Where is Online Sportsbook Gambling Legal in the U.S?
There are more and more states offering legal online Sports Betting and you can see which of them allow you to legally wager right here.
The State of your State!
New Jersey
New Jersey was the state that led the legal fight for sports betting in the United States. Without New Jersey, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act may still be in place today. The state legalized sports betting in 2018 following the removal of the act. New Jersey has since become the largest sports betting market in America.
West Virginia
West Virginia was part of the original group of states that legalized sports betting in 2018. West Virginia supported New Jersey in the legal battles involving the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The state has a small market, but many major operators are live in West Virginia.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has become a large sports betting market in a short period. The state started retail wagering in 2018 and followed with online betting in 2019. The state has a large population with avid sports fans, which is necessary for a great wagering market.
Iowa
Mobile sports betting was approved in Iowa on August 15, 2019. It was the 11th state in the nation to approve sports betting and the first in the upper Midwest. Sports betting has become extremely popular in the jurisdiction.
Indiana
Indiana authorized sports betting on May 8, 2019, and the state was able to quickly launch in September. The state’s market has continued to grow because of the excitement generated from its initial football season.
Nevada
Nevada sports betting was given a reprieve during the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act era. Nevada did not have to abide by the law, giving the state a monopoly over sports betting. New Jersey has since passed the state for the largest sports betting market in the United States. However, Nevada still sets the gold standard for recurring success with legal wagering.
Delaware
Delaware acted quickly to legalize sports betting following the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act’s unconstitutional ruling. There is a standard online sportsbook in the state as well as retail sports betting.
Mississippi
In June of 2018, Mississippi sports betting was passed. By the end of the summer, there were 22 retail sports betting locations in the state. However, Mississippi does not allow mobile sports wagering. This could be authorized in the future, but there are no current discussions in the legislature.
New Mexico
New Mexico sports betting is not legalized through a legislative document. Yet, it’s not illegal either so tribal casinos take bets. Online sports betting in New Mexico does not look promising in the future and wagering will likely be limited to tribal properties.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island passed sports betting in 2018. The state was eighth in the nation to pass a sports betting bill. The initial legislation only allowed retail wagering, but this was quickly expanded to mobile in 2019. Sports betting is powered by the Rhode Island Lottery through IGT Technology. Rhode Island is a single-provider state, which is not great for bettors because the sportsbook often juices lines.
Arkansas
Retail sports betting has been legal in Arkansas since 2018 when voters decided to change a constitutional amendment through a referendum vote. The state’s four licensed casinos can accept bets.
New York
Mobile sports betting in New York was legalized in 2021 and the state is preparing to launch. The goal is for betting to go live on December 6, 2021. However, February of 2022 could be a more realistic timeline for New York sports betting. New York could have one of the largest sports betting markets in the United States. This industry should take money away from New Jersey as well.
Tennessee
Mobile sports betting was passed in 2020 in Tennessee. The industry went live on November 1, 2020. Tennessee is one of the only states where operators do not have to be tethered to a retail casino. This has helped the state achieve big sports betting numbers in a short period.
Oregon
Oregon sports betting has been legal since 1989 through the state lottery. The market has expanded drastically, but it’s still a single-operator state. This is one reason why sports betting is not very popular in Oregon. The Scoreboard app is what people can utilize in the state.
Virginia
Virginia sports betting was passed on April 22, 2020. The state did not launch sports betting until January 21, 2021, when FanDuel started taking bets. DraftKings followed along with BetMGM, BetRivers, WynnBet, and Caesars Sportsbook.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire was the 16th state to legalize sports betting in the United States on July 12, 2019. The market went live on December 30, 2019, and it has been a success. New Hampshire only has permitted DraftKings to be licensed in the state. Even though New Hampshire is a single operator jurisdiction, sports betting is still very popular because its DraftKings.
Illinois
Illinois sports betting is one of two states in America that require in-person registration for sports betting. This is likely to change in the near future, but the state has been strict with its rollout. Online sports betting and retail wagering are legal, but to bet on mobile, a person must be within the vicinity of the casino partner. This will change in the coming months based on the state’s regulations.
Michigan
Michigan sports betting launched on January 22, 2021, after being passed in late 2019. Retail betting was live in the state before mobile sports betting occurred. Bets can be placed anywhere in the state and Michigan is expected to become a contender in the legal market. The combination of strong operators, population, and professional sports teams make Michigan a great betting state.
Montana
On May 3, 2019, sports betting was approved in Montana through bill H275. Sports betting launched in March of 2020 and it’s overseen by the Montana Lottery Commission. Sports Bet Montana is the only app that can be used in the state. This is a common reason why states do not perform well with annual sports betting numbers.
Colorado
Colorado has become the New Jersey of the middle portion of the United States. In under one year, Colorado became a top-five sports betting state, and numbers are only rising. Sports betting was legalized on May 1, 2020, and the market has been surging since. There are many top-tier operators and mobile betting is legal statewide.
Washington D.C.
The Washington D.C. sports betting market is growing. The state has one book, GambetDC, which can be used throughout the jurisdiction. BetMGM and William Hill operate sportsbooks attached to the professional sports teams in the state. However, the mobile platforms can only be used within blocks of the stadiums. These operators still do better than GambetDC because of its juiced lines. Sports betting was passed in 2018, but the market did not launch until April of 2020.
North Carolina
North Carolina sports betting is legal at the tribal casinos in the state. Additionally, mobile sports betting is being discussed in the legislature. Yet, there is no indication when sports betting will be available through mobile sportsbooks.
Connecticut
Connecticut sports betting is scheduled to launch by the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022. There will be three operators in the state, including DraftKings and FanDuel. The lottery and two tribal casinos will each receive one mobile skin. Sports betting was passed in the spring of 2021 in the state.
Arizona
Arizona sports betting is expected to be live by September 9, 2021, when the NFL season begins. Arizona sports betting was passed at the beginning of 2021 and the Gaming Department has worked hard to launch rapidly. There will be multiple sportsbooks that have big reputations in the United States going live in Arizona. Professional sports teams and tribal casinos were given the right to offer betting. However, some of the tribal casinos were cut out because there were only 20 licenses up for grabs.
Introduction to Mobile Sports Betting
Sports betting was banned throughout most jurisdictions in the United States since 1992 when Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. A portion of PASPA was implemented to protect professional and amateur athletes.
All PASPA did was give Nevada a monopoly over sports betting in the United States. It also caused many underground bookies to start accepting wagers from the public. As time went on, sports betting became a highly debated topic.
Many state legislatures wanted to legalize sports betting because of the financial return it would bring to a state. However, the professional sports leagues and NCAA wanted to keep wagering out of the United States.
The sports organizations were afraid they would not benefit from the lucrative nature of sports betting. There was ultimately a transition when leagues knew they could prosper, but this did not come for years.
New Jersey was the primary state that led the legal battle against the professional sports leagues. The conversations spanned for nearly a decade before the Professional, and Amateur Sports Protection Act ended up in the Supreme Court.
It was shocking news that PASPA was read by the highest court in the United States. Things became even more substantial when the United States Supreme Court sided with the state, legalizing sports betting.
The court ruled that PASPA was unconstitutional in 2018, and this gave all 50 states the right to pass individual sports betting bills. Many states have taken advantage of sports betting, and the trend is continuing.
In the near future, all 50 states will offer legal sports betting, which is remarkable considering it was not legalized until 2018. State legislatures legalize sports betting because of the hefty tax revenues that accompany wagering.
New Jersey has been a prime example of this fact. The state was the first to legalize sports betting following the unconstitutional ruling of PASPA, and the market has become the largest in the United States.
Many other states have become large markets in a short period, like Colorado, Tennessee, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. The states with the largest populations, most professional sports teams, and most operators tend to fair the best for betting numbers.
Online sportsbooks do the best in the United States because people have the luxury of placing bets on their mobile devices. Convenience makes sports betting easy, and this is why people take advantage of mobile betting.
When dealing with mobile betting, there are many things that you must know to be successful. Online sportsbooks can be very entertaining, but it’s essential to understand all aspects of mobile books before you start gambling.
What Sportsbooks are Available in Your State?
There are hundreds of sports betting operators in the United States attempting to make headway. Some sportsbooks, like DraftKings and FanDuel, have taken over the industry, but there are a multitude of books that you can utilize.
The first thing that you need to know is what books are available in your state. All states have different rules and operators. You may want to use a sportsbook, but this is only possible if the platform is licensed in your state.
Most of the large books like DraftKings and FanDuel are available in all states. These books provide an excellent wagering experience, but there are other platforms that you should take seriously.
It’s advised that you look at what books are live in your state and use as many as you desire. It’s best to test out books to see what you enjoy and see what sites have the best offers. There are no rules with the number of books you can utilize in a state.
You have the opportunity to bet on every book that’s live in the state where you are residing. Additionally, if you are visiting a legal state, you can gamble in these jurisdictions as well.
What are the Rules and How to Sign Up?
After knowing what sportsbooks you would like to try, you need to know if you are legally allowed to bet in your state. Most states have set the age minimum at 21, but some jurisdictions in the United States authorize betting at 18.
However, if you cannot find any information on a state allowing sports betting at 18, the standard age is 21. You do not need to live in a state to place a wager, which is a nice part of sports betting.
You must be within state borders to place a bet on a mobile sportsbook. Sportsbooks use your phone’s GPS software to ensure you are in a legal location. There is no way to maneuver this because if you do not provide your location, a sportsbook will not let you create an account.
If you are in a legal state and of minimum age, you can create an account. Most states let you sign up for a betting platform from your phone. In some states, you may have to venture to a casino or registration location so they can ensure your legality.
This was more common when sports betting was authorized in 2018, but states have gone away from this strategy. You will need to provide your name, address, birth date, and social security number when you register.
The social security number helps sportsbooks ensure that you are legal to play. There is no way around this step, so do not try to register if you are not 21. Once your account has been created, you are free to begin betting on a sportsbook.
After your account is created, place your first deposit and start having fun. Sportsbooks will often give bonuses for new users, which makes your first bets very exciting.
Welcome Bonuses
The sports betting industry is very competitive, and sportsbooks do not have it easy. Hundreds of operators are trying to secure market access in the United States, adding to a competitive industry. The big books have gained a share of the market from their names.
Yet, books are still trying to overtake the big dogs in sports betting. Marketing and player acquisition is critical for sports betting operators, and the primary way this is accomplished is through welcome bonuses.
There are two common welcome bonuses that you will see given on a sportsbook. Operators provide deposit matches or risk-free bets. Deposit matches are the gold standard in sports betting.
Risk-free bets are still admirable, but deposit matches give bettors more of a tangible bonus that can be used on a sportsbook. Deposit matches are when a sportsbook matches your first cash entry up to a certain amount. Many smaller books will match your bets up to $250, but the best books push the envelope.
Some sportsbooks give you deposit matches of $500 or even $1000. With deposit matches, you should take advantage of as many as possible. Create numerous accounts for deposit matches because sportsbooks are giving you free money with these promotions.
Risk-free bets are not very exciting because you may not get to take advantage of these offers. With risk-free bets, the promotion applies to your first wager, but they are not actually risk-free.
These promotions are nearly risk-free for sportsbooks but do not be fooled into thinking you will receive your money back on a sportsbook. If your first bet loses on a sportsbook, you will be given your initial back in free credits.
This credit cannot be taken out of your account, so if you lose with your free credit, you will not receive your money back. Risk-free bets give you the confidence to place a risky wager. Nevertheless, if your first bet hits, you receive nothing on a sportsbook.
Deposit matches are the way to go for new player bonuses. Some books give a combination of deposit and risk-free bets for new players. The more offers that you can receive, the better, but look for deposit matches.
DraftKings Sportsbook is known for having the best welcome bonus in sports betting. The company gives deposit matches up to $1,000 for new players on the site.
There are some under the radar platforms with great bonuses, but you must seek out these books. If you look for the best rewards, it will pay dividends in your early betting because it’s impossible to lose playing with house money.
Sportsbook Design
Not all sportsbooks were created equal when it comes to bonuses, and the same concept applies to the look and feel of a platform. Betting can be very stressful because you have a piece of the action. However, this does mean that the process of betting should be stressful.
When placing a bet on a sportsbook, you want it to be simple. The process of selecting a bet to fill out a slip and pressing confirm should be effortless. If it’s not, you are utilizing the wrong sportsbook.
Some sportsbooks are loaded with ads and promotions, which takes away from the betting experience. Most bettors want options, and the best sportsbooks allow you to wager countless markets. This is a quality you should look for in a book, but it should not diminish the accessibility of the sportsbook.
If the act of placing a bet is hard, move onto a new platform, and your life will become a lot easier. Another important aspect to look at for a sportsbook’s design is the speed of the platform. If a book is constantly lagging, you should try another book.
Lagging sportsbooks are not suitable for bettors because of live wagering, which is becoming a popular betting option in today’s world. Live betting is when you place a bet on a game that is occurring.
When a game is happening, the odds will constantly be changing. If you do not act quickly enough, it will hurt your chances of winning with live betting. Therefore, you do not want to have a lagging sportsbook against you while placing bets.
The quality of a sportsbook’s technology can be undervalued, but you will want to observe it before committing to a platform.
The Markets
Great sportsbooks give you many markets to wager, but this is not a be all end all for a platform. Before you start betting, you should decide what type of sports you want to wager. This will help guide you towards the right sportsbook.
Many European sports betting platforms have attempted to secure market access in the United States. Since these platforms are overseas books, they tend to focus on international sports. This does not mean that they do not offer American betting markets.
If a sportsbook started overseas and did not offer American sports, they would not have much success. All sportsbooks that have market access in the United States cover the major four sports well. These sports are football, basketball, hockey, and baseball.
If you want to wager on soccer, rugby, or Aussie rules football, you may want to rely on an international book that secured market access in the United States. These books will be the best for international soccer and a variety of other sports.
Although, if you are just interested in betting on American markets, you can use any sportsbook. This can be a tough decision because there are so many platforms.
As you can see from the guide, there are many decisions that go into choosing a platform. One good method to utilize when choosing a sportsbook is basing your decision on the number of prop bets.
All sportsbooks will display traditional lines like the money line, point spread, and over/under. Props can determine what sportsbooks care about players. Platforms that give you more props enhance your chances of winning if you utilize the entire sportsbook.
A prop bet is a wager that focuses on a smaller portion of a game or an individual player’s performance. If you bet on a quarterback to throw over two touchdowns in a contest, this is an example of a prop.
Sportsbooks that offer a lot of props are putting effort into helping you win. It’s nearly a lock that if a sportsbook gives a lot of prop bets, it will also have a tremendous display and solid bonuses.
Recurring Promotions
Another important aspect of a sportsbook is the recurring promotions that are offered on sites. Welcome bonuses are great, but these end very quickly, so you need more ammo for free bets. Once sportsbooks attract players, they must maintain them with all the sites that are available to players.
This will become more critical with sportsbooks being added to states and more jurisdictions legalizing sports betting. With recurring promotions, you want to look for frequency. The more bonuses that you are given, the better with recurring promotions.
Common times where strong sportsbooks will give recurring bonuses are around major events like the Super Bowl or World Series. Additionally, sportsbooks may have weekly bonuses that are offered on a given day.
These bonuses will be listed directly on a sportsbook’s bonus section if they happen weekly. Browse this section on all sportsbooks, so you know what the best platform is to utilize.
Quick Payouts
For a mobile sportsbook, quick payouts are very important to players. People bet on sports to have fun and make money. When you do win on your wagers, you want to be compensated quickly. If you do not receive fast payouts, it means a sportsbook is not the best.
There are many banking options offered by sportsbooks that give you rapid payouts. Typically, if you can receive your payment within 24 hours, a book has a strong banking system in place. Some platforms take a week to give you money.
If you come across a book that does not have a 24-hour payout option, move to the next sportsbook. PayPal is one of the fastest methods in the sports betting industry. Not all books are compatible with PayPal, but if a book offers the third-party method, it’s likely a good platform.
Many sportsbooks utilize the same payment method, so find one you like and use it on all accounts. This will make your transition between sportsbooks very smooth.
Safety
Safety is always a concern of people when they are inputting their credit card information and social security number into an online platform. However, legal sportsbooks in the United States are very safe.
If sportsbooks were not safe, they would not be authorized to offer lines in the United States. When a sportsbook seeks market access, they are required to go through rigorous safety measures. This is part of the application process.
A book could be one of the worst when it comes to lines, odds, and design, but your information will be safe. The only way that a sports betting account could be hacked is if someone received your credentials.
Therefore, it’s recommended that you set a strong password. If you have a strong password, it will be nearly impossible for someone to break into your account. Knowing this will give you more confidence gaming on your platform of choice.
Types of Wagers
With online sportsbooks, you want to understand the types of bets you will be offered. The traditional wagers are critical to know before logging onto a sportsbook. There are three wagers included in the traditional list, including the money line, point spread, and total.
These will vary by sports, but the definition of each is the same on all sportsbooks. The money line is when you pick a team straight up to win a contest. The only thing that matters for the money line is that your team has a lead at the end of a contest.
Negative odds will depict favorites on the money line, and underdogs will have positive odds. The lower the odds, the heavier a team is favored in a given contest. If a team has very high odds, they are unlikely to win.
Nevertheless, anything can happen in sports. Therefore, if you place a bet on a heavy underdog that prevails, it will be reflected in your payout.
The money line is the most popular bet on sportsbooks. However, it’s not the best wager to use all the time. There is a lot of value in other parts of sportsbooks. An example of this is with the point spread.
The point spread is one of the best bets in sports because it puts underdogs and favorites on the same playing field. When you choose the point spread, you can wager heavy underdogs to be within a certain number of points.
Favorites have a negative spread, and underdogs have a positive spread. They will each have corresponding odds.
A negative spread means that a team needs to win by that number for a bet to be successful. A positive spread can be translated as being within a certain number. If you bet a team at -6.5, they must win a game by seven for the bet to be successful.
If you take a team at +6.5, they must be within six or win the game for your bet to be successful. The point spread takes a lot of research, but the hard work will pay off if you study.
The final traditional wager on a sportsbook is the total, also known as the over/under. With this wager, you need to choose if the combined score between two teams will go over or under a certain number.
The over and under of a total will have corresponding odds to determine your payout. If you master the terminology behind these three bets, you will be cruising to wins on your sportsbook.
If you are a risk-taker, there are a few more bets that you will likely enjoy on a sportsbook. The first is parlay wagers. This is when you take a group of single bets and combine them on one betting slip, which raises the stakes. The important thing to note with parlays is that all bets must hit for the slip to prosper.
Another wager which you can add to your routine is future bets. Future bets usually have massive odds because you are betting on an outcome that you hope occurs in the future. Betting on a Super Bowl champion before the season begins is an example of a future wager.
No matter what bets you utilize, you will be successful if you study and put in the necessary research. This is key to long-term profits with sports betting.