The best real money betting sites in the US 2024
Even though fantasy betting’s fun, real money betting offers that extra edge.
There’s one reason people bet for money on sports – it’s a great way to crank up the excitement since there’s a personal stake involved.
So what should you look for when you go for a real bet? First up, you need a solid sportsbook.
Many real betting sites will claim to be the best but on this page, we dig deep into which ones truly deserve the badge of the best sports betting site.
| Sportsbook logo | Odds rating | Bonus | Go to sportsbook Button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
90/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 94% Playscore based on |
Up to $1,000 back as a Bonus Bet on your first wager
|
Play now |
Good to know
9 payment methods 
|
|
2
|
85/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 91% Playscore based on |
Up to $1,500 back in Bonus Bets
|
Play now |
Good to know
14 payment methods
|
|
3
|
85/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 85% Playscore based on |
Bet $20 get $100 in Free Bets
|
Play now |
Good to know
14 payment methods
|
|
4
|
83/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 86% Playscore based on |
Second Chance Bet of up to $250
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
5
|
82/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 89% Playscore based on |
Bet $5 get $200 in Bonus Bets or $1000 First Bet Safety Net
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler (call or text in Colorado). |
6
|
80/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 87% Playscore based on |
100% match up to $500
|
Play now |
Good to know
7 payment methods
|
|
7
|
78/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 86% Playscore based on |
100% match up to $100 + $5 Promo Pick
|
Play now |
Good to know
4 payment methods
|
|
8
|
75/100 Expert rating by Ramona D. 89% Playscore based on |
Second Chance Bet of up to $500
|
Play now |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
|
9
|
74/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 88% Playscore based on |
200% match up to $500
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
10
|
72/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 79% Playscore based on |
$500 First Bet Insurance
|
Play now |
Good to know
4 payment methods
|
So why do these betting sites find their way to the top of the list of real money betting sites? It’s because they offer their players the best real money betting experience – from their betting platform to the types of promotions available for both new and existing players. Fan Duel, for example, starts you out with a $1,000 risk-free bet and will then offer daily promos in the form of odd and parlay boosts. This is the same for BetMGM. At Bet365 they have a mix of these types of boosts but they also change it up with promos such as the ‘No Score Tie’ offer on soccer where you get your money back in case of a boring no-score match. Want to know more about how we rate bet for money sites? Read on.
How to choose real money sports betting sites in the US
When you bet money online you’re spending your hard-earned cash so you want to make sure you do this carefully. Now, since we’re talking about betting here, nothing’s a guarantee and many of your bets will be based on hunches. That’s fine and it’s what real money sports betting is all about. Having said that, one thing which shouldn’t be a hunch is your choice of sportsbook. It’s all well and good to find a list of the best real betting sites but we want to explain WHY these sports betting sites come top.
Bonuses
When we rate real money sites one of the first things we look at is the type of bonuses they offer. They need to have above-average offers not only for new customers but also existing ones. New customer real money betting includes risk-free bets up to $1,000 and 100% deposit bonuses up to $500. But that’s not all. If you’re betting money online you want a sportsbook that ideally gives you daily bonuses in the form of either odd boosts or parlays insurance amongst others. And of course, who doesn’t love weekly free bets that win real money
Sports and markets
When you bet real money on sports there’s a good chance you’ll fall into two categories. The first is the dedicated sports bettor, with an interest ranging from football to the Olympics and everything else in between. This type of player will want as many sporting events as possible. Then there’s the focused sports bettor with detailed sports knowledge – mostly laser-focused on certain leagues such as the NFL or NBL. They want the betting site to offer as many different wagers on one particular match. So keeping these two types of bettors in mind we rank highest those sportsbooks that offer the most sports with the largest spread of markets.
App/ Mobile Interface
With more and more players wanting to experience sports betting on the go, real money betting apps and mobile sites need to be as good (if not better) as their desktop counterparts. All types of betting features and promotions need to be available. The bet builder needs to work the same way as it does on desktop and data such as the live ticker and any live streaming has to be as smooth and up to date as possible. Ideally, the app or mobile interface should perfectly mirror the desktop to create a seamless experience.
Safety
A real money betting site needs to first be legal and licensed within the state it is operating in. It needs to offer at least the standard SSL 256-bit encryption so your personal details are safe both on their servers and when in transit. But, that’s not all. When we say safety we also mean the safety of the players. We like to see online gambling sites offer top-notch responsible gambling tools that help prevent or stop problem gambling.
Betting features
Even though straight moneyline bets and parlays tend to be what many players who bet money online look for, it’s good to see other forms of betting available. Multi-sport parlays? Sign us up. The ability to easily change your bet before the match starts? Yes, please. Automatic cashouts? We won’t say no. These are the types of things that’ll put a specific sportsbook on top.
Odds
Another important thing to take into consideration is the real sports odds offered by the betting site in question. Every sportsbook maintains what’s known as the house edge or else there wouldn’t be a point to the business. But there are some online gambling sites that offer better sports betting odds than others. This is known as the payout percentage. Each betting site has its own average payout percentage and this tends to change by sport and sometimes also by season. BetMGM, for example, tends to offer some decent odds on football and these odds are made even better thanks to the parlay insurance and boosted odds they offer.
Overall platform
Finally, there’s the overall usability of the bet for money site to take into account. From the way it looks, to how easy it is to use. How responsive and how fast it is, how easy it is to sign up and to claim the promotions. And also, the betting payment methods available and how simple it is to deposit and withdraw. Last but not least is how easy their bet builder is and whether it calculates your wagers while you’re building your bet. These are all important things to take into consideration when choosing the best real money bet sites.
Why bet for money? The betting options out there
If you’re looking to bet for money you first need to get yourself acquainted with the lingo. Do you know what the vig (or vigorish) is? That’s a betting sites’ advantage over their customers and it’s inbuilt at every sportsbook, but the vig varies from one betting site to another. Odds boosts tend to soften the vig so it’s important your sportsbook of choice offers these types of promotions every now and then. But we talk more about types of bonuses and promotions later on.
And what about the moneyline or point spread? If you’re new to sports betting it’s very important to understand how the odds are presented in the US, what types of bets are available, and any other lingo you might encounter when placing a wager.
The moneyline is the simplest form of wagering on offer. There are three outcomes to bet on; a win, a loss or a draw. In sports like football, it’s even simpler as the possible outcomes go down to two: a win or a loss. Using American-style odds the moneyline for a football game will be presented as follows. Let’s take the 2022 Superbowl as an example: Los Angeles Rams -200, Cincinnati Bengals +170. Here the Rams were favorites and someone would have needed to bet $200 in order to win $100. As for the Bengals, they were seen as the underdog and a bettor would have received $170 when betting $100 if the Rams won.
Point spread is slightly more complicated if you’re new to this. Basically, it adds another dimension to the bet where you choose the score difference between one team and another. Of course, the favorite will always have a positive point spread (generally around 3.5) meaning, for the bet to be a winner, the team needs to score 4 more points than their opponent.
- Great source of entertainment
- Show off your sports knowledge
- Hard-earned money at risk
- Unpredictability of sports may get you down
What’s the best real money betting site for promos?
When you’re on the lookout to bet for the money you want to make sure to get the most out of your cash. And that means you need to keep your eyes open for the best real money betting promotions in town. Well, search no more.
When looking to place real bets and choosing your real money sports betting site make sure the sportsbook offers great promotions for existing customers. Yes, the new customer promotion is important too but that’s just a one-off promotion. Real money sports betting’s very personal and once you find a sportsbook you like, chances are you won’t go looking elsewhere. So it’s important that sports betting sites offers regular promotions for their existing customers.
We’re not just talking about deposit offers here – although who doesn’t love it when you deposit $50 and get an extra $50 back. We’re talking about qualifying free bets or special sporting events, parlay insurances and boosted odds. The more your sportsbook of choice has of these, the more you’re guaranteed better value from your real bets.
BetMGM is one such betting site as it offers both a solid welcome offer and it also provides its existing players with so many daily promotions you might just have trouble choosing.
| Sportsbook logo | Odds rating | Bonus | Go to sportsbook Button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
89/100 Bonus rating by Ian Z. 94% Playscore based on |
Up to $1,000 back as a Bonus Bet on your first wager
|
Play now |
Good to know
9 payment methods
|
|
|
2
|
81/100 Bonus rating by Anna M. 91% Playscore based on |
Up to $1,500 back in Bonus Bets
|
Play now |
Good to know
14 payment methods
|
|
|
3
|
81/100 Bonus rating by Ian Z. 85% Playscore based on |
Bet $20 get $100 in Free Bets
|
Play now |
Good to know
14 payment methods
|
Real money betting site promos: the best out there
Whether you’re a pro bettor or you’re new to the game, one thing you’ll always look out for is promotions. Even though the welcome bonuses tend to be the biggest, the weekly promos are the ones that will help you close the edge over the sportsbooks. So without further ado let’s have a look at what’s available on the market right now.
Deposit bonuses
With a deposit bonus, you’re expected to get bet credit whenever you deposit a set amount of money. This can be either a new customer offer where, for example, you get a 100% matched-deposit bonus on your first deposit. . Or it can be an existing customer offer offering a percentage of money in free bets over your deposit.
Free bets
Free bets come in all shapes and sizes but the jist is that you either get bonus credit or what’s called a risk-free bet. At some sportsbooks, for example, new customers get a straight risk-free bet up to $1,000. For existing customers, free bets range around the $10 to $50.
Parlay insurance
Parlays are like mini sport lotteries and parlay insurance reduce the risk slightly for the player. Basically, if you have a 4-leg parlay and only one of those wagers loses then you’ll get a refund in the form of cashback or a free bet. Cashbacks are obviously the preferred choice.
Odd boosts
Odds boosts are a good way for sportsbook to entice certain types of bets by giving better odds on it. These are generally in the customer’s favor so it’s worth to see if a particular sportsbook is offering these type of bets on the regular as they can help reduce the house edge (known as the vig).How to make a real bet at a legit US site
Getting started with placing bets for money is easy. First things first you need to be in the right legal jurisdiction. There are many states that haven’t legalized online casinos but have made sports betting available. In the Centennial state, you can take part in online gambling real money Colorado for sports and DFS, but you can’t legally play at an online casino. In the Louisiana gambling scene you’ll find sports betting options, but no online casino operators except sweepstakes and social casinos.
First up, we suggest doing some research around the best real betting sites that are available in your state. If you want to skip that, just check out our listings where you’ll find all the legal sports betting sites that accept real money bets.
Next, head over to the ‘Register’ button or equivalent on your sportsbook of choice, and set up your account. Once here, make sure you also enter any bonus codes to take advantage of the new customer offer (you don’t need to do this at every sportsbook as some might apply the new customer offer automatically).
After you set up your account, go straight to the cashier to deposit your money. Make sure the bonus you chose has been applied and if it hasn’t simply get in touch with customer service. Then, if all is in order, you’re ready to start your real money sports betting journey.
Expert tips on how to bet money online
So you chose your sportsbook, registered an account, deposited and you’re ready to start betting. Nice… let’s get cracking with some tips on how to bet money on sports like a pro.
Keep your eyes peeled for promos
Any pro player will take full advantage of any promotions being offered by the sportsbook. Be it boosted odds or paylay insurances, these promos will make your money go further. Of course, don’t simply opt-in into every promotion that the betting site offers. Read the terms and conditions first and make sure you are OK with any restrictions the promo may have.
Research and listen to what the experts say
All sports betting is unpredictable but it’s good to keep an ear on the ground and listen to what the experts are saying and what predictions they’re making. Professional sport offers more of a level battlefield but some college games tend to be more predictable so they make good bankers. One of the best parts of those real bets is the time spent on research, looking at data and following the news. It makes winning a bet even more satisfying.
Ignore that personal bias
If you want to bet on sports and make money you need to stay level headed and not let your bias creep in. In fact, it’s fair to say you should never, ever, bet on your team. Yes, this might be one of those betting superstitions but it’s a practical one. Betting on your team means your heart is making the pick, not your head.
Accept your losses but don’t get cocky when winning
In betting you’ll win some and you’ll lose others, that’s part of the reality with real bets. And that’s completely fine as long as you don’t get disheartened if you’re on a losing streak. When that happens change things up a little and experiment. The same goes when you’re on a winning streak, always remember to not get too overconfident.
Don’t bet for money when impaired
This may seem like an obvious one but it’s worth mentioning. If you’re not in your normal state of mind, due to alcohol or maybe just a bad day. Whatever the season, stay away from real money bets as you might not be able to use your best judgement.
The top real betting sites by sports events
Without any doubt, the NFL is one of the most bet-on sporting leagues in the US. The American Gambling Association forecasted that the 2022 Super Bowl will get around $7.6 billion in wagers. That’s a huge amount of money on one game. The NFL lends itself perfectly to parlay plays and every weekend feels like the start of a perfect sporting lottery. But the NFL is not the only sporting league out there.
The NBA, NHL and MBA all bring with them great opportunities for betting, not to mention the EPL over in the UK has become another favorite with American bettors. Probably because it does follow the same timetable as the NFL with most of the games happening on the weekends, meaning it makes for some good parlay wagers.
Whatever your choice, legal betting sites in the US are there to accommodate you and each one of them competes to bring you the best real sport odds , the best platforms and the best promotions.
| Best for | Real money site |
|---|---|
| NFL | BetMGM sportsbook |
| NBA | Caesars sportsbook |
| NHL | BetMGM sporstbook |
| EPL | Bet365 sportsbook |
Real money betting FAQs
Where can I bet money online?
You can bet real money at any legal sportsbook operating within your state. For our top recommendations, jump to our list of real money sportsbooks.
What’s a real money bet?
Put simply, a real money bet is a bet placed using your money. You can bet for money on all types of sports. Make sure to check out how to make a real money bet before you get started.
Which is the most trusted bettting site?
This all depends on which sports you want to bet on and also which sporting event. Different sportsbooks will offer different types of bets and promotions according to the sport or league. Have a look at our list of best sports betting sites per league.
What is the easiest sports bet to win?
If there was such a thing as an easy bet to win rest assured that the odds on it wouldn’t even be worth betting on. You might find such bets in college sports where some colleges tend to dominate over others, that said, keep in mind there’s no suh thing as a sure winner.
