Legal Online Sportsbooks + Sports Betting Sites
Welcome to the best resource on the web to find legal online sportsbooks and how to get started. We developed this site to teach budding U.S. sports bettors about the legal landscape of online sportsbooks, and for experienced bettors to brush up on their knowledge. You might be unaware about how many safe and legal options there are out there, so we will review some of our favorite sportsbooks so you will know which sites to join.
To say that sports betting is popular is a bit of an understatement as it grows by leaps and bounds every year, especially when it comes to betting on the athletes that hit the gridiron every Saturday, Sunday and Monday during Fall. This is where legal betting sites come in to play, allowing players from all over the U.S. to wager on their favorite games. This page will reveal how these legal sports betting sites function, and which ones are currently offering the best action.
Best Legal Online Sportsbooks For 2022
Bovada Sportsbook
Bovada is one of the best legal online sportsbooks. Having been operating for several years, Bovada is home of the 50% match bonus which will give first-time depositors as much as $250 as a welcome bonus.
Users will have no limitations on which betting lines you can play with this bonus. You can deposit with VISA credit, debit or gift cards as well as through wire transfers like Rapid Transfer, Western Union and Moneygram.
Bovada has one of the most extensive lists of betting lines, covering every major sport, most minor sports, and most of the betting lines available. Bovada is one of the best legal sportsbooks online and they are here to serve all your wagering needs.
SportsBetting Sportsbook
SportsBetting.ag is another of the leaders of online sportsbooks. Their sportsbook is one of the easiest to use. No matter what betting type you wanna place you should be able to do so with the utmost simplicity and ease.
This sportsbook applies an unlimited bonus good for up to $1,000 thanks to a 50% match that all deposits receive at this site. Even rebates on losses can be retrieved through SportsBetting.ag.
As one of the top online sportsbook, SportsBetting.ag is also one of the safest of all of the sites. By accepting players from all over the United States and the world, SportsBetting.ag is currently offering players around the globe with an opportunity to bet on sports.
BetOnline Sportsbook
Another of the best online betting sites that are legal for Americans, BetOnline is among the best due to their overwhelming generosity.
They give players a 50% match to $1K dollars, which you can use on a multitude of betting lines. BetOnline is also in the business of giving frequent reload promotions.
Players will be able to collect big money on many of their deposits. BetOnline, by accepting a variety of deposit methods, ranging from credit cards and bank options to e-wallets, makes it easy for players all over the world in order to benefit players.
Additionally, BetOnline offers numerous withdrawal methods that are friendly for players living in the U.S. that need quick access to their funds.
MyBookie Sportsbook
MyBookie has been a staple in the online sportsbook industry based on how consistently good their odds are. They offer competitive odds on just about any sport that you can think of from the NFL, NBA, and other major sports to smaller market sports like swimming, cycling, tennis, boxing, and more.
Aside from the odds that they offer, MyBookie is also well known for the bonuses and promotions that they offer. They offer new users a 100% match bonus of up to $1,000. Following that welcome bonus, they offer a reload bonus of 25% up to $500 on your second deposit.
You are able to access MyBookie from anywhere using any smartphone such as an iPhone, Android, or any smartphone that has internet access.
Other Features Found At Legal Online Sportsbooks
Now that you know the answer to, "Is sports betting legal in the US", it’s time to learn about the amazing features that await you at a U.S. online sportsbook. These sites come up with new and innovative ways to play almost every week, so the features are constantly changing and upgrading. Some super convenient features such as mobile betting and live wagering are mainstays, and add some serious fun to your sports betting experience.
Mobile betting allows you to take the entire sportsbook with you wherever you go. All of the sites that we review offer the mobile option, and there is usually no download required. Simply sign in to your account on your mobile device, and you will have access to the sportsbook, your account, deposits, payouts, and everything else. Live betting is another feature that many sites now offer at all times. This allows you to wager on a game as it is happening, while the odds update in real-time right in front of your eyes. This is definitely the most exciting way to wager, and there is no limit to the amount of bets that you can place during a game.
There are plenty of other features besides mobile and live betting, but we don’t want to ruin all the surprises. Check out any of the legit online sportsbooks that we review to see what other exciting benefits are awaiting you. It is free to sign up, and there is nothing to lose.
Are All Legal Online Sportsbooks + Sports Betting Sites Safe?
As long as you choose a reputable site, such as the ones we review, you can be sure that it is safe. Most of these sportsbooks that are legal have been in operation for decades, growing in professionalism and in numbers of members. Along the way, these sites have accrued numerous accolades from giants in the US sports media world, including ESPN and FOX Sports. Online sportsbooks don’t receive this kind of praise from multi-billion dollar conglomerates without being safe.
No member of any of the prestigious sportsbooks we review has ever been a victim of identity theft, stolen or lost funds, or any other kind of cyber-attack. Sites that allow security breaches are promptly taken down because, once one member hears about such a thing, all of the rest of the players cancel their accounts. The unsafe sites then fade away quickly. This means that signing up at a reputable site that has been around for a while is the best idea. These sites keep their security software up-to-date, and can afford to use the absolute best programs that are available. You can be sure that choosing any of the sites we review means choosing a safe and prestigious online sportsbook.
State And Federal Sports Betting Laws
There are three laws that govern legal sports betting in America. These all happen to be federal laws, meaning that individual states do not generally have anything to say about sportsbooks. This is a great thing because, as long as an online sportsbook is okay federally, anyone in America can usually use it. The federal laws that you should know about are the Wire Act, the PASPA, and the UIGEA.
What Is The Wire Act?
The Wire Act was invented way back in 1961 in order to battle organized crime that pervaded the wagering world. These days, the truncated law only affects sportsbooks by restricting the transfer of wagering information between states. Since none of the legal sportsbooks that you will be using operate in America, they are not affected by the Wire Act.
What Is PASPA?
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 is a federal law that decides which states are able to offer sports betting events. You may wonder why you can’t find a legal sportsbook in your town, and the PASPA is reason why. This law only allows four states to offer their own sportsbooks, these states being Nevada, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon. Out of them, only Nevada and Delaware actually take the PASPA up on its offer. Luckily, the legal betting sites all operate outside of America, where the PASPA has no jurisdiction. There is no law against using these sites, which is why millions of Americans wager on their favorite teams every day.
What Is The UIGEA?
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is the last law that you need to know about. Despite the gloomy title of the Act, this law has little effect on online sportsbooks. The UIGEA only regulates funding methods. All this amounts to is that you will not find a sports betting site that offers credit/debit payouts. You can, however, use a card to make a deposit; it’s only withdrawals that are affected. This is not a problem because these sites offer many fast and efficient payout methods that millions of members use every day. That’s it, those are the three laws to know about. As you can see, online sportsbooks that operate outside of the U.S. and offer alternative payout methods are legal and safe for you to use.
Is It Legal To Bet Sports Online In The US? Will I Get In Trouble For Internet Wagering?
Whether you are looking to bet on live UFC fights or engage in future betting on the Olympics, you have options that are legal. The legal status of using these sportsbooks and betting sites should be looked at in two parts:
First of all, players or visitors should see that all of the legal online sportsbooks have the proper licensing and accreditation from the country in which they hail. All of the betting sites have received licensing in order to operate legally - at least in their country of origin. Also, make sure to check the legal sports betting age in your state before signing up.
Another requirement that must be met is the possibility of legal sports betting in the jurisdiction from where you are playing. If online sports betting is illegal in your country, state, or province, or municipality, you may not want to jump into the sports betting. Be sure to consult your local laws before you make a decision before you start to bet on sports online.
Once you feel comfortable with the idea of betting online, we encourage you to choose any of the sportsbooks we have listed below as we know the service they bring to the table and the product they offer very well. We have taken a few moments to put together some short sportsbook reports on these sites so you can learn more about what each can offer plays that seek a safe and legal atmosphere for making wagers on sports.
How To Find Legal Sportsbook Deposit Methods For U.S.A. Players
Besides the obvious place to start which would be signing up for an account, players in the U.S. need viable ways in order to get funds into their betting accounts if they want to actually win money when they win their bets.
Without the ability to deposit, Americans would be better off using sportsbooks to reference current betting lines for whatever event and then write their picks down on a piece of paper... however, that could only make you mad because you are almost guaranteed to win 90% of your practice wagers.
Unfortunately, sports betting is where most of the attention falls when it comes to the discussion of online gambling and therefore sportsbook deposit methods are perhaps even more limited than other forms of gambling like casinos and poker rooms.
Top Sportsbook Deposit Methods
Credit Card Sportsbook Deposits - Major credit cards are typically accepted from Americans because most U.S. residents have at least one or access to one. Of these major cards accepted VISA leads the way followed by American Express followed by MasterCard. These offer players a chance to make instant deposits which are why Americans turn to their plastic before the other sports betting deposit methods that follow.
Wire Transfer Sportsbook Deposits - Using a wire transfer to deposit into a sportsbook is a great way for players in the U.S. to send payments to their betting accounts with cash when the transfer is sent in-person. Americans can also send wire transfers online through the use of a credit card but know that deposit fees are higher when using this method.
Checks + Money Order Sportsbook Deposits - If bettors find that electronic methods fail to meet their needs or just will not work, they can always turn to the mail by sending a bank draft to the website in order to fund their account. This method does have one drawback and that is the fact that it does take a little bit of time for the money to arrive, clear the sportsbook's bank and be credited to the depositor's sports betting account.
E-Wallet Sportsbook Deposits - Also known as an electronic wallet, using this method is similar to how you would pay for something on eBay using PayPal. While the industry giant cannot be used to fund betting accounts thanks to current sports betting laws, there are other services out there that work very similar to PayPal that have many of the same great features that have made the aforementioned e-wallet a leader in the online payment industry.
Other Sportsbook Deposit Methods - There are other options out there for bettors that are trying to make a deposit but they generally involve having an account with funds at another sportsbook or knowing a bettor that has funds in their account at the sportsbook you are using. By allowing users to send funds between sportsbooks and between accounts, sports betting sites make their books more accessible to the bettors that really know the business.
Pro Tip: Outside of credit cards, most of these payment methods can be used for legal sportsbook withdrawals as well.
More About Legal Sports Betting In The U.S.
The prospect of online sports gambling in the United States has always been a subject of heavy debate. Like marijuana laws in Amsterdam, online sports betting is a somewhat confusing prospect. It is illegal to operate an online sportsbook in the USA and it is illegal for payment processors to make transactions but it is not illegal for players to enjoy the sports betting sites located offshore.
As a player you can never get in trouble for betting on sports over the Internet. As such, American players have no worries what so ever when it comes to betting for or against their favorite teams. While some states do still turn a harsh eye toward online sports betting, you shouldn't have a problem as long as you stick to the few that are trusted among US players. The trick is to stay away from all the small bookmakers that have little to no financial backing which couldn't sustain a big hit like sportsbooks have been known to take.
The fact is that there are plenty of legal online sportsbooks for players in the United States. It can be taken as a safe fact that if an online sportsbook takes US players, then it is open to be used by players all over the world. Some of the less democratic nations in the World may restrict access to these betting sites , but in short, you should never be completely unable to find an online sportsbook.
Legal sports betting sites on the web are not only safer than actually going to a legal land-based sportsbook but they are infinitely safer than an illegal land-based sportsbook like a back-alley bookie. With any of the online sportsbooks found here on LegalOnlineSportsbooks.com, you will invariably find a safer experience for wagering on sports.