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How We Rank Betting Sites

There are a number of different factors to consider when finding a new betting site, and we do understand after a decade of reviewing and ranking betting sites that everyone's preferences are different. But when it comes to key features, there are some that play a much bigger role for bettors, regardless of how much you've played.

Availability

Availability

The legality of online sports betting can be a bit confusing since it varies state to state, but rest assured that every single betting site we list on Bookies Bonuses is fully licensed to operate in the US, and has passed all the necessary security and data protection requirements to keep you safe.

Why you need to know where betting sites are available:

  • Because each state gets to choose whether or not sports betting sites are allowed to operate, you need to know which states allow sports betting online. It can be incredibly frustrating to get excited about signing up for a new sportsbook only to find out you can't even use it in your state.

The three betting sites we think are the best choices also happen to be the most widely available in the US:

States With Legal Online Sports Betting

  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • District of Columbia
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wyoming

Ease of Use

Wether you want to bet on a dedicated mobile app (recommended by us) or use your desktop, the best beginner friendly betting sites have a simple and easy to use interface to help make it easy to understand what you're wagering on. We've made a point to highlight key feature below, but overall just having a clean looking platform without clutter makes it way simpler to find and place a wager you actually want, without getting confused or shown a million things you don't care about.

The best beginner betting sites and apps all have these features which help make betting simple and not a slog to find what you want:

  • Easy registration process
  • Quick payments in and out
  • Good search function to find what you want to bet on
  • Clear and competitive odds for many markets
  • Easy to understand bet slip
  • Straightforward promos with low/no turnovers
  • Live chat and good customer service

Betting Variety

When we talk about betting variety we mean two things: the sports offered and the ways you can wager.

It may seem obvious that betting sites should just offer every sport under the sun, and the best ones do for the most part, but some tend to focus more on American sports which can be a good or a bad thing depending on what you like to follow.

This brings us to our second point, which is the ways you can wager. Modern betting sites have moved on from just standard moneyline wagers (who will win) to now offering players the chance to bet on specific player props like catches in and NFL game, or even combine multiple different bets into one large one (parlay) with bigger potential payouts.

These are the main betting options we think you should be offered:

  • Moneyline
  • Over/Under
  • Spread
  • Parlays
  • Same Game Parlays
  • Live Betting
  • Futures

Odds

What's the point of even signing up if you can't bet on the sports you like? All the best betting sites in the US feature a wide variety of sports ranging from major US sports down to incredibly niche options like Icelandic Handball.

Our recommended beginner betting sites feature a ton of different sports and markets, but are certainly some of the best options for popular sports like:

  • Football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, and golf

Payment Methods and Speed

Everyone wants a betting site that safely handles money, and will pay out your winnings quickly and easily. All betting site we list have gone through rigorous security and data protection checks to ensure they operate legally to keep you and your hard earned money safe.

The best betting sites offer an abundance of way to deposit and withdraw, and the beginner sites we think are good have a variety of payment methods ranginf from traditional debit/credit card to more modern e-wallets like PayPal and Venmo.

Common payment methods you will see are:

  • Visa/MasterCard/Discover
  • PayPal
  • Bank Transfer
  • PayNearMe
  • Venmo
  • Skrill
  • Cash (in person only)
  • Play+ Cards

If you want a more thorough breakdown of payment methods for our beginner betting sites (or any betting site) just check our reviews as they all have a dedicated section that includes payout speed and minimum deposits/withdrawals!

Bonuses & Promotions

We are Bookies Bonuses after all, and while the quality of the bonus may not directly reflect the actual betting, having the option to claim a generous promo and wager without risking your own money sometimes can really enhance the experience, and give players a reason to try out different types of wagers, or even new sports!

Great Promotions for New and Experienced Players:

  • Bet & Get - get bonus bets for placing a particular wager, usually you'll need to bet a certain amount on a specific event to be rewarded with a bonus (Example: bet $10 on the Super Bowl and Get $10 in bonus bets)
  • Odds Boosts - have regular odds increased in your favor, improving you potential payout
  • Parlay Insurance - have you bet refunded as bonus bets if your parlay (a wager that combines multiple different events into a single bet) loses
  • Refer a Friend - get a friend to sign up, and you can earn some bonus bets to wager with