This guide outlines how to bet online in USA states, including which states and territories allow legal online gambling, and what changes you can expect in the industry.
This guide will teach you how to begin placing bets at the rapidly growing online sportsbook industry in the United States. Unfortunately, not all states have passed legislation to permit online gambling as at the time of writing.
It has been a rollercoaster ride for US bettors over the past 20 years – online gambling was common across the country prior to the introduction of the UIGEA in 2006 which outlawed the movement of money between banks and online gambling firms. This essentially shut the market down for many years.
The Federal Government has done nothing since the UIGEA with regards to passing a bill that would permit you to bet online in USA states throughout the entire country, so it has been left up to the individual states to implement laws and create regulators to watch over online gambling within their borders.
Where to bet online in USA states
This is a list of all US states which currently have legal online sports betting: New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, Colorado, Tennessee, Indiana, West Virginia, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, and New York.
Unfortunately, if you do not live in one of these states then you cannot legally bet online in USA states you are in… just yet. It’s likely that most of the country will pass their own laws sooner or later though – see the end of this article for details of the states which are expected to pass new laws in the near future.
I Live in a State with Legal Online Gambling – What Next?
Some states have limited the number of operators who can offer online betting within their territory. Others have required sites that allow you to bet online in USA states to pair with a land-based operator, often for the purpose of identity verification. Rather than setting up a simple online system as most European countries have done, the US instead decided to force those who wanted to bet to visit a local casino with their documents instead. Thankfully, these mechanisms are quickly being phased out in favor of an online system, but the ties to land-based casinos are set to remain.
Finding a legal site to bet online in USA states for your particular state if it’s allowed should be as easy as searching for “betting app in Virginia”, “Indiana gambling app”, “online betting Iowa”, or “Legal online betting in NJ” – any search term like this should find what you are looking for.
Siging up to bet online in USA states that allow it is a quick and simple process, but be careful to pay special attention to the bonus terms if you choose to take up any kind of promotional offer. You don’t want to end up findin you have broken a rule when it is time to make a withdrawal.
Which Sports are Most Popular with American Gamblers?
Before we begin, remember that bettors tend to put money on sports they are familiar with – afterall, the more you know about a sport, the more likely you are to be able to make an informed wager. On the other hand, American bettors are also pragmatic – the general popularity of a sport around the world will often influence their decisions too. The more action a sport gets, the more accurate the odds being offered by bookmakers are likely to be.
Also, don’t be surprised that some lesser known sports are extremely popular to bet on as well, especially amongst people who are fanatical about that particular sport. Think about it – if the number of bettors getting involved is very low but you know the game inside out, some bettors may well feel they know what will happen better than the bookies.
And with that, here are the most popular sports people follow to bet online in USA states:
- American Football
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Boxing
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Darts
- Golf
We did say there might be one or two surprises in there, didn’t we! If you don’t see your favorite sport listed, don’t feel as if you have to follow the crowd – treat what we said at the beginning of this section as a guide to choosing which sports you should decide to bet online in USA sites.
Likely changes in the US industry
New York was last on our list of states that permit online gambling as it actually just came into force in the first few days of 2022. Ohio has already passed the necessary legislation to join the club, and preparations are well underway to get online sports betting up and running within the state very soon. Expect Ohio to be next, unless Maryland beats them to the punch!
Maryland recently held a public vote which resulted in a positive outcome, guaranteeing sports betting will be coming to the state very soon. Legislators are currently stating servers and websites will be in place by the fall, so it could be a few months yet.
Finally, Nebraska and Wisconsin have made the first steps towards legalized online sports betting, but the bills they have passed so far only allow for in-person betting. It seems likely this will eventually be expanded to online too, but there is no guarantee that will happen during 2022.
