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Sports are massively popular in the US, with around six in ten Americans identifying as sports fans. That means there are roughly 196 million people who closely follow at least one sport. Considering the popularity of sports, it seems strange that the country has had a nationwide ban on almost all forms of sports betting for so long. 

Recent years have seen a change in the law, however, and many states have started to regulate sports betting, allowing more players to enjoy placing bets on their favorite sports. While a lot of restrictions still remain, the country is slowly warming up to the idea of sports betting, and both online and in-person sportsbooks are on the rise. 

In this guide, we’ll help you understand where sports betting is legal in the US and how to bet safely. You’ll learn more about the different ways to bet and what options are available to you. If you want to get into sports betting, this guide will help you get off to a winning start. 

The History of Sports Betting in the US

In early 19th Century America, horse racing was the most popular sport to bet on with racecourses across the country. As the years went by, however, more sports became popular as the industrial revolution gave people more time to enjoy recreation and sport. In 1876, the National Baseball League became the world’s first professional sports league. 

As sports became more popular among fans, so too did sports betting, with most games across the country allowing gamblers to place wagers on the action. Sports also began to be influenced by betting, with bribing scandals throwing professional sports into disrepute. The growing presence of the mob in professional sports betting led to the Interstate Wire Act of 1961. After this, sports betting became largely underground except for in Nevada

In 1992, the US passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which effectively made sports betting completely illegal over most of the country. Certain states such as Nevada, Oregon, and Delaware already had legalized sports betting, and these places were mostly exempt from the rules, although strict restrictions remained in place.

Despite the laws, many sports fans continued to bet on sports, using illegal offshore sites. While the law had intended to protect players from shady gambling sites, it had actually achieved the opposite effect. The national opinion grew in favor of legalizing sports betting, and in 2018, a federal law was changed to give states the right to allow sportsbooks.

Since then, several states have passed laws allowing sportsbooks to operate legally. The number of states with legal sportsbooks is growing, and there are now plenty of options both online and in-person for sports betting fans across the country.

Which States Have Legal Sportsbetting

With the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA) lifted in 2018, lots of states have already legalized sports betting. On top of this, many more states are expected to legalize sports betting over the next few years. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of sports betting in the US!

Here’s a full list of US states which have legal sports betting and the details of restrictions in each:

Delaware 

Delaware became the first state to legalize sports betting after PAPSA was abolished. There’s no online sports betting available right now, but you can place bets in person at three of the state’s land-based casinos. You must be 21 years old to place bets, and betting on certain college and high school games is prohibited. 

New Jersey

New Jersey fully legalized sports betting, allowing those in the state to place bets both at retail sportsbooks and online. Several online sportsbooks are available to choose from, and you’ll need to be 21 and within the state boundaries to place any bets. Bets on college games involving New Jersey teams are prohibited.

Mississippi

Mississippi ruled to allow sports betting within the state on the same day as NJ. Right now, if you want to bet in the state, you can place bets in person at around 20 different casinos. There’s no online sports betting available, but you can bet on most sports provided you’re at least 21.

West Virginia 

Retail sportsbooks first launched in the state of West Virginia in 2018, and the following year also saw the first online sports betting sites open to players. With over four online sportsbooks and more on the way, the state is an excellent place to be if you enjoy betting on sports. You must be at least 21 to place bets, and you can bet on pretty much any sports, excluding high school games.

New Mexico

In New Mexico, you can bet on sports as of August 2018. For now, you can only bet at specific retail locations with no online betting allowed in the state. You must be at least 21 years old to bet, and you can’t place bets on games involving teams from the University of New Mexico or New Mexico State University.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania launched legal sports betting in 2018 and has since permitted several sportsbooks and casinos to operate online sportsbooks within the state. Several online sports betting sites are expected to be available in late 2020 and early 2021. To bet, you’ll need to be 21 or older and within the state lines.

Rhode Island

For now, visitors and residents can bet at two different locations in Rhode Island. Bets can only be placed within these casinos, with online betting not permitted for now. 

Arkansas 

In 2019, sports betting officially launched in Arkansas, and since then, two retail locations have opened up. You must be at least 21 to bet in the state, and there’s no online betting available. 

New York

For now, sports betting is only available in New York at land-based sportsbooks and tribal casinos. There are currently no plans to allow online sports betting, but there are at least plenty of alternative options for residents and state visitors. 

Iowa

Iowa legalized sports betting in 2019, and since then, several land-based sportsbooks have opened their doors. You must be at least 21 to bet in the state, and there are no online sportsbooks at the moment. 

Oregon

Oregon offers land-based sports betting at one of its tribal casino, and players can also download a betting app and place wagers that way. Bets at the casino can be on any sports, whereas college sports bets are prohibited when using the app. 

Indiana

Indiana legalized sports betting fully in 2019, allowing for both retail and online sportsbooks to operate within the state. Indiana residents and anyone visiting the state can sign up and place wagers on loads of different sports, provided they’re over the age of 21. 

New Hampshire

New Hampshire only recently voted to legalize sports betting within the state, and for now, this is restricted to certain retail locations. You must be 18 or older to place bets at any of the legal sportsbooks in the state.

Illinois

Illinois voted to legalize both land-based and online sports betting in 2019. Since then, numerous online sportsbooks have gone live, and several different retail locations have opened up. There’s a minimum age of 18 for horse racing bets, while for other sports, you’ll need to be at least 21. 

Montana

2020 saw legal sports betting arrive in Montana for the first time. The Montana lottery controls all betting in the state, and you can bet either at self-service kiosks or online. You’ll need to be at least 18 years old to place any bets in the state. 

Michigan

Michigan legalized regular sports betting in March 2020, and it’s expected that online betting will be permitted by early 2021. If you want to place bets while in the state, you’ll need to go to one of the land-based sportsbooks, and you need to be at least 21. 

Colorado

Colorado offers sports betting at casinos and online sports-books. There’s lots of variety to choose from, and you can legally bet from the age of 18. Lots of great online sportsbooks have already launched, and many more are on their way in 2021.

Washington D.C.

There are no casinos in Washington D.C., but both online and retail sportsbooks have been legalized as of 2020. The Washinton Lottery regulates the industry, and already, several retail sportsbooks have opened their doors with more expected to follow. Residents or visitors must be at least 18 to place a bet, and online sportsbooks are expected to launch later in the year. 

Tennessee

Tennessee is the odd one out on our list as the site has voted to legalize online sports betting while retail locations are still outlawed. That means if you want to place a bet in Tennessee, you’ll need to sign up at one of the legal sportsbooks that have recently launched in the state. You must be at least 21 years old to bet. 

These states have made sports betting legal, but sports betting hasn’t launched yet:

• North Carolina
• Washington
• Virginia
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• South Dakota

Sports Can You Bet On in the US

The US is one of the biggest sports-loving nations in the world, and there are hundreds of exciting sports available for you to watch and bet on. Most sportsbooks offer all of the most popular sports, but you’ll find plenty of niche options to bet on too. Here’s a list of some of the most common sports you can legally bet on in the US:

• Football
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Soccer
• Tennis
• Golf
• Ice Hockey
• Horse Racing
• Motorsports
• Boxing
• MMA
• Greyhound Racing
• Cycling
• Rugby
• Table Tennis
• eSports

For the biggest sports, you’ll find most of the top leagues and competitions available to bet on. You can usually bet on the result, the point spread, and over/under on points scored. You can often find proposition bets available too. These will let you bet on specific events happening, like a certain number of touchdowns being scored in the first quarter. 

How We Help You Find the Best Online Sportsbooks

If you want to start placing bets online, it’s important that you know how to find a safe and reliable sportsbook. There are lots of different sites out there to choose from, and while the majority are good, the quality of odds and markets offered can vary quite a lot.

To have the best possible experience betting on sports online, you’ll need to find the best possible sportsbook. That’s where we come in. Here at CompareCasino, we test out all of the best US sportsbooks to help you decide on which is right for you. We review all of the sites we test, looking at their safety, quality of odds, and more. 

To find the perfect sportsbook for you, follow these simple steps:

1. Check out our sportsbook reviews – We review every legal US sportsbook to help people find the best sites to use. When we review sites, we check everything carefully to make sure the site is safe, the markets and odds on offer are good and that the site is easy to use. 
2. Make sure the site is legal in your state – This goes without saying, but not every state allows online sportsbooks, and not every site is legal in every state. Be sure to only sign up to a sportsbook that’s legal in your state. Otherwise, your account will be closed. 
3. See what kind of bonus is on offer – All US sportsbooks offer generous welcome bonuses as an incentive to sign up. Make sure you check out what’s on offer and read through the terms to see how easy it is to claim.
4. Read user reviews – Aside from reading our reviews, checking out what other users have to say is also a great way to decide on an online sportsbook. If there are issues with the site, you’ll usually be able to find mention of them online. 

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