High school sports
• Weather
• Award shows
• Any sport with amateurism (under 18)

Banking With Legal Online Sportsbooks

One of the joys of the current era of online sports betting is winning your bet and getting paid with the click of a few buttons. Whether you use a payment method for sports wagering like an eWallet where withdrawals are processed instantly, or if you use a Visa or bank wire transfer, you’ll have your funds generally between 1-3 business days, all without leaving your home!

Deposits & Withdrawals

To deposit and withdraw funds from your sports gambling accounts you simply go into the banking section of your favorite sports betting app. Here, you can add and remove payment methods as you wish.

Deposit funds any time and request a withdrawal which will be processed as quickly as your payment method allows. There is a myriad of ways to deposit and withdraw funds on regulated sports betting sites these days including:

• Online Banking and wire transfer
• Visa and Debit Card
• ACH Withdrawal
• PayPal and other eWallets
• Apple Pay
• Check

Responsible Betting

Responsible sports betting is becoming a huge area of the online betting niche with sports betting now legal in the US. Sports betting legislation dictates that sports bettors are educated in this area, with help and resources available direct from any sportsbook in a state legalizing sports betting. Go to the dedicated responsible gambling pages which can usually be found through links and buttons at the bottom and top of legal sports betting online establishments.

Tools available to the sports bettor include self-exclusion and daily, weekly, or monthly deposit and spending limits. Resources include gambling helplines and links to problem gambling sites in your state. Always stay within your means while online betting and set aside a sports betting (for fun) bankroll that you can afford to lose.

Last updated: 10/02/2024