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United States Sports Betting

USA Sports Betting

Status:	Legal
B&M Availability:	NV, NJ, DE, MI, PA, RI, NM, WV
Online Availability:	Yes
Minimum Age:	18+
Restrictions:	Depends on State Laws

Though sports betting is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the US, the clear majority of bets placed in the country are placed “illegally.” For every $100 wagered on sports in the US, $99 is bet through unregulated channels. Much of that amount is bet at online USA sports betting sites.

In recent years, the US government has softened their position on some forms of online gambling, such as casino gambling and poker. While sports betting has not been legislated on federally, the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, which opened the floodgates for legal sports betting in the United States. If you are interested in more details, we have an in-depth article that reviews that history of online sports betting in the US.

In this article, bettors will learn all about aspects of sports betting in the United States as it stands today. Legality, safety, cashier methods, along with recommendations for our favorite sportsbooks and betting sites available to American residents.

The United States Sports Betting Legality

It’s essential that we remind readers before going further that placing an online sports bet is not expressly against federal law. Some states criminalize betting online as a misdemeanor and Washington St. where it’s a felony. However, these countries have never charged a single person for placing bets online as an individual.

If you’re not a bookie or running your own betting website or online sportsbook – you have nothing to worry about from a legal perspective. The US gov’t has criminalized offshore sportsbooks and their operators, but not the individual bettor. This is even more true with the Supreme Court decision which made it legal for states to regulate and license sportsbooks within their borders. This change in the law and positive outlook towards sports betting did not criminalize placing a bet at offshore betting websites, which offer better bonuses, wagering limits and more markets than the vast majority of brick n’ mortar sportsbooks.

It’s worth noting that just because something isn’t expressly illegal – it doesn’t make it legal, by default. We’re looking at enforcement here. Individual gamblers are who betting on poker, casino, or sports online, have never been a target of law enforcement at any level.

Online Betting Sites

Even with the legal change, online betting sites and the offshore industry is still king. Offshore sportsbooks take in ten times the amount of the regulated sportsbooks in Nevada. Odds move based on offshore money. The industry is massive and continues to thrive.

Local Bookies

Local bookies also make up a significant portion of the betting handle in the US. It’s rare to find a local bookie that operates using a phone anymore. Most use pay-per-head websites where players can make an account and place bets. It’s like betting with an offshore online sportsbook but settling up in person.

In most major cities, finding a local bookie is relatively easy. We still advocate that betting online is the best route when it comes to line shopping and odds, bonuses, and assurance that you will be paid, but having a few outs with locals can undoubtedly help.

Regulated Sportsbooks

This is the only form of regulated and entirely legal sportsbook betting available in the United States. Many professional sports bettors are living in Las Vegas, but tourists place most of the action in Vegas sportsbooks. Phone or tablet betting apps are available when in-state. Several other states have opened state-licensed sportsbooks. Online betting at state-licensed sportsbooks is still not close to offshore, where online and mobile betting is available at every betting site.

Taxes On Sports Winnings

Whether you’re betting online, with local bookies, or in a Nevada sportsbook – taxes must be paid on your winnings. The IRS doesn’t care how you earn your money, but only that you pay taxes on it.

Safety of Online Sports Betting in the United States

Despite the legal issues and much of the drama regarding the law in the United States, online sports betting is perfectly safe, both from a legal and risk perspective, especially for small stakes bettors.

However, there is more risk of depositing with a scam sportsbook that simply decides not to pay, than there is in other countries where betting is regulated. There isn’t much that can be done from a legal perspective. Bettors can post their complaints with SportsbookReview.com and email us here at Safest Betting Sites.

The best way to put pressure on a site that is mistreating players is to publish that data online. That is our goal with the scam sportsbooks section. With that said, most bettors do have a positive experience when betting online. If you stick our top recommended sportsbooks, there should be no issues.

Catering to USA Sports Bettors

Online sportsbooks offer lots of incentives for players to sign up and make an account. Almost all sites will provide players with a first-time deposit bonus which can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Many offer additional reload bonuses and VIP programs. Almost all sportsbooks will also give players a bonus for referring their friends.

US Betting Sites in the United States

A breakdown of what it’s like to bet online sports in the USA

Top US Sports to Bet On

Currencies

Languages

These options may not be available at all sportsbooks but represent a typical experience.

Best USA Sports Betting Sites

Picking and betting at the best US betting sites is just as important as picking the right NFL team to win the Super Bowl. The main reason is that you have to be able to trust these sportsbooks with your money, and be assured that they will pay you when you request the withdrawals. There are plenty of other perks with choosing the best US sportsbooks, including bonuses and promotions, live sports odds, soft odds and lines, and early betting markets. Below you will find our top recommended United States betting sites that offer you all of this and more.

Bet & Win at SportsBetting.ag

Top US Betting Site – SportsBetting.ag

Accepts all major credit cards
Accepts Litecoin, Bitcoin other cryptos
Large assortment of sports betting markets
Competitive odds for betting on many sports
European football specific bonuses offered for the Cup

Why Is SportsBetting.ag The Best?

The SportsBetting.ag betting site offers most of the biggest sports, including Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey (read review). They also have other international sports like soccer, rugby, and cricket. For the avid bettor, you can use their Live Betting to place bets in real-time. Pick from among dozens of different wagers you can place on a single match-up, along with great prop bets.

SportsBetting.ag offers new members plenty of bonuses, like their 50% up to $1,000 in Free Bets using the code “NEW1000“. For those that use Bitcoin, can take advantage of their 100% up to $1,000 Bitcoin bonus using the promo code “2017BTC“. Take advantage of their bonuses, live betting, and incredible sports betting odds with a sign-up bonus of 50% Up To $1,000 . Check out Sportsbetting.ag to place bets and win!

Bet & Win at Bovada

High Rated US Betting Site – Bovada

Soft Odds Compared to Other Sportsbooks.
One of the Fastest Sites to Process Payouts.
Excellent Sign-Up Bonus with Low Rollover.
Strong Promotions & Bonuses during Football Season.

Why bet at Bovada?

Bovada Sportsbook is our #2 choice for anyone looking to place online bets on sports (read review). They offer amazing soft odds, meaning they offer great odds the average bettor can make a profit from. Bovada has over 20 sports betting markets you can pick from, including big-name sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and the MLB. Their Live Betting software is one of the best in the business, and they offer hundreds of different prop bets for each event.

Make safe and instant deposits and payouts using Credit Cards or Bitcoin. New members can claim their 50% bonus up to $250 when they sign up at the Bovada sportsbook, and use that free cash to place winning bets. Check out Bovada Sports to place bets and win!

Depositing and Withdrawing at US Betting Sites

Deposit and withdraw options for U.S. bettors are somewhat limited compared to areas with fully legalized online wagering. However, there are still plenty of viable choices, and most bettors should be able to deposit within a matter of minutes. In recent years, thanks to crypto-currencies, such as Bitcoin, withdrawals are becoming a lot faster, as well.

US Deposit Options You Can Use

The most popular deposit options for U.S. bettors will be credit or debit card or Bitcoin. Both are excellent options for instant deposits and typically come with no fees.

Credit Cards: some sites can charge a fee for credit or debit card deposits, but most fees come from the card holders’ bank. This method funds your account almost instantly.

Bitcoin: the best benefit of making bitcoin sportsbook deposits is that it has no fees and its max deposit limit is one of the highest among the banking methods. Funds reach your account in a matter of seconds.

Cash transfers: are done via third-party companies like Western Union or MoneyGram, but those are rare and costly. They come with high fees and slow deposit times; sometimes taking hours or days.

Checks: some sportsbooks will also accept a cashier’s check or money order via mail. This is the slowest deposit method, but it gives bettors a large maximum deposit limit.

Bank Wires: are excellent for large dollar amount deposits, but will usually come with fees and take a day up to a week to reach your account.

US Withdrawal Options You Can Use

The most common withdrawal options will be Bitcoin and check, but some sportsbook also offer bank wires for larger payouts.

Bitcoin: we recommend Bitcoin over all other options for both deposits and withdrawals. It comes with zero fees and faster payouts than any other method. The crypto-currency is usually processed in 48 hours or less. Once processed, the payout reaches your Bitcoin wallet within a few minutes.

Checks: typically take around one week to reach players after they are processed. Most sportsbooks will offer one free check a month, but this can extend to other methods as well, such as bank wire. There are fees ranging from $25-$100 for processing checks.

Bank Wires: one of the most common payout methods, it allows you to make larger than normal withdrawals. The downside is the slow withdrawal time that comes with this method.