Action Network's Tips for Picking the Best Betting Site
While we certainly have our favorite online sports betting sites, the best option for each player will be different, as everyone has their own priorities and limitations. Let's take a look at some of the best ways to find the best site for you.
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If you're looking to bet on a niche competition, look for a sportsbook with those specific betting markets. If there is more than one, see which one offers a broader range of products within that sport or league.
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Look for a welcome bonus offer that fits your priorities well, whether that means grabbing a quick, easy boost out of the gate or maximizing your potential upside.
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If you plan on playing frequently, learn more about loyalty or rewards programs, as well as existing user promotions.
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Read user reviews on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store to get an idea of what current players think about the sportsbooks you're seriously considering.
What States Have Legal Sports Betting?
As the years pass, more and more states offer legal online sports betting. However, the rate of new states joining the club has slowed since they were first able to legalize sports betting back in 2018. Even so, it's hard to keep track of the full list of states that have made online sports betting legal.
Let's take a look at a summary of states that offer legal sportsbooks. Click on any of the links for more details on the legal sports betting offerings in your home state.
How Action Network Reviews the Top Betting Sites
While the evaluation for each online sportsbook is slightly different, there are a few key factors we look for. Of course, any sportsbook we suggest is going to be safe to use, which is of the utmost importance.
In terms of user experience, we want to see an easy-to-use mobile app and desktop site. Strong underlying technology will ensure that your betting and financial processes go smoothly. We're also interested in seeing offerings in terms of sports, leagues, and bet types, as well as competitive odds across all these categories.
Of course, promotions are an important part of the equation, both in terms of welcome bonuses and boosts for existing users. Similarly, a solid rewards or loyalty program can be a major boost, as well.
Sportsbook Promo Types from the Best Betting Sites
While every sportsbook has the ability to come up with its own promotion for new users, there are a few common general types you'll see from most operators. Let's take a look at a few of the most popular ones so you have an idea of what to expect.
Bonus Bets
The simplest type of promotion a sportsbook can offer is a fixed package of bonus bets, which are funds that can be used within the sportsbook like regular dollars but cannot be directly withdrawn. You can place a bet with bonus bets, win, and withdraw the profits, or keep the profits in the sportsbook and keep betting.
Deposit Match
A deposit match is similar to bonus bets, but the amount can vary based on the amount of your first deposit. Sometimes, a deposit match is 100%, meaning that a deposit of $100 will yield $100 worth of bonus bets. Other times, they can be at a different rate, like 50%, meaning that a $100 deposit would provide the user with $50 worth of bonus bets.
Often, there is a minimum or, more commonly, a maximum amount for a deposit match. Be sure to keep this parameter in mind whenever you sign up for a sportsbook bonus of this type.
Safety Bets
Also known as first-bet insurance or safety nets, these offers provide you with the chance to get a refund via bonus bets if your first bet loses. If it wins, it simply behaves as a normal bet, giving you the opportunity to swing for the fences and look for a big payout with your very first wager.
Profit Boosts
This is a slightly more complex bonus, and it can be offered to both new and existing users. It's exactly what it sounds like, allowing you to apply it to a certain bet in order to increase the potential payout to a higher level than the base odds would imply.
Many times, there are parameters for using profit boost tokens, such as sports, games, odds, bet types, and bet amounts, so be sure to keep these in mind when accessing this type of bonus.
Sports Events To Use the Best Sportsbook Promos
Across major betting sites, promotional activity tends to spike around the same calendar moments. When comparing the best betting sites, these events are usually when operators compete most aggressively for new users.
NFL
NBA
MLB
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Opening Day in spring
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All-Star Game in July
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Postseason in October
NHL
Signing up around these events often unlocks better bet-and-get offers, added insurance, or enhanced odds compared to slower parts of the sports calendar.
NBA Game Odds: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz
Below is a selection of odds for the upcoming NBA game: Updated February 13, 2026 - Odds Provided by DraftKings - Subject to Change
Best Existing User Promos at Top Betting Sites
It's great to take advantage of a high-value welcome offer, but once you've settled into your sportsbook, there can still be ways to find added value. Let's take a look at some of the most common existing user promos available at top betting sites.
Referral Programs
With these offers, you can share a unique link or code with a friend who is not yet a customer of the sportsbook. In most cases, you'll both receive bonus bets or some other sort of perk after your friend launches their account using that link or code.
Rewards Programs
The exact details will vary between sportsbooks, but the core concept is the same: the more you play, the more benefits you get. Usually, this means profit boost tokens, bonus bets, or some other sort of perk within the sportsbook, but with some operators, rewards can be accessed outside of the sportsbook at casino and resort locations.
Daily Boosts
Usually, these are pre-selected bets, giving users the opportunity to access longer-than-usual odds. You should be aware of the reason each boost has been selected, but these easily accessible perks can provide users with some excellent value.
Special Sports Promos
In the same vein as daily boosts, special parlays and offers are often available around major betting events, such as the Super Bowl and March Madness. These can be pre-selected wagers, or they can be sport-wide, so keep an eye out for these special opportunities.
Popular Bet Types at the Best Betting Sites
Once you've signed up for some online betting sites, you'll want to know how to actually play with them. With any of the betting options we've discussed in this article, there are plenty of different bet types available, giving both new and experienced users the opportunity to have fun and find value.
Let's talk about the most popular bet types, which you'll be able to find at any of the sportsbooks discussed in this article.
Parlays
This special bet type has risen alongside legalized online sports betting, as building these multi-part wagers is much easier on one's phone or computer than dictating one to a human taking your bet at a casino.
A parlay combines multiple individual bets into one larger wager, compounding the odds of each individual "leg" for an exponentially higher combined line. Your bet wins if all of the legs hit. If a single one is wrong, it breaks the whole parlay. This makes these wagers tough to hit, depending on how many legs you choose. However, the upside can be quite high.
If you're interested in seeing what a parlay of a certain selection of bets might look like, check out Action Network's parlay calculator. However, be advised that a particular sportsbook might calculate things slightly differently, especially if there are correlated legs.
This discrepancy in calculations is especially common when it comes to same game parlays, which pull together lines from within one contest, so the legs will inherently be correlated more often or not.
Moneylines
A moneyline is the simplest way to bet, making it a great option for beginners. Simply put, if you pick a team that wins, your bet wins, but if your team loses, the bet loses.
Let's look at an example involving baseball. If the New York Yankees are -150 favorites on the moneyline against the Boston Red Sox, you'd have to bet $150 to make a profit of $100. If the Yankees win, that's exactly what you'll get, but if they lose, your $150 is lost.
If you bet on the underdog Red Sox at a line of +130, you'll earn a $130 profit on a bet of $100 if the Sox win, but if they lose, you're out $100.
Futures
Like moneylines, all you need to do for a futures bet is to simply pick one correct outcome, but these take place over a longer period of time, usually a season. These markets include straightforward bets, such as team win totals and playoff qualification props, or player stat totals, which are usually simple over/under or yes/no bets.
However, some futures can be quite complex, as they involve events with multi-sided outcomes, such as awards or championships. For instance, a heavy favorite to win the World Series might have a line of +300, while in a two-sided market, the favorite will have minus-odds.
A realistic underdog might have a number like +1200, while a true long shot could offer an insane figure (it was +500,000 for the Leicester City team that famously won the Premier League in 2016). These wagers can be very tough to hit because of the wide array of options, but their payout can be significant for the savvy bettor.
Spreads
Like moneylines, spreads are a very traditional way to bet on an individual game. A spread is essentially a projection of the favored team's margin of victory, and the bettor's job is to figure out whether or not the team will beat that number, or "cover" it.
Let's move on to basketball, a sport for which spread betting is more popular than it is for baseball. If the Boston Celtics are -7.5 favorites against the New York Knicks, that means they have to win by eight points or more to cover that line and provide a win for a spread bettor who backed them.
Meanwhile, a Knicks spread bettor wins this game if New York loses by seven points or less or if they win by any margin. Since the spread itself is adjusted to the matchup, the odds for each side are usually about -110.
Over/Unders
Over/unders, or totals, are the last of the three main single-game bets, joining moneylines and spreads. Like spreads, they deal with the final score and are game-specific, so odds are usually approximately -110 on both sides thanks to the vig, but the outcome is determined differently.
A total is the projected amount of points, runs, or goals scored between the two teams in a game. For instance, if the total is set at 8.5 for a game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, the two rivals need to combine for a total of nine runs or more in order for an over bet to hit.
This means that if the Cubs score four and the Cardinals score six, for a total of 10 between the two squads, the over hits. However, if the Cubs score the same four and the Cardinals only score two, the total is six, and the under hits.
Props
These bets are contained within one game, but they are even more granular than traditional game lines. They deal with just one aspect of a game, usually the performance of a single player. This could mean an over/under for a basketball player's points total, an NFL quarterback's passing yards, or a line on whether an NHL player will score a goal that day. These are known as player props, and are very common components in same-game parlays.
There are also team or game props, such as the points one team will score, or the number of fouls accrued between the two squads. The props market is an extremely deep one, and varies greatly between sportsbooks, so it's worth doing some exploring across the sites with which you have an online sportsbook account to find the best markets and lines for you.
Live Betting
Technically, this isn't a bet type so much as it's a way to play. Almost any bet type can become a live bet. These wagers are ones made regarding a game in progress, with odds changing based on the unfolding action.
For instance, let's say the Kansas City Chiefs came into their game against the Cincinnati Bengals as -7.5 favorites. Then, as he has tended to do in recent years, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws an interception on the first possession, setting the Bengals up with the ball on the Chiefs' 20-yard line. The live spread could change to -4.5, and it could go all the way down to -2.5 if the Bengals score a touchdown, or back up to -7.5 if Joe Burrow responds with an interception of his own.
Live lines are always changing once the game starts, so it takes an experienced bettor to quickly identify value, but it can be an extremely profitable way to play if you can figure out a system.
Teasers
These are parlays made up from favorable alternate lines, giving bettors the opportunity to increase their payout on generally "safe" bets. Let's take a look at a very popular teaser type, the "Wong Teaser," used for the NFL.
A Wong Teaser takes favorites of over a touchdown and underdogs of under a field goal, teases their lines, and pulls them together. For instance, if the Green Bay Packers are -8.5 against the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots are +2.5 against the Buffalo Bills, a Wong Teaser of Packers -2.5 and Patriots +8.5 would provide users with a parlay that offers a reasonable payout and a solid chance of hitting.
Popular Banking Options at Top Betting Sites
Naturally, a sportsbook isn't going to provide you with a very enjoyable sports betting experience without the proper payment methods. If you can't get money into your account to place bets or take money out of your bank account after you win, then why bet at all?
The exact payment methods will vary between sportsbooks, like Venmo sportsbooks, but let's talk about some of the most broadly popular ones at the best sports betting sites.
Best Sportsbooks Deposits
The most widely available and popular deposit methods are credit and debit cards, as well as direct deposits from online banking. However, e-wallets like PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay are also available in many cases, as are wire transfers and even paper checks.
Best Sportsbooks Withdrawals
Many withdrawal options will be similar to those for depositing. However, some methods that work for deposits, such as credit cards, checks, or wire transfers, may not be compatible with withdrawals. Be sure to check eligibility in both directions before linking any payment method.
Learn more about the best sportsbook payment methods by checking out our review!
Best Betting Sites for Canada 🇨🇦
While the online sports betting sites we've discussed in this article are largely specific to the United States, we can also provide users located north of the border with our guide to the best betting sites in Canada. There are plenty of online sportsbook options that can provide Canadian users with competitive odds.
It's also worth noting that the sports betting industry in Ontario, in particular, is subject to certain regulations that the rest of Canada does not face. You'll have to use a province-specific mobile app for each sportsbook. Please note that certain markets, welcome bonuses, and promotions may not be available. However, many US-based sportsbooks are available in Ontario but not in Canada's other provinces and territories.
Action Network's Responsible Gambling Guide
![Betting Sites Responsible Gambling]()
Whichever online sports betting sites you choose to play with, it's absolutely vital to always practice responsible gambling. This means that you should never bet more than you can safely lose, and make sure you're never chasing your losses.
Let's take a look at some of the key facets of responsible gambling.
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Bankroll Management: Your bankroll is the total amount of money you have in any given sportsbook account. It's a form of budgeting, so you should always be aware of this amount when deciding whether to deposit. Keeping a reasonable bankroll is how you keep your habit safe and healthy.
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Set User Limits: If necessary, you can set limits on how much you can bet, how long you can spend using the sportsbook, or how much you can deposit, in order to make sure you're playing a reasonable amount.
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Think Before Betting: Never bet simply on a whim; always research games and competitions before you place your wagers and think hard about how much you want to invest in each one.
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Take Timeouts: You should always take breaks when betting, whether that means for a few hours, a few days, or even longer. In particular, make sure you walk away whenever betting stops being fun.
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Use Sportsbook Resources: Many sportsbooks offer tools to help manage a gambling problem and resources to inform users about responsible gambling. Check the responsible gambling page at your chosen sportsbook for more information.
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Continue Having Fun: Whenever sports betting stops being fun, walk away. Only bad things can come from betting out of obligation rather than enjoyment.
It's worth keeping in mind that while some sportsbooks offer excellent resources for managing your gambling habits, there's more out there if these guardrails are insufficient. 1-800-GAMBLER is always open for 24/7 support, while GamTalk.org offers online resources. Gambler's Anonymous meetings can also provide the in-person assistance that is necessary in some cases.
Action Network's Best Betting Sites Tips
When you're approaching the decision of what sports betting site to play with, be sure to not only look at the most popular gambling sites but also the sportsbooks with the right betting markets and your favorite sports.
Always make sure to research your bets fully; never get involved with a market you know nothing about. Even so, always think of sports betting as a pastime rather than a source of income, and budget for it accordingly.
When you're getting started for the first time, test the waters with some simple moneyline and spread bets before branching out to more complicated bet types like futures and parlays.
If you want the best possible value on each bet, you'll need to have access to a handful of different sportsbooks; always compare odds offered by each operator before placing a bet, especially a future, as the odds variation can be significant.
Action Network continuously monitors sportsbooks throughout the year to update relevant information and align with the ever-changing landscape of online sports betting. That way, you’ll always know you’re getting the best information available to make a smart sports betting app selection. Now that you've read about our list of best online sportsbooks, you can also check out our untrustworthy sportsbooks review so that you can avoid books with key warning signs and keep your money safe.
And, if you want insights as to what bets to make, consider following the best sports handicappers in the industry.
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Action Network Sportsbook Selector Quiz
Still not sure which sportsbook is right for you from our sportsbook review? Give our Best Sportsbook Quiz a try to help narrow down the options based on your location, specific betting preferences, and favorite sports markets.
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