Choosing a Sports Betting App or Site

Choosing the right sports betting app can make or break between a good or bad online sports betting experience. The right sportsbook will look different from one punter to the next—several factors you could consider when selecting an app or website to fulfill your betting goals.

In today’s market, there are many online sports betting options, so choosing just one betting app can become overwhelming. Of course, we recommend you join more than a single sportsbook to get a broader range of odds, but many bettors don’t have the time or money to maintain action on multiple platforms. Use our guide to narrow your options to find the perfect real-money sportsbook!

Contents of Page

Use the jump links below to navigate our guide and quickly find the information you’re looking for. We’ll start with the twelve most essential factors we score when reviewing a betting site.

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• Legality and Licensing
• Reputation and Reviews
• Ease of Use and Interface
• Mobile Compatibility
• Range of Betting Options
• Odds and Pricing
• Bonuses and Promotions
• Payment Options
• Customer Support
• Security and Privacy
• Betting Resources and Tools
• Responsible Gambling
• Comparing Top Betting Sites
• Getting Started
• FAQs

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1- Legality and Licensing

There are legal considerations to think about when choosing the correct betting site. While plenty of offshore sports betting apps accept users from all over the United States, these platforms are not obligated to protect US bettors’ personal or financial data because they aren’t held to US laws and regulations. Therefore, using these apps or websites is risky because they leave your private data vulnerable.

2- Reputation and Reviews

To research the reputation of a betting site, it’s best to check out online reviews from review sites such as ours or sites where users can post reviews and testimonials about their personal experiences. These include sites like ConsumerAffairs, Trustpilot, or SiteJabber. You can find an aggregated rating for just about any sportsbook or betting app—they are entirely based on current or former users’ firsthand experience using the product. The scores are based on a mix of positive and negative reviews.

If there are more good than bad reviews, it’s a sportsbook that’s worth checking out. However, you’ll consider that people are far more likely to post negative feedback online than to post about success and satisfaction, so you do have to take the aggregated score with a grain of salt.

3- Ease of Use and Interface

Who wants to use a sportsbook with clunky navigation or leave you shaking your head as you figure out how it works? Choose a platform with user-friendliness down to an art and has an intuitive interface that lets you learn how to operate quickly! You can test this out on a new sports betting app by registering a free account but holding off on placing your first deposit.

Features to Consider

When choosing a brand-new sports betting app, you want to look for four primary features. If the platform you’re interested in joining is missing any of these big four features, it’s time to look into another betting app that does!

• Live Betting: The best betting platforms let users bet on live sports events, games, or matches. The feature might not be available for every sports market, but the main markets are typically covered. It depends on the live betting app. At the very least, you want to have this feature so you can place multiple bets during the same game. You can maximize your total betting opportunities!
• Live Streaming: Another feature you want to look out for is live streaming on the primary sports markets. This comes in handy when you’re betting on live events. You can place your wager and watch the game unfold, all in the same place!
• Same Game Parlays: You’ll find this feature in all the big names in online sports betting. You can parlay your bets on the same game to maximize your overall payout. They take a lot of skill to predict correctly, but it’s an option available on any good sportsbook. It’s something that appeals to seasoned bettors.
• Early Cashout: Many live bets cannot be settled until the end of the game or match, but early cashout is available for any bet where the outcome is known well before the end of the game. Bettors don’t have to wait for things to wrap up when using early cashout. They can get their winning early and move to other betting opportunities, saving a lot of time.

4- Mobile Compatibility

Unless you’re betting on sports at home, why use a desktop computer for all your betting? The best way to wager on sports when you lead a busy life is through your smartphone and a robust mobile app! Luckily, the best sports betting sites in the business have a mobile-friendly website or free-to-download mobile app available at Google Play and the App Store.

Mobile Apps

Mobile betting apps are designed for the smaller screens of smartphones and tablets, so the overall design is simplified to accommodate the limited screen space. It’s a mobile version designed to fit the small screen even if you’re using the website on your mobile device with your web browser. These modified menus make for more straightforward navigation, which is the best overall experience and version of the betting platform that you’ll find.

Note: One major drawback to mobile betting apps is that they need to be updated from time to time. This can cut into your betting time unless you perform the updates overnight.

Website (Computer or Smartphone)

We’ve tested both versions (the app and the regular website) of the best sports betting apps, and we enjoyed using the website on a desktop computer. While the navigation is more involved and, dare we say, more cumbersome, we liked this version and felt it served our betting experience well.

Note: One major drawback to using the website is that you rely on an internet connection to place your bet, unlike the app, which operates under its own power. However, any updates to the betting site are automatic when you visit the website using your browser.

5- Range of Sports and Betting Options

If you’re choosing a sports betting app for the first time, an excellent way to find the perfect platform is by looking at the offered sports markets. You can typically find these in a menu that looks like a vertical column on the left side of the screen. Most sportsbooks will have the following sports markets available:

• NFL Football
• NHL Hockey
• MLB Baseball
• NBA Basketball
• PGA Golf
• MLS Soccer
• Tennis
• MMA Fighting
• Motorsports

Your results may vary when you start looking for more obscure or niche betting markets. Examples of secondary sports betting markets you might find using the best sportsbooks include:

• Aussie Rules Football
• Formula 1 Racing
• Lacrosse
• Handball
• Cricket
• Jai Alai
• Rugby Union
• Cycling
• Boxing
• Snooker
• Badminton

However, look at the types of bets you can place on the sports betting app. You can find the following bets on the bet slip itself or on the menu where the odds are located:

• Point Spread
• Totals (Over/Under)
• Moneylines

If you’re looking for exotic bets, you can find these under the “All Wagers” link, where you can view additional betting opportunities like:

• Parlays
• Same-Game Parlays
• Teasers
• Pleasers
• Prop Bets
• Futures

Once you’ve found the sports markets you’re interested in betting on and the type of bets you’d like to place, it’s a decent indicator that the sportsbook will be a good fit for your betting goals. There are other factors to consider, but this is arguably the most crucial aspect you should research as you shop around.

6- Odds and Pricing

7- Bonuses and Promotions

Some bettors are primarily interested in having the strongest bankroll possible as they join a brand-new sports betting app. As a result, you have many sports bettors and punters using the welcome bonus or the rewards programs as their criteria for choosing the online sportsbook that’s best for them.

Check out a few examples of the bonuses and promotions you can find at the market’s most popular real money sportsbooks:

• Sign-Up Bonus: Online sportsbook welcome offers will typically reward new bettors with bonus bets for simply placing their first sports bet. Each platform is a little different—some will only give you the bonus bets if your first bet loses, while others will provide you with the bonus bets regardless of the outcome.
• Reload Bonus: These promos are for existing customers using the app for a while. They reward them with a bonus for reloading their accounts with a new deposit. Bettors will usually have to deposit a certain amount to qualify.
• Bet Insurance: These promos are in place for bettors who aren’t sure if their first bet will win. Bet insurance will protect the first bet up to a certain amount so that new bettors won’t be penalized in their first betting round. New bettors get reimbursed for the amount they lost in bonus bets.
• Deposit Match: Some betting apps will ask you to deposit a certain amount of money into your account, and they will match that amount up to a certain percentage in bonus bets. For instance, a 100% deposit match up to $1,000 will match any amount you add to your account, but nothing over $1,000. Deposit $1,000, and your starting bankroll balance will be $2,000.
• Boosted Odds: These are opportunities to bet on a specific game or sports market and get reduced juice, giving the bettor a better chance to win money on one side. With boosted odds, your wagering limits are lower, so you cannot bet as much.

Always Check the Terms and Conditions

Before making your first deposit, check the terms and conditions to know how each promotional offer works. For instance, many sportsbooks will only let you collect the welcome bonus bets if your first bet loses. Some allow you to earn these bonus bets regardless of your first bet’s outcome. You need to know these critical details before you commit financially to the sports betting app.

A few things you should always check to understand the terms and conditions of sports betting bonuses include:

• Minimum Deposit
• Betting Limits
• Rollover Requirements
• Who the Bet is For (New bettors, regular bettors, etc.)
• Promotional Timeframe

8- Payment Options

Another aspect to consider before making your first deposit is whether the sportsbook offers payout options that align with your banking preferences, budget, or lifestyle. Using US-regulated and licensed sportsbooks, bettors can rest assured that their financial data is safe and secure.

Popular Payout Options

Nearly all real-money sports betting apps include the following payout methods. You won’t find processing fees with any of these options:

• E-wallets (PayPal, Skrill, or Venmo)
• Play+ Card (prepaid credit card)
• Online Banking
• eChecks
• Physical Check
• Bank/wire Transfers
• Collecting your payout at the casino cage/sports betting center

9- Customer Support

When choosing a new sportsbook, you can check to see which customer service options are available—you can typically find the support options under “Customer Service” or “Help.” It won’t be the same across the board for all sports betting sites, but you’ll usually find at least a couple of the following options:

Ideally, choose a platform with all four customer support options we spelled out above. Any platform with a 24/7 contact option is always an excellent way to go!

We recommend choosing a sports betting site with responsive and helpful customer service—it could make or break between a good or lousy betting experience. Customer service is easy to forget—out of sight, out of mind. But when problems arise, it’s the most essential thing in the world. So, you must choose a sports betting app with the customer support contact option you prefer.

10- Security and Privacy

Because the sportsbooks we recommend to our readers are fully licensed and regulated in the United States, these platforms protect their members’ personal and financial data. When signing up for a new account, you can read about these privacy policies. You’ll find a link to the privacy policy on the step where you enter personal information and create login terms.

The privacy policies outline how the betting site handles customers’ personal and financial data. This information is never shared with third parties or sold off to other entities for marketing purposes.

Privacy policy pages also outline the following subjects:

• The personal data the site collects (cookies, photos, etc.)
• Why the site collects the data
• The cookies policy
• Embedded content from other websites
• How long the site retains your data
• Who do they share your data with
• The rights you have over your data
• How the site protects your data
• What third parties the site receives data from
• The data breach procedures the site has in place
• Automated decision-making and profile
• What the site does with user data
• Industry regulatory disclosure requirements

11- Betting Resources and Tools

We provide plenty of betting/educational resources and statistic tools to our readers at GamblingSite.com that can help improve your overall experience and help you gain knowledge that will hone your betting strategy.

Betting Guides

• Top 10 Mistakes in Sports Betting
• How to Effectively Manage Your Bankroll
• A Look at the Martingale Betting System
• Five Signs That It’s Time to Take a Break from Gambling

Sports Betting Features

In addition to our resources, our favorite sports betting sites come with helpful betting tools that allow you to take advantage of as many betting opportunities as you can handle! Live streaming and live betting are two behemoths of modern online sports betting that have a multiplying effect on your bankroll.

• Live Streaming: Viewing the game or match while it’s in progress can help inform your live betting strategy. You can adjust your bets as the action changes on the field, court, and rink.
• In-Play Betting: Placing live bets allows you to maximize your earning potential by placing multiple bets on the same game or event. If you stay on top of the odds and pricing available, you can take enough action to build your bankroll steadily.
• Early Cash-Out: You don’t have to waste your time waiting around for the game to end if the outcome of your bet has been determined early on. Early cashout allows you to leave the game early, so you’re not wasting time waiting. You can move on to other betting opportunities without missing a beat.

12- Responsible Gambling

Responsible gambling practices are paramount to an enjoyable online betting experience. You’ll find resources on the best sports betting apps that outline the concept of responsible gambling and provide resources for those who have slipped into unhealthy gambling habits.

What Is Responsbile Gambling?

Sports betting apps will typically define the idea of responsible gambling somewhere on their platform. They outline concepts like:

• Taking regular breaks
• Not relying on gambling as a source of income
• Gambling for entertainment only
• Gambling only money you can afford to lose
• Setting up time and money limits for each session

Best Practices

Eventually, the sportsbook will offer gambling tips responsibly and the best practices for staying true to your personal goals. Here are a few things the sportsbook might cover in a section such as this:

• Gambling only when you’re in a good mood
• Being connected with other responsible gamblers
• Keep your expectations realistic
• Having fun and not focusing on the amount of money you won
• Finding a good balance between gambling and your regular life
• Knowing the signs of problem gambling or addictions creeping in

Tools Offered for Responsible Gambling

The best online sportsbooks usually have links to the following national help resources for any gambler or bettor who’s dealing with a problem or addiction:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-522-4700
• National Council on Problem Gambling: Click Here
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Click Here
• SAMHSA Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• Gamblers Anonymous: Click Here
• GamTalk: Click Here
• GamAnon: Click Here

The most critical resource a sportsbook offers its members is the self-exclusion list. This practical tool lets members voluntarily ban themselves from the platform if they feel using it is becoming too much of a temptation.

Comparing Top Betting Sites

There are five sports betting sites in particular that we are fond of and would recommend to any sports bettor out there. Each is fully licensed and regulated in about half of all US states. They pay real money on sports bets and include our favorite primary betting features:

• Live Betting
• Live Streaming
• Same-Game Parlays
• Early Cash-Out

Let’s look at our personal favorite real money sports betting apps—you can find complete reviews of these excellent platforms in our online gambling reviews section and in the “Fast Facts” sections below.

Getting Started

If you’re interested in online sports betting, we’re happy to say that the sign-up steps for most betting apps only take five to ten minutes to complete. You can join a real money sportsbook and have your first deposit set up in just minutes! Follow these steps to begin placing bets on your favorite sports!

Estimated Sign-up Times: 5-10 minutes (on average)

Each sportsbook has its unique sign-up process, so the steps above might not be the same for every sports betting app. However, this can give you a rough idea of what to expect when onboarding as a new member, making your deposit, and placing your first bet.

FAQs

Check out the most common questions from customers and readers about choosing and using sports betting sites. Read these helpful FAQs to get the gist of what we’re saying regarding selecting the best sportsbook for your needs and betting goals.

Further Resources

Check out these additional resources to learn more about online sports betting apps and their legality across the United States. More and more states are passing laws to allow for regulated sports betting within their borders. These are the regulatory bodies who oversee the action!

Regulatory Bodies by State