Legal Betting Sites In The United States
Legal betting sites are getting more popular by the day in the United States. There are seemingly hundreds of platforms that claim to be among the best betting sites for US residents in 2024, but that is simply not true. Many factors go into real money online sports betting, which makes identifying the top legal sportsbooks very difficult. That is where our experts at LegalBettingSites.com can help. With over a hundred years worth of experience at our disposal, we confidently answer all of the questions surrounding how and where to bet on sports online legally throughout the country.
Jump To: Best Betting Sites | Legal Betting Laws | Betting by State | Transaction Methods & Bonuses | Sports
What Are The Best Legal Sports Betting Sites?
Availability, opportunity, and safety are the three core focuses that our team looks for when naming the best legal betting sites in the US. Availability determines where a betting website can be used, obviously the more the better. The sports to bet on is the opportunity. The third pillar is arguably the most important, as we only consider safe betting sites when reviewing legal online sportsbooks.
Top Rated!
Bovada - Best Betting Site That Takes US Players
Bovada is the best betting site in the United States for players looking for a legal gambling platform. Available in 45 states, Bovada has got 90% of the country covered. Players in states such as California, Texas, and Georgia love Bovada because it is legal in jurisdictions that have yet to regulate their own online betting websites. When users sign up at Bovada, they are almost always shocked by the variety of betting odds that the bookmaker has. With odds for sports ranging from the NFL to Table Tennis, Bovada is sure to have users covered.
Is Bovada Legal In The United States?
Bovada is legal for US-based players to use. Even in the states Bovada does not accept Americans from (NY, NJ, NV, DE, and MD), the site is legal. As our Bovada review outlines, it does not take those players because the betting market is oversaturated and not worth it for the business.
How To Use Bovada In The US
There are two primary ways to use Bovada in the United States. Those ways to deposit are by using credit/debit cards and any of the six cryptocurrencies that the site accepts. The steps to deposit with both methods are outlined below. Bovada also accepts peer-to-peer payments from platforms like Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal via their site-exclusive MatchPay program. Those P2P apps have crypto functions that are better though, so we recommend following along with the crypto instructions.
Steps To Deposit Crypto At Bovada
- Create a Bovada account
- Select the crypto you want to use
- Buy that crypto using your exchange
- Send that crypto to Bovada using their receiving address
- You will be able to start betting within 30 minutes
Steps To Use A Credit Or Debit Card At Bovada
- Create an account at Bovada
- Make sure your card can make international transactions
- Select the brand of card you want to use
- Input your card information
- Send the funds (Should be ready to bet instantly)
Great Site!
BetOnline - Online Betting Site That Accepts The Most States
There are many reasons why BetOnline stands out among gambling websites, but it’s best ability is availability. There is only one state that BetOnline does not accept, with that being New Jersey. Everywhere else in the US, BetOnline is no worse than the second best betting website behind only Bovada. Some of the main reasons that BetOnline stands out is the trust it has built up among Americans in the 20+ years of service it has provided and because of it’s mobile betting capabilities. There are no legal betting apps associated with BetOnline, with the site actually compatible with every mobile web browser instead. That means players who sign up at BetOnline do not need to download any apps or location trackers.
Is It Legal To Bet On Sports Online In The United States?
It is legal to bet online on sports throughout the US. While is online sports betting legal in the United States is a common question because of the influx of state-regulated sportsbooks, the act of betting at offshore sites has been legal for many years. That distinction of legal online sportsbooks in the US between offshore (a.k.a. international) and state regulated is important.
What Is The Difference Between Offshore And Regulated Betting Sites?
- Legal offshore betting sites accept US players from all states and can do so because of international trade agreements that prevent the American government from restricting residents from being customers of foreign online businesses.
- State-regulated sites can only operate in the states that have legalized sports betting. These regulated betting sites include FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars. This style of sportsbook is not available everywhere, and notably also must follow the sports betting restrictions some states have in place (typical restrictions include college sports and bet types).
What Are The US Sports Betting Laws?
The sports betting laws for betting sites that take US residents to follow are fairly simple when looking country-wide. There are three USA online sports betting laws that are important to know:
- Interstate Wire Act (1961): Restricts US-based sportsbooks from accepting bets via phone, internet, or telegram from another state. The important note about the Interstate Wire Act is that it only applies to sportsbooks based in the US, unlike international sites like Bovada.
- Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (1992): Passed in 1992, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) outlawed almost every state from offering sports betting. This law was overturned in 2018 and essentially let states legal sports betting on their own. PASPA only applied to sportsbooks based throughout the country.
- Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (2006): Another sports betting law not directed at bettors, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was meant to prevent financial institutions like banks and credit unions from processing payments to online gambling sites in different states. This law is still in effect and the reason that some credit/debit card deposits are declined. It’s also why we suggest crypto. Still, about 95% of credit and debit card deposits go through.
What States Have Legal Sports Betting Sites?
While there are sports betting sites that accept US players from every state, the jurisdiction may influence how many websites there are. For example, Utah and Hawaii both have no state-regulated sportsbooks, but have legal sportsbook sites that take their players. Another example is New York, which has been state-regulated and real money offshore sportsbooks. For players interested in learning about their specific state or others, we recommend checking out our page of states with legal betting sites.
How Old Is The Legal Sports Betting Age?
The age requirement to bet on sports at state-sanctioned sportsbooks varies and can be anywhere from 18 to 21, but the universal legal age to bet on sports at international sports gambling sites in 18. Similar to how the legal drinking age is dependent on the nation, the legal sports betting age is dependent on the country. With most legal offshore betting sites located in the Caribbean jurisdictions, the comply with the set 18 years old minimum for sports gambling.
What Deposit Methods Do Online Betting Sites Accept?
The first step in being a viable betting site for Americans is to make it easy for new users to deposit. Luckily, legal betting deposit methods include easy to use options such as cryptocurrency, credit/debit cards, peer-to-peer payment apps, and more.
Cryptocurrency Betting Sites
- Bovada ($10-$5,000): Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin + 2 More
- BetOnline ($20-$500,000): Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple + 14 More
- MyBookie ($20-$100,000): Bitcoin, Binance Coin, Tether + 7 More
Credit & Debit Card Betting Sites
- Bovada ($20-$1,500): Mastercard, Visa, and American Express
- BetOnline ($25-$5,000): Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover
- MyBookie ($45-$2,500): Mastercard, Visa, and American Express
Peer To Peer Betting Sites
- Bovada with MatchPay ($20-$1,000): Venmo, PayPal + 6 More
- Bovada P2P With Crypto ($10-$5,000): Cash App, and PayPal
- BetOnline P2P With Crypto ($20-$500,000): Venmo and PayPal
Best Online Sports Betting Bonuses
Bonuses are the way that site for legal sports betting attract new players. Just because legal betting bonuses are used to bring in new players or customers does not necessarily mean they are bad. In fact, the bonuses at the best betting sites that accept US residents are beneficial to the player and sportsbook. Users get to boost their bankroll and try out a sportsbook without risking a ton of their own money, while the sites get to impress new users and try and get them to keep coming back. To figure out what sign up betting bonuses are the best users should focus on the rollover requirement as the main factor, with the percent match and total value secondary.
Best Sports Betting Bonuses At Legal Sportsbooks
- Betting Site
- Crypto Bonus
- Credit/Debit Card Bonus
- Go Claim A Bonus!
- Bovada
- 5X Rollover/75% Match/$750 Max
- 5X Rollover/50% Match/$250 Max
- Claim!
- MyBookie
- 10X Rollover/100% Match/$1,000 Max
- 10X Rollover/50% Match/$1,000 Max
- Claim!
- BetOnline
- 14X Rollover/100% Match/$1,000 Max
- 10X Rollover/50% Match/$1,000 Max
- Claim!
How Do Betting Sites In The US Payout?
Similar to deposits, there are many ways to get legal betting payouts. In our experience, legal betting sites that have cryptocurrency payouts are the best. The fastest sportsbook payouts are typically crypto, with the method also good because the withdrawals are anonymous, free, and have the widest range. If you are not interested in crypto, the best payout methods are usually checks by courier or person to person payout methods.
What Sports Can I Bet Online In The US Legally?
Depending on the betting site, US residents can bet on nearly every sport and sporting event that is either collegiate or professional. Some state-regulated sportsbooks, like legal betting sites in Oregon, are strictly governed and cannot offer any odds for college sports. This is another reason that most Americans are best off choosing legal offshore sports betting sites, including Bovada. Those sites offer odds on all professional sports around the globe and on the vast majority of college sports in the US (lower levels such as D2 and D3 may be more sporadic).
Most Popular Sports To Bet On