Best Sportsbooks for USA Players

For handicappers in the United States, there are several online sportsbooks that still welcome us. However, we only recommend books that are financially secure and trustworthy, narrowing it down to two great sites.
Our overall favorite online sportsbook is BetOnline.com. For most sports, their lines are posted very early, with a standard vig of 10%. They also offer a lot of props, futures, & live betting as well. During the betting season for the most popular sports, BetOnline offers a variety of special promotions that include free bets, bonuses, & contests.

The other online sportsbook we recommend for US bettors is Bovada. The Bovada Sportsbook is one of the pioneers of the industry, with possibly the best reputation in the business. The main reason we rate them below BetOnline is due to the late posting of their odds. For most sports, BetOnline is much quicker, giving sharps another way to find value. For example, BetOnline posts their NFL point spreads and totals late on Sunday after the day games are complete. Money lines are usually posted by Tuesday. For Bovada, point spreads and totals usually go up on Tuesday, and money lines go up on Friday.

Most people place their bets within 24-36 hours before a game begins, so early lines may not mean much to you. However, there are times when value can be found by betting early. Football and basketball are good examples, where the best odds on big favorites can often be found right after the lines have been posted.

Live betting continues to grow in popularity, and Bovada has a distinct advantage in this area. They have possibly the best live betting software in the entire industry, with a wide variety of betting options. Bovada also has a great poker room and full-fledged online casino powered by RTG software.

Both sites accept Visa credit & debit cards for deposits, but BetOnline also accepts Mastercard and AMEX. People who bet frequently need to have funded accounts at both sites so they can shop for the best prices. Why take -3.5 (-110) on an NFL game if you can get -3 (-110) somewhere else? If you aren’t comparing odds & vig, you’re costing yourself money.

Below are some comparisons between these betting sites for the most popular sports.

Best US Sportsbook to Bet on NFL & NCAA College Football

Bovada Sportsbook: Later NFL and NCAA football lines than BetOnline, but a better selection of prop bets and live betting. Unique lines within the industry, and the best prices can often be found here. $1 minimum live bets, and wagers can be placed on almost every down.

BetOnline: Very early lines for both NFL and NCAA football. NCAA point spreads & totals (over/unders) usually get posted on Saturday night, and money lines usually go up on Sunday or Monday. For NFL football, spreads and totals go up Sunday night, with money lines posted on Monday or Tuesday. Live betting is offered for big NFL and NCAA football games, but the selection of live betting options is stronger at Bovada.

Best US Sports book to Bet On NBA & NCAA College Basketball

Bovada Sportsbook:Odds usually go up a few hours after BetOnline, but dime lines are offered on game day. Live betting is available for 1-3 games per night during the NBA season, with a fun variety of betting options. Excellent betting options for NCAA basketball, plus live betting for the biggest games every week. A fun variety of bracket leagues are offered during March Madness.

BetOnline:Early NBA and NCAA basketball lines. Live betting for big games, but the selection is weaker than Bovada. Dime lines offered for all NBA and NCAA games (sometimes not available until game day). Special promotions & free contests offered during the NCAA basketball betting season.

Best USA Sports Book to Bet On MLB Baseball

Bovada Sportsbook: MLB dime lines available on game day. Lots of player & team prop bets, and better live betting than BetOnline. Run lines go up too late for our liking, but the superior selection of props is enough to rank them slightly above BetOnline.

BetOnline: Once again, BetOnline posts their baseball odds sooner than Bovada, and they offer dime lines as well. If you like to bet run lines, you need to have an account at BetOnline because Bovada’s late run lines will drive you crazy (and make it harder to find value on favorites). MLB baseball props and live betting options available at BetOnline are weak.

Betting on NHL Hockey

For NHL hockey, we rank these sites evenly. Bovada’s lines go up later, but they offer a few more props. Both sites take their Stanley Cup futures down early, and US bettors don’t have many good options for these bets. Our best recommendation is to get your NHL futures bets in before the season begins. Both sites offer a bit of live betting for NHL hockey, but neither excel in this area. For the variety of betting options on games that are offered, we give a slight edge to Bovada. The best idea is to have funded accounts at both sites to multiply your NHL betting options.

Best US Sports Book to Bet on UFC, MMA & Boxing

Bovada Sportsbook: This is an easy call. Bovada is far superior to BetOnline for UFC, MMA (Strikeforce, Bellator), and boxing. Believe it or not, but Bovada actually posts their UFC lines much earlier than BetOnline, sometimes weeks or even months in advance. They offer a much better selection of fights as well. This is great for sharp handicappers who know these sports well. Incredibly early lines available at Bovada give bettors a chance to find a lot of value if they can correctly predict the direction of a line. It’s not uncommon to see a fighter listed at something like -300 two months before the fight, then -425 a few days before the event. The same can be said in the opposite direction as well. Bovada also offers a lot of prop bets and alternative betting options for outright winners. BetOnline doesn’t even compare in this category.

BetOnline: There is one reason to sign up at BetOnline if you’re looking to bet on UFC & MMA. This is to compare odds for outright winners. While Bovada offers a much better selection of betting options, prices for outright winners need to be compared. When one site offers more value on one fighter, the other site will usually offer better value for the opponent. Odds for boxing matches go up late as well, but again, bettors need to have an account here to shop for the best price.

Best USA Sportsbook to Bet on Horse Racing

Bovada: The Bovada Racebook is massive, with 80+ thoroughbred and harness racing tracks offered. Most of the tracks are located in the US, but other popular international tracks & races are available as well. Professional race analysis and track conditions are offered every day. The Bovada Racebook offers all of the betting options that experienced & professional handicappers expect. The downside is that professional handicappers will get limit collars if they win too much. So, this is a great racebook for casual and low-medium stakes bettors, but not as good for professionals. We rank Bovada ahead of BetOnline primarily because most people are not high stakes bettors. Although the horse racing betting limits are higher at BetOnline, the vast majority of customers bet less than the maximums allowed at Bovada. So, the variety of tracks offered and superior software at Bovada wins overall.

BetOnline: The main benefit of the BetOnline Racebook is the ability for professional and high-stakes handicappers to bet how they want, without worrying about getting cut off or limit collared. Betting limits and potential payouts are higher at BetOnline, and there’s never an issue with getting paid. The variety of tracks available isn’t as wide as it is at Bovada, but there are still dozens of tracks offered almost daily. All of the standard horse racing bets that professional and casual handicappers expect are available.