No matter the strategy that you use, your bankroll, or your betting expertise, your sportsbook of choice matters. While the betting industry in the US is developing at a colossal rate and the base standard is continuously getting better, you don’t just want a sportsbook that hugs that baseline. The best sportsbooks give you sharp betting lines, interactive features for you to build custom parlays, and unrivaled coverage so you can stake predictions on virtually anything.
Then, there is the matter of bonuses, payment options, user friendliness, and support, which all weigh heavily on the overall quality of a sportsbook. Our experts comb through all these factors, and when we review sportsbooks, we test every functionality – and do this continuously to keep our reviews up to date.
Top US Sportsbooks
The offering at sportsbooks can vary drastically, and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the very best platforms is key to unlocking their maximum potential.
We have assembled a Best Of list for US sportsbooks, compiling the betting sites that have the top features, best rewards, and most exciting betting markets for you to delve into. For more insights, check out our reviews of each, or click on the links and head to the sites to get a taste of how they look.
#1. FanDuel Sportsbook
Among the most well known US sportsbooks, FanDuel is extremely versatile, providing deep betting markets, broad sports coverage, exceptional betting features, and has a reputation for delivering bonuses to bettors. Juice is lean, so there is good value to be had here, and FanDuel provides a fresh selection of wagers for each game, which can be combined into SGPs, parlays, round robins, or, for those with betting lines, custom teasers. Parlay bettors will appreciate the Cash Out and SGP icons placed next to wagers, giving clarity on what you can do with those select wagers.
But for inspiration, we found the FanDuel Parlay Hub has loads of featured bets – placed by members, not handpicked by the operator – and you can tail these, select and edit them, or use them to explore different possibly bet combinations. While FanDuel doesn’t have a classic loyalty club, it makes up for this through the Exclusive FanDuel offers, which are custom made for you and sent to your inbox. Bonuses here typically come in the form of profit boosts, bonus bets, free games or betting pools for prizes, and other innovative reward schemes. Legal in the vast majority of legal states, FanDuel is a strong choice for any sports fan.
FanDuel Pros:
- Good value betting lines
- Tailored betting features for SGPs and parlays
- Exclusive bonuses for each member
- Most popular sportsbook in America
FanDuel Cons:
- No classic loyalty program
- Good main sports coverage, but fewer niche sports
#2. DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is commonly associated with props bets, and this is one of the sportsbook’s biggest strengths. It covers 25+ sports, including international sports and niche leagues, and you get everything from the main markets to alternate line bets, player props, game props, and partial game markets. Open any sport, and you get categories on that main display, so you can compare Player 3s for your NBA bets or Player Shots for your soccer bets, across different fixtures. Pick any of those fixtures, and DraftKings presents all the different wagers in categories, gives you a SGP Builder toggle mode, a Quick SGP mode for preassembled bets, and for bigger games you also get GameScript and Stats hubs.
The DraftKings GameScript is a newer feature that gives you potential scenarios for the game and the resulting betting markets to pick from. In Stats, DraftKings presents game analytics for you to do quick research on your bets, with betting trends to show public sentiment and line movements for select markets. You can analyze these at further depth in the DraftKings Stats Hub, where the sportsbook draws up all these important metrics for key games. The sportsbook has social features, a VIP program through its DK Dollars and Tier Credits, and a Rewards portal. In the latter, you will find all of DraftKings’ latest profit boost, bonus bets, special tournaments or games, and any new perks it has rolled out.
DraftKings Pros:
- Most widely available US sportsbook (by states)
- Excellent props, SGP Builder and ease of use for parlay building
- Betting research stats and analytics
- VIP program and wide array of bonuses
- Opens betting lines earlier than a lot of other books
DraftKings Cons:
- Limited live streams
- Has been known to limit bettors
#3. BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM is a top choice for bettors who want broad coverage and lots of bonuses. The sportsbook doesn’t just focus on major US sports, but also picks out loads of international events, and you also get virtuals to fill in the time during offseason. BetMGM provides all the main markets and a good helping of props – though not as thoroughly as DraftKings or FanDuel – but you do get little data icons next to each market that you can open for a quick analytical research. The SGP builder filters the markets for same game parlay building, but one of our favorite features here is the Easy Parlay.
You can build parlays using main markets in a matter of seconds, with important research metrics to compare. It also works for live games, giving BetMGM users a unique edge. You can combine, stake and confirm smarter parlays in the time it takes to snap a football. Rewards are an important feature of BetMGM, this is what cranks up the betting value and makes the experience more exciting. You can opt into free-to-play games, gain odds boost tokens, parlay boosts, bonus bets, and earn valuable comp points for the money you spend. The BetMGM Rewards give annual birthday gifts, MGM Resorts real-world discounts and perks, VIP hosts, and exclusive rewards. You can also exchange BetMGM Reward Points for odds boosts tokens, digital bonuses and more.
BetMGM Pros:
- US and international sports coverage
- Easy Parlay and quick stats for each bet
- Free games and regular bonuses
- Higher staking and payout limits
BetMGM Cons:
- Could have more of props bets
- Research tools are pretty basic
#4. Fanatics Sportsbook
Fanatics is a newer betting app, and this mobile-first sportsbook has lots to offer sports fans. Despite its relative youth in the industry, Fanatics is widespread across the US, and the betting app has amassed a huge community of fans. There is no desktop version of the sportsbook, you have to download the app and from there you will handle your finances, opt into bonuses, place bets, and then cash out your winnings. The sportsbook has good coverage of US sports and international events, providing a depth of props and player bets for the former that give DraftKings and FanDuel a run for their money.
It is optimized for mobile betting, with a responsive interface that we felt was organized smartly. Fanatics also has a host of rewards and perks to incentivize your betting picks. There are giveaway contests, Squad Bets with adjustable parlay conditions, and cashback bonuses through FanCash. You can earn FanCash through promotional offers or even just for placing parlay bets with long enough odds. This is a virtual currency that can be exchanged for bonus bets, used to buy profit boosts, or just used to buy sports merch from Fanatics INC.
Fanatics Pros:
- Exceptional mobile compatibility
- Strong focus on props and player bets for US sports
- Innovative parlay bonuses and contests
- FanCash creative cashback bonus
Fanatics Cons:
- Not many bonuses (outside FanCash promos)
- Only available on mobile, no desktop
#5. Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars has a strong offering of sports to bet on and betting markets to review. A big takeaway here is the approach to niche sports betting; Caesars has a worthy offering of props and bets outside the main markets for these. You can build SGP wagers, adjust betting lines to your preference, and deep dive into the thorough range of player bets and game props that this sportsbook has to offer. Caesars also has daily odds boosts, preselected parlays that you can edit, and a Quick Pick feature where you can view all these top pick parlays, presented by the length of the odds.
Live streams and comprehensive in-play wagers are another of Caesars’ big strengths. For select games, you get live streams, but if Caesars doesn’t provide them on any game, you can always use the live metrics and simulated game tracker. Boosts are highly generous at Caesars, and you can get massive enhanced odds prices for selected wagers. Caesars also provides regular bonus bets, profit boosts, free to play games, and exclusive rewards through the Caesars Rewards VIP program. These include monthly bets, birthday bonuses, exclusive Caesars Entertainment rewards, and you can convert your comp points back into bonus bets.
Caesars Pros:
- Live streams and live betting experience
- Market depth is also provided for niche sports
- Caesars Rewards bonuses and regular promos
- Flexible deposit/withdrawal limits for all budgets
Caesars Cons:
- Lines are not always competitive
- Doesn’t provide stats/data for pregame wagers
Sportsbook Legal States
Sports betting is legal in more states than not, and the legislation in the majority of these legal sports betting states allows for numerous top operators. Every state with legal sports betting has the autonomy to regulate sports betting as it sees fit, and the majority use a tethered license model. This means sportsbooks can operate in the state if they partner with an in-state organization – such as a horse racetrack, sports franchise, or even tribal casino.
Others may have direct licenses, such as Massachusetts and Missouri, where the operators can get licenses directly from the gambling authorities without the need for a partnership. Having a lottery licensed (or state-controlled) model is more restrictive, as it only allows for a single platform, so there is less competition and tight state control over the betting products. Then, there are the few states where you have legal sports betting, but it is only allowed at retail locations or tribal casinos, with no mobile sports betting allowed.
As of today, 39 states in the US have legalized sports betting. Not all have mobile betting, and our top sportsbooks do not operate in all – it really depends on where they have obtained the necessary permissions.
| # / State / Online Sports Betting Legal? | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | Yes |
| 2 | Arkansas | Yes |
| 3 | Colorado | Yes |
| 4 | Connecticut | Yes |
| 5 | Delaware | Yes State Controlled |
| 6 | Florida | Limited Seminole Tribal Model |
| 7 | Illinois | Yes |
| 8 | Indiana | Yes |
| 9 | Iowa | Yes |
| 10 | Kansas | Yes |
| 11 | Kentucky | Yes |
| 12 | Louisiana | Yes |
| 13 | Maine | Yes |
| 14 | Maryland | Yes |
| 15 | Massachusetts | Yes |
| 16 | Michigan | Yes |
| 17 | Missouri | Yes |
| 18 | Mississippi | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 19 | Montana | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 20 | Nebraska | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 21 | Nevada | Yes Registration at Retail Locations Only |
| 22 | New Hampshire | Yes State Controlled |
| 23 | New Jersey | Yes |
| 24 | New Mexico | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 25 | New York | Yes |
| 26 | North Carolina | Yes |
| 27 | North Dakota | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 28 | Ohio | Yes |
| 29 | Oregon | Yes State Lottery Model |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | Yes |
| 31 | Rhoda Island | Yes State Controlled |
| 32 | South Dakota | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 33 | Tennessee | Yes |
| 34 | Vermont | Yes |
| 35 | Virginia | Yes |
| 36 | Washington | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 37 | Wisconsin | No Tribal Retail Only |
| 38 | West Virginia | Yes |
| 39 | Wyoming | Yes |
| +1 | Washington DC | Yes |
The state controlled, or lottery models, have restricted competition, which are either limited to a state-run sportsbook or a brand like DraftKings, but that have to align their products to state demands.
Sign Up at a Sportsbook
The sign up process for licensed US sportsbooks is practically the same at all platforms. You must comply with the Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, so be prepared to submit the last 4 digits of your SSN, and give details like your full name, mailing address, DoB, and some contact information like an email or phone number.
You may also be asked to set deposit limits. This is not enforced, but it is part of the responsible gambling duty that licensed sportsbooks must comply with.
This is to make sure you are eligible to bet on sports, and newcomers at any site must meet these conditions:
- You are of legal age to gamble in your state
- You have never held an account with the book before
- You are not on any self-exclusion list
- You are physically located in a legal state at the time of signing up
If you meet the conditions, you can go ahead and sign up through our links. The big perk here is that you can claim an exclusive welcome bonus, which can comprise of bonus bets, profit boosts, or other perks to kickstart your adventures.
The sign up process usually follows these steps.
Sign Up for Desktop
- Sign up: Click on our links, head to the book, and click on Sign Up
- Fill in form: (name, email, DoB, address)
- Submit promo code: Use our code, but some books automatically apply the bonus if you use our links)
- Verify your identity: Submit the last 4 digits of your SSN
- Accept T&Cs: You can turn on/off the optional box to receive SMS/Email notifications
Mobile Sign Up
- Download the App: Click on our link, and then scan the QR code on your device
- Sign Up: Open the app and click on Sign Up/Register
- Fill in form: (name, email, DoB, address)
- Submit promo code: Use our code, but some books automatically apply the bonus if you use our links)
- Verify your identity: Submit the last 4 digits of your SSN
- Accept T&Cs: You can turn on/off the optional box to receive SMS notifications
The process takes minutes at the best sportsbooks, as they can process your information, run the checks, and then verify your account.
Claim Your Welcome Bonus
There are different types of welcome bonuses, but the main offer is usually a deposit “Bet & Get” offer. For these, you will have to sign up, and then make a deposit using any of the accepted payment methods. Next, you place a qualifying bet that meets the bonus conditions, and when this settles, you should get your bonus bets, credits, or boosts.
To avoid hiccups, you should check the following:
For Deposits
Check if all payment methods are accepted – sometimes prepaid cards or web wallets are not accepted. Also, make sure it meets the minimum bet criteria. If you need to place a $10+ minimum wager, don’t make a minimum deposit less than that.
For Qualifying Bets
Qualifying bets usually have conditions such as minimum odds, eligible betting markets, restricted bet types (no teasers or no live bets, for example), and they cannot be combined with other bonuses (no boosted odds bets). Also, you may just get a few days to make your qualifying bet, so don’t pick any futures bets or any wager that settles after that expiry date. The bets must be placed and settle before that expiry, and the countdown starts the moment you sign up.
Receiving Your Bonus
It can arrive in your account instantly, or in the next 24 hours after your qualifying bet settles. If it takes any longer than that, you should definitely reach out to customer support to find out what has happened to your welcome bonus.
Our Rating Criteria
We make our reviews to reflect the daily realities of what a sportsbook can offer, from the best perks to any shortcomings that you should factor into your decision. We have a strict rating criteria for sportsbooks, keeping the bar high so you only get the best of what’s out there.
Real User Feedback
We always search for positive and negative feedback from real people who have tried the sportsbooks we review. It gives an idea of what people like best about the sportsbooks, and also casts light on the main complaints.
We specifically look for feedback that relates to key points like the quality of the bets, the bonuses, deposits/withdrawals, and just generally how responsive the support is on any of these issues.
Sports Coverage and Markets
Sports coverage relates to the sports that the sportsbook has bets on. Having more categories and depth to these categories is a good indicator. It spreads out your options, so you can find niche sports or international events to bet on in the offseason, and opportunities to bet on emerging sports that are gaining traction in the US, such as eSports, international motorsports, and alternative UFC fighting promotions.
This is only complemented by a good depth of betting markets. We don’t want to see just moneylines, totals or spreads here, but find worthy props and valuable player bets. For the major sports, we expect to see more alternate lines, specials, a wider range of futures bets, and all the exciting live bets that bring the live betting experience to life, from microbets to minute markets.
Line Quality and Value
Everyone wants better value odds for their predictions; it is something that some bettors specifically shop lines for, and pick different books for different bets. But the best sportsbooks cut back on their juice and give you high value lines on both sides of a betting market, and in all of their niche and custom bets.
What we want to see is fairly priced bets, flexible lines so you can adjust the official point spread or totals to get what you need, and betting odds that do not lag or get temporarily suspended during live games.
Features for SGPs and Parlays
Practically all sportsbooks have parlay building and SGP functions, but there is a great difference between basic parlay building and having special features to optimize these. The best sportsbooks we have reviewed have SGP modes or icons that help you pinpoint the bets that can be assembled into a same game parlay, and there are plenty of them (so you aren’t stuck with the same main markets).
For parlay building, we want to see flexibility in the types of combo bets that can be assembled. Teasers, round robins, and full cover bets are all welcome. Plus, if the sportsbook has features to build quick parlays, recommend prebuilt wagers, or trending bets for building your parlays, it can help inspire smarter decisions.
Data, Research Content
More sportsbooks are jumping on the trend of giving more stats, better game analyses, and supplying advanced live game trackers. Click on any sports game, and the top sportsbooks will give you a stats hub or sheet where you can get context and research your betting picks.
It goes to a whole new level for live betting, as you can check the real-time game stats to look for trends and get inspiration for your picks. While you still may want to do your research elsewhere, at greater detail, these are nifty tools that can be used by bettors of any level.
Quality of Bonuses and Rewards
Variety and real value are integral to rating the quality of the bonuses at a sportsbook. Having more variety in the bonuses can stretch out your options considerably, so you aren’t just looking for daily boosts or snapping up bet and get deposit bonuses. We have reviewed sportsbooks that deliver free games, no sweat bet or second chance offers, boosts for you to apply on eligible bets, and even those that give personalized bonus bets for your activity. Some books opt for loyalty programs to offer more value, whereas others may just offer more generic bonuses without creating a loyalty program.
But the quality of the bonuses doesn’t just lie in frequency or variety. It also lies in the wagering conditions and policies on how to use these bonuses. You may get lose to win bonus offers, win-win bonuses, or bonuses that can only be maxed out with massive deposits. The requirements for claiming the bonus, and any conditions that can impact the potential returns such as win caps, limited markets, and odds requirements, all play a part in assessing the value of the bonuses.
Payment Methods
We look for sportsbooks that have lots of supported payment options, with flexible minimum and maximum thresholds to make them accessible to bettors of any budget. Payment services like bank cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo, and other web wallets are all very popular in the US, and we rate books with more of these options higher.
As for thresholds, we check the minimum deposit and withdrawal limit, scoring sportsbooks with limits as low as $5 highly. Maximum limits can vary depending on state legislation and the sportsbook’s policies, but we like to see a high payout threshold to ensure you can cash out those mega parlays and longshot bets that pay off.
Customer Support
Support is a must, and the go-to method that virtually all sportsbooks use is live chat. These are definitely useful, but often they can be automated by a bot. When testing the chat, we see how long it takes to beat the bot and get a real agent on the other side of the line, which can be an extremely direct prompt at some sportsbooks, but a lengthy, monotonous procedure at others.
Then, there are the alternative support channels to consider, including email, callback or phone support, fill out forms, help centers, and socials. We test these to see how fast the support team responds, and evaluate the quality of the answer.
Our Verdict
We round off our reviews with a verdict, where we highlight the key strengths and weaknesses of the reviewed sportsbook. Based on these, we talk a little about who the sportsbook is mainly for. It can be a note on the variety of player props, niche sports to bet on, the high roller bonuses, or a comment about the mobile functionality of the site.
The point is, we don’t just want to recommend sportsbooks for the sake of it. We analyze the features, compare them against competitors, and give an idea of the bettor profile that the sportsbook is best suited to.
What to Look For
We wouldn’t recommend the same betting sites to different people; it really depends on which markets you pick, how you bet, how you like to get rewarded, and what kind of strategy you employ. That is why we have narrowed down our top sportsbooks list to the selections above. We can confidently claim they are among the best and most trusted betting sites in the US today.
The betting value, rewards, and special betting features of each of the picks are unrivaled. At a more thorough glance, there are contrasts and different areas of focus at each of the top US sportsbooks we have picked, but if we were to rate the overal service, they tick all the boxes. When checking betting sites, first and foremost, you should analyze the following aspects to ensure you are getting that very same fair service.
- US sports betting license (or state permissions)
- Responsive customer support
- Uses approved payment gateways
- Doesn’t have a dodgy reputation
On the latter, even the best sportsbooks have their critics. But the one universal fact about these books is that they are not scams, and they are obligated by law to pay out your winnings. Offshore betting sites and unregulated platforms do not necessarily offer the same assurance, as these are technically illegal in the US, and they can withdraw their services at any point (or even get blocked by your state gambling authorities). So don’t take any risks with blacklisted sites, choose betting sites based on their credentials and reliability, and then analyze their offering at depth.
Choosing Your Sportsbook
When picking a sportsbook from the legal options in your state, it does not need to be a weighted commitment that you cannot change at a later date. It is free to join licensed US sportsbooks, and they have welcome bonuses to offer new signups to sweeten the deal. This is really the perfect way to test out the book for yourself, exploring their functions and features.
You wouldn’t be the only bettor in the US with accounts at multiple sportsbooks if you do sign up at another sportsbook after that. In fact, a lot of value bettors register accounts at multiple sportsbooks so they can chase the best lines and get those extra cents on each line by picking wagers with slightly better odds.
The goal is to find a betting platform that meets all your needs, and you can rely on to place all your bets. If you prefer to spread your bankroll across multiple sportsbooks, signing up to a handful of books, you are absolutely free to do so. Just remember, however many sportsbooks you sign up at, you will need to distribute your bankroll that many times. Making it more difficult to track progress, plan staking strategies and make layered betting systems. But it comes with many perks, from being able to hedge bets to pick out the best value and potentially get more bonuses.
If you want more variety, then be sure to check out our toplists for the best social sportsbooks, peer to peer betting apps, and also prediction markets in the US.
