Bovada Sportsbook Review
Welcome to the review for the number one sports betting site for U.S. players. Bovada outshines the competition year after year for many reasons, and happens to be our sports staffs’ favorite place to wager. If you have ever conducted an internet search for sports betting sites, you have no doubt come across Bovada. Most Americans in the know agree that this site is untouchable when it comes to expert odds and safe funding methods.
This page will teach you everything you will need to know about Bovada before joining. We will go over the legal aspects of the site to show you how and why it can serve U.S. players. We will then cover all of the excellent features that make Bovada the top legal betting U.S. site and why it stands out among the crowded market. There are many contenders, but only a few online sportsbooks that truly shine in this overcrowded market. After reading this review, you will understand exactly why Bovada is sportsbook par excellence.
Is Bovada’s Sportsbook Legal?
The answer to this question is yes, this site functions legally because it follows certain rules. Federal laws regulate online sportsbooks, not state laws. Therefore, as long as an online sportsbook for U.S. residents follows certain federal rules, they can function as they wish. Since some states do allow sports betting, they don’t want to allow the competition to intercede on their populous. Because of this, Bovada does not accept residents of New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, or Maryland. There are plenty of other worthy online sportsbooks that do accept members from all fifty states, so we encourage you to check out our other reviews if you are in any of these locations.
The two federal laws that affect online sports wagering are the Wire Act and the UIGEA. The Wire Act restricts the exchange of wagering information between states. This means that if there was online wagering in Texas, only Texas residents could use it. This is why very few states offer online wagering. The Wire Act does not affect Bovada because it is located in Canada, and therefore out outside of federal jurisdiction. Anyone can use Bovada as long as your state is accepted.
The UIGEA only involves itself with funding methods for wagering sites. According to the law, sports betting sites cannot deliver funds directly to a players’ credit card. This is a simple rule to get around, and Bovada has some excellent and efficient alternatives that will get you your money fast. We will go over deposits and payouts later in this review, but just know that the UIGEA does not negatively affect Bovada.
Who Can Join?
Bovada accepts players from 45 states in the nation. Because some states either already offer some form of sports betting, or have confusing laws, Bovada doesn’t accept residents of New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, or Maryland. If you are in any of these states, check our other reviews for some great options.
When it comes to age, Bovada requires players to be 18 or older. However, many states set their betting ages above that. We suggest checking your local state betting age, and going with that number if it is higher than 18. While you will most likely never get in trouble for this, it is worthwhile just for the peace of mind.
Why Choose Bovada Over The Rest?
All U.S. online sportsbooks must fight to keep their place in the game, and Bovada constantly updates their features to stay ahead of the curve. The competition is fierce out there, and the rapidity of technology makes keeping up with the times a constant struggle. Luckily, Bovada has a team of genius developers behind it that constantly surprise us with their innovations. The next few sections will teach you about all of these excellent features.
Is Bovada Safe For Legal US Betting?
Bovada is one of the most renowned sportsbooks in the world, and it got that way by making safety a top priority. This site uses top of the line encryption protocols and the latest security software to battle cybercrimes and information leaks. In fact, no member has ever reported anything of the sort, so something that Bovada is doing must be working. Reputations of excellence don’t come easy to sports betting sites, and Bovada works hard to keep safety at a gold standard.
Bovada Deposit Options
The first thing to do when joining a U.S.A. sports betting site is make a deposit. This will allow you to develop an initial bankroll and start wagering. Sites must take deposits because the UIGEA does not allow them to withdraw funds directly from your bank account. When you make a deposit, you are essentially buying “chips” or “points” to use for wagering purposes. This is similar to buying in at a casino. Bovada offers two excellent deposit options, which you can access from the online cashier. You can deposit with a credit/debit card or via a cash wire transfer.
Each method will come with differing fees, speeds, and limits. Credit/debit deposits are very fast, usually taking less than three minutes. They have fees between 3.4% and 6.8%, and a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $3,500. Cash Wire transfers are different, and you can easily find all this information at the online cashier. Check out our deposit and payout pages to learn everything about each method.
Bovada Payout Methods
Probably the most important aspect of a sports betting site is the way in which they get you your money. Payouts come in many ways, with various speeds, fees, and limits. Bovada has two excellent payout methods, and they work hard to make them as fast as possible. Since the UIGEA states that online sportsbooks cannot send funds directly to a credit card, Bovada has come up with alternative methods that are just as efficient. The most popular way to withdraw funds is by a check in the mail. This old-fashioned technique works just as great today as it has throughout history, and current technology makes it faster than ever. Most members receive their checks within a week, although the site says it can occasionally take up to a month. Another excellent payout method is by rapid transfer. This is recommended when you are requesting large sums, as there are fees that go along with it. Check out our payouts page to learn everything about withdrawing from online sportsbooks.
Bovada Deposit Bonuses
Bovada is a leader in the sports betting world for many reasons. They don’t have very many funding methods, and they don’t have a giant list of bonuses, although the ones they do have are excellent. The reason they dominate the industry is because of their reputation and their amazing sportsbook. They don’t need to offer crazy promotions to draw in players. That being said, they do have some sweet deals for new and old members alike
The $250 welcome bonus is hard to beat. This will add a big chunk of bonus cash to your first deposit. The money will trickle in the more you bet, and will be withdrawable after you have wagered enough times. There is also a refer-a-friend bonus that will match your referrals’ deposit. These are just a few of the great things to look forward to when joining Bovada.
Bovada Mobile Betting
This new feature at Bovada revolutionizes the way players can wager. You can now access the entire sportsbook from the palm of your hand. Bovada’s mobile betting app lets you place wagers, make deposits, request payouts, and manage your account all from your iPhone, Android, Tablet, or any other device that has an internet connection. The generous folks at Bovada even reward your for using the mobile app by offering a $25 refund if your first bet loses. This speaks to the friendly way Bovada treats its members. You can learn much more about mobile betting at our mobile sports betting page.
Bovada Live/In-Game Betting
Another amazing feature at Bovada is the live/in-game betting sportsbook. This specialized sportsbook displays all the games that are going on now, or in the near future, and opens up hundreds of odds that you can wager on at the same time the game is being played. This introduces a newfound level of excitement into the sports betting world, and members are raving about it. We highly suggest checking out the live/in-game betting feature soon after joining Bovada. You can also visit our live-in-game betting page to learn much more.
Recap: Best Legal Sportsbook For Most USA Players
There you have it folks, our review of our favorite site. Our staff continually uses Bovada because it is 100% legal, it has fast funding methods, and the features are out of this world. We have wagered at many different sites and can say with certainty that anyone who loves sports will love this site. Check out Bovada today for a fantastic sports betting site for U.S. players. Moreover, if you happen to be in one of the four states that Bovada doesn’t currently accept, head over to our other sportsbook reviews where you will find many great options.