How to Choose the Best Sports Betting Site Four years after the U.S. Supreme court legalized sports betting in the USA, 35 of the 52 states have followed suit. As it’s become more readily available, around 19% of U.S. adults have already tried sports betting in some form.
Are you ready to try your luck with this popular activity? Before you hand over any money, step one is finding a reputable sports betting site.
Here’s how to find and enjoy the best one for your needs.
Make Sure You Aren’t Breaking the Law Although most states will likely eventually get on board, there are still a few that are still on the fence. These are the states where you can’t engage in sports betting:
Alaska Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Kentucky Minnesota Missouri Oklahoma South Carolina Texas Utah Vermont In Delaware, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Washington, in-person sports betting is legal, but you can’t play online. In Tennessee and Wyoming, you can only place sports bets online.
Florida has an on-again, off-again relationship with betting, so check before you try to wager. Alabama, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and Ohio are still thinking about it, or have positive legislation pending.
You can also search online for the best sports betting guide to help you keep track of any progress or changes in the realm of U.S. sports betting.
Find a Licensed Sports Betting Site Legal, regulated sport betting apps and websites must undergo a lengthy, complicated, and intensive application process. They must follow strict rules and guarantee that they’ll protect your funds and personal information.
There’s a slim chance that irrefutable operators will undertake this procedure, let alone get through it. When you work with a licensed online sportsbook, you know you’re in safe hands.
Online reviews and personal recommendations are other good sources of information regarding sports betting sites.
Choosing Your Ideal Sports Betting Site Once you’ve got the legalities out of the way, you can focus on picking the perfect site for you according to your preferences. These are the things to consider:
Location Availability If you travel a lot and still like to bet on sports while you’re away from home, it’s most convenient to pick a site that’s available in the locations where you spend most of your time.
Some sites might not allow customers from different areas to sign up, but you might be able to access these if you sign up when you’re within their geographical limits.
You can also place your sports betting wagers before you leave home, but then you’re unable to make any changes at the last minute.
Consider the Sports Covered The type of sports offered is the most important criterion for choosing a bookmaking site. You’ll find major leagues like the MLB, NFL, and NBA on most sites, but you might need to look further afield for more obscure sports.
For instance, few sites in the US, offer the opportunity to bet on cricket or soccer as these aren’t high-profile sports amongst local players.
Additionally, check how many games they offer for each of the featured sports.
Look at Your Betting Options After the sports you like, the next most important thing to look for is the type of bets you prefer. Most sites will offer totals, spread, and money lines, but not all of them offer prop action on each game.
A live betting option is another fun way to enjoy fast-paced action, although it’s not ideal for newcomers.
If you’re not fussy about the type of bets or are new to the world of sports betting, it’s still a good idea to browse through the options before you commit.
It’s also important to consider how early the site makes these options available. You want access to the latest lines as soon as possible.
Sites that put their lines out at the last minute aren’t worth your while.
User-Friendliness It’s no fun engaging in sports betting on a site that’s difficult to understand and follow. You should also check if the site offers the convenience of a mobile site or sports betting app.
These allow you to enjoy sports betting from anywhere and let you keep tabs on the outcomes, too.
Banking Options The way you fund your account and withdraw your winnings is probably the most important thing to consider when choosing a site.
A multitude of options is always best and serves as a handy backup if you experience hassles with your regular deposit and withdrawal method. If a sports betting site doesn’t have a banking option that gels with what you’re able to use, you can’t bet on it, period.
Check if the site charges any fees when you deposit and withdraw funds and compare these rates.
Make sure you’re familiar with any limits on deposits and withdrawals, too. When you start to become more successful and daring at betting, you don’t want these to put a damper on your enjoyment.
Avoid signing up with sites that have minimum withdrawal amounts.
Customer Rewards Everybody loves free stuff, but it’s always better to enjoy smaller benefits on a top-class site than to opt for a substandard one that offers high rewards.
Take note of any terms and conditions applying to bonuses and other rewards, sometimes it’s almost impossible to understand these, never mind meeting the criteria.
Make Informed Decisions The following guidelines can assist you with the steps involved in choosing a sports betting site.
Firstly decide what you want from a site, then eliminate sites that fall foul of your deal-breakers, and make a shortlist of the good ones.
Finally, check the legalities, read reviews, and test each site before making your decision. Never hand over money via any website unless you’re convinced they’re legitimate.
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