Sports betting has become a normal and accepted pastime here in the United States. Over the past decade the sports betting industry has gone through a transition whereby it’s been destigmatized and really become ingrained in American’s sporting culture. It’s now commonplace for sports betting lines and spreads to be discussed openly by the national sports media, and this shift has resulted in a lot of new players being introduced to sports betting online.
On this page I will recommend my three favorite sportsbooks for USA residents, provide a simple 3 step guide to get started betting on sports online, and touch on some of the more popular sports to bet on here in the USA with links to their dedicated pages.
Best Sportsbooks for Americans
| Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit |
|---|---|---|
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50% up to $250 in Free Bets | Visit |
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100% up to $250 | Visit |
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100% up to $1000 | Visit |
These are our top three recommended sportsbooks for USA residents. I’ve limited the sportsbooks I promote here at HowToBetUSA.com to only suggest the most popular and respected betting sites that accept Americans, and have shown a commitment to building and maintaining their presence in the United States.
Check out the reviews for a detailed look at each sportsbook with a deep dive into their bonuses, promotions, features, bet offerings, deposit/withdrawals and customer support.
Step By Step Guide: Betting On Sports
Follow this 3 step guide to get started betting on sports online.
Step 1. Open An Online Sportsbook Account
You will need an online betting account to place your wagers through online. BetOnline.ag is our top rated betting site for Americans. They are completely dedicated to the American market and have proven through their longevity that they are in this for the long haul. Everything about BetOnline is done with their American customers in mind including the bet offerings, deposit/payout options and customer support. Here’s our full review of BetOnline.ag.
Click here to visit BetOnline.ag, select ‘Join Now’ on the home page and fill out the short form to open your account.
Step 2. Deposit
As I mentioned above BetOnline goes out of their way to cater to their American customers. This shows through with their wide variety of deposit options that includes Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, Ethereum, bank wire, and more. It’s the American Express option that really shows their commitment to the USA in my opinion, because many online sportsbooks don’t accept AMEX even though it’s used by a good portion of Americans.
Step 3. Place Your Sports Bets
Click on ‘Sports’ in the top navigation bar on the BetOnline website to head to the sportsbook section of the site. From here you will see all of the sports bet offerings in the left sidebar.
Top Sports For Betting in the USA
Each of our sport specific pages includes our recommended betting site for that sport, explanations and examples of the sports most common bets and an easy to follow three step guide to getting a bet placed online.
Baseball
Americas national pastime provides a ton of betting opportunities throughout the year with teams playing almost daily throughout the season. The real betting action gets underway in October though with the MLB playoffs culminating in the World Series. On this page I’ve recommended a sportsbook for betting on baseball, provided examples of the most popular wagers you can make on a baseball game and outlined a simple 3 step guide to bet on baseball online.
Basketball
The back and forth momentum swings, spreads evening out the playing field, and of course the fun of betting on March Madness or the NBA Playoffs makes basketball betting one of the most popular sports to bet on in the USA. On this page I recommend three sportsbooks for basketball betting, look at examples of the three main bets you can make on a basketball game and give you a simple 3 step guide you can follow to start betting on basketball online.
Boxing
Boxing has produced some of the most wagered on sporting events in the United States over the past half decade. Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor started the trend, and now we’re seeing Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, and more putting on huge boxing events that generate massive betting handle. Add in the legitimate high level professional boxers that are transcending the sport like Tyson Fury and Canelo Alvarez, and boxing should continue to be a very popular sport to bet on here in the United States for years to come.
Football
Without a doubt the most bet on sport in the United States is football. The NFL and NCAA both have massive followings and the sport lends itself well to betting. The Super Bowl is the most bet on single day event in the USA every year. On this page I’ve recommended 3 sportsbooks, given examples for the three most popular football wagers you can make, and provided a simple 3 step guide you can follow to start betting on football.
Golf
Golf is my favorite sport to bet on. The excitement that comes with the potential for a big payout when one of your tournament picks is in the hunt on a Sunday is hard to beat. On the golf betting page I recommend three betting sites, look at some of the popular bets you can make on a golf tournament and provide a guide that will allow you to place your first golf bet online.
Hockey
Hockey is a fast-paced, action-packed sport that is even more entertaining with some betting action on the line. On the hockey betting page I will outline the popular bets you can make on a hockey game and provide a simple three step guide you can follow to place your hockey wagers online.
Horse Racing
Horse racing and betting go together hand in hand. On the horse race betting page I will outline what to look for in a racebook, explain the most popular types of horse racing bets and provide a simple guide to get you started betting on the horses online.
Tennis
Tennis is a staple sport here in the United States. The betting action really takes off during any of the four Grand Slam tournaments, and especially during the US Open. On the tennis page I outline the various bets you can make on a tennis match and lay out a simple 3 step guide that you can follow to place your first tennis bet online.
UFC
The UFC and sports betting go together like peanut butter and jelly. The build up, hype, and just watching two athletes battle it out until there is a winner brings out sports bettors in hordes. On the UFC betting page I explain the various bets you can make on a UFC fight and provide a 3 step guide to getting your UFC wager placed within minutes on fight night.
