Best Online Sportsbooks in the United States — Tried & Tested

Expert: Patrik LidinPrincipal Writer and Editor / Head of Content

Experience: Sports Trader, Market Maker, Product Owner Sportsbook, Professional Gambler, Poker Player

Updated: 3 mins ago

Top-rated US Online Sportsbooks

1. FanDuel
2. DraftKings
3. BetMGM
4. Caesars Palace
5. Bet365
6. PointsBet
7. Barstool
8. Betway
9. BetRivers
10. Unibet

Read About the Best US Online Sportsbooks  — Independent Research and Reviews

1. FanDuel US Sportsbook — Best Mobile App and Livestreaming Coverage

🎖️ Rating: 4.5/5

📊 Review & Test Date: 03/05/2024

🏈 Read the Full Review: FanDuel review

✅ Sportsbook Profile: Best Sportsbook App and Livestreaming Coverage

🎁 FanDuel Welcome Bonus: Bet $5+ and get $150 in bonus bets if your first bet is a win (no bonus code required)

🏁 Wagering Requirement: 1x

🛑 Minimum Age Requirement: 21

Micro Review of FanDuel Sportsbook

At the top of the list, we have FanDuel in a tense review battle with DraftKings. FD took the number one spot as the best sportsbook in America thanks to superior design and usability, especially the mobile application, where FanDuel stands out as the best sportsbook app.

We’re not alone in appreciating FanDuel’s greatness. It’s a popular option across the United States with better brand recognition than any other online sportsbook on the market. It’s a modern betting platform with fast registration and sign-on processes and optimal payment options, especially from mobile devices, including instant payouts.

New US bettors can receive $150 in bonus bets by placing a bet worth a minimum of $5. If the wager wins, you receive the bonus bets. This offer may differ in certain states, but it is the general sportsbook welcome offer FanDuel offers as of March 2024.

Key Facts of FanDuel Sportsbook

2. DraftKings US Sportsbook — Best Coverage of American Sports

🎖️ Rating: 4/5

📊 Review & Test Date: 03/01/2023

🏈 Read the Full Review: DraftKings review

✅ Sportsbook Profile: Best welcome bonus and coverage of American sports

🎁 DraftKings Welcome Bonus: Get up to a $1,000 bonus bet if your initial wager settles as a loss.

🏁 Wagering Requirement: For every $25 wagered or played in other DK products, you receive $1 in bonus funds.

🛑 Minimum Age Requirement: 21

Micro Review of DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings pretty much dominates the US online sportsbook market alongside FanDuel for all the right reasons. DK is behind on the second spot by being marginally behind FanDuel in key areas such as usability, sportsbook app performance, odds, and slightly worse alternative lines (on average). Sometimes, DraftKings has better lines than other sportsbooks, which happens more frequently in NBA games.

DraftKings also has extremely strong brand recognition in every US state where online sports betting is legal. It is often one of the first sportsbooks to launch when new states enact online sports betting.

New US punters can receive a valuable no-sweat first bet worth up to $1,000 DK dollars by simply putting $5 into your first wager on the site. If the bet is a loss, you’ll receive the bonus funds. This offer may differ in certain states, but it is the general sportsbook welcome offer DraftKings offers as of March 2024.

Key Facts of DraftKings Sportsbook

3. BetMGM US Sportsbook — Reliable All-Rounder and American Household Name for Casual Punters

🎖️ Rating: 4/5

📊 Review & Test Date: 03/07/2023

🏈 Read the Full Review: BetMGM review

✅ Sportsbook Profile: Good coverage of all sports and an overall reliable platform with high availability

🎁 BetMGM Welcome Bonus: Bet $5+ and get $150 in bonus bets (6 * $25) if your first bet is a loss (no bonus code required)

🏁 Wagering Requirement: 1x

🛑 Minimum Age Requirement: 21

Micro Review of BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM was one of the first sportsbooks to launch when the United States overturned the PASPA Act in 2018. Thanks to a strong brand name that has become synonymous with gambling and entertainment in the US, they’ve expanded their online sportsbook operations to the point where they’re available in most legal states.

While the BetMGM sportsbook is behind FanDuel and DraftKings, it’s well ahead of the other brands on our top list of best sportsbooks, including Caesars Sportsbook and the newly launched Bet365. On a side note about Bet365, as its sportsbook becomes available in more states, we’ll rank it higher than the number five position.

BetMGM has everything a US bettor needs: a deep betting menu, average to slightly above-average odds, and many alternative lines. However, they rarely offer the best odds, and the closing line is usually worse than other bookmakers. What’s good is that they have comprehensive coverage, including foreign sports and leagues. They have modern registration and login flows and a wealth of fast and secure banking options.

New US punters can receive $150 in bonus bets by placing a minimum wager of $5 as their first bet. If the bet is settled as a loss, you receive six $25 bonus bets. This offer may differ in certain states, but it is the general sportsbook welcome offer BetMGM offers as of March 2024.

Key Facts of BetMGM Sportsbook

Sportsbooks Guides by State

As more states legalize online sports betting, we’re seeing a rapid expansion of sportsbooks across the United States. Thanks to our coverage of online betting, we have created comprehensive sportsbook guides for each state where sports betting is legal.

Find out about the state specifics, partnerships between sportsbooks and local sports teams that have created unique markets and betting opportunities, local promotions, and more.

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania

By Gamblers for Gamblers

A qualified sportsbook expert writes all sportsbook advice and recommendations on this page. In this case, it’s Patrik Lidin. He is a professional gambler and verified sportsbook expert. Additionally, the content is fact-checked, and all information is vetted by JustGamblers’ gambling expert review board members.

Our Sportsbook Rating Methodologies and Review Process

All the content and sportsbook recommendations on this page are based on exhaustive reviews that follow our rigorous sportsbook rating methodology and adhere to our editorial guidelines. Below is an overview of how we review and rate betting sites. Please refer to the rating methodologies page for in-depth information on each step.

1. Responsible Gambling
2. Safety
3. Trust and Reputation
4. Usability
5. Bonuses
6. Payments
7. Technology
8. Mobile Gaming
9. Customer Care
10. Odds Quality
11. Betting Markets
12. Live Betting
13. Betting Features
14. Sports and League Coverage
15. Sports Betting Providers

Find the Best Sportsbook on Your Own — What To Look For

JustGamblers specializes in testing, reviewing, and rating online sportsbooks, and our gambling backgrounds and history have provided us with the necessary experience to assess and advise accurately.

I’ve been around gambling my entire life, engaging with sports betting, horse racing, and online poker on amateur to professional levels, and then moving on to building sportsbook products for punters. Needless to say, I know a thing or two about sportsbooks and betting after around 20 years of interacting with them in different roles. I’m responsible for creating the rating and review process referenced earlier, and I’ll advise you on how you can pick your next sportsbook based on similar criteria.

Make Sure It’s a Legal US Sportsbook

Avoid offshore and illegal sportsbooks because they do not provide adequate consumer protection or care about responsible gambling as much as regulated sportsbooks from the US. You also risk having your account frozen and funds seized with few options to reclaim it since local authorities can’t do much.

In other words, ensure the sportsbook you pick has adequate local licensing from your state licensing body, allowing them to provide services online. This way, you benefit from legal betting while being secure and adequately looked after by operators and the US government.

Another benefit of licensed sportsbooks is that the regulatory requirements primarily revolve around security and safety aspects, which means that a valid license doubles as proof of adequate safety and security.

Check How Good the Sportsbook Offering Is

Our reviews highlight key numbers from the sportsbook, including the number of sports, leagues, events, and markets available for betting. Unless you plan to bet on all sports, this isn't necessarily a key indicator. For us, it’s necessary to include information about the overall offering in reviews because we must inform all types of punters, not just those interested in betting on American football. You should evaluate the sportsbook offering based on what sports and leagues you’re most interested in.

If the sportsbook menu is only available after signing up, just create an account for free and check how good the offering is based on your requirements. If you’re primarily interested in college sports* and the NBA, then dig into the menu and check if the sportsbook has everything you need:

• Good sports coverage, including in-play betting.
• Lots of markets, including livebetting.
• Livestreaming rights to show the matches you’re interested in.
• Exclusive promos like SGPs, odds boosts, and acca boosts.
• Partnerships with local teams enable the sportsbook to provide exclusive betting options for what you’re interested in.

*If you plan on betting on college sports, you should also check the legal availability of college odds because some states do not allow it. Our sports betting guide provides an overview of this.

Evaluate the Odds to Get the Most Out of the Sportsbook

While most people don’t care that much whether a sportsbook has a one—or two-percent lower margin, it does make a massive difference during a season of betting on the NBA, especially if you’re doing it year after year.

The sportsbook margin weighs heavily on the odds quality, and if a sportsbook has a 4.71% margin on the NBA, for example, then you might have:

• Golden State Warriors to win at -109 at Sportsbook Operator #1.

Compared to another sportsbook that has a 6.95% margin on the NBA, the same match and market would have:

• Golden State Warriors will win at -114 at Sportsbook Operator #2.

If you wager every other day on the NBA with $100, then the theoretical return for each bet is:

• Sportsbook Operator #1, with a 4.71% margin on NBA, will give you a return of $191.70, a profit of $91.70.
• Sportsbook Operator #2, with a 6.95% margin on NBA, will net you $187.00, a profit of $87.00.

That’s a $4.70 higher profit for the same bet in Sportsbook 1, which equals a 5.4% higher win. This doesn’t make a huge difference when looking at a single bet. But if you consider that, you’d bet regularly throughout a season with a $10,000+ turnover. Then, those minor differences add up and impact your overall result more. You should never forget to keep a long-term perspective when looking at betting results and your overall performance.

You can read more about odds and sportsbook margins in our in-depth betting guide, including how odds are made and how the margin is calculated, with simple mathematical formulas and examples.

Check the Welcome Bonus and Other Sportsbook Promos

Opting for a welcome bonus is a great way to boost your betting bankroll early on and get more funds for wagers. Thankfully, legal US sportsbooks have solid wagering requirements all around, making it relatively easy to play through a welcome bonus and convert it to real cash you can use for betting or withdraw to your bank account. Make sure to read the general terms, explicitly checking the time limits of the bonus and the wagering requirements to assess if the welcome bonus is worth it.

Beyond the welcome offer, there are usually plenty of other sportsbook promos available, from reload bonuses to odds campaigns and loyalty schemes—all of which give more bang for your buck. Utilize what’s on offer to get more value out of the sportsbook.

Our betting guide has extensively covered different aspects of sportsbook promos so you can better understand what’s on offer and what to look out for. Further down on this page, we also provided a detailed overview of specific sportsbook promos you can utilize.

Click Through the Website and Download the Sportsbook App

Before committing to a deposit, check how much you like the sportsbook's design, navigation, and overall usability. Registrations are free, so you can easily access most sportsbook features without risking any money. Just remember that some operators set a time limit for their welcome bonus, requiring you to activate it within a certain period after opening a new account.

You’ll likely bet a lot from the sportsbook app, so download it. All operators have both iOS and Android versions available. It’s good to check the app's compatibility and performance on your specific device. Live betting may require more data and use the phone’s processors. Opening the app, navigating around, and checking the odds and markets can indicate the app's performance.

In our sportsbook reviews, we’ve tested all this thoroughly using actual accounts and real funds to evaluate all features and the performance, including the bet acceptance rate in livebetting.

Verify That the Sportsbook Has the Necessary Banking Options

Since most people prefer digital payments, it’s good to verify that the sportsbook has the payment method you most commonly use. You’ll see that most sportsbooks have standard bank cards, along with common mobile payments and e-wallets.

Make Sure There’s Adequate Sportsbook Support Coverage

If you encounter a problem, such as a bet settlement issue, it’s important to contact the customer service department as quickly as possible. For this reason, you should prioritize sportsbooks with 24/7 support coverage. The most common type of support is live chat, which is offered 24/7, with some operators offering telephone support during work hours.

If you want to check the response time, you can send some test messages to customer support to see how fast they reply and how they approach you.

Sign Up For a New Sportsbook and Make Your First Wager

You can quickly get started betting online using any of our recommended sportsbooks. These will provide a good and safe user experience that meets our high standards for a sportsbook. You’ll be up and betting by following these five steps in no time.

1. Choose the Best Sportsbook for Your Needs

Read our sportsbook reviews and recommendations and select the one that appeals to you. You’ll find links to the sportsbook on the JustGamblers website, including this page. This will guarantee that you end up on the right website. You’ll have mobile app download options from the sportsbooks' website if you prefer using the app from the get-go.

2. Create a New Account

If you’re going through the sportsbook app, make sure to download and install the app first. Once on the sportsbook platform, you can register by clicking the “Register” or “Sign Up” button. Some sportsbooks offer an SSO (Single Sign-On) option for registering. All sites and apps will allow you to create a new account by filling out a registration form and providing details such as:

• Name.
• Email address.
• Date of birth
• Residential address.
• Phone number.
• Secure password.

These details may vary depending on the bookmaker; simply provide the required information and accept the terms and conditions. Click a button similar to “Create Account.”

3. Verify Your Account if Prompted

Some sportsbooks require verifying your account by SMS or email upon registration. Additionally, some bookies will ask you to clear the KYC (Know Your Customer) checks. This can include uploading a copy of an official ID and a recent utility bill. But most sportsbooks will ask about this when depositing or withdrawing for the first time.

4. Make Your First Deposit and Opt-In for Bonus Offer

After authenticating your account, you can make your first deposit. Sometimes, the sportsbook will prompt you to opt in or out of the welcome offer. In most cases, you should opt for the bonus only after reading the terms and conditions.

To make the deposit, visit the cashier or payment section, select a deposit method, enter the amount you wish to deposit, and provide the necessary details to complete the transaction. The money is typically credited immediately, and the bonus funds should be activated around the same time.

5. Place a Bet on Your Favorite Team

When making your first wager, dig into the sports menu and locate the sports and leagues you wish to bet on. You’ll see all the games; click on the specific match you’re interested in and then pick a betting option. Click on the selection, for example, Kansas City Chiefs to win. The selection is added to your betslip; you enter the stake and confirm the wager. That’s it, good luck—Go Chiefs Go!

Overview of Where Online Sportsbooks Are Legal in the United States

Always Gamble Responsibly in US Sportsbooks

Per our Responsible Gambling statement, all sportsbooks we recommend must equal our commitment to safe gambling habits. All operators must make responsible gambling information available to punters and invite them to participate in preventative efforts to minimize problem gambling.

From your point of view, what you should think about is what our Jesper Kärrbrink preaches, a pioneer in responsible gambling.

Remember: betting should be fun, and when the fun stops, stop betting.

Jesper Kärrbrink, Responsible Gambling Pioneer and Chairman of the Board at JustGamblers

In other words, if you feel irritable or stressed about betting, you should abstain from making wagers in online sportsbooks. You should also avoid betting under the influence of alcohol and drugs, as this increases the risk of making poor decisions that may significantly impact your finances and well-being. Try to plan your betting and make it when you're in a healthy headspace.

FAQ Best Online Sportsbooks in the United States