With a growing number of online sportsbooks to choose from, zeroing in on the best betting sites can be a little challenging. That’s why the Compare.bet team have taken a deep dive into what’s available, including the best betting sites for football and other major sports. We do all the hard work fro you by assessing attributes like sports betting markets, bonuses, and banking methods. This means that all you need to do is read our honest and impartial sportsbook reviews, select a favorite, and sign up.
How to Choose Your Ideal Online Sportsbook
When curating our list of recommended sportsbooks, we look in forensic detail at each site to make sure it really deserves to be considered among the best betting sites in the US. Here are some of the factors we watch out for.
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Licensed and regulated
Unlicensed bookies simply don’t appear on Compare.bet, because they can’t be relied on to provide a safe, fair gambling environment. All the sportsbooks we recommend are licensed by individual states’ gaming authorities.
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Competitive odds
We want our visitors to get the best bang for their buck from online sportsbooks, so we always ensure all the sites we recommend offer competitive betting odds.
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Easy deposits and withdrawals
Moving money in and out of your sportsbook account should always be an easy process. That’s why we favor online betting sites that cover a large range of options so that your own preferred banking method should hopefully be included.
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Fast payouts
Nobody likes to sit around waiting a long time for withdrawals to complete. We love to see sports betting sites with short processing times, and we award extra brownie points to those offering instant cash out options.
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Loyalty programs
Top betting sites often run loyalty schemes where regular play can earn prizes and perks. We’re all in favor of anything that enhances our visitors’ online betting experience.
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Bonuses and promotions
A good welcome bonus, such as free bet credits or a matched deposit bonus, is a must. But we also want to see regular odds boosts, parlay bonuses and other promos for existing customers.
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Additional features
If a site has something extra to offer, such as same game parlays, cash out options, live streams, or great mobile apps, we’ll take a note of it and let you know. Anything that can enhance your betting experience earns a plus from us.
2021’s Best Betting Sites
You can find in-depth reviews of the best betting sites for sports at Compare.bet. Here’s just a quick overview of some of our favorites.
DraftKings
Having already built an enviable reputation in daily fantasy sports, DraftKings launched its first online and mobile betting site in New Jersey in 2018. Since then, DraftKings has debuted in several states, winning an army of fans in the process. Bettors can usually claim bonus funds worth up to $1,000 when they sign up for a new DraftKings account, and the benefits don’t end there. This popular sportsbook serves up a broad choice of ongoing promos and thousands of ways to bet on your favorite sporting events.
FanDuel
Another big hitter in the world of daily fantasy sports, the FanDuel sportsbook has been rolled out in plenty of states since the US Supreme Court repealed the federal ban on sports wagering. With a risk-free first bet up to $1,000, an excellent choice of enhanced odds and profit boost offers for existing bettors, alongside same-game parlays on the NFL, NBA, and soccer, there’s little wonder that FanDuel comes highly recommended. It probably goes without saying that FanDuel also offers well-oiled mobile sports betting apps for Android and iOS.
BetRivers
BetRivers rolls out the welcome mat for new sports bettors with a 100% matched deposit bonus offer. The bonus is worth up to $250 and comes with a small 1x wagering requirement. Simply sign up and make your first deposit to claim yours. Once you’ve settled in, there’s plenty to keep you entertained, including in-play betting and live-streamed NHL games, tennis matches, and soccer games. BetRivers offers a mobile-friendly website and app, so placing bets should prove fast and easy no matter whether you’re at home or on the go.
BetMGM
Draped in classy black and gold colors, the BetMGM online and mobile sportsbook is definitely one of the most stylish sites out there. This sportsbook offers around-the-clock betting options on a huge range of sports, including all the major sporting leagues, and college sports where available. In-play betting is also available at BetMGM, too, with live odds for mainstream and niche sports alike. There’s a $1,000 risk-free bet offer when you sign up for a new account online or on the app, and plenty of promos to potentially boost your winnings after that.
PointsBet
Founded in Australia, PointsBet is a top pick for US bettors. This online and mobile betting site comes loaded with a range of ways to wager, including its unique ‘points betting’ markets where the size of your payout of loss fluctuates right to the end of the event depending on how much your team wins or loses by. You can also enjoy live betting and take advantage of the quick parlay builder for various sports, including professional US leagues like the NFL and NHL, UFC, and international soccer, as well as college sports leagues such as the NCAA. PointsBet offers two risk-free bets worth up to $2,000, spread across fixed odds betting and points betting.
Which Sports Can I Bet On?
The best betting sites US-wide offer expansive market coverage. Here are some of the top categories you can make predictions on.
NFL
Football betting makes up a big chunk of the activity at online sportsbooks, and this means you’ll find numerous markets for every game. From straight-up moneylines to highly specific player props – such as betting on a quarterback’s passing yards – you’ll have ample opportunity to wager on the NFL.
NHL
The National Hockey League attracts a decent amount of wagering all season long, but never more so than in the run-up to the Stanley Cup. Top sportsbooks will let you place futures bets on which hockey team you think will win the showpiece events as well as who will make it through to the playoffs. There will also be plenty of more specific markets for each game such as the total number of goals scored or the scoreline will be at various points during a match.
NBA
NBA markets are, of course, popular right through the season, though the betting action for basketball fans often peaks in the lead up to the NBA All-Star Game and the NBA Finals. Each individual NBA event will come with a collection trove of pre-game and in-play bets. This means you can wager how many points will be scored, what the winning margin will be, and how particular players will perform.
MLB
The world’s oldest major professional sports league, Major League Baseball attracts plenty of bets from sports fans across the nation. The best MLB betting sites compete with each other to offer the most competitive betting odds for the World Series, but you don’t have to look that far ahead thanks to the wealth of markets for each ball game. These include player props, such as predicting a pitcher’s strikeout total.
Soccer
The best soccer betting sites don’t just offer heaps of markets for MLS games. You should also be able to place your bets on the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga, and many more leagues besides. Whether you want to jump on generous futures odds for predicting the winner of the next World Cup, or just feel like placing in-game props that will be resolved in the next few minutes, you’ll be covered.
How to Spot a Legal Sports Betting Site
Just because US bettors in a growing number of states can now access legal and regulated online sports betting sites, that’s not to say that unregulated sportsbooks have ceased to exist. These operators are still very much around, bet there are thankfully some tell-tale signs that will alert you to shady, offshore sites.
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Unusual website address
While it’s not impossible for unregulated sites to boast a .com domain name, many have URLs ending with the likes of .lv or .ag. The lack of a https prefix is another sign that the site is unregulated.
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Poor quality website and app
Leading sportsbooks are major enterprises that invest millions to provide a quality online betting experience. Sites that load slowly, mobile apps that are heavy on ads, and glitchy visuals are indicative of an unregulated operator.
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Cryptocurrencies
If you find an online sportsbook that accepts cryptocurrencies, you should be wary. State-licensed online betting sites don’t generally offer Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptos as deposit options. At least, not yet.
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Prohibited betting markets
Betting on political events like the US presidential election is off-limits at licensed sportsbooks, so the presence of such markets is another giveaway.
If you are still in any doubt about the legitimacy of a sportsbook, then a quick online search will likely give you an answer. Licensed betting sites will be listed on individual state regulator websites, while the sportsbooks themselves will likely display the license at the bottom of the homepage. If information about the sportsbook is hard to find, even on the relevant state gaming commission’s website, you should rethink your choice of site.
Why You Should Avoid Offshore Betting Sites
It’s not too difficult to search around online and sign up at an offshore betting site, but it’s not a good idea. These sportsbooks lack the seal of approval from your region’s gaming authority, and as such you won’t receive the correct level of protection should anything go wrong. In some cases, however, these sites may not be regulated by any watchdog whatsoever. Unregulated sites may look the part, complete with big welcome packages and other flashy perks, but once you sign up, you may be met by lacklustre customer support, unfair bonus terms and conditions, and lengthy withdrawal times. There is also no guarantee that your money is safe with a gambling site that is totally unregulated, which means there is no recourse should the betting site not payout. Put simply, it’s just not worth the risk. Steer clear of both regulated and unregulated offshore sites and stick to sportsbooks that are licensed to operate in your state.
Having a Crack at the Available Betting Markets
The best betting sites offer an impressive range of betting markets. We’re not talking about the choice of sports on offer, but rather the different ways to wager within each sport. There can be significant variation in market coverage between bookies, so it’s worth shopping around if you don’t initially find the wagering options you want. In the meantime, let’s get acquainted with some of the most popular markets available to bettors.
Moneylines
The moneyline market is one of the most popular and straightforward betting markets at online bookmakers. All a moneyline bet requires you to do is predict the winner of a match, fight, game, and so on.
Point Spreads
The point spread market levels the odds on unevenly matched opponents by applying a handicap to the favorite. This means the stronger team or contender will have to win by a minimum number of points for your bet to come good. Alternatively, you can back the underdog to win outright or lose within a determined points margin.
Props
The best online betting sites allow you to make wagers on individual athletes and statistics. For example, you might place a bet on how many corner kicks will be awarded in a soccer game, or on how many touchdowns a particular player will rack up in an NFL clash. But beware, by betting on more specific outcomes, the odds of losing will be higher.
Futures
In futures markets, you’ll bet on the outcomes of tournaments and sporting competitions, such as the winner of the World Series or Super Bowl. Some of these events can run over many months, and with odds likely to change over the course of the season, there could be some favourable odds early doors.
Totals
Totals bets are also known as over/under bets. As the alternative name implies, bettors must predict whether something will happen a greater or fewer number of times than the threshold set by the bookmakers. For example, will the total points in a game be over or under five? This market is a good alternative if you can’t predict the exact outcome of a game, while it can also offer better value on an outright favourite than the moneyline market.
Parlays
Parlay bets let you put multiple picks on the same bet slip. If all your picks, or ‘legs’, go your way, the combined betting odds on your slip will put you in line for a bigger profit than if you’d made several individual wagers. The more legs your parlay has, the bigger the potential payout. But with just one lost bet needed to bring down the whole parlay, this bet type comes with greater risk.
In-Play Betting
Betting options don’t grind to a halt when an event gets underway. The best online sports betting sites in the US offer in-play markets, allowing you to wager on events as they play out. You may also be able to watch live streams of events as they unfold, which can make the in-play betting experience even more exciting.
Claiming a Bonus to Boost Your Bankroll
The promotions page at a top sportsbook will usually come loaded with deals for customers old and new. They’ll come with terms and conditions regarding acceptable deposit methods and wagering requirements, but they can be a nice addition to your bankroll. Let’s check out some of the more common types of sportsbook bonuses out there.
No Deposit Bonus
At some betting sites, signing up for a new account will make you eligible for a no deposit bonus. This means you won’t have to deposit any money, or make a qualifying bet, to unlock the offer. Such bonuses tend to be on the small side, however, such as a $10 free bet. You should also check the fine print to see if there are any playthrough requirements attached.
Matched Deposit
These bonuses boost your bankroll by matching your real money deposit with bonus funds, up to a certain percentage and value. For example, a sportsbook offering a ‘100% up to $200’ bonus will fully match your deposit with bet credits up to a max bonus value of $200. You may have to make a certain minimum bet or qualifying wager to obtain the bonus.
Risk-Free Bet
To participate in a risk-free welcome offer, you’ll need to place a wager. If luck isn’t on your side and you lose the bet, the sportsbook will refund your stake in free bet credits. The value of risk-free bets can be as much as $1,000 or more, but be aware that these free bet credits will often come with terms and conditions.
Odds Boosts
Frequently offered on a daily basis at the best sports betting sites, odds boosts provide better profits than you might usually expect for certain markets. For example, there might be an odds boost on backing the favorites in a specific NBA game. If that sounds too good to be true, bear in mind there are often tight limits on how much you can wager on boosted markets.
Parlay Insurance
Parlay insurance pays you back some or all of your stake if one leg of the parlay loses. This is a good way to mitigate some of the inherent risks of parlay betting, though you’ll usually have to include a minimum number of legs to qualify for the offer. What’s more, the insurance payout can often be in the form of free bet credits which will come terms and conditions.
Free-to-Play Contests
Free-play contests see you compete with other users to earn points, sometimes by predicting the outcome of NFL or NHL games and the like. Free contests attract plenty of entries, so the odds of winning are quite slim, but there can be decent prizes available for topping the leaderboard.
Betting on Sports Wherever You are in the World
The best US sportsbooks have provided mobile-friendly websites for bettors looking to wager on the move. You’ll also be able to download bespoke apps for mobile devices, making it even easier to search through betting markets and make a wager.
You’ll find the same great features on a mobile app as you will on a desktop site, so there’s no need to worry about missing out. There’s also improved security, thanks to facial recognition and fingerprint ID technology, as well as optional push notifications that will keep you up to speed with the latest betting bonuses and promotions. Apps will take up a bit of memory on your device, but that’s a small price to pay for having a top bookmaker at your fingertips. Licensed mobile betting apps are free to download and available for Android and iOS devices.
How to Pay for Your Online Sports Bets
The best betting sites for sports offer a range of deposit and withdrawal methods, though the exact options will vary from bookie to bookie. Here are some of the most prominent options available.
- Debit and credit cards – Pretty much all betting sites accept debit and credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, or Discover. However, top bookies like PointsBet and DraftKings don’t support cards as a withdrawal method.
- Prepaid Play+ cards – Available for popular operators like BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings, sportsbook-branded Play+ cards offer a highly convenient and secure banking solution. You can fund these prepaid cards in your preferred way, and you’ll notice that Play+ withdrawals are among the fastest available at sportsbooks.
- E-wallets – Many online sportsbooks accept e-wallets, though you’ll likely spot PayPal more than you will Skrill or Neteller. E-wallets are private and secure, remove the need to enter sensitive bank details, and typically offer quick withdrawals too.
- PayNearMe – PayNearMe is a popular payment option for bettors who want to make cash deposits at online sportsbooks. You simply go to a participating retailer, such as 7-Eleven, present them with a barcode generated by your sportsbook, and pay the cash. The value will then be added to your online account. PayNearMe is super secure as none of your personal information is being transmitted online. Withdrawals aren’t possible via this method, however.
- Online banking – Online banking comes in various forms, such as ACH/eCheck, Online Bill Pay, and VIP Preferred. There are slight differences between the methods, but all allow you to move money directly to and from your bank account.
- Cashier cage – Where available, online sportsbooks may allow bettors to deposit and withdraw from the cashier cage at an affiliated land-based sportsbook or casino. This can be a good way to cash out quickly, though locations may not always prove convenient.
- Check by mail – Plenty of betting sites still offer withdrawals by paper check, with some also accepting paper check deposits. Higher minimum deposit and minimum withdrawal limits compared to alternative banking options will usually apply, and you’ll often have to wait a week or more to receive your check.
Ready to Pick the Perfect Place to Bet?
Now you know what to expect from the best betting sites online, why not check out what’s available in your state? No matter where you’re visiting us from, you can count on Compare.bet to only recommend the top, legal sports betting sites around right now. Compare your options, choose your favorite site, and click through to sign up and claim your welcome bonus.
FAQs
Yes. We’re often happy to recommend new betting sites. However, just like the big brands, these sportsbooks must meet our stringent criteria when it comes to licensing, sports markets and more.
Cashing out means closing a bet before the outcome is known. It can be a great way to cut your losses, or lock in a guaranteed return when the going’s good. While cash out is available at many of the best betting sites, it’s not guaranteed. Be sure to confirm your options before you place bets to avoid disappointment down the line.
They can be. However, you should always carefully manage your expectations of tipsters as there are never any guarantees in the world of sports betting. It’s also advisable to do your own research into, say, the recent form of teams and players so you can place the savviest bets possible.
Yes. In states where they have been legalized, some betting websites and apps come bundled with extra wagering opportunities, such as online casino gaming and daily fantasy sports.
The best sports betting sites in the US tend to offer comparable, competitive odds. That said, it doesn’t hurt to shop around and see what they offer on specific markets. Securing the most favorable odds for your bet slip will result in bigger payouts should your wagers come good.
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