Online sports betting is starting to grow in the United States as we’re hearing more and more about online casinos who are also legal US sportsbooks online. Online sportsbooks and online sports betting are, essentially, the same thing, but the legislation that exists on them is starting to progress. Betting on your favorite team or players is an appealing extra for many, so the prospect of this expanding to more states is exciting. Check out the list of options below for the best online sports betting sites in your state.

How Does Sports Betting Work?

So many of you are going to want to know how sports betting works. If you’ve never done it before then you probably feel like you need to go to your local library and pick up a copy of sports betting for dummies. However, there’s no need for that because we’ve got everything you need to know here.

The best way to understand sports betting is to think of it as a little extra bit of fun added to your normal sports, a bonus dimension of entertainment that allows you the potential of winning some real money. All you do is place a bet on an outcome of a particular sport, and if that outcome happens, then you’ll have won.

When you place that bet each outcome will have odds. These odds tell you how much you’ll get if you win, and some odds are better than others. The odds for a particular bet will usually reflect two things: how likely the bookmaker thinks that bet will be a winner, and how popular that bet has been with other sports fans. After you’ve made your bet, you can just sit back and watch the show.

After an example? Consider a World Heavyweight Championship boxing match. If you want to watch the fight and bet then you can go to your preferred casino site and check if they have a sportsbook. You’ll be given odds on each fighter winning the match, these odds will look like +150 or +175. The +175 means you’ll get a greater return on your bet, so if you chose this and it won then you get more profit. However, the 150+ is smaller because it is more likely to prove true and/or it is more popular. You then place your bet, for instance $100, watch the match and hope your fighter wins. If they do, and suppose you bet that $100 on +150 odds, you’d get a return of $250 – which is your original stake plus the $150 win.

Where is it Legal to Bet on Sports in the US?

Now you know a little better about how sportsbook works, you’re also going to what to know where online sports betting is legal. The USA is broken up into 50 different states, and not all have legal sports betting sites. So, is it legal to bet on online sports in my state?

One big giveaway is this page. If you see a message saying USA Online Casino Finder doesn’t list sportsbook sites in your region then sportsbook will either be missing or it’ll be illegal in your state. On most occasions, it’s the latter.

That’s not the end of the story, however. There are many states whose legislatures have recently had bills introduced or states in which bills have been passed but they’ve not yet been fully ratified into law – similarly to online slots. This means there may soon be a flood of states in which you can place bets on your favorite sporting competitions.

Best Online Sportsbooks in the US Reviewed

Many of the best US online casinos come with sportsbook included, as it’s a common thing to find gambling sites that cover all interests. So, finding them won’t be so hard. However, what will be harder is finding the best online sportsbooks in the US…

We’re here to help make that easier with our sports betting reviews. We routinely carry out in-depth reviews of the best online sportsbooks in the USA – going into great detail with the most up to date information. If you want to find the best sportsbook sites in the US then we’ve got them here for you.

Mobile Sports Betting – App or Site?

One of the best things about the online gaming industry over the last few years is the explosion of mobile gaming technology. Simply put, mobile gaming – either through gambling apps on your phone and tablet or specially-optimized sites – allows you to place sports bets on the go, at the match, or even in the bar with your friends.

Unlike some live dealer casino sites, you do not need to have an app to bet on sports – as you can do so straight through your browser in most cases. Still, the added mobility that an app gives you is unmatchable, allowing you to login using Touch ID for instance.

Therefore, you might want to know what the best sports betting app is. When you read our reviews, you’ll find we break these down in quite some detail. If you are going to use an app, however, make sure to check for compatibility with both Apple and Android.

Sports Betting or Fantasy Sports (FanDuel/DraftKings)?

While most sportsbook bets are settled there and then, an incredibly popular alternative type of wagering in some states being fantasy sports betting. The concept of fantasy sports will be familiar to anyone who has ever been in a fantasy football league – the word ‘fantasy’ doesn’t mean you’re betting on Quidditch, after all!

The way it works is simple: you pick real-life players from different teams to create your own virtual team, and the performance of the players in real life games determines how many points you get.

Fantasy sports betting, through the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings, has proven to be so popular in the US because it’s legal in more states compared to real money sportsbook. Obviously, this will likely change as sportsbook is legalized in more states, but there are two other reasons why fantasy sports is popular.

The first reason why sites like FanDuel or DraftKings are popular is because you play against other players. This introduces an exciting social element into the games, also mimicking real-life tournaments (everyone wants to beat their friends!). The second reason they’re popular is because more aspects require skill. For example, picking your team requires a lot of knowledge for a sport, and this makes fantasy sports less of a normal game of chance.