The Best Sports Betting Sites – Where to Look?
Finding the best betting sites is part and parcel of a successful online gambling experience. The best sports betting sites will be fully regulated and licensed by an approved gambling body, and those that don’t display their credentials should act as a red flag.
We are an authority within sports betting circles, so we know where to look and what you should be after when finding the perfect betting site. Ultimately, it requires plenty of research, so you should shop around for the odds and compare prices before signing up for a particular operator.
You may wish to sign up for more than one site, but if you’re not so sure about where you’re putting your money, you should reach out. It pays to be cautious in these situations, especially when your security of playing at a site is at stake.
How to Sign up to a US Online Betting Site – A Step-by-Step Guide
Signing up to a US online betting site should be a seamless and stress-free experience. The registration process will largely be the same for most sportsbooks, so here’s a step-by-step guide of how you can join:
- Head to the lobby of your preferred sportsbook, and look for the “Register” button to kick things off.
- Then, fill in the registration form, which will include a series of personal details, such as name, email, home address, and cell number.
- You will then need to verify your email to prove your identity. A member of the sportsbook’s support team will send across a link which you must click on.
- At this point, you will be able to make your first deposit, so choose from the selected banking options, and collect any promo codes too.
- You will now be free to start betting once you have a fully fledged account, so just choose from the selected markets, and see if you can keep your bankroll ticking over with quick wins.
Betting Sites and reading reviews
You can find out about a sports betting site through customer reviews. Sites with a lot of good reviews will be a trusted option. That said, many of the finest sports betting sites and best online betting sites, in general, are very new. Our reviews are always transparent, so you will be equipped with all the key information before signing up to a new betting site.
In-Play Sports Betting
Live betting has been a game-changer for the US online sports betting industry. Essentially in-play betting has become one of the key tools or pieces of armory for a bettor. Essentially, in-play betting works in the same manner as pre-game betting, however, there is one fundamental difference. With in-play betting, the odds will fluctuate as the game unfolds. All our top operators will have in-play betting to some degree. Aside from odds changing, the more sophisticated operators will have a deluge of statistics and graphics to make the markets as immersive as possible.
In-play betting will benefit those sharp bettors who can spot trends or patterns in game, and so will know when to jump in and place a wager or retreat and cash out any potential winnings early.
Betting Sites – Key Tips
Let’s explore how you can gamble effectively. Whether you’re playing football or baseball, there are some key things to keep in mind. Your success will depend on your ability to manage your bets appropriately. Try to consider betting sites from the business owner’s perspective. No one ever wants to start a business that doesn’t turn a profit.
Usually, odds will be slightly skewed in favor of betting sites. This doesn’t mean that you couldn’t win a significant amount of money from time to time, but it does mean that gambling isn’t a reliable way to make your living. At the same time odds aren’t just some made up number. It’s all down to probability and the people/companies that set the odds are very knowledgeable.
Now, some regulations prohibit betting sites from cheating their players or skewing the odds too far in any direction. On the level of the game you’re playing, you can get a pretty clear idea of your odds and trust that the game will stay true to those odds. This is true for sports betting online or hitting digital slots. If the website or company is legitimate, your odds are safe. It’s not the odds you need to consider, so much as your response to the games and the platform.
Betting Sites and a Brief History
The laws on betting sites and the way they are monitored have changed significantly over the past few years ever since PASPA (Professional and Sports Protection Act) was repealed in 2018. However, over the past century, there have been some seismic changes which we have illustrated in our unique timeline:
- 1931 – Nevada is given the green light to legalize betting, including sports. For decades, the state’s casinos had been the only place where bettors could place a sports wager.
- 1951 – Nevada experiences a downturn in sports betting as the federal government imposes a 10% tax rate on money brought in by legal sports gambling in the state.
- 1992 – President George H.W. Bush pushes through and signs PASPA which outlaws sports gambling in states that didn’t already have laws allowing it.
- 2006 – President George W. Bush signs the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which knowingly accepts payments in connection with the participation of a person in a bet or wager on the internet that is illegal under federal or state law.
- 2018 – The Supreme Court strikes down on PASPA, opening the door for states to establish their own set of sports gambling laws.
- 2021 – The first sportsbooks inside a US stadium opens at Capital One Arena in Washington.
- 2021 – Legal sports gambling brings in over $4 billion in revenue – more than a 100% increase on the previous year.
State-run lotteries are now available in 44 U.S. States. Tribal casinos operate in more than half of American states. It’s a safe bet that a dozen large-scale venues are under construction at this very moment. We can find game and card room casinos in most major cities, including plenty of small towns. The government allows a few forms of betting (for charity or the elderly) with little regulation.
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Be Aware of Mind Games
If you enter a casino, you might notice that there are no windows. There’s no source of natural light in most casinos because the house wants you to forget what time it is. Combine artificial light with about two million flashing lights, and it’s easy to slip into a slot machine chair for three hours.
All the sounds, lights, atmosphere, and games are well designed to light up your dopamine receptors. It’s much like walking into a grocery store and entering the bakery section (if cakes and brownies are your things). For whatever reason, our minds are hardwired to respond to those things and crave more of them.
Now, all of those bells and whistles are exciting and they’re what make the casino so fun in the first place. The same is true for these factors in sports betting sites.
You get enticed by the environment, digital or otherwise, and it’s easy to throw money away without thinking twice. Contrary to popular belief, betting sites and casinos don’t want you to throw your mortgage away on a slot machine. They want you to have a good time and spend a little money while you’re at it.
It’s not necessarily the betting site or the casino that gets players hooked, it’s simply the way our brains are wired and the nature of gambling itself.
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Set Limits for Yourself
The best way to combat the rabbit hole of gambling too much is to set clear limits for yourself. Ask yourself how much you are willing to spend. Do this before you enter the betting site and write that figure down. Most sports betting sites link to your bank account, so it’s useful to have a spending account that doesn’t tap into your savings or your important funds. If you link that account to your betting site, you won’t risk slipping up. You should only spend money that you’re able to throw away. All decent sites should express that sentiment in one way or another. When the fun stops, stop!
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Follow Teams and Research Stats
Before you start trying your hand on sports betting sites, make sure you know about the teams you’re betting on. The same goes for individual players and particular games. Sports betting is excellent because you get an estimate of your odds, but the thing you’re betting on, happens in real-time with real people. There’s no way to truly estimate an outcome without knowing a lot about the players in question. Small factors that can’t get accounted for could seriously impact outcomes without changing your betting odds.
Let’s say, for example, that you’re betting on your favorite player to shoot 30 points in the first half of a basketball game. They’re a great player and they’re known to hit 30 points in the first half from time to time, so your odds are pretty good, right? You might also know that they’re having financial troubles, or that their marriage is on the outs. If you’re truly up-to-date on this person’s lifestyle, you could avoid making that before that game, because those personal factors might impact their performance.
The same goes for general trends in team and player history. The more informed you are on the dynamics of the game you’re betting on, the more likely you are to win big. If you become excellent at interpreting the data, you could make a killing! There’s always an element of risk, though, so don’t start thinking you’re going to make a full-time job out of betting.
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Give Yourself a “Fun Check”
A key rule that gamblers should use is called the “fun check.” It’s really simple. Ask yourself if you’re having fun. If you’re gambling and you’re not having fun, then why are you still gambling? If you’re having the best time of your life and you can afford to, then why not ride the wave?
It can be a complicated thing to give yourself an honest answer, though. You might have been having fun forty minutes ago, but now you’re slipping into a dark place. You know that a big win could turn your mood around and lead to the greatest night of your life, but that’s a very risky condition. You know where your line is, though. If you can look at yourself and know that gambling is enhancing your night, your week, or your life, then keep gambling away. If you’re not so sure, why not use some of that money on a nice dinner and call it a night?
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Read tips
Although you shouldn’t always take tips as gospel, most of the renowned sports betting operators we work with will have an army of in-house writers. They will be highly knowledgeable and they will be happy to share any of their insights with you. As you know we also provide plenty of betting tips every week. Sometimes, tips can provide inspiration for your betting slips, so they are worth keeping in mind especially if you want to be kept in the know about your favorite teams.
The most exciting online betting sites – Our recommendations
The best online sports betting site will also be the most exciting. Let’s run through three of the best sites for playing at:
BetMGM
This betting behemoth stands heads and shoulders above many of its rivals, and that is part down to the quality of the live streaming platform. Whether you wish to catch your favorite NFL or NBA team, you won’t have any trouble finding it here. Many sportsbooks have worked tirelessly on their mobile apps, and the same applies to BetMGM. It features a simple interface, and players can navigate their way to their favorite markets in a matter of moments. With frequent promotions and bonuses available too, then BetMGM should be your first port of call.
FanDuel
If you want to feast your eyes on the best DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) markets, then FanDuel will be to your liking. You will find tons of contests and drafts, so you can pit your wits and test your knowledge against your friends. This clean-cut sportsbook has an impressive geographic footprint and the operator provides some of the most competitive odds, making it one of the top sports betting sites. Oh, and if you like a same-game parlay, FanDuel facilitates this too. You just need to look for the green “SGP” icon next to the game matchup.
PointsBet
PointsBet is newer compared to many of its rivals, but it has an ace up its sleeve – points betting. This will yield greater rewards for players the more often customers are right and it can be used for game spreads and game totals. Live betting is available for hundreds of markets and there is a Cash Out function too. PointsBet is continuing to grow and it is one of those online betting sies you should pay close attention to.
Sports Betting Sites – Which States Have Them?
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | mid-late 2022 |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes |
| Delaware | No |
| Florida | Yes, with continuous legal challenges |
| Illinois | Yes |
| indiana | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes |
| Louisiana | Yes |
| Maine | Coming in 2022 |
| Maryland | Maryland |
| Michigan | Yes |
| Mississippi | No |
| Montana | No |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes |
| New Mexico | No |
| New York | Yes |
| North Carolina | No |
| North Dakota | No |
| Ohio | Coming in late 2022/ early 2023 |
| Oregon | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes |
| South Dakota | No |
| Tennessee | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes |
| Washington | No |
| Washington D.C. | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes |
| Wisconsin | No |
| Wyoming | Yes |
