Complete Guide to Sports Betting in the USA

Best Overall Sportsbook for US Players – BetUS

BetUS is the best online sportsbook for US players right now. It is a reputable, trustworthy betting site, which is available in all 50 states.

BetUS launched in 1994, initially taking bets over the phone before expanding into the digital arena a few years later. The team has continually improved the all-round user experience over the ensuing decades, and it now offers a modern, stylish sportsbook with a range of exciting features.

You can bet on football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, soccer, tennis, MMA, boxing, NASCAR, and many additional sports at BetUS. The site covers a large array of leagues for each sport, including international leagues.

The top features at BetUS include a props builder, daily odds boosts, live esports streaming, regular contests, a blog called The Locker Room, and a section named BetUS TV, which sees pro handicappers give out picks. The site offers quick and reliable payouts too, plus excellent customer support 24 hours a day.

BetUS also provides huge bonuses. There is a 200% crypto sign-up bonus worth up to $5,000 or a regular 125% sign-up bonus of up to $3,125. It offers alternative welcome bonuses with different rollover requirements, plus large reload bonuses and referral promos, so there are lots of reasons to sign up with BetUS.

• Year Opened: 1994
• Welcome Bonus: 200% up to $5,000
• Available In: All 50 states
• Popular Banking Methods: Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, wire transfer, Bitcoin, altcoins

The Best Sports Betting Sites for USA Players

While BetUS is the best all-round site for online sports betting, USA players can benefit from registering with multiple sportsbooks. This will allow you to claim several welcome bonuses and shop for the best lines.

These are some of the other leading US sports betting sites:

Most Flexible Betting Limits

Bovada

100% up to $750 Welcome Bonus

Visit Site Read Review

Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +5 more Craps, Baccarat, Roulette, Keno, Live dealer.

Live Dealer: No

Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoins +6 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Secure Voucher, Bank Transfer, Check.

Bovada is a popular US sportsbook that offers a huge array of betting options, a user-friendly platform, and same-day payouts. It is a great option for anyone seeking flexible betting limits.

The minimum bet at Bovada is just $0.50, which is helpful for anyone on a tight budget. It accepts deposits from just $5 via certain payment methods too. The maximum bet amount varies according to the sport and wager type, but bettors with larger bankrolls can often benefit from high limits.

Bovada takes bets on more sports than rival US betting sites, and it offers more markets. If you cannot find a bet you want to place, Tweet at #Whatsyawager and the team will price it up for you. Additional benefits include bonuses with low wagering requirements and a great loyalty program.

Availability: All states apart from Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York.

• Multiple welcome bonuses to choose from, including sports, casino, and poker
• More than 300 slot machines from Rival Gaming
• Extensive sportsbook with props builder and live betting
• No fees for withdrawals

• Dedicated racebook for horse race betting on worldwide races
• Bitcoin Exclusive membership, regularly offering you more promotions such as 50% reload bonuses
• Lacks multiple bitcoin withdrawal options

Best Sportsbook for Beginners

MyBookie

100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus

Visit Site Read Review

Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +4 more Baccarat, Roulette, Keno, Scratch tickets.

Live Dealer: No

Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoins +10 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Cardano, Dogecoin, MoneyGram, Person2Person Transfers, eCheck, Bank Transfer.

MyBookie is the best sportsbook for beginners in the USA. The sign-up process is quick, and you can then choose from a list of secure, convenient deposit options. These include Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, or a P2P transfer.

The site has an intuitive user interface, and the betslip is simple and effective, so you should be able to place wagers without any hassle. However, if you need assistance, the customer service team is available 24/7.

MyBookie is not as quick as BetUS and Bovada to release its lines, but it often provides a very long list of props. Plus, MyBookie has wagers as low as $2, which makes it ideal for first-time sports bettors looking to gain experience.

Availability: Every state apart from Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

• Casino and sports betting site offering the best of both worlds
• Sports betting bonus of 100% up to $1,000
• Wide range of cryptocurrency banking options including Bitcoin
• 130+ slots from BetSoft, Nucleus Gaming, BGaming, and more
• Impressive selection of table games including craps and rummy

• High turnover requirements on casino bonuses
• No live dealer poker games, just an online poker room

Best Site for Sports Betting Contests

SportsBetting.ag

100% up to $3,000 Welcome Bonus

Visit Site Read Review

Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Video poker +4 more Live dealer, Baccarat, Roulette, Craps.

Live Dealer: Yes

Payment Options: Bitcoins, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano +10 more Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Tether, MasterCard, American Express, Visa, Bank Transfer, Check.

This is the top US sportsbook for anyone who enjoys competing in exciting contests. Some are free-to-play, while others require an entry fee. For example, football fans can pay $30 to enter a $250,000 NFL Survivor contest or compete in a free $200,000 NFL MegaContest. There is a free-to-enter $25,000 Super Bowl Props Predictor contest, too.

Aside from football, there are high-profile contests covering pro and college basketball, golf, MMA, esports, tennis, horse racing, and much more. They include a $250,000 March Madness bracket challenge.

Sportsbetting.ag is an established, reputable gambling site, which offers same-day payouts, high limits, and great bonuses. New users can claim a 100% bonus worth up to $1,000, and there are boosts, reload bonuses, and free bets available too.

Availability: Every state apart from New Jersey.

• Sports betting, casino games, online poker, and esports all in one place
• Wide range of promotions, including welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, free bets, and contests
• Access the site from your mobile browser or download the SportsBetting poker app
• Large variety of banking options, including a whopping 12 cryptocurrencies
• High deposit and withdrawal limits

• E-wallet banking methods not available
• While poker traffic is decent, it falls in the medium range
• Varied transaction fees for most payouts

Best US Sportsbook for Crypto Users

BC Game

360% up to $100,000 Welcome Bonus

Visit Site Read Review

Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Baccarat +3 more Live dealer, Video poker, Arcade.

Live Dealer: No

Payment Options: Bitcoins, Ethereum, Ripple +4 more Tether, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash.

BC.Game is an elite crypto sportsbook. It offers very slick software, a huge choice of betting options, and loads of great features. You’ll notice that it’s more polished than rivals such as MyBookie and BetNow, as it is designed to appeal to young, tech-savvy adults that hold crypto.

American bettors can access BetNow anonymously—a perk of using crypto—as it does not collect any personal details when you sign up. You can deposit with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and a range of altcoins with no minimum or maximum deposit limits.

In addition, BC.Game has a sign-up package worth up to 100,000 USDT and competitive odds on more than 25 sports.

Availability: Available in the United States.

• Over 7000 casino games and a comprehensive sports book
• 100+ cryptocurrencies to choose from
• Online betting community in live chat
• Anonymous gambling feature

• Withdrawal fees
• Live chat takes an hour to reply

Best Sportsbook Bonuses & Loyalty Program

BetNow

100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus

Visit Site Read Review

Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Roulette +4 more Baccarat, Craps, Video poker, Live dealer.

Live Dealer: Yes

Payment Options: MasterCard, Bitcoins, Visa +2 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash.

BetNow is a great online sportsbook for anyone seeking a variety of bonuses. New customers can choose from one of four welcome offers: 200% up to $200 (20x rollover), 150% up to $225 (20x rollover), 100% up to $1,000 (30x rollover), or 50% up to $500 (10x rollover).

You can claim a 25% reload bonus too, along with a large referral promo. The site also offers a 2% rebate on any net losses sustained each week, along with short-term, seasonal promos, such as Vig Free November.

BetNow is a very simple and accessible online betting site, which covers a smaller selection of sports than BetUS, Bovada, MyBookie, and Sportsbetting.ag. However, it often has market-beating odds, as it takes a low house edge on its lines.

Availability: Available in all states except New Jersey.

• Flexible welcome bonuses
• Weekly NFL, MLB and NBA contests with $10,000 giveaways
• Comprehensive sportsbook with great odds
• Great live dealer casino
• Variety of banking options including multiple cryptocurrencies

• Lacking slots and table game variety
• Payout fees and restrictions on some banking options
• Outdated UI design

Comparing the Top US Sports Betting Sites Available

This chart allows you to quickly compare the deposit limits and welcome bonuses on offer at the best US betting sites. You can follow the links to read our in-depth reviews if you’d like to learn more about these elite sportsbooks for US players.

How We Evaluate Sportsbooks for USA Players

We have an extensive review process for how we rank online gambling sites. We examine. It each site’s reputation, banking options, reliability, customer service, bonuses and promotions, betting options, and mobile access.

We also focus on four additional criteria when seeking out the best US sports betting sites:

How to Choose the Best US Betting Site for You

You will receive an impressive all-round user experience at all six of the online sportsbooks featured on this page. If you would like to narrow down it down and identify your ideal site, consider these questions:

What Sites Are Available in My Location?

Make sure a site is available in your particular state. For example, BetUS is the only option available in New Jersey. It is a good idea to sign up with one of those sites if you travel around the country a lot, as you will always be able to use them, wherever you happen to be.

What Is My Budget?

If you are looking for a site with low betting limits, Bovada is a great option, as mentioned earlier. Deposits start at just $5, and you can wager as little as $0.50 on your chosen picks.

Anyone with a large budget can consider SportsBetting.ag, which offers a maximum deposit of $500,000 and a re-bet feature, which allows you to place large wagers.

Will I Wager on Live Sports?

Anyone looking for a sportsbook with a great live betting section can also check out SportsBetting.ag, which offers a user-friendly platform and live streaming. BetUS is a great option for live betting too, as it is quick and accessible.

Which Banking Method Will I Use?

Make sure a site you are interested in offers your preferred banking method. Most accept Visa, MasterCard, wire transfers, and Bitcoin, but if you want to use a particular altcoin, a digital wallet, a P2P transfer, Discover, American Express or Diners Card, check if it is available.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in the US?

In May 2018, the US Supreme Court overturned a federal sports wagering ban called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PAPSA). That decision gave each state the power to legalize sports betting at a local level.

Prior to 2018, Nevada was the only state with locally regulated online sportsbooks, as it was exempt from PASPA. However, more than 20 additional states have introduced local sports betting markets in the years since the federal ban was overturned. They include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.

The federal government has not provided any legal framework to govern the industry on a nationwide basis. That has allowed each state to set its own regulations and tax rates, creating a legal patchwork. For example, some states only permit retail sportsbooks and they do not allow local operators to launch online sports betting sites.

Others have prohibited prop bets on college sports, and some do not allow wagering on in-state college teams. States like New Jersey, and Colorado have more than 20 locally regulated online sportsbooks, whereas others – including Montana, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Oregon – only permit one.

Despite the emergence of state-regulated sports betting, many offshore sites still accept US customers.

Understanding Offshore Sports Betting Sites

Offshore sports betting sites do not fall under the jurisdiction of the US federal government or state governments. They are generally based in Central America or the Caribbean, and they are licensed and regulated in their own jurisdictions.

Many Americans choose to play on offshore sites because they offer a far larger range of betting options than state-regulated sportsbooks based in the US. For example, they can accept bets on politics, entertainment, and esports, and they can also offer a full menu of props on college games. Plus, offshore sites frequently hand out free bets and welcome bonuses to new and existing players.

By contrast, locally regulated sportsbooks in the USA cannot take bets on politics, while esports and entertainment bets are rarely permitted, and they also face major restrictions on college sports.

Where Is Sports Betting Legal in the US?

This section highlights the current legal situation on a state-by-state basis. There are three potential statuses for each state:

• Legal – The state has legalized sports betting and the market is fully launched.
• Offshore Only – The state has yet to regulate sports betting, but bettors can use offshore sportsbooks.
• Pending – A bill has been passed, but locally regulated sportsbooks have been launched yet, and bettors can still play at offshore sites in the meantime.

It is also worth noting that some states only permit retail sportsbooks, while others allow both online and land-based sports betting. Tennessee is the outlier, as it only has an online sports wagering market and no retail sportsbooks.

You can click on your state for an in-depth guide to betting on sports there.

The Future of Sports Betting in the US

More states are likely to pass laws permitting online sports betting in the future. They can either do so via the legislature, or voters can approve sports betting when they head to the ballot boxes. However, certain states – including Texas, Hawaii, and Utah – appear highly unlikely to legalize sports betting anytime soon.

In the meantime, sports bettors can always use offshore sportsbooks to place an array of wagers on popular American sports, such as football, baseball, and basketball.

How to Sign Up at an Online Sportsbook in the US

It is easy to create an account with an online sportsbook in the US. Follow these steps:

Most Popular US Sporting Leagues to Bet On

The best US sportsbooks allow you to place wagers on thousands of leagues from around the world. However, most wagers are placed on a handful of popular leagues:

NFL

In 1972, football overtook baseball to become the most popular sport in the United States, and it has reigned supreme ever since. The NFL is the leading professional sports league in the country, and it dominates proceedings at US sportsbooks during the fall and winter months. It is worth noting that more money is wagered on basketball than on football in the United States, but that is due to the sheer volume of NBA games held throughout the year. On a game-by-game basis, the NFL is the most popular league to bet on by a comfortable margin.

Where to Bet on the NFL

NBA

A December 2022 survey from Variety Intelligence suggested that the NBA is the second most popular league among US bettors. In terms of absolute volume, it attracts more wagers than the NFL, as there are 1,230 regular season games per year, compared to just 272 NFL games. However, a significantly larger percentage of the population wagers on NFL games.

Where to Bet on the NBA

MLB

America’s pastime dominates the US sports betting handle throughout the summer months. Only a handful of states currently break down their handle by sport, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado. They suggest that the MLB is the third most popular league among sports bettors, accounting for around 12% of the handle in 2022. That leaves it well behind the NFL and NBA, but still comfortably ahead of other leagues. The Variety Intelligence survey also placed Major League Baseball third, as did Statista’s consumer survey in September 2022.

Where to Bet on the MLB

MLS

In 2013, soccer overtook hockey to become the fourth most popular sport in the United States, according to Gallup polls. Numerous studies since then have confirmed the data, and many experts suggest that soccer will soon overtake baseball to seize third place. Major League Soccer has been slowly rising in popularity in the US, as has international soccer leagues, such as La Liga, Serie A, Liga MXs and so on.

Where to Bet on the MLS

American Odds vs. International Odds: How to Convert

Whenever you are using a US-based sports betting site to place wagers on sports, you will see the betting odds are represented as American odds. These represent payouts in terms of a $100 wager. With American odds, a positive value always represents the underdog and the negative value always represents the favorite.

The biggest complaint that bettors have about American odds is that they make it unnecessarily difficult to calculate your payout. This is why many people prefer to quickly convert their American odds into an international variation, typically decimal odds.

To do this, all you need to do is use this simple equation:(American Odds / 100) + 1 = Decimal Odds

For example, let’s say that you want to calculate the decimal odds for a bet that you are taking that has odds of +265. The equation would look like this:

(265 / 100) +1 = ?

(2.65) +1 = 3.65

As you can see, your decimal odds are 3.65. And since decimal odds refer to bets in terms of a one dollar bet, this means that for every $1 that you wager, you will be making $2.65 profit.

American Odds Explained

Since you will almost exclusively come across American odds when you are betting on sports using a US sports betting site, it makes sense if you don’t want to take the time to convert the odds and would rather calculate your payout using American odds. Luckily, there is a fairly simple trick to remembering how to do this.

Positive (+) American odds represent the payout that you would earn from a $100 bet. Therefore, if you bet on the same team as we mentioned above at +265, your winnings from a $100 bet would be $265, making your entire payout $365 (before vig).

Negative (-) American odds represent the amount of money that you would need to wager in order to earn a $100 payout. For example, if a sports team had odds of -210, then that means they are heavily favored to win the game, and you would need to bet $210 in order to earn a $100 payout.

Tips for Using Sports Betting Sites in America

Here are our top five tips for using sports betting sites in the United States:

• Sign up with multiple online sportsbooks. It will allow you to claim multiple bonuses, and you can then shop for the best lines and odds on any bets you like.
• Place most of your bets on markets that carry a relatively low house edge, which is known as the juice or the vigorish. Parlays and props are fun, but it is difficult to generate long-term profits on those wagers, as the sportsbooks take a higher edge. Stick to spreads, totals, and moneylines for the bulk of your wagering activity.
• Hedge futures bets if the opportunity arises. If you place a wager on a team to win the Super Bowl at the start of the season, and that team wins its conference, place a bet on the opposing team. That way, you will be guaranteed a profit, no matter which team wins.
• Conduct detailed research. Do not simply bet on every sport or event – stick to a small selection of leagues that you know well. Watch as many games as possible, delve into the stats and harness your expertise. Stay up-to-date with player and team news, line movements and betting trends, spotting any opportunities to fade the public or benefit from arbitrage.
• Gamble responsibly. Set a bankroll for the year, and manage it carefully. Do not bet with money you cannot afford to lose, and make sure it remains a source of entertainment.

Sports Betting Blogs

Sports & Betting

North Carolina Legalizes Sports Betting: Here's What to Know

January 16, 2024

Shaun Stack

Sports & Betting

2024 NFL Playoff Odds: Best Bets for Bucs vs. Eagles

January 11, 2024

Shaun Stack

Sports & Betting

2024 NFL Playoff Odds: Best Bets for Sunday's Slate

January 11, 2024

Shaun Stack

Gambling Blog

Responsible Sports Betting

Please gamble responsibly. Online sports betting is a form of entertainment, and it should not be viewed as the solution to any financial difficulties you may be experiencing. Set a budget and stick to it. Do not gamble with any money you cannot afford to lose, and take regular breaks from online sports betting.

If you are concerned about your gambling, visit one of these sites for support:

• National Council on Problem Gambling
• GamTalk
• Gamblers Anonymous