Our brief guide to the best US sportsbooks
US citizens have access to some fantastic gambling platforms. Admittedly, the choice is more limited than in some other countries, due to gambling regulations differing by state. However, there are some amazing sportsbooks that allow you to place bets, have some fun with your friends and keep track of your favorite sporting events. In this guide, we look at how to pick the best US sportsbooks that will give you the most enjoyable sports betting experience.
Variety of sports and events covered
Top sports platforms also offer amazing coverage for all major sports and events. Obviously, how important this is to you, depends on your interests! For example, you may only care about the NBA and want to place bets on stars such as Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.Â
Alternatively, you may love sports in general, and enjoy watching numerous different events. If so, you would prefer a sportsbook that covers many different sports and tournaments. We would expect platforms to offer bets on the most popular sports, such as basketball, American football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and rugby.
Also, we would expect the most important tournaments to be covered. These would include the NBA Playoffs, Super Bowl, UEFA World Cup, Ryder Cup and Wimbledon, for example.
Licensing and regulations
One of the first factors we advise checking when looking at the best sportsbooks in the USA is licensing. We recommend never using a sportsbook that is unlicensed – that is asking for trouble! In the US, there are numerous state regulatory bodies.Â
Each regulatory body, such as the Nevada Gaming Commission, is responsible for distributing licenses to online casinos and sportsbooks. A sportsbook must meet set criteria and adhere to specific practices in order to obtain a license. Therefore, if you see that a sportsbook has a license, you can be assured of their quality and fair practices. Licensing information is usually displayed at the bottom of a gambling website, in the website footer.
Selection of bets available
While the range of different sports and tournaments available is important, so are the types of bets. If you want to have fun while watching your favorite team, you want to be able to place different types of bets – not just a boring bet on the overall outcome of a match or event!
Many US sportsbooks offer an amazing selection of bets on individual events. For example, with the NBA, there could be hundreds of different in-game bets. These could include things like the overall score of each team, score by quarter, top scorer, most three-pointers made and most free throws made.
Having access to a larger variety of bets like this can make watching a game that much more enjoyable – it immerses you in the event and causes you to concentrate and take more notice!
Promotions and bonuses
Everyone loves a promotion or free money! While this shouldn’t be the main factor you look for, we do advise checking out the promotions and bonuses each sportsbook has available.
Most US sportsbooks will provide some type of welcome offer. This could be a free bet, a deposit bonus or a risk-free bet, for example. The sportsbook will usually have a dedicated promotions page. Spend some time reading the promotions so that you understand how you could benefit. Also, make sure that you read the terms and conditions fully, since many promotions have wagering requirements or time constraints.
Payment methods for deposits and withdrawals
Lastly, for convenience, we also advise looking at the payment methods the sportsbook offers. These should include methods for both withdrawals and deposits. Ideally, the platform should support a wide range of payment methods, including debit cards, credit cards, PayPal, bank transfer and e-wallets.
Also, there should ideally be no deposit or withdrawal fees. We would also expect instant deposits – i.e. your money is accessible immediately when you deposit it. Make sure that you also check the withdrawal times – some sportsbooks have slow processing times, which means that you may not get your winnings for many days or even weeks. Essentially, make sure that you can easily make payments and receive winnings at the sportsbook you choose.
We hope you now have a clear idea of what to look for in the best US sportsbooks. The factors mentioned here should clearly separate the best platforms from the pretenders. Selecting the right sportsbook means that you can place bets and have fun while watching American sports with confidence. You can place bets on your favorite teams, and follow major competitions such as the NBA finals, NFL Super Bowl and UEFA World Cup, even from your smartphone.