Legal Sports Betting sites: Top 3 Legal Betting Apps

Online gambling laws in your state - How to make sure that you play at a legal US sportsbook

With sports betting growing in popularity every day, there will be more and more options available, both legal online gaming and offshore.

So, for a new bettor, how can you be sure you’re playing at a legal site? Sure, you’ve probably heard of the big platforms like DraftKings or FanDuel, but what about the others?

When you arrive at a site for the first time, there are a few ways to determine that you’re playing at a legal site regulated in the United States.

• Marking is associated with the governing body in that state.
• If the web address has “.lv” or “.ag,” that’s an instant red flag.
• Check to see if Politics is available to be wagered on. If so, this is another red flag, as wagering on politics in the United States is illegal everywhere.
• Has information at the bottom of the site citing information about the governing body.

In case you’re not sure exactly what this looks like, the screenshots below will give you an idea of what to look for. Also, the state’s appropriate governing body will have information on which operators are legal online as seen here.

What are the betting markets on the best legal sportsbooks

Understanding what bet types are available at the best legal sports betting sites is essential so you know exactly what it is you’re betting on.

Below is a table with the most popular bet types and what they are.

 

Outside of politics, almost every sport you can imagine is available to be bet on in the United States. The most popular sports that are legal online to bet on are the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL.

Some popular events/bets for these sports include the following:

• NFL - Super Bowl, Division Winners, Conference Winners, MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and more.
• MLB - World Series, Pennant Winners, Cy Young Winner, MVP, and more.
• NHL - Stanley Cup Finals, Conference Winners, Division Winners, Vezina Trophy Winner, and more.
• NBA - NBA Finals, Conference Finals, Division Winners, MVP, Scoring Title, Sixth Man of the Year, and more.
• A small section on betting types (ML, prop bets, parlays, SGP, Pointsbet /futures

Legal college betting - Where is Online gambling legal and which states allow NCAAB and NCAAF betting

College sports betting is an exciting way to wager, but depending on the state you reside in, there may be some limitations on what exactly is legal online and what you can wager on.

Below, we’ll go over a handful of states and their stance on betting on College Football (NCAAF) and College Basketball (NCAAB)

What US states allow sports betting in general?

Best legal sportsbooks

When betting on sports in the United States, it's important that you’re wagering at legal online gambling sites. By that, we don’t mean sites that you can bet on but are based outside of the country—we mean sites that are legal, licensed, and regulated by individual states.

On top of having SSL encryption to keep your data safe, we’ll only ever recommend legal sports betting sites that have received a license from an appropriate governing body such as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Michigan Gaming Control Board, Virginia Lottery, and many more.

Below, we’ll provide insight into the best legal US sportsbooks, including why we think they’re among the best and the pros and cons the licensed online gambling sites.

BetMGM - Among The Best Legal Sportsbooks

Many online gambling sites have been launched in the United States since PASPA was overturned in May 2018.

One of the first to ever take legal sports bets and offer online casino games was BetMGM, launching in August 2018 in New Jersey, partnered with the Borgata Hotel & Casinos land-based casino.

Has Legal US Sportsbooks All Over The Country

BetMGM is a popular online sportsbook in the United States and even Canada. Within the United States, BetMGM is legal in 20 states and jurisdictions with gambling websites, including the following:

• New Jersey
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• Maryland
• Colorado
• Arizona
• Kansas

Available in so many states, BetMGM has demonstrated to multiple governing bodies that it’s safe for all players and should give you great peace of mind to play there. The screenshot below shows in what states BetMGM has online betting sites and mobile apps.

States with legal BetMGM sports betting sites

BetMGM - One of the Safest Sports Betting Sites

While most sportsbooks offer cash out, a feature that allows you to bail from a bet early, BetMGM has additional security measures in place when attempting to do so. This ensures that no one else will try to access your account and cash out on your behalf.

When attempting to cash out while legally gamble online, BetMGM will prompt you with the security questions you created during registration. You must answer these to get your money.

As seen in the screenshot below, sites like BetMGM adhere to many protocols set forth by the various gaming boards and commissions to protect legalized online sports betting.

BetMGM pro:

• Multiple tools for creating parlay wagers, such as Easy Parlay.
• An excellent $1,000 risk-free bet welcome bonus
• MGM Rewards offers plenty of perks and rewards such as waived resort fees, air travel accommodations, and FREEPLAY credits.
• A mobile app resembling the desktop, allowing an easier learning curve going from platform to platform.

BetMGM cons:

• Monetary requirements to ascend in the MGM Reward program aren’t casual-bettor-friendly making it difficult for beginners to enjoy the benefits.

 

SI Sportsbook - Great Place to Make Safe Online Bets in your state

While SI Sportsbook may not have as many banking methods available as other sites, you can stay rest assured that the available ones—Visa Debit Cards, ACH Transfer, Play+, and PayPal—will be conducted in a safe and secure environment.

SI Sportsbook has measures requiring you to send over documents to prove your identity to perform real-money transactions.

This can feel tedious at the moment, but you’ll know your money is safe on the site in the long run.

SI Sportsbook and some examples of legal documents required

As mentioned, SI Sportsbook will ask for documentation to prove your identity. It does this to save you from potential fraud, should that ever happen. SI Sportsbook wants to ensure your funds are safe. The documentation you’ll need to provide includes some of the following, as seen in the screenshot below.

The Acceptable Documentation - To combat AML and KYC issues

• Proof Of ID: Photographic ID, Passport, Driver's License, or National ID card.
• Proof of Funds: Credit/Debit Card copies of front and back used to fund your account. Remember to blank out the middle eight numbers on the front and the 3-digit security code on the back of the card when making photocopies.
• Proof of Address: Recent utility bill or credit card statement showing your full name.
• Proof of Legitimacy: For larger withdrawals, your notarized documentation will need to be authenticated by a qualified Notary/Solicitor and dates, signed, and stamped.

SI Sportsbook - Quick Deposit: A Safe And Secure Way to Fund Your Account

You can make fast and safe deposits when you’ve created the account and provided the necessary documentation.

Sometimes, you’ll want to deposit quickly without going through the entire process of online bank transfers. This could be because a game is starting soon, you want to make a live wager, or just want to play slots and your favorite casino games.

SI Sportsbook offers Quick Deposit, a self-described “fast, easy, and secure way to fund your account.”

This method allows you to deposit using the method you most recently used quickly. To do this, check out the step-by-step instructions below.

SI Sportsbook Chase Quick Deposit Guide

How to use Quick Deposit at SI Sportsbook in 4 easy steps

1. Log in with your username.
2. Open the game or join the table and click Deposit.
3. Fill in the details in the Quick Deposit window and click Submit.
4. Funds will be credited to your account instantly.

SI Sportsbook pros:

• Offers the Perfect 10 free-to-play games where you’ll guess the result of 10 NFL games. The top prize is $10k and getting six or more right earns you free bets.
• Offers $200 in free bets to new players that bet just $20.
• Will offer plenty of timely promotions for all players. For example, the March Madness, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and other notable events.

SI Sportsbook cons:

• Currently, no Rewards or VIP Programs are available

FanDuel - The Go-To For Legal Online Gambling Sites

FanDuel is a company that gained notoriety in the late 2000s/early 2010s with its daily fantasy sports platform.

Since then, it has merged with a notable international gaming outfit, Paddy Power Betfair. It now hosts daily fantasy sports, horse racing, online sports betting, and an online casino. Depending on what state you are in, you might be able to play all (or none) of the above.

While we’re focusing on sports betting here, know that FanDuel is one of the best places to go for any kind of betting, especially sports betting. FanDuel actually won the American Gambling Awards Online Sportsbook of the Year award for 2022.

FanDuel - Provides Resources Unlike Other Safe Sports Betting Websites

Responsible Gaming is one of the most notable sections of all legal and regulated US gambling sites. At FanDuel Sportsbook, there are multiple ways to access this page, including at the top or bottom of the site.

Here, you’ll have access to numerous online gambling resources, including information for gambling addiction assistance local to you, whether you’re in Michigan, Colorado, Virginia, or another legal state.

All Responsible Gaming Tools at FanDuel Sportsbook - As seen in the screenshot below, it goes beyond that.

FanDuels Awesome Information For New Bettors Amongst The Best Legal Sportsbooks

Even if you’ve been a fan of a sport, team, or league for years, this doesn’t mean you necessarily know how to make those wagers legal online.

Many sports betting websites seem to assume you’re already an expert and expect you to jump in on the action.

Well, FanDuel Sportsbook has a tremendous resource for new bettors called Betting 101.

We’d need dozens of screenshots to show all of it, but below is just an example of the type of information you’ll find that’s not only text but video, too!

FanDuel pros:

• Offers new players a $1,000 No Sweat Bet.
• Betting 101 Guide has information on each sport, bet type, and even how to navigate FanDuel.
• Daily odds boosts allow you to make potentially even more money on wagers you already planned on making.

FanDuel cons:

• No shared virtual wallet between the sportsbook and the DFS site.

What’s the difference between legal online gambling sites and offshore gambling sites?

Pros Of Legal Sports Betting Sites:

• Licensed and regulated by governing bodies from each state that allow online gambling sites.
• You can depend on receiving your legal online winnings when playing at real money gambling sites.
• Ample security measures to keep funds identity, and personal data safe.

Cons About Offshore Sites:

• Not licensed in the US, so limited recourse in the event of not receiving withdrawals.
• Run the risk of playing at an online gambling site that’s a complete scam with online casino games that are fake.
• Winnings aren’t automatically reported to the IRS, so you’ll need to self-report.
• Too good to be true welcome offers.

Conclusion - safe sports betting websites

With so many states legalizing online gambling and others hoping to shortly, it’s important for sites to demonstrate that they’re safe for their players. This display could encourage states that aren’t yet legal to bring it there.

While we highlighted three sportsbooks here, there are plenty of other perfectly legal and regulated sites to play at that are also safe for you to play at.

As mentioned, ensuring you’re playing at a legal site is vital. We at Ballislife will only ever recommend legalized online gambling platforms that we are 100% sure of in all facets of what makes a legal sports betting site and our rankings above give you a great place to start.

FAQ Legal sports betting sites