Top USA Sports Betting Sites: Sportsbooks for US players

Online betting sites provide a fun way to wager on your favorite sports. We evaluate various sportsbooks that cater to bettors from the United States in order to give you an idea of which ones are valuable.

This page gives you an overview of the best online USA betting sites, the types of sports offered, how to make a deposit, and the kind of bets you can make. Our goal is to give you the tools necessary to have the ultimate sports betting experience whether you’re wagering on the Super Bowl, World Series or a regular-season NBA game.

 

USA Sports Betting: How to Choose a Sportsbook

Finding the right sports betting sites for players from the U.S. requires an in-depth review of all major online bookies. Luckily, our experts have done the necessary research for you.

What Criteria do US Sportsbooks Need to Meet?

When we assess U.S.-facing sports betting sites, we use the below criteria as a guide. We call it our “Eight-Point Evaluation” because it addresses the eight most important aspects that the best sports betting sites must have.

  1. Bet offers – What types of bets can you make?
  2. Bonus programs – Does the site offer free bets, deposit bonuses or a rewards program?
  3. User interface – Most of us bet from our phones or tablets, so a betting site must be mobile-compatible, easy to use and look great on a smaller screen.
  4. Deposit and withdrawal options – Funding your account should be an easy process. The same goes for withdrawing your winnings.
  5. Trustworthiness – What is the site’s reputation? Are they known for putting their customers first?
  6. Customer service – Any site that does not offer 24-7 customer service options (chat, email, phone) is not worth your time.
  7. Currency – Does the website allow you to wager in American dollars (USD)?
  8. Languages – Is the site available in English and Spanish?

Best Online Betting Sites for American Bettors

Some sports betting sites have been offering online wagering for USA sports fans for over a decade. Their products are well developed and offer a wide range of sports and types of bets, along with special deals and promotions.

The main focus in the USA is on the Big Four sports: football (NFL), basketball (NBA), baseball (MLB) and hockey (NHL). You’ll also find college football, college basketball, horse racing, soccer, motorsports (NASCAR, Formula 1), golf, combat sports (UFC, MMA, boxing) and tennis (men’s, women’s). Some online betting sites geared toward American bettors also offer odds and lines on politics and entertainment.

Type of Bets Offered at USA Sportsbooks

The best legal sports betting sites in the USA will offer a wide array of betting options.

Moneyline

To make a moneyline bet, you simply need to pick a Sportsbook. If the Red Sox are playing the Yankees, you would need to choose which of the two teams you think is going to win the game straight up.

Point Spread

The point spread is a number set by oddsmakers. Your role as a bettor is to pick which team you believe will cover the spread. For example, if the New England Patriots are playing the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl, the spread will look something like this:

Patriots -3.5

Cowboys +3.5

This means that New England needs to win by four or more points to cover the spread. On the other hand, Dallas needs to win the game outright or not lose by more than three points.

Totals

A totals bet requires you to determine if the total combined score for both teams will go OVER or UNDER the oddsmaker’s set number. Let’s pretend that the LSU Tigers are playing the Oklahoma Sooners as they did in the 2004 Sugar Bowl. The total could be set at 60.

If you believe the total score will be more than 60, then you would bet the OVER. If you believe the total score will be less than 60, you would bet the UNDER. Should the total score hit 60 exactly, it’s called a PUSH and your money would be refunded.

Futures

The good thing about wagering at USA sports betting sites is that you can bet on major events and player milestones that will happen down the line. This is called a futures bet.

You can bet on which team will win the World Series months before the matchup is set. You can also wager on things like which NFL player will record the most sacks, which NHL goaltender will win the Vezina Trophy, which NBA player will have the most assists and which pitcher will win the Cy Young Award.

Props

A prop bet is a wager made on specific instances that don’t necessarily correlate with the outcome of a game. For instance, the coin toss before the game, the color of Gatorade poured on the winning Super Bowl coach, or will Player X have 32 points in their next game are all examples of commonly seen prop bets. Props tend to lean toward the entertaining side of the gaming industry since they are based on more fun options.

Parlays

A parlay bet combines several bets into one ticket. You can incorporate a point spread bet on the Steelers vs Eagles with a moneyline bet on the Dodgers vs Royals. Some online sports betting sites allow bettors to make parlays with 10 or more teams. With this type of wager, keep in mind that all bets must hit in order for you to win your parlay.

Besides the above betting types, you’ll find teasers (moving the point spread in your favor) and live betting (betting on games in real time).

Bonuses and Promotions

The best online betting sites in the USA compete with one another to gain customers. To attract new bettors from the United States, they offer welcome packages that often include deposit bonuses or free bets.

Moreover, the best sites try to keep their current clients happy by providing loyalty programs and sport-specific promotions like $20 worth of free bets if you create a baseball parlay ticket.

How to Ensure That an American Betting Site is Worth Your Time

Any of the sportsbooks we recommend on Odds Shark are top-rated. We only recommend legal betting sites in the USA that are trustworthy, secure and highly respected in the online gambling industry. Brands that have been looking after their customers for many years and maintain good reputations within the online sportsbook industry are the ones to choose.

Finally, you should make sure that the online betting site you’re using has a customer service department that is reachable 24-7. If something goes wrong with your account, you want to be able to talk to a customer service representative at all hours.

Being able to reach out to an online sportsbook whenever necessary will truly make your betting experience a positive one. Generally, legal gambling sites in the USA provide a live chat option, allowing you to contact them at any time.

How to Deposit at a US Sports Betting Site

Once you’ve decided on a U.S.-facing betting site to use, you’ll need to make a deposit. A popular payment method to fund your sports betting account is your credit card. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are generally accepted at most online betting sites. You can also use prepaid credit cards. Money transfer services like Western Union are also widely used to fund sportsbook accounts.

Cryptocurrency is quickly becoming a go-to for sports bettors looking for an easy deposit and withdrawal option. The majority of sportsbooks that cater to bettors from the United States accept Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash or Ethereum.

When it comes to withdrawing your winnings, time frames vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. It’s important to note that the method you use to make your deposit may not be accepted for withdrawals. Each betting site is different, so look to their withdrawal section for more information.

There are quality U.S. sports betting websites online. As long as you use one of the top-rated sportsbooks geared to American bettors that we list above, you should have no trouble wagering on everything from college football to horse racing.

State betting Guides: Where in the USA is Sports Betting Legal?

Top USA Sportsbooks FAQ

Is online betting legal in USA?

Yes, online betting is legal in the United States of America. You can legally place a bet online in the U.S. While sports betting is legal in many American states, far fewer have realistically set up provisions or given out licenses to authorize sports betting online and mobile sportsbooks, but more are on the way.

Is it safe to bet online?

Yes, it is safe to bet online. Online betting is safe, however you have to take some precautions. Ultimately, it's up to you to ensure your own safety. But there's no doubt that betting online for real money involves some sort of risk, like the obvious risk of losing money on your bets.

What sports can you bet on online in the USA?

What sports you can bet on online in the USA depends on which state you're in but normally, if a state allows legal sports betting, you can wager on all professional sports and most college sports. The more popular sports to wager on are the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF, horse racing, golf, NHL, NASCAR, MMA, and soccer.

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