Your Complete Resource for Sports Betting Apps in the US

Just about every sports betting app on the market tries to attract you to their platform with a big, shiny bonus offer. However, not all of these offers are created equal.

Some may offer a massive dollar value, but require an equally substantial initial investment to earn the full value promoted or may demand you satisfy a massive turnover requirement to convert the bonus credit offered back into cash that you can withdraw.

A sportsbook may offer a great deal at sign up, but then nothing for regular users or vice-versa.

That's why we attempt to holistically evaluate each betting app's sign up bonus as well as the promotions offered for regular users. This way, you can make an informed decision about how to best maximize the value you'll be receiving from your new sports betting app.

We can expect the basic markets from every sports betting operator. It's a given that you can find the NFL, NBA, or MLB anywhere.

While the major sports are universally found, not all sportsbooks offer the same bets within each sport. There can be certain statistics found in one place and not the next, differences in alternate lines available, or limitations on building a parlay.

Aside from the bigger markets, some sports betting apps go above and beyond and offer more niche sports like cornhole, darts, or competitive table tennis. In some states, you can even wager on eSports!

There are also many sportsbooks that carry a deep pool of international leagues, like the Korean baseball league, Chinese basketball league, and Russian hockey league. These leagues have built up solid followings in the US because of betting.

So, if you want a deeper and more varied experience, it's worth looking into whether a prospective betting app carries a variety of stats, a wide range of niche sports, and leagues offered to place bets.

The first thing that will catch your eye about a sportsbook is the overall look and feel of the app. Even if a sports betting app has the best odds in the business or a ton of generous promotions, a bad user experience can turn any prospective bettor off. They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but we all do sometimes!

Sports betting apps in this day and age shouldn't feel like you're scrolling and swiping through an Excel sheet. While it's not the most important factor, any sports betting app you use should have a modern feel.

Another element of a sports betting app's user experience is the pure performance aspect. Navigation should be seamless, and apps shouldn't be slow to load or laggy.

Both the appearance and performance make up major elements of the user experience and should be taken into consideration when choosing a new sports betting app.

All sports betting apps should make banking as convenient as possible for users.

The top betting apps in the US have a wide range of payment methods available for both deposits and withdrawals. Common payment methods include:

• E-Wallets (such as PayPal, Venmo, and Skrill)
• Credit/Debit Cards
• ACH Transfers
• Wire Transfers
• Mailed Checks

Sports betting apps across the country should all strive to ease the process of deposits and withdrawals by making them quick and easy. Generally speaking, deposits are available instantly, while most betting apps require 2-3 days to process withdrawals.

Some betting apps allow for instant withdrawals if you're using an e-wallet like PayPal.

The basic spread and moneyline bets may satisfy a novice, but once you get more accustomed to betting, your taste will certainly develop.

Many sports betting apps allow you to go deep into the betting experience with customizable, unique features, or by just improving common systems you will find on a competitor.

Sports betting apps carry similar features, but they aren't all created equal. Some excel in the same game parlay, others are the place to go for live betting, and a few even offer live streaming of games.

Another variable that impacts the betting experience is the odds offered by the app. While seemingly small differences between -110 and -105 odds don't appear to make an impact, they certainly add up especially when building a parlay. It's key to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck for your bets.

Even if it doesn't rain, it's good to have an umbrella in your trunk, right? The same principle goes for good customer support - you hope you never have to use it, but you're always happy to have it.

If you use a sports betting app enough, there's a decent chance you'll run into a bump in the road or just have a question about the app.

Some key customer support features to look for when evaluating a sports betting app include a solid and updated FAQ section, live chat, and a helpline you can call. This should be the standard, but some apps don't meet these requirements.

BetRivers is one of the industry leaders for customer support in the US with an impressive FAQ and custom customer service options for each state in which the betting app operates.

The summary section is an overall score given after evaluating all of the rated criteria.

No betting app is perfect, and they all have their pros and cons. A sportsbook may have deep markets but poor customer support or any other combination of the categories.

While our scores can help you decide, it's ultimately up to your priorities in picking the perfect online sportsbook for your needs.

A deposit bonus matches the user's first deposit on the site. They are sometimes offered in a lump sum amount, but can also be offered over the course of a stretch of time.

Sometimes called a "bet and get," bonus bets reward a user with bet credits after completing their first wager or deposit on a sports betting app. Bonus bets are different from money in the account because they need to be played before a withdrawal is available.

Also known as no-sweat bets, second-chance bets refund you in bet credits if you lose your first real-money bet. This is nice if you lose your first bet, but you don't reap the benefits if your bet wins.

Word of mouth has always been the primary form of advertising. Betting apps know this, so they incentivize you by rewarding you and your friend you get to sign up with a cash offer. When you refer a friend and they make their first deposit, you both get a bonus! For DraftKings, this is up to $100 each. Make sure when you get a friend to sign up, you give them your code or username!

These are the most valuable forms of existing user promotions, as they come into play daily. Odds boosts are commonly given out to increase the total payout of your bet. Each app offers different daily promos, such as a % increase on parlays, parlay insurance, or no-sweat bets that give you a bonus bet after a loss.

Daily specials are bets selected by the sportsbook to increase the odds. While it isn't always free money, the intent is to reward the user with a better payout on an easy bet.

Rewards programs usually amount to an insignificant amount of money on betting apps but are still a nice offer. You receive a small amount of whatever the app calls its rewards (such as "crowns" for DraftKings) that can be cashed out for a few dollars here and there.

By far the best rewards program is with Fanatics Sportsbook's FanCash, where you earn up to 5% of your bets back which can be redeemed for either bonus bets or Fanatics merchandise.

Live betting allows users to bet on a sporting event as it unfolds. Think the Warriors are primed to take over in the third quarter after coming out flat in the first half? Bet on them live and take advantage of juiced odds that weren't offered pregame.

Just about every betting app offers opportunities for live betting, but there are a few key factors to being a good live-betting app. Odds need to be updated as quickly as possible, the app has to be quick and easy to use, and the game tracking needs to keep up with the action.

Bet 365 is wonderful for live-betting, as they stay the most up to date.

Some apps offer live streaming, taking you close to the action.

Live streaming is the biggest x-factor in making a sports betting app superior, as it allows you to keep up with your bets in real time.

Typically, only smaller sports are available to live stream, such as table tennis. However, the major sports leagues have started becoming available. FanDuel offers NBA live streaming, BetMGM has hockey, and Caesars has live NFL games.

This can save bettors money on streaming services or packages like NBA League Pass, just by having an active betting account.

Most bettors are aware of parlays, where you combine multiple bets to increase the potential payout. In a parlay, every aspect needs to win or else the whole bet loses (yes, even if you go 7/8).

Betting apps with same game parlays have revolutionized parlay betting, as it allows you to combine multiple bets from within the same game. They can include spreads, moneylines, score totals, player props, and tons of other game props. They make games more interesting to watch, as you're simultaneously rooting for all the outcomes you chose to happen.

While same game parlays are offered almost everywhere, some apps have more extensive options within them. The more the sportsbook offers player and game props, the better. Another important factor is the Level of ease of building a same game parlay. BetMGM claims to be the 'King of Parlays' and they back it up.

Don't feel like sweating a bet all the way through? Look for apps with early cashout options. Early cashouts allow bettors to end their bet early and take the offer the sportsbook is showing. This can be for more or less than your original bet, depending on the current outlook of the bet.

If a bet looks like it is pretty much in the bag, the offer will be close to the maximum payout. In that case, it can be worth taking the money in case of a crazy twist that loses the bet for you. On the other hand, when a bet doesn't look good and isn't likely to hit, it can be worth taking the little bit of money offered so you don't completely lose everything.

DraftKings is good about offering timely and fair early cashouts, but they often don't apply for same game parlays.