Legal sports betting became a reality in the US after the Supreme Court voted to end the federal ban on the activity. Since then, more than 35 states legalized sports betting.
Some allow both online and retail sportsbooks, while others only have one or the other. This page shows what states have legal sports betting, where it is not currently legal, and much more.
You can also explore our interactive map, hovering over a state to see what the legality is in that jurisdiction. Clicking on the map will bring you to a dedicated page about the sports betting options in that particular state.
Where is Sports Betting Legal in the US?
Sports betting is currently legal in some shape or form in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Some of these states only have retail sportsbooks, while most will also have online platforms.
New York is consistently the biggest state for legal sports betting in terms of volume. If you want to see how much money people in your state wager, you can look at our state-by-state sports betting revenue tracker.
Here’s a list of all the states where sports betting is legal:
| State | Online Sportsbooks | Retail Sportsbooks |
| Arizona | ✅ | ✅ |
| Arkansas | ✅ | ✅ |
| Colorado | ✅ | ✅ |
| Connecticut | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delaware | ✅ | ✅ |
| Florida | ✅ | ✅ |
| Illinois | ✅ | ✅ |
| Indiana | ✅ | ✅ |
| Iowa | ✅ | ✅ |
| Kansas | ✅ | ✅ |
| Kentucky | ✅ | ✅ |
| Louisiana | ✅ | ✅ |
| Maine | ✅ | ❌ |
| Maryland | ✅ | ✅ |
| Massachusetts | ✅ | ✅ |
| Michigan | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mississippi | ✅ | ✅ |
| Montana | ✅ | ✅ |
| Nebraska | ❌ | ✅ |
| Nevada | ✅ | ✅ |
| New Hampshire | ✅ | ✅ |
| New Jersey | ✅ | ✅ |
| New Mexico | ❌ | ✅ |
| New York | ✅ | ✅ |
| North Carolina | ✅ | ✅ |
| North Dakota | ❌ | ✅ |
| Ohio | ✅ | ✅ |
| Oregon | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pennsylvania | ✅ | ✅ |
| Rhode Island | ✅ | ✅ |
| South Dakota | ❌ | ✅ |
| Tennessee | ✅ | ❌ |
| Vermont | ✅ | ❌ |
| Virginia | ✅ | ✅ |
| Washington | ❌ | ✅ |
| West Virginia | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wisconsin | ❌ | ✅ |
| Wyoming | ✅ | ✅ |
Where is Sports Betting Not Legal in the US?
The list of US states where sports betting is illegal is constantly shrinking as more states approve the activity.
Lawmakers in those areas where legalization is not close to happening are often more conservative and express concerns about the knock-on impact on addiction and crime rates. Others with strong land-based casino sectors believe online sports betting would hurt these properties, leading to job losses.
Here’s a list of the states that currently do not offer legal betting yet resulting in bettors turning to offshore sportsbooks:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- California
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
How to Choose Between Betting Options in the US
Making sure you choose a sportsbook that fits your needs and protects you is vital. As there are so many different platforms on the market, it can be hard to test and compare every option on your own.
That’s why we do the hard work for you, reviewing all the leading US sportsbooks so you can quickly make decisions. Here are some of the most important characteristics we look out for:
- Holds a respectable license: First and foremost we ensure the sportsbook has a license from a reputable regulator. This ensures it is subject to oversight and will be punished if it doesn’t properly protect bettors.
- Good customer reviews: We take the time to see what real customers have to say about an online sportsbook, check out reviews on Trustpilot, as well as get a sense of any red flags across social media and gambling forums.
- Extensive betting options: It’s important that a sportsbook supports a wide range of sports and the selection of betting markets is satisfactory. This goes for engaging in pre-game and live wagering.
- Stellar customer support: While hopefully issues don’t arise when betting online, sometimes you need to contact the support team to solve an issue. That’s why we look out for sportsbook operators that go above and beyond by offering 24/7 customer support.
- Regular promotions: Most sportsbooks will have a welcome bonus to incentivize people to sign up for an account. We go deeper and look at the offers available to existing users, analyzing the terms and conditions to see how easy or hard it is to convert them into real money.
- Payment speeds: There can be a big difference in withdrawal speeds from sportsbook to sportsbook. We look for betting sites with the fastest payout speeds and satisfactory transaction limits.
Popular Sports to Bet On
The best sportsbooks in the US cater to a wide range of sports, so they cover most needs. However, there is more of a focus on major sports leagues, such as the following:
- NFL: The most popular sport to bet on in the US is the NFL. People love America’s game, placing wagers on all the action, whether it’s futures bets on who will win the Super Bowl, prop bets during games for your favorite players, or creating parlays with massive odds.
- NBA: Another sport that gets plenty of attention is the NBA. This is a favorite among live bettors due to the exciting action keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.
- MLB: Perhaps the ideal sport for people who love stats, there are tons of ways you can analyze games and players before coming to your final MLB wagering decision.
- NHL: One of the fastest sports in the world, the NHL action comes thick and fast. This presents plenty of opportunities for fans to place bets before and during the action.
- Soccer: As the most popular sport in the world, you’ll find plenty of great betting options for soccer games in the US and overseas. Even games in the most obscure leagues will be available, so content is available around the clock.
- Tennis: Another popular option for live bettors, sportsbooks nearly always put a lot of resources into having coverage for tennis games on a daily basis, with some operators offering live streams of the action.
How We Rate and Review Sportsbooks
When we sit down to rate and review a US sportsbook, there are numerous steps we follow. Our experts extensively test the platform to ensure that they cover every base. Here’s a look at the main steps:
Checking the License
Our first step is checking the operator has a license from a respectable gambling regulator. We double-check the license number on the sportsbook website matches that of the regulator’s database.Sign Up for an Account
Then we go ahead and go through the registration process, noting how long it takes to do so and what steps are necessary, including KYC checks.Make a Deposit
Assessing the payment system means adding funds to our new account to judge the smoothness and speed of this process.Test the User Experience
We then look at how easy it is to navigate around the sportsbook, including how the operator splits up different sports, events, and bet types. We do this both on a desktop computer and phone.Assess the Betting Options
It’s vital that the sportsbook looks after all your betting needs, so we make sure it has ample support for the most popular sports and has adequate depth in markets, as well as competitive odds. This goes for both pre-game and live betting.Place a Bet
To check how straightforward it is to place a bet, we go ahead and add a selection to the bet slip, enter our stake, and confirm the wager.Withdrawing Funds
Our final step is withdrawing money from our account to check that payment speeds are as the sportsbook advertises.
How to Sign Up for a Sportsbook
If you’re in a state with legal sports betting and want to begin placing wagers, there are usually only a few steps you need to follow to begin with an online sportsbook. If you’re going to a retail facility, no sign-up is necessary.
While the exact process varies by operator, here’s a look at what you need to do to register a new online betting account at BetOnline:
Step 1: Visit the Website or Download the App
Your first step is visiting the website of your chosen sportsbook or downloading the mobile app.
Step 2: Create an Account
Then you go through the registration process, entering key details like your full name, email address, and date of birth, as well as selecting a username and password. Before submitting the sign-up form, you agree to the sportsbook’s terms and conditions.
Step 3: Make a Deposit
Now your new account is ready to go, you can go to the banking area and choose one of the deposit methods. Then specify the transaction size and enter any relevant bonus code before confirming your payment. The funds should hit your account instantly.
Step 4: Start Betting
Now that you have money in your account, you can explore the sports betting options. Look for a bet that catches your eye. Click on the odds to add it to your bet slip and specify your stake size before confirming the wager.
Latest US Gambling News
The US sports betting landscape is constantly changing, with more states legalizing the activity or making strides to do so.
Our news team keeps on top of the latest breaking stories, so you can stay up to speed with the latest goings-on. This includes updates about betting legislation, exciting new product launches, partnerships, and much more.
Here are some of the hottest recent stories:
- American Gaming Association Calls New Sports Betting Bill ‘A Slap In The Face’
- New Oklahoma Sports Betting Bill Could Net $150M In Annual Tax Revenue
- Gambling Losses Are Tax Deductible, According To Tax Services
Responsible Betting
With sports betting being an activity that tens of millions of Americans now can enjoy legally, it is something recreational and not something you take overly seriously. That’s why you only place bets with money you can afford to lose. Otherwise, you can spiral out of control and experience financial issues.
Many US states now have self-exclusion registers you can join to block yourself from using gambling sites. Each operator will also usually have their own responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limits and self-exclusion.
If you want to learn more about this topic and access important resources, check out our responsible gambling page.