It’s a tough challenge, but this page offers a pick for the best sportsbook for US bettors. It’s Fanduel, by the way, and we explain the reasoning in detail along with notes on the competitors. After all, you have many good options if you’re looking for a good US sportsbook.
But how do you determine what the best legal US sportsbook is? Do you pick the sportsbook that has been in business the longest? Maybe you choose the sportsbook with the best bonus? Do you base your decision on deposit and withdrawal options?
All these questions are important. When you’re trying to pick the best US sportsbook, many offer similar experiences and betting lines.
Besides our pick for the best sportsbook for US players, we offer a list of the legal US sportsbooks that almost finished at the top of the list.
Best Land-Based Sportsbooks for US Players
The best place for US gamblers to place sports bets depends on where you live or travel. In most areas outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City, you don’t have many options.
Here are the best land-based sportsbooks for US players in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Best Las Vegas Sportsbooks
- Westgate
- Wynn
- Caesars Palace
- BetMGM at Mandalay Bay
- Venetian
Best Atlantic City Sportsbooks
- FanDuel at Bally’s
- BetMGM at the Borgata
- DraftKings at Resorts
- Caesars at Wild Wild West
Best Online Sportsbook for US Bettors
When comparing legal US sportsbooks, many criteria came into play. It’s hard to choose a #1. That’s why you can find other US sportsbooks for online players in the next section. They’re great, and they almost made the top spot.
Here’s a list of criteria we considered when ranking the best online sportsbooks for US players.
- Bonuses and promotions
- Player safety
- Customer service
- Deposit and withdrawal options
- Mobile app usability
- Sports offered
- Lines
- Vig
FanDuel wins the top spot for the best sportsbook for US players. Here are the reasons why FanDuel is the best online sportsbook in the US:
The two main reasons FanDuel is the top US sportsbook are the $1,000 bonus bet for new players and their long history of good customer service.
FanDuel has been offering bets since 2009, starting with daily fantasy sports. As legal online sports betting came to the US, FanDuel was ready to jump into the market.
With a $1,000 bet bonus, you have a good chance to double your stake on your first bet. And if you lose, you still have your deposit. If you prefer a more traditional deposit bonus, check the top of the list in the next section.
FanDuel offers bets on all of the major sports and has an easy-to-use mobile app interface. They also have many fast deposit and withdrawal options. FanDuel offers a safe place for legal sports betting in the US.
Other Good Online Sportsbooks for US Players
Three other legal US sportsbooks came close to FanDuel for the top spot. When it came down to the final decision, the main thing separating the four final contenders was the bonus offers.
The list of other good online sportsbooks for US players starts with DraftKings. In almost every area, DraftKings is as good as FanDuel. And if you want a more traditional deposit bonus, DraftKings is the sportsbook for you.
DraftKings offers a deposit bonus of up to $1,000. Your deposit bonus is 20% of your first deposit. Read our review of DraftKings sportsbook here.
William Hill makes the list because of its long history in the sports betting industry. They offer a bonus bet promotion of up to $500 when you sign up and make a deposit. Read our review of the William Hill online sportsbook here.
The final spot on the list of best online US sportsbooks is a name you’re probably familiar with — BetMGM. The company is a giant in the gambling industry. And their online sportsbook is just as good as you expect from a company like this.
BetMGM has a bonus offering a bonus bet of up to $600. Learn more about the BetMGM sportsbook and bonus here.
Find the Best Betting Lines
What makes a good sportsbook?
For a sportsbook to be considered the best sportsbook for US bettors, it has to offer fair vig, good bonuses, safe play, and fast deposits and withdrawals.
But every discussion about the best sportsbook should start with betting lines.
Profitable sports bettors make money by handicapping sporting events and finding good lines.
The problem with determining if a sportsbook has good or bad lines is it depends on what side of a game you want to bet on.
A line with the home team at – 3 is good if you believe the home team is going to win by six. But it’s not good if you think the home team is going to win by three. And if you think the visiting team is going to win, the other side of the – 3 line is a good line for you.
What does all this mean?
The best US sportsbooks all offer lines for major sports. And they offer lines for many other sports as well. If a sportsbook has a wide variety of sports and lines, it’s a good place to start.
If you want to find the best lines, here’s a special trick smart sports bettors use.
The best way to find the best betting lines is by shopping. The way to shop for betting lines is by using more than one sportsbook. You should sign up for all of the online US sportsbooks listed below so you can easily shop for the best lines.
Reduced Vig Opportunities
The main way sportsbooks make money is vig. It’s also the number one reason most sports bettors lose money.
Most US online sportsbooks use a standard 110/100 vig model. But you can find different vigs from sportsbook to sportsbook on moneyline bets.
A small difference in the vig on a moneyline bet can be a big deal over several bets. If you want to make a moneyline bet and can make it at – 310 instead of – 320 or – 330, you’re better off.
The same is true if you can get a line at + 220 instead of + 210 or + 200.
The difference in vig doesn’t matter when you win. But no sports bettor wins all of the time. If you can save $10 or $20 on the games you lose, you lose less money overall.
If you want to find lines with lower vig, you have to shop for them. And there’s not a sportsbook that always has the best vig on games.
Other types of betting lines you can find vig differences in are run lines in baseball and puck lines in hockey. Run lines and puck lines usually have one team at – 1.5 and the other at + 1.5. But to bet a run line or puck line you usually also have to bet something other than 110/100.
Here’s an example:
In a MLB game, the road team is getting 1.5 runs. One sportsbook has them listed at – 139, and another book has them listed at – 147. If you bet on the road team, the – 139 line is better.
Online Sportsbook Bonus Offers
When it comes to placing bets, there’s not much difference between betting in land-based sportsbooks and in online sportsbooks. The vig is usually the same, and the lines are similar.
Of course, the lines do differ by sportsbook sometimes. But the same is true in land-based and online sportsbooks.
The obvious difference between land-based and online sportsbooks is you bet at a counter live in land-based books and using a computer or mobile device in online sportsbooks. Once again, there’s not much difference here.
One thing that is completely different between online and land-based sportsbooks is bonus offers. While online and mobile sportsbooks are more convenient than traveling to a sportsbook, the main reason to bet online is bonuses.
When considering the best sportsbooks for US players, the bonus and promotion offer played a big part in the final decision.
Two common types of online sportsbook bonuses are available for US players. And both types of bonuses are good. In fact, only you can decide which type of sports betting bonus you like the best.
Here’s how each of the common sports betting bonus offers work:
Some online US sportsbooks offer deposit bonuses. When you make a deposit into the sportsbook, you get a percentage of your deposit as a bonus. But unlike many online casino deposit bonuses, you don’t get the money right away.
Instead, you earn or unlock the money as you place bets. Read the terms for deposit bonuses so you know how they work in each sportsbook.
The other common sportsbook bonus in the US is a bonus bet. This bet is simple. You can place a bet up to the bet amount, and if you lose, you get your money back.