Legal Sports Betting In The US
Welcome to the legal betting homepage for U.S. online sportsbooks. This site is designed to be a hub of information for American sports fans looking to learn all about the legal, as well as fundamental aspects of online sports betting. The rapidity of advancements in technology means that the online wagering world is constantly changing. We update this site constantly to make sure all of the information is up to date and helpful for players new and old.
LegalBettingUS.com is dedicated to covering the legality of online sports betting in the U.S. on both the federal and state level. We will also go over the difference between land-based and online, and show you where there are legal options for each. You will also get a glimpse into one of the industry’s’ leading online sportsbooks and learn how it functions.
Is Sports Betting Legal in the U.S.?
Yes, as long as you know where to look. As with every activity that involves winning/losing money, there are just as many frauds out there as there are reputable establishments. That is why this site exists, to show you where to play safely, and legally. There are separate laws that govern land-based and online sports betting venues, and as long as the institution works within the bounds of these laws, it is safe to use. In the next two sections, we will describe the federal and state laws that a sports betting facility must follow in order to function for U.S. players.
Federal Sports Betting Laws
The federal government has put three laws in place to regulate sports betting in the states. These laws server as the precedence from which the states and further down the line we have to abid by.
Wire Act - The Federal Wire Act is an old law from 1961 that was originally intended to stamp out organized crime involved in gambling. The Act has gone through numerous ratifications since its inception, and now only affects sports betting. The Wire Act restricts online sports betting sites from transferring wagering information across state lines. The many legal online sportsbooks for U.S. players get around this by establishing themselves overseas, where they are outside of federal jurisdiction. Anyone in the nation can use these sites because they are not breaking the rules of the Wire act.
UIGEA - The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is the second law that affects sports betting. The UIGEA only deals with funding methods, and disallows online sportsbooks from sending funds directly to a players’ credit card. This is not a problem for the sites or the players because these legal online sportsbooks have numerous alternative funding methods that get members’ their money fast and safe.
PASPA - The third law that affects sports betting is the PASPA, which only involves itself with land-based sports wagering. The PASPA outlaws on-land sports betting events in all states in the nation except for four. Nevada, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon are the only states allowing real-world sports wagering, and out of those, only Nevada and Delaware have regulated bookmaking. The PASPA is the reason that 99% of sports fans in the nation choose the legal online sportsbooks for their sports betting needs.
Visit our federal laws page to learn much more about each of these federal laws. The condensed version of what all this means is: If you don’t live in Nevada (or to a lesser extent, Delaware), then the many legal U.S. sports betting sites are the places to go to wager real money. They follow the federal rules, and have been around for decades.
State Sports Betting Laws
Individual states don’t generally include sports betting in their gambling laws. This is because the federal-based PASPA regulates the activity for the entire nation. Only states the PASPA allows to host land-based sports betting events have any regulations in place. Nevada and Delaware are the only two states that currently have any kind of real world sportsbooks (Oregon and Montana also have the ability too, but don’t have anything as of now). Delaware has extremely limited sports betting opportunities, while Nevada has everything a sports fan could want. If you are in these two states, you will be able to find some sort of sports betting event, but the PASPA makes it so that no one else will have access to a land-based sportsbook.
The internet makes this problem irrelevant however, because any U.S. citizen can join a legal online sportsbook as long as it accepts members from your state. Most of the sports betting sites we review will take all 50 states, so anyone can use them. If you are in Nevada (or to a lesser extent, Delaware) you are lucky in that you have access to some great land-based sportsbooks. If you live anywhere else in the nation, you are also lucky because these U.S. sports betting sites offer even better options than the land-based equivalents
Age To Legally Wager On Sports
The legal age to wager real money varies by state. Every state in the nation will either require you to be 18 or 21 in order to wager, while a couple states don’t even have a legal betting age. This brings us to an important point, how do you choose to join an online U.S. sportsbook if the state/online betting age conflicts? The answer is simple; always go with the higher number. If the site you are planning to join is 18 or older, but the state requires you to be 21, then go with the state law. As long as you follow this simple guideline, you will be safe from the ramifications of underage wagering. The punishment for underage betting online can include cancelling your membership, forfeiting funds, and even legal trouble. Therefore, always check your local laws before signing up for a site to see if the age requirements conflict.
Legal Online Sportsbooks
As you can see, the federal and state laws limit land-based sports betting to two states. This leaves the rest of us seemingly out of luck. This, however, is not the case. With the continent-connecting power of the internet, everyone can now access a world-class sportsbook. Because this is a booming business, there are many sites competing for the title of “best sports betting site”. We are players ourselves, and have wagered with every reputable sportsbook on the web. We feel that the site we review below offers the best all-around sports wagering experience for U.S. residents.
Bovada Sportsbook
Most Trusted USA Sportsbook
Bovada has been a major player in the sports betting world for over two decades. The teams behind this powerful sportsbook have tons of experience, and that expertise shows when you first sign on to the site. The “about us” section explains the origin of the site, as well as displays the many certificates of good standing, and gaming licenses. Bovada functions out of Canada, and is therefore able to offer legal sports betting action to U.S. players. You will not find a more reputable online sportsbook anywhere on the web.
Signing up at Bovada now will grant you access to a Welcome Bonus worth up to $250 in sports bonus cash. This generous incentive is the sites’ way of saying “thanks for joining”, and will give you a great head start for your sports betting career. When you make your first deposit, the site will add a 50% cash bonus to your account depending on how much you deposit. Check out Bovada now to see a top-tier sportsbook in action.
| Rank | Legal Sites | Bonus | Find Out More |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bovada | 50% up to $250 | Visit Bovada |
| 2 | BetOnline | 25% up to $1,000 | Visit BetOnline |
| 3 | SportsBetting | 50% up to $500 | Visit SportsBetting |
| 4 | 5Dimes | Reduced Juice On Bets | Visit 5Dimes |
Picking a Legal U.S. Betting Site
We hope that this article has sparked a sports betting fire under your seat. There are now more legal wagering options in the world than ever before, and these sports betting sites are second-to-none. We have barely scratched the surface of what these sites offer. You will find innovative features such as mobile betting, and live/in-game betting. You can learn more about these at our mobile betting and live betting pages.
You will find profitable promotions such as welcome bonuses and reload bonuses at these sites. These promotions reward you for signing up, and continuing to be a loyal member. You can read more about these on our sportsbook bonuses page. Also, check out our full-length sportsbook reviews to see which sites offer the best all-around legal sports betting experiences for U.S. players
Legal Sports Betting Deposits
The first step to placing a bet at a U.S. sports betting site is making a deposit. You may wonder why you can’t conduct transactions solely through your checking or savings account; this is where the UIGEA comes in. The UIGEA restricts overseas wagering sites from making transactions through a credit card. However, you can make a deposit with your credit/debit card because you are not using the funds for betting directly. Instead, you are buying “points” or “chips”, and you can do with these what you want. It works much like a casino, where you buy chips and use those to wager, and then cash out the chips for real money.
Sports betting sites for U.S. players offer many deposit methods including credit/debit cards, cash wire transfers, money orders, Bitcoin, and more. Each method varies in minimums and maximums, fees, and speeds. Check out our sportsbook deposits page to learn all you will ever want to know about deposit methods.
Legal Sports Betting Payouts
After you make a deposit and wager on a few games, you might find that you are ready to request a payout so you can get your hands on some of that hard-earned cash. These sites make withdrawing funds simple and fast. The UIGEA doesn’t allow overseas wagering sites to send money directly to your credit card, but there are plenty of efficient methods in place. Most sites offer payouts by check, Western Union, MoneyGram, cash/gift cards, Bitcoin, and more. Much like deposits, each payout method varies by speed, fees, and minimums/maximums. Many sites allow one free check withdrawal per month, which is more than enough for most bettors. Check out our payouts page to learn more about each method.
Legal Land-Based Sportsbooks
As we mentioned earlier, the only two states where you will find any kind of legal land-based sports betting are Nevada and Delaware. New Jersey legislature is currently in conversation with the federal government with the goal in mind of legalizing some forms of sports betting, but as of now, they still don’t have anything. Delaware has very limited opportunities with low maximums and only certain games are available.
Nevada is the wagering capitol, and as such is the only state that offers full sports betting action. You will find all sorts of wager types and odds on most professional and semi-professional sporting events. If you live or are vacationing in Nevada, you will have plenty of profitable options. Everyone else in the nation should check out the legal U.S. sports betting sites that we review to find some of the most reputable sportsbooks in the business.
Daily Fantasy Sports Sites
Wagering on daily/weekly fantasy sports is a relatively new phenomenon, and we will give you access to the best daily fantasy sports sites around. Fantasy sports are considered games of skill, and therefore function under different rules than sports betting. You will find that many fantasy sports sites function inside the U.S., as opposed to overseas. These sites allow you to play for real money on daily or weekly games, instead of a season-long contest like traditional fantasy sports. The daily/weekly version allows you to play and win more than the traditional method. Check out our daily fantasy sports page to learn all you need to know about this exciting new way to play.