How to Bet on Sports - Everything You Need to Know for Online Sports Betting
All the latest information you need for how to bet on sports in the US. Where to bet on sports, how to claim promo codes and more in our sports betting guide.
For those asking yourselves, โWhere can I bet on sports online?โ, this article was made specially for you. Weโll give a full breakdown of how to bet on sports in this sports betting guide and lay out all the necessary information below.
We even have details on the available sportsbook promotions at each of the best sports betting sites. Of course, the first thing we need to discuss is how to bet on sports, so without further ado, letโs get right into our exclusive sports betting guide.
๐ Where is Sports Betting Legal?
The first step to answering the question, โWhere can I bet on sports online?โ, is to first identify if you reside in a legal sports betting state.
The states with either legal retail or online sports betting include:
- Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming
However, these states allow online sports betting:
- Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia and Wyoming
๐ How to Bet on Sports
If you happen to be located in one of the states listed above, youโre in perfect shape to start learning how to bet on sports games online. Itโs worth noting that in some of the above states, you won't be able to learn how to bet on sports online because they only offer in-person wagering at select locations. Regardless, here are our sports betting guideโs next steps to betting on sports online:
- Sign up for a sportsbook (weโll list the best ones below)
- Log into your account
- Locate the โAll Sportsโ section and click on it
- Browse the available sports until you find one you desire, then click on it
- The available matchups for that sport will then be listed, and you can click on one to expand the betting markets
- Click on any odds you see to add that selection to your bet slip
- Enter a dollar amount and place your bet
๐ Where to Bet on Sports Games Online
One of the first things that might pop into your head when asking yourself, โWhere can I bet on sports online?โ, is the available platforms at your disposal. Our sports betting guide is here to help with that as well, as the best options are listed here.
DraftKings Sportsbook
At DraftKings, users have the advantage of using the most competitive odds on the market, along with participating in daily promotions and odds boosts. Their DraftKings promo code offer for new members is also exquisite, offering an instant $150 bonus if you sign up here ๐๐ผ for a new account, deposit and place an initial $5 bet.
FanDuel Sportsbook
With FanDuel, their Same Game Parlay option is by far the best of all these sportsbooks. After all, they are the originators of it! Plus, with the latest FanDuel promo code bonus, new users who โก๏ธ register here โฌ ๏ธ for a new account will be issued $200 in bonus bets after winning just a $5+ wager.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM displays maybe the best live-streaming capabilities of any option weโre listing, allowing members to watch the action straight from their device. For new users who have yet to register, be sure to use the BetMGM promo code FANNATION when creating a new account ๐ to snag $1,500 worth of first-bet protection.
Caesars Sportsbook
The rewards system at Caesars is truly unlike any other, and they even allow their customers to use those rewards for real-life prizes such as hotel stays. Factor in their $1,000 first-bet insurance promotion for new sign-ups, and this is a great platform. Just be sure to use this link ๐ to register while using Caesars promo code FNEG1000.
Bet365 Sportsbook
For being so new to the game here in the US, Bet365 has excelled with their product. Their user interface is as strong as any and makes for a pleasant experience. If you are located in AZ, CO, IA, IN, KY, LA, OH and VA, you create a new account using the Bet365 promo code FANNATION, you can pick between $150 in guaranteed bonus bets or up to $1,000 in first-bet insurance after ๐ฅ clicking here ๐ฅ to sign up for a new account.
Users in NJ can utilize the Bet365 promo code FANNATION to activate the same welcome boost.
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers is unique in the way that they also allow their members to participate in their casino gaming along with the sportsbook for double the fun. If you have yet to sign up for a BetRivers account, simply become a member ๐ฅ to redeem a $500 BetRivers promo code bonus.
๐ฐ How Sports Betting Works
For anyone new to learning how to bet on sports, it can be a lot to take in. But fear not, as weโll continue to break it all down as best as possible in this sports betting guide. Youโll essentially have the ability to deposit funds into an account, and then wager those funds on real-life sporting events.
These events range all the way from your favorite state college to international cricket competitions. If you win a wager, youโll earn a profit that will be returned to your account swiftly once the bet has been settled. The amount of return depends on the betting odds you wagered on, but at least now you have the basics of how to bet on sports online.
๐ธ Popular Betting Types
Anyone thinking that they might want to know how to bet on sports should have a firm grasp of the different bet types available to them. We wouldn't leave the more popular ones out of our sports betting guide, and those can be found below.
Parlays
Parlays are when you combine the outcome of multiple bets into one bet slip for a boosted payout. The return is much greater than single bets for the most part, but the biggest caveat here is that every single leg in the parlay must land successfully in order for it to be deemed a winner.
Same Game Parlay
A Same Game Parlay is similar to a regular parlay, except all the legs consist of the same game, hence the name. You could wager on a team to win and the total to go under, but both of those aspects must happen in order for you to win the Same Game Parlay bet.
Teasers
Teasers involve the spread and or total of multiple matchups, typically in a sport like football. You can have, for example, a 7-point teaser and make it so you have three selections of +10.5, +4.5 and -3.5 instead of the original +3.5, -3.5 and -10.5 in this case. The odds will decrease for each point that is tacked on.
Futures
Future bets are more of a long-term investment, as they involve areas like Super Bowl winner, NBA MVP and so on. The advantage of placing a futures bet lies in the fact that they typically are posted well in advance of the season when users can get in when the odds are freshest.
Other Popular Bets
Youโll eventually learn how to bet on sports games online just through trial and error, but itโs nice to at least have an idea of what youโre getting yourself into. Other bet types that our sports betting guide didnโt cover today include player props, spread bets and more.
๐ Odds & Betting Lines Explained
Spread
Spread betting sees a team favored by a certain amount of points with corresponding odds for that number. You could see, for example, a team that is -5.5 on the spread with -110 odds. This means that for every $11 bet on their spread, it would pay out $10 as long as that team comes out on top by at least six points.
Money Line
Money line betting is much simpler, as this is just a wager on who will win the contest. The odds are much different, however, as you might expect. A team that is -300 on the money line would require a $30 bet on them to profit $10 if they win, whereas a team thatโs listed with +200 money line odds would earn $20 for every $10 bet on them if they win.
Game Total (Over/Under)
The game total, or over/under, refers to the amount of points scored in a particular contest. In the NBA, you may see a game total set at 226.5 with -110 odds towards both the over and under. So, an $11 wager profits $10 on the under if less than 226 total points are scored, and that same $11 earns $10 on the over if more than 226 total points are scored.
๐ How to Read Odds & Betting Lines
Odds are an essential part of learning how to bet on sports. Anything you see with a โ-โ indicates a favorite, which means the higher the number, the worse the payout. Conversely, a โ+โ indicates an underdog, and the higher the number here, the better the payout.
๐ Betting Trends
Our sports betting guide wouldnโt be complete without offering some popular betting trends and tips. Many experienced bettors who have known how to bet on sports online for quite some time still use trends as simple as a teamโs record at home vs. away. You could also look into how a team performs as a favorite vs. an underdog, among a plethora of other methods.
๐ Betting Strategies
Basic
For beginners learning how to bet on sports, you may want to rely on expert handicappers to help out. There are tons of people nowadays who study the games for a living and give out free picks on various social media channels.
Intermediate
As you feel you have finally gotten some control over how to bet on sports games online, you may want to venture into doing a bit of your own research. Many sites offer free statistics for teams and players that one can use for their own benefit.
Advanced
You firmly know how to bet on sports and still want to take your game to the next level. So, locating different odds discrepancies across various platforms is a good way to go about that. Some books may offer a larger payout for a certain wager than others.
โ Things to Avoid When Betting
- Chasing losses
- Betting too much
- Overreacting to one specific outcome
- Betting with your heart instead of your head
- Not factoring in injuries
๐ฑ Betting on Sports With Mobile Apps
Weโll cap off our sports betting guide with a list of how to bet on sports online with mobile apps:
- Download the app from your deviceโs store
- Open the app once itโs been installed
- Log into your new sports betting account
- Browse the platform for your desired bet
For more information, check out our article on the best betting apps in the industry.
โ FAQs
โ Is it Worth it to Bet on Sports?
If youโre a sports fan, it could be worthwhile to get some skin in the game for some added excitement. It all depends on personal preference.
โ What Sport Gets Bet on the Most?
In the US, the NFL is far and away the leading sport in terms of most popular to bet on. Much of this can be attributed to the Super Bowl that gets played every year.
โ Can Sports Betting be Profitable?
Yes, sports betting can be profitable, but itโs certainly not guaranteed. Your best shot at winning some bets is to do the proper research, find the best-valued odds and gamble responsibly.
โ How to Bet on Sports and Win
There is no one way to bet on sports and win, as everyone has their own methods. Once you feel you have a grasp of how to bet on sports games online, youโll probably be able to attribute that to the research youโve done before making any selections.
Enjoyed this article? Further enhance your betting experience with our guides, handpicked for you:
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ and present in select states. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org(MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).
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