Best Sports Betting Sites USA | Online Sportsbook Guide | August 2022 – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Learn about the best sports betting sites with our complete guide to the top online sportsbooks in the USA in 2022.
Our sports betting expert is here to take you through the best sports betting sites to use when wagering on sports in the USA in 2022.
BetMGM is one of the leading online sportsbooks, with its presence in the online sports betting scene being unmatched by a lot of competitors.
BetMGM’s excellent range of markets and promotions for both new and existing customers are some of the best you’ll find when it comes to online sportsbooks in the US.
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to making a sports bet.
We’ve gone through and listed the best options to choose when deciding which online sportsbook to use in 2022.
Here are some factors we take into account when deciding how to rank the best sports betting sites:
Odds
Market selection
Safety & security
User experience
Bonuses & promotions
Mobile compatibility
Deposit & withdrawal methods
Without a doubt BetMGM is one of the best online sports betting sites in the USA. With a massive range of markets, odds and range of sports, BetMGM is certainly the best option to go with.
Both its desktop and mobile sites are very impressive, simple to use and easy to understand. BetMGM also boasts a fantastic mobile app, allowing users to wager on the go, wherever they are.
One of the best new customer offers out there, combined with excellent existing promotions, make BetMGM the clear leader in the online sportsbook world.
FanDuel started in the fantasy sports world, but has quickly established itself as one of the best online sports betting sites.
FanDuel’s market offerings include pre-match, in-game and futures. With a wide range of promotions, such as daily odds boosts and sign-up offers, FanDuel is doing its best to help users get the most value out of their bets.
FanDuel’s parlay betting section is also one of the best around, and all of these factors contributing to FanDuel Sportsbook having one of the top online sports betting sites available.
This shouldn’t be surprising, as FanDuel is now a household name amongst bettors, with their presence in the sports betting industry continuing to grow.
Fubo’s partnership with FuboTV allows it to boast a truly great live streaming section, giving users the chance to tune into a number of the world’s top sports leagues.
They boast the best new customer sign-up offer around, with you able to claim a free subscription with FuboTV and a $1000 risk-free bet.
They are sadly only live in two states, and their current customer offers could be stronger.
BetRivers is one of the leading US sportsbooks when it comes to the sheer amount of sporting markets available.
The number of markets offered on sports such as soccer and football are some of the best out there.
BetRivers also has plenty of existing customer offers available that players can take advantage of every week, allowing them to get the most out of their money. The sign-up offer is pretty generous, while specials markets are also strong.
Taking all this into account, it’s easy to see why BetRivers is heralded as one of the top sports betting sites in the country.
Players in NJ and CT aren’t currently able to sign up to the BetRivers Sportsbook site, but they can join SugarHouse Sportsbook, which is operated by the same parent company.
The SugarHouse Sportsbook site is also run by BetRivers. In many states, including Pennsylvania, BetRivers decided to slim down their branding to the BR brand, however the SugarHouse Sportsbook site is still live and accepting bets in New Jersey and Connecticut.
SugarHouse’s range of markets on offer really are great, with all the major sports covered, as well as the likes of cricket, cycling and darts to name a few.
Their current customer offers are also hugely generous, with these allowing you to get the most out of your money when wagering on a wide variety of sports.
Additionally, their live streaming section is also great, with able to tune unto a whole host of sports at any time.
DRF Bets is one of the best out there when it comes to new customer offers, with you able to get $250 as a deposit bonus and $10 free to use on whichever markets you please.
Their ‘How to Bet’ section is hugely beneficial for beginners that are yet to get their sports betting journey underway.
They offer markets on a range of lesser popular sports such as lacrosse, cycling and rugby union, allowing for some strong variety when it comes to the sports you can bet on.
Borgata is one of the best out there when it comes to betting on parlays and odds boosts, with a huge range of wager on for a variety of sports.
They allow you to bet on a wide range of sports given they offer a generous election of markets, with the layout of their online sportsbook proving to be very user friendly.
Borgata has managed to establish itself as one of the US’ best online betting sites in recent times, with competitive odds across the board to boot.
Hard Rock’s welcome offer allows new users to claim a $100 risk-free bet, allowing you to place your first sports wager without the risk of losing your funds.
Their futures markets are generous, with a range of markets on offer across a variety of different major sports.
They’re a hugely recognizable brand across the globe, and given they boast a sportsbook that’s incredibly easy to navigate, there’s no reason not to try them out.
Sports Illustrated one of the most recognizable publications in the country, thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that their online sports betting platform is also top notch.
Their welcome offer allows you to claim $100 in free bets from just a $5 wager, whilst the promotions that existing users can claim also prove to be very strong.
They offer pre-match markets on a whole host of different sports, both popular and niche, whilst their range of futures markets are some of the best you’re going to come across.
Superbook allow users to claim $1000 in bonus funds thanks to their generous welcome offer, whilst their promos for current users allow players to claim loads of free bets and bonus funds every week.
They allows users to get strong odds on a number of markets with their odds boost offers, whilst their same-game parlay options also prove to be strong.
They are relatively new to the sports betting scene, however don’t let this put you off signing up and using their sports betting platform to place your wagers going forward.
A parlay bet is one that includes at least two selections from different games, with you able to include any markets you want in your parlay bet as long as they don’t overlap.
The best part about parlay betting is that it allows you to combine multiple picks to create one larger bet at increased odds, giving you the chance to win more than if you were just betting on a single pick.
The best parlay betting sites will allow you to combine picks from a huge range of games and markets to make up your parlay bet, with the parlay betting section also proving very easy to navigate.
You will be able to add these picks to your betting slip and place your parlay bet with complete simplicity, with you then being able to see how much you’re in line to win once entering your stake into the betting slip as well.
BetMGM
Borgata
FanDuel
Same-Game Parlays, otherwise known as SGP, are almost exactly the same as regular parlay bets, with the only difference being that all of your selections will come from the same game.
This allows you to get adventurous with your wagers when betting on a single game, with a whole range of markets being available to you when placing your bet.
The top SGP betting sites will allow you to choose from a huge range of markets regarding your chosen match, allowing for generous variety when creating your SGP.
You should be allowed to add a large number of legs to your same-game parlay, with the best sportsbooks allowing you to add as many as 16 picks to your SGP when betting.
The absolute best sportsbooks may also offer unique markets that are only offered via their same-game parlay sections, adding to the creativity available to you when placing your SGP.
BetMGM
SugarHouse
Hard Rock
Live streaming is exactly what it sounds: a sports betting site will offer live streams for a number of matches from a range of sports that you can watch to keep up with the games you’ve bet on.
The best online sportsbooks will have a top-of-the-range live streaming section that is easily accessible, with the picture quality and speed proving to be strong.
They will also allow you to tune into any live streamed game you please without the need to have placed a bet on the event/game you’re trying to watch, with you just needing a funded account in order to do so.
Top live streaming sportsbooks will also have a huge range of games covered via their live streaming sections, giving you the chance to tune into a wide variety of sports no matter where you are.
BetMGM
FanDuel
Fubo
Live betting, also known as in-play betting, is the event of betting on games once they’ve gotten underway, with these bets being settled once the game itself has ended.
The best sportsbooks for live betting will offer a number of different markets, with some of these being in-play only, as well as a number of the usual pre-game markets, giving you the chance to diversify your betting.
They will change the odds and update the markets as quickly as possible in time with the events taking place during the game, allowing you to live bet uninterrupted.
A generous range of stats, that change in accordance with the game, will be offered in addition, allowing bettors to see how the game/event is panning out when placing their bets.
DRF Bets
BetMGM
FanDuel
There are a number of benefits that online sports betting has in comparison to its retail counterpart, with the likes of convenience, safety and betting offers proving to be just some of these benefits.
We’re here to go over these benefits, and why you should side with betting on sports online as opposed to doing so in-person.
One of the major benefits of betting online is the sheer convenience of doing so, as you’re able to pull out your phone, tablet or laptop anywhere you want and place your bets providing you have a stable internet connection and the sportsbooks you’re using are active in the state you’re in.
This allows you to place wagers in mere seconds, giving you the chance to place bets anytime and anywhere.
You aren’t able to access this level of convenience when betting on sports in-person, as you’d need to travel to your nearest retail sportsbook, which may be some distance away.
Once there, you’ll also be able to accept the odds and markets on offer with your retail sportsbook, something that isn’t the case for betting online, as you’ll be able to compare online sportsbooks, choosing the one with the best markets and odds for you.
All of the best online sportsbooks will make sure all of your funds are entirely safe and secure when depositing and withdrawing, as well as paying out your winning bets.
The online sportsbooks listed in this piece all have strict rules and regulations to follow in order to operate in the states they’re currently active in.
Retail sportsbooks aren’t necessarily unsafe per se, however it’s fair to say that your money will never be in any danger of going missing when you bet with online sports betting sites.
Another huge positive of betting online as opposed to in-person is the sheer amount of offers and promotions you can take advantage of when betting online as opposed to betting at retail sportsbooks.
You’re able to claim a huge amount of bonus funds in the form of risk-free bets, free bets and deposit bonuses when wagering with online sportsbooks, giving you the chance to get the most out of your money when depositing and wagering.
This just isn’t the case when it comes to betting on sports in-person, as retail sportsbooks will very rarely offer promotions and offers for new customers that are using them for the first time.
Additionally, you can sign-up for multiple different sportsbooks when betting online, taking advantage of all of the sign-up offers they have in-store.
This, in turn, will allow you to claim potentially thousands of dollars in bonus funds to use when betting on sports, bonuses you’ll only be able to dream of when betting in-person.
All of the top online sportsbooks will boast an excellent live streaming service on offer, allowing you to tune in to the biggest games from a wide range of sports wherever you are as long as you have a stable internet connection.
Some sportsbooks may need you to have a bet on the game you’re trying to watch, or funds in your account, in order to tune in, however this is definitely worth it given the live streaming opportunities that’ll be available to you.
Some retail sportsbooks will have games and sporting events shown live on-site, however with online streaming, you’ll be able to choose which game you watch and where you watch it, betting on it in-play at the same time if you feel like it.
Depositing and withdrawing funds to and from your account is another hugely important factor that makes online betting better than retail betting.
The more ways to deposit and withdraw funds the better when it comes to betting online, with the sports betting sites listed in this piece possessing some of the best and most popular methods around.
When depositing and withdrawing funds to and from your account in-person, you most likely won’t have all of these options available to you, with you being forced to use the ones on offer with your retail sportsbook when doing so.
A huge number of states have legalized sports betting since 2016, with these being the states in which sports betting, either retail or online, is currently legal:
Sports betting has been slowly but surely growing in presence throughout the US over the past few years, with this occurrence happening following the dissolution of PASPA in 2018.
PASPA was brought in in 1992 to outlaw sports betting, both retail and online, throughout the US except for a few exempt states.
This had been in place for 26 years following its dissolution in 2018, with this then allowing states to decide on their own sports betting laws, a change that has seen many make sports betting legal since then.
Kansas – The Sunflower State looks certain to see sports betting become active in the coming months, with Governor Laura Kelly signing SB84 into law on May 12th earlier this year.
This bill will be effective as of July 1st, with sports betting then expected to launch as of August or September at the earliest, just in time for the new 2022 NFL season.
Should this not be the case, sports betting is set to launch January 1st 2023 at the very latest, with this still being in time for the 2022 NFL Playoffs.
Maine – Maine became the first US state to legalize sports betting in 2022, after Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 585 into law back in April.
This now means that up to four mobile sportsbooks will be able to launch in ME once the opportunity presents itself.
Retail betting will also be allowed as well, with the likes of Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway and the Oxford Casino Hotel being able to apply for betting licenses too.
Following this, it seems sports betting will finally launch in Maine either towards the end of this year, or the start of 2023.
Ohio – In late 2021, Ohio legislators passed an online sports betting bill, HB29, something Gov. Mike DeWine then approved shortly after.
Given this, Ohio residents will be able to bet on sports legally within their own state in the near future. Those involved with the process were hoping to get sports betting launched by the start of the 2022 NFL season in September.
However, it seems December 2022 is a more realistic launch date for sports betting, with regulators stating in May that will be the case given that sports betting must go live by January 1, 2023.
You’ll be able to wager on a variety of different sports in any state where online sports betting is legal, with all of the major sports, such as basketball, football and baseball, available via all of these legal sports betting states.
You should also be able to bet on a number of other sports depending on which online sportsbook you’ve signed up with.
Betting sites such as BetMGM allow you to wager on sports such as snooker, darts and table tennis to name but a few, with the sports on offer changing depending on the sportsbook you’re wagering with.
For states in which sports betting is not yet legal, you will still be able to wager on sports by using Daily Fantasy Sports sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings.
It’s important to remember to check whether either of these are legal in your state before signing up and getting involved.
These sites offer users the chance to wager on sports via fantasy pools, allowing those that live in states where sports betting isn’t legal to join in with the sports betting fun.
Not all states will allow you to bet on college sports, with these being the states in which it’s currently legal:
Arizona
Colorado
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
New Jersey
New York
Michigan
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Nearly all states will allow you to legally bet on college sports, although it must be remembered that most states will not allow you to bet on universities from your state, or on college sports games that are taking place in your state.
College sports such as football and basketball are some of the most popular sports when betting on college sports, with a variety of online sportsbooks allowing you to bet on them.
It must be said that most sportsbooks will offer a smaller number of markets for college sports in comparison to pro sports, although you’ll still be able to wager on a healthy selection of markets nonetheless.
The sports betting sites mentioned throughout this piece are 100% legal and licensed, meaning that they have strict rules they have to follow in order to keep operating in the US.
All of the funds in your online sports betting account are kept safe and secure at all times, meaning you don’t have to worry about your sports betting site not paying out or keeping your funds.
The best sports betting sites will allow you to deposit and withdraw funds to and from your online sportsbook account via a number of different ways, allowing you to use the method that you’re most comfortable and familiar with.
You will be able to bet on sports online legally with any of the sports betting sites that are legal in the state you currently reside in.
You’re able to access these online sports betting sites in a number of ways, with the most popular methods being via their desktop site or mobile app, with one of these being offered by all the sports betting sites listed in this piece.
You will need to check to see the legal sports betting age in your state before signing up, with most states needing you to be at least 21 years old in order to sign-up and legally place bets with any sportsbook active in your state.
There are a whole host of different types of sports bet you can place, with these the most common forms of bet you’re likely to come across:
The likes of moneyline, totals, spread and player/game props will all be available via the best sportsbooks, as well as markets such as futures, will allow you to place long-term bets that play-out over the course of weeks/months.
Some sportsbooks will have a wider range of markets available, with you needing to do your research beforehand in order to see which sports betting sites offer which markets.
Taking this into account, it’s also worth signing up with multiple different sports betting sites in order to have full access to the entire range of markets that are on offer via all of the sportsbooks available to you.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Betting provides you with a way to legally bet on sports online, with this being available in a whole host of states that are yet to legalize and launch sports betting.
DFS is an excellent alternative to regular sports betting sites, as they allow you to play for real money on sports in a fantasy setting.
In doing so, they are different from regular sports bets, and are thus able to be played in states in which sports betting isn’t yet legal.
As many as 43 different states have legalized DFS at this point, with there being a handful of options to choose from when betting on Daily Fantasy Sports in these states.
DraftKings and FanDuel are the DFS sites that will be most prominent in these 43 states, with the likes of Monkey Knife Fight another DFS site that’ll be available.
In total, out of the 50 US states, these are the seven states in which DFS isn’t allowed, with Daily Fantasy Sports available in all states besides these: Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, and Hawaii.
Legal sports betting sites, as explained in the name, are sports betting sites that allow players to legally place bets on any sports market they have to offer, as long as they’re legally licensed in your state.
An alternative to legal sports betting sites are offshore betting sites. These are often used by players in states where sports betting is not yet legal, with this being the case despite the fact that offshore betting sites are illegal.
In regards to sports betting in the USA, there are no legal offshore betting sites, with a number of states now offering legal and licensed sportsbooks for people to bet with to avoid players running into the issues that offshore betting sites provide.
Despite this, it is still not legal to wager in all 50 states, meaning offshore sites are still getting usage. However, offshore betting sites pose a number of issues for those that bet with them may face, such as:
Lack of US licensing can lead to player mistreatment
If they go bust your money isn’t protected
They may be involved in money laundering
A number of the most popular offshore betting sites are located in the likes of Curacao, the Isle of Man, Malta and Costa Rica, with these being some of those sites listed below.
BetOnline
XBet
Bovada
MyBookie
BetUS
SportsBetting
BUSR
BetNow
GTBets
You don’t have to worry about any of these potential risks when it comes to betting with legal sports betting sites.
The top online betting sites mentioned on this page have strict rules and regulations to follow in order to retain their licence to operate legally
For those that aren’t able to bet online, or prefer to bet in-person, there is always the option to bet at retail sportsbooks.
For some states, online sports betting won’t be legal, whilst retail betting will, giving people in those states the option to wager despite online betting not being launched yet.
These are the states in which retail sportsbooks are currently legal and active:
The amount of retail sportsbooks that are available will differ depending on which state you’re in and which sportsbook you’re with.
Some states will have more retail sportsbooks than others, with it being important to do your research beforehand in order to see which retail sportsbooks are active in your state, as well as how many are available as well.
You will come across a range of different sign-up bonuses when signing-up for sports betting accounts, with a whole host of different offers out there ready to be claimed via various online sportsbooks.
The likes of deposit bonuses, free bets and risk-free bets are just some of the offers you’re going to come across when signing-up for your sports betting account.
We’re here to go through some of the most common new customer offers you’ll come across when creating your new sports betting accounts.
Deposit-match offers are exactly what they sound like: you will have your initial deposit matched in the form of bonus funds up to a certain amount.
The amount on offer will differ depending on the sportsbook you’ve signed up for, with some sports betting sites offering large amounts in comparison to their competition.
It’s important to remember that you will need to enter a bonus code to claim these types of bonuses depending on the sportsbook you’ve signed up for.
Additionally, it’s vital to check the wagering requirements for your offer, as you will need to fulfill these in order to withdraw any winnings won by using your bonus funds.
Overall, these types of bonuses are very generous, as they allow you hundreds, if not thousands, in bonus funds for simply making an initial deposit, with you able to use these funds on whichever markets you please.
Much like deposit-match bonuses, risk-free bets are exactly what they sound like: you are giving the opportunity to place your first sports bet risk-free up to a certain amount.
This means that, if your initial bet loses with your sportsbook, you’ll be given your original stake back in the form of a free bet up to a certain amount.
It’s important you check the maximum amount you’re allowed to claim back for your risk-free bet before wagering to ensure you don’t permanently lose any of your funds.
You will have a certain amount of time to use your free bet before it expires, thus reading the terms and conditions of the offer is always a necessity.
These offers are always a great way to start your betting with a new sportsbook, as you’re able to place your first bet completely risk-free, with the amounts on offer usually ranging from $500 to over $1000 depending on the online betting site you’re with.
Free bets are very easy to understand, with you being given a certain amount in free bets to place on whichever markets you please.
Some sportsbooks will just hand you these free bets upon sign-up without needing to place a qualifying wager, however most will require you to place a bet of a certain amount in order to claim your bonus in full.
Most sports betting sites will give you your free bets no matter whether you’re qualifying wager wins or loses, however some will require you to win your original bet, although the minimum odds for this qualifying wager will often be generous.
Free bet offers are easily some of the best out there, with you getting free funds to use on any markets you please by placing a small qualifying wager, with totals between $100 and $200 usually on offer with these bonuses.
You won’t need to fulfill any wagering requirements either in order to withdraw winnings won from your free bets.
It must be said that the amount of the free bet you’ve used for any given wager will not be included in the overall winnings for the bet.
For example, if you use a free bet worth $10 on a bet with odds of +500 and it wins, you’ll only be given $50 in return instead of the $60 you would’ve received had you used your own funds to place the bet.
The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.

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