Online betting sites make it easy to wager on the NFL, NBA, NHL, college sports, and much more in the US. You can take odds from home or on your smartphone, and many of the best sportsbooks offer generous welcome bonuses to help you get started.
In this guide, we’ll review the top 10 online betting sites and sportsbooks in the US in 2021 and help you decide which one is right for you.
The Best Online Betting Sites List 2021
We tried out dozens of online betting sites, comparing everything from what sports they carry to how favorable their odds are to how easy they are to use. Here are our top 10 picks in 2021:
- BetOnline – Overall Best Online Betting Site in 2021
- MyBookie – Best Online Betting Site for Parlays and Teasers
- Bovada – Best Sportsbook for Live Streaming and Betting
- BetUS – Best Betting Site for Bonus Offers and Promos
- XBet – Top Sports Betting Site for Horse Race Wagers
- Intertops – User-friendly Online Sportsbook with Fast Payouts
- Sportsbetting.ag – Find Hundreds of Wagers for Global Soccer Leagues
- Betnow – Bet on Esports like CS:GO and League of Legends
- GT Bets – Top-rated Mobile Sports Betting Site
- BURS – Favorable Odds on Dozens of US Sports Markets
Best Online Sportsbooks US Reviewed
Let’s take a closer look at the 5 best sports betting sites in the US right now:
1. BetOnline – Overall Best Online Betting Site in 2021
BetOnline is our #1-rated sports betting site in the US in 2021. This sportsbook offers wagers on more than 20 different sports markets, including for leagues like the NFL and NBA, college sports, Esports, golf, soccer, NASCAR, UFC, and much more. We’ve found that BetOnline’s odds are competitive for most sports, and the selection of prop bets is hard to beat if you like variety. Plus, BetOnline offers live in-game betting on most sports, with odds updated in real-time as play unfolds.
BetOnline also stands out as one of the most user-friendly online US sportsbooks we tested. It offers a mobile app so you can wager on the go. It also has a built-in parlay builder to help you create more complex bets with bigger odds. All of this is wrapped into a betting lobby that’s easy to navigate and enables you to quickly find the most popular wagers happening right now.
This top betting site accepts credit cards, debit cards, and a wide variety of cryptocurrencies for payments. New players can qualify for a $1,000 welcome bonus through a 50% match on your first deposit with promo code BOL1000 (minimum odds -200). Plus, returning players can always receive a $250 reload bonus on any deposit. BetOnline also offers a 5% bonus boost whenever you make a deposit with Bitcoin.
BetOnline also offers one of the most popular offshore online casinos available to US players.
Click here to visit BetOnline.
Pros:
- Wide range of sports betting markets
- Live betting and parlay builder
- Very user-friendly platform
- $1,000 welcome bonus
- $250 reload bonus for returning players
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer live streaming or analysis
2. MyBookie – Best Online Betting Site for Parlays and Teasers
MyBookie is one of the best sports betting sites in 2021 for players who want to take long odds. This sportsbook offers a handy parlay builder that makes it simple to set up not only parlays, but also teasers and if bets. Adventurous players can pay for an odds boost to increase their payout if you win, and it’s easy to see how everything on your bet slip is interconnected thanks to MyBookie’s seamless user interface.
MyBookie offers betting on most major sports markets, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, auto racing, golf, tennis, soccer, rugby, and more. For particularly popular leagues like the NFL and NBA, the sportsbook also takes futures bets so you can wager on which teams and players will stand out next season. MyBookie also offers live in-game betting and an incredibly wide range of prop bets for most big matches, although you won’t find much analysis to guide your wagers.
MyBookie accepts cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and Ethereum in addition to debit and credit card payments. This sportsbook offers new players a 100% deposit match welcome bonus up to $1,000 with promo code MYB1000 (minimum odds of -250), as well as a 25% bonus on all account reloads up to $500. You’ll also receive 8% cash back when you bet on horse races with MyBookie.
Pros:
- Excellent parlay builder tool
- NFL and NBA futures betting
- Live in-game betting
- $1,000 welcome bonus
- $500 reload bonus
Cons:
- Very little analysis to help you wager
- No dedicated mobile app
3. Bovada – Best Sportsbook for Live Streaming and Betting
Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for placing live in-game bets. That’s because this is one of the only new betting sites to offer live streaming on its platform. So, with Bovada, you can watch a match unfold on your computer or on the Bovada mobile app (for iOS and Android) and place bets without ever leaving the stream. Bovada’s in-game odds aren’t quite as favorable as what you’ll get from online betting sites like BetOnline, but the convenience and speed of betting while you stream is hard to beat.
Bovada also stands out for taking wagers on some sports markets you won’t find anywhere else. For example, you can wager on skiing, beach volleyball, and futsal at this sportsbook – and that’s in addition to all the major markets like the NFL, NBA, and college sports. Bovada also offers Esports betting on CS:GO, League of Legends, Rainbow Six, Valorant, and Starcraft 2.
This online sportsbook is especially rewarding for players who deposit with cryptocurrency. New players can claim a $750 welcome bonus when you deposit Bitcoin. Use promo code BTCSWB750 and play minimum odds of -200. However, Bovada doesn’t have any standing offers for returning players to claim a bonus when you reload your account.
Pros:
- Live streaming and in-game betting
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Wide range of Esports wagers
- $750 Bitcoin welcome bonus
Cons:
- No ongoing reload bonus offers
- Pricier live betting odds than competitors
4. BetUS – Best Betting Site for Bonus Offers and Promos
BetUS is one of the best sports betting sites for players who want to maximize bonus offers. New players at this sportsbook can claim a welcome bonus worth a whopping $2,500 when you make a deposit with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, or Ethereum. Use promo code SU100CRYPT and play minimum odds of -280.
On top of that, BetUS offers 2 more $2,500 bonuses on your next 2 crypto deposits – for a total of $7,500 in free cash for new players! Even after you use up these welcome offers, BetUS offers a 50% on all crypto reload deposits going forward.
BetUS offers tons of sports markets to play through all that bonus cash. You’ll find wagers for the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college sports, plus betting on soccer, rugby, golf, tennis, motorsports, UFC, Esports, cycling, and much more. This sportsbook makes it easy to bet on live games once they’re underway and we were thoroughly impressed by the range of prop bets available for most big games.
BetUS also has several streaming sports analysis shows on its platform, where you can hear from experts about the current happenings in the NFL, college sports, and more. This is a great way to stay informed while you bet, and you can watch anytime from your computer or the BetUS mobile betting site. There are also analysis shows centered around the NBA and MLB coming soon.
Pros:
- $7,500 in total welcome bonuses
- 50% reload bonus for all crypto deposits
- Live betting with favorable odds
- Stream analysis shows around specific sports
- Mobile betting site available
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer live streaming of games
- 14-day time limit on all welcome bonus offers
5. XBet – Top Sports Betting Site for Horse Race Wagers
XBet is one of our favorite online betting sites for wagering on horse races. That’s because the XBet racebook carries wagers for both harness and thoroughbred racing at tracks in the US, Canada, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The range of races to bet on is hard to beat, and XBet’s odds are very competitive relative to other top sportsbooks.
Of course, XBet also offers attractive odds on a range of other sports markets, including all the major US leagues, global soccer and rugby leagues, golf, tennis, and more. The sportsbook offers spread bets and over/under bets for most NFL and NBA games, which makes it particularly attractive for wagering on these sports. Plus, you can place live in-game wagers and choose from dozens of prop bets for most matches.
XBet offers a $500 welcome bonus for new players with a 100% deposit match. The bonus doesn’t expire and you only have to play minimum odds of -200 – use promo code XB100 to claim the offer. Notably, the sportsbook also offers a 7% cash rebate on all horse race wagers, plus a 25% reload bonus worth up to $250 per deposit.
Pros:
- Bet on horse races from around the world
- 7% rebate on all horse race wagers
- $500 welcome bonus
- Offers live in-game betting
Cons:
- Smaller bonus offers than competing betting sites
Best Sports Betting Sites USA Comparison
| Number of Sports Markets | Welcome Bonus | Live Streaming | Payment Methods | |
| BetOnline | 20 | 50% deposit match up to $1,000 | No | Credit card, debit card, wire transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin |
| MyBookie | 18 | 100% deposit match up to $1,000 | No | Credit card, debit card, wire transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin |
| Bovada | 22 | 100% Bitcoin deposit match up to $750 | Yes | Credit card, debit card, Zelle, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin |
| BetUS | 22 | 125% deposit match up to $2,500 | No | Credit card, bank wire, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin |
| XBet | 21 | 100% deposit match up to $500 | No | Credit card, debit card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin |
| Intertops | 17 | 100% deposit match up to $500 | No | Credit card, debit card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Skrill |
| SportsBetting.ag | 16 | 100% deposit match up to $1,000 | No | Credit card, debit card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple |
| BetNow | 10 | 100% deposit match up to $500 | No | Credit card, debit card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash |
| GT Bets | 18 | 100% deposit match up to $500 | No | Credit card, debit card, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ripple |
| BUSR | 17 | 20% deposit match up to $500 | No | Credit card, debit card, Bitcoin, Litecoin |
How We Select the Best US Betting Sites
When our team is evaluating online betting sites, there’s a lot to consider. Here are some of the most important factors we look at when choosing the best sports betting sites in the US:
Licensing and Security
Security is priority #1 when we’re trying to find the best sportsbooks online. After all, if you don’t feel safe or have issues accessing the money in your account, you’re not going to be thinking much about what game to bet on. All of the online betting sites we reviewed use encryption and identity verification to keep player accounts safe.
Number of Betting Markets
After security, the next thing we look at is the range of betting markets that a sportsbook offers. Top sports betting sites like Bovada and BetUS each offer 22 different markets along with tons of prop bets for most games.
Bonuses & Promos
Welcome bonuses and ongoing reload bonuses are a big draw for many online betting sites. As they should be – at sites like BetUS, bonus offers can add up to more than $7,500 in free cash. We look carefully at each sportsbook’s bonus offers, including the terms and conditions that govern how you can use them.
Live Betting & Streaming
Live betting is now a standard feature at all the best betting sites in the USA. It makes wagering much more exciting since you can bet while the action unfolds. Some online betting sites like Bovada also offer live streaming so you can watch games on your computer or smartphone.
Loyalty Scheme
Some online betting sites have rewards programs or VIP programs to give loyal players a boost. Other sports betting sites, including MyBookie and BetOnline, offer reload bonuses instead to reward players for coming back.
Payment Methods
Making deposits and withdrawing your winnings at your betting site should be easy. We look for betting sites online that offer a wide range of payment methods, including cryptocurrencies, and that can make most payouts in less than 48 hours.
Mobile Betting
Betting on the go is more popular than ever, so it should come as little surprise that many of the best sports betting sites now offer mobile betting sites and apps for iOS and Android. The app experience should be seamless and give you access to all the same betting markets as you’d get on desktop.
Customer Service
It’s essential that you can get in touch with a human quickly if you ever need help with your account. Many of the best sports betting sites including our top pick, BetOnline, offer 24/7 customer support by phone, email, and live chat.
Guide to American Sportsbooks
If you’re new to sports betting in the US, there’s a lot to know. To help you get started, we’ll cover all the basics about how sports betting in the US works, what types of bets you can place, how odds work at the best sportsbooks, and more.
Are Online Sportsbooks Legal in the US?
Whether or not online sportsbooks are legal in the US depends on where you are. As of the end of 2021, there is legal online sports betting in 16 states:
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- New Hampshire
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Tennessee
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Colorado
- Wyoming
- Nevada
- Arizona
- Oregon
A handful of other states, like Washington and New York, offer legal in-person sports betting, but not online sports betting. In around 16 states, sports betting is not legal in any form.
The spread of sports betting in the US is a relatively recent development, enabled by a Supreme Court decision in 2018 that struck down a federal law against sports gambling. Let’s take a brief look at how sports wagering has spread across the country:
- 2012: New Jersey became the first state to approve sports gambling, which kicked off a lawsuit against the federal government’s prohibition on sports betting nationwide.
- 2018: After years of legal battles, the US Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports betting. As a result, each state was left to decide whether to legalize sports betting.
- 2018: Delaware became the first state to legalize in-person sports betting, and New Jersey became the first state to legalize online sports betting. Mississippi followed suit shortly afterward.
- 2019: Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Oregon legalized sports betting
- 2020: Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Montana, Washington, and South Dakota legalized sports betting.
- 2021: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Wyoming launched online sports betting.
Offshore Sportsbooks
No matter what state you’re in, offshore sportsbooks offer an alternative to state-approved sports betting sites. Since these betting sites are located outside the US, they don’t have to follow state laws and can offer wagers in any state.
Offshore sportsbooks aren’t legal to bet with since they’re not licensed and approved by state gaming commissions. However, the best offshore sportsbooks have been around for decades, and they are used by millions of Americans to place sports bets. Enforcement of online gaming laws has traditionally been lax even though these online betting sites are not legal.
What Sports Can You Bet On Online?
The range of sports to bet on with betting sites like BetOnline is enormous. To start, you can wager on all the major US sports leagues – that is, the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
You can also bet on college sports, golf, tennis, soccer, NASCAR, UFC and MMA, and even cycling and skiing. Most major online betting sites also take wagers for international sports like rugby, Aussie rules football, Canadian Football League, and cricket.
Of course, you can also bet on horse racing online. Sites like XBet carry races from tracks around the world, including both thoroughbred and harness races.
More recently, Esports betting has become a popular market. You can bet on tournaments for games like CS:GO, League of Legends, Overwatch, and more.
Types of Betting Markets
An important thing to understand about sports betting is that there are many different types of bets you can take. We’ll explain some of the most popular types of sports wagers:
- Moneyline: A moneyline bet is simply a wager on which team or player will win a match. This is the most popular type of bet for most games.
- Over/Under: An over/under bet is a wager on whether the total final score of a match will be over or under a certain threshold set by the sportsbook. You can also find over/under betting for other outcomes, such as the score at halftime or how many points a particular player will score.
- Spread: Spread bets let you wager on the difference in final score between two teams. The spread must be greater than or less than a threshold set by the sportsbook.
- Parlays: Parlay bets let you combine 2 or more bets into a single wager. For a parlay bet to win, all the individual bet lines within the parlay must win.
- Correct Score: To win a correct score bet, you must correctly guess the final score of each team.
- Futures: Futures bets are wagers on something that will happen in the future. For example, you could take a futures bet on which NFL team will win next year’s Super Bowl.
- Prop Bets: Prop bets, or proposition bets, are bets on events that don’t directly affect a game’s outcome. For example, prop bets might let you wager on how many points a player will score, what the spread will be at halftime, or how many sacks there will be in an NFL game.
How Betting Odds Work
Betting odds control your payout, as well as signal the likelihood that a bet will win in the first place. So, it’s important to understand how they work when placing sports bets online.
Typically, there are 3 ways that you’ll see betting odds written.
Fractional odds show how much you’ll win for every $1 you wager. For example, odds of 7/2 mean that if you wager $2 and win, you’ll receive $7 plus your initial $2 back.
Decimal odds indicate your total payout, including the amount you receive back from your wager. Odds of 3.7, for example, mean that you’ll win $3.70 for every $1 you bet.
American odds are more complicated. The favored outcome in any wager is indicated by a – sign and the number indicates how much you need to wager to win $100. So, odds of -250 mean that you need to wager $250 to win $100 (plus get your initial $250 wager back).
The underdog is indicated by a + sign, and the number indicates how much you will win if you wager $100. So, odds of +200 mean that if you wager $100, you’ll win $200 (plus get your initial $100 wager back).
Comparing odds between online betting sites can be tricky, since odds will vary for every match and every bet. That said, you can save a lot of money and increase your chances of winning if you find a betting site that offers more favorable odds than the competition for your favorite sports.
Sportsbook Bonuses
Bonus offers at online betting sites can add up to a significant amount of money. At BetUS, for example, new players can claim up to $7,500 in bonus cash to jumpstart their wagers.
Importantly, there are a few different types of bonus offers you’ll see at sports betting sites. Let’s take a closer look at how each type of offer works:
Free Bets
Free bets require you to make a deposit to your account and then enter a wager. If your wager wins, you get to keep the payout just like you would for any other bet. If your wager loses, though, the sportsbook will reimburse you for the money you lost – so you don’t lose any money after all.
Matched Deposits
Deposit match bonuses are the most common type of welcome bonus at top sportsbooks. With this type of offer, the size of your bonus is directly tied to the size of your first deposit. At BetOnline, for example, new players receive a 50% deposit match bonus up to $1,000. So, if you deposit $2,000, you’ll get $1,000.
Risk Free Bets
Risk free bets allow you to start wagering without depositing any money to your account. The sportsbook will give you cash to bet with instead. If you win, you can use the payout to keep wagering. If you lose, it’s up to you whether you want to deposit money to keep playing or simply walk away.
Sportsbook Bonus Terms & Conditions
Before you claim any sportsbook bonus offer, it’s essential that you understand the terms and conditions these offers come with. Here are some of the most important terms to check for:
- Wagering Requirement: A bonus wagering requirement is the amount you need to wager relative to the size of the bonus before you can withdraw your money. At BetOnline, the wagering requirement is 10X. So, if you claim a $1,000 welcome bonus, you must wager $10,000 before you can withdraw your cash.
- Minimum Odds: Many bonus offers come with minimum odds, which are the lowest odds you can use your bonus funds to wager on. This means that you have to wager on narrow favorites or underdogs most of the time when using bonus funds.
- Time Limit: In some cases, you may have a limited amount of time to play through your bonus funds and meet the wagering requirement. At BetOnline, for example, the time limit for the welcome bonus is 30 days. If you don’t meet the wagering requirement within that time, the bonus will be removed from your account.
Mobile Sports Betting Apps
Mobile sports betting apps make it easy to wager from anywhere using your smartphone. Many of the top online betting sites now offer dedicated apps for iOS and Android devices, including BetOnline, Bovada, and BetUS. Other sites, like MyBookie and XBet, have mobile betting sites that you can access from any smartphone browser without a download.
New US Betting Sites
As states across the US have begun legalizing online gambling, new betting sites have been popping up with increasing frequency. New betting sites can offer bigger welcome bonuses and more favorable odds to attract players, but it’s important to evaluate them carefully before signing up.
Most of the betting sites we recommend have been around for years and have a strong track record with players.
Live Betting & Streaming
Live in-game betting is now a must-have feature for top online sportsbooks. You’ll find it at all of the online betting sites we recommended, including BetOnline, MyBookie, and Bovada.
Live betting is so important because it brings a whole new element to online sports betting. Instead of only betting ahead of a game, you can wait to see how the action unfolds before placing a bet. Odds are updated in real time, which makes for an exciting back and forth between bookies and players throughout a match.
Live streaming is still relatively rare among online sportsbooks – of the sites we reviewed, only Bovada offers it. However, this feature can offer a huge advantage for live betting since you can bet and watch a game unfold all in the same place.
Online Betting Payments & Withdrawals
Depositing money into your sports betting account and withdrawing your winnings should be as easy as possible. All of the online sportsbooks we reviewed accept debit cards and credit cards, and most accept cryptocurrencies. BetOnline, for example, accepts Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum, and Litecoin. BetUS and Bovada even offer extra bonuses when you deposit cryptocurrency.
Another important thing to consider when comparing payments across online betting sites is how quickly they pay out and what the minimum withdrawal size is. At Bovada, you can withdraw as little as $10 at a time and get paid in under 24 hours in most cases. At BUSR, on the other hand, you must withdraw at least $100 at a time and it can take up to 5 days to get paid.
How to Get Started with a Top Online Sportsbook
Ready to start betting with the best online sportsbook? We’ll show you how to set up an account and place your first wager with BetOnline, our top-rated pick in 2021.
Step 1: Create a BetOnline Account
The first step to wagering with BetOnline is to create a sports betting account. Head to the online betting site and click ‘Join Now.’ Then enter your name, email, phone number, birthday, and a password for your account.
Step 2: Verify Your Email
As part of the account setup process, BetOnline requires you to verify your email address. Check your inbox for an email from BetOnline and click on the link inside to complete this step.
Step 3: Fund Your Account
Next, it’s time to add funds to your BetOnline account. You can pay with credit card, debit card, bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Remember that BetOnline offers a 50% deposit match on your first deposit up to $1,000 – use promo code BOL1000.
Step 4: Start Betting
Now you’re ready to place your first bet with BetOnline. Look through the lobby for the match you want to bet on, then click on it to see the full list of wagers. Just click on the bet you want to take to add it to your bet slip.
On your bet slip, choose how much you want to bet on each line. When you’re ready, click ‘Place Bets’ to submit your wagers and then sit back and watch the game.
Top 5 Sports Betting Tips
Whether you’re new to sports wagering or an experienced bettor, these 5 tips can help you develop a strategy to win consistently and have fun betting on sports.
- Watch before betting: While it can be fun to jump into new sports, you’ll have the most success by betting on sports you know well. Take the time to watch a lot of games so you understand what each teams’ strengths and weaknesses are, how likely upsets are, and what can turn the tide of a match.
- Take advantage of live betting: Live betting allows you to see how a match is going before you take a side. That’s a huge advantage for bettors, since you can adjust course if the favorite is having an off night or the underdog is punching above their weight.
- Compare odds: It helps to have accounts at multiple sportsbooks so that you can bet with whichever bookie has the best odds for a given match. Different sportsbooks can especially differ in the odds they offer for niche sports or prop bets.
- Try parlays: Parlays can be tough to win since you have to win multiple bets. However, they can offer much higher-paying odds than individual bets. So, one winning parlay can make up for a lot of losing wagers.
- Don’t get emotional: Emotion is a huge part of sports, and it’s easy to let that affect your betting. But if you want to win consistently, it’s important to stay clear-headed about which team has the upper hand and not let a compelling underdog story get the best of you.
Conclusion
Online betting sites make it easy and fun to bet on your favorite sports. Thanks to our guide, you know everything you need to get started betting in the US and to choose the best online sportsbook.
We especially recommend BetOnline, which offers a seamless user experience, a huge range of betting markets, and a $1,000 welcome bonus for new players. Use promo code BOL1000 to claim your welcome bonus today!
FAQs
Can you bet online in the US?
Around 16 states have legalized online sports betting in the US. You can also bet online with an offshore sportsbook, although it’s not legal to wager with these sites.
What betting sites are legal in the USA?
The betting sites that are legal in the US vary from state to state. For example, DraftKings is legal in New Jersey, but not in Oregon. Offshore betting sites are available in all states, but they are not legal to bet with in any state.
Where can I bet on sports in the US?
You can bet on sports with online betting sites like BetOnline, MyBookie, and Bovada. You can also bet with state-approved betting sites or at retail sportsbooks, depending on your state’s gambling laws.
What is the best online sportsbook in the US?
We think BetOnline is the best online betting site in the US right now. It offers wagers on a huge range of sports markets, a user-friendly platform, competitive odds, and a $1,000 welcome bonus for new players.
What US states have legal sports betting?
Sports betting is legal in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
