How to Choose a Sportsbook: Complete Beginners Guide

Legal sports betting is now available in the majority of US states, and bettors in most markets have a dozen or more sportsbooks competing for their business. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, Fanatics, and many others all want your deposits. Each one advertises the biggest bonuses and the best odds.

With that many options, picking the right sportsbook is not as simple as downloading the first app you see. The sportsbook you choose affects the odds you get, how fast you receive your payouts, what sports and bet types are available to you, and how your money is protected. A poor choice can mean worse prices on every bet you place, slow withdrawals that take a week instead of a day, or a clunky app that makes live betting nearly impossible.

This guide walks through every factor you should evaluate when choosing a sportsbook, from the non-negotiable (licensing) to the details that separate a good experience from a great one. Whether you are placing your first bet or looking to switch from your current book, this is a structured approach to making the right decision. If you are new to sports betting entirely, start with our sports betting basics guide before diving in here.

Why Your Choice of Sportsbook Matters

Many beginners assume all sportsbooks are essentially the same. They are not.

The differences between sportsbooks are real and measurable. On any given NFL game, the spread might be -3 (-110) at one sportsbook and -3 (-105) at another. That five-cent difference in juice does not feel significant on a single bet, but over 500 bets in a season it adds up to hundreds of dollars in savings. Odds quality is one of the most direct ways your sportsbook choice affects your bottom line.

Beyond pricing, sportsbooks differ in withdrawal speed (some process in hours, others take days), market depth (some offer hundreds of prop markets per game, others stick to basics), bonus generosity, app reliability, and customer support quality. A sportsbook's track record matters too. Check how long an operator has been active in your state, read user reviews for patterns in complaint resolution, and pay attention to how the company handles disputes publicly. Two bettors in the same state using different sportsbooks can have completely different experiences.

The first and most important distinction, however, is whether a sportsbook is legal and licensed in your state. This is not a nice-to-have feature. It is the baseline requirement. To understand the legal landscape and whether sports betting is available where you live, check our guide on sports betting legality by state.

Licensing and Legality: The Non-Negotiable Starting Point

Before evaluating anything else about a sportsbook, verify that it is licensed and regulated in your state. This is the single most important factor in choosing where to bet.

What Licensing Means for You

A state-licensed sportsbook is required to:

• Segregate player funds from operating funds, so your money is protected even if the company faces financial difficulty
• Submit to regular audits by the state gaming commission
• Provide dispute resolution through the state regulator if something goes wrong
• Comply with responsible gambling requirements including deposit limits and self-exclusion options
• Verify your identity and age to prevent underage gambling

Unlicensed sportsbooks, including offshore operators, offer none of these protections. If an offshore book refuses to pay your winnings, you have no legal recourse. There is no regulator to file a complaint with, no fund segregation protecting your deposits, and no guarantee the odds are even being calculated fairly. For a deeper understanding of these risks, read our guide on offshore vs legal sportsbooks.

How to Verify Licensing

Every legal US sportsbook displays its licensing information, typically in the footer of its website and app. You can also verify a sportsbook's license directly with your state gaming commission's website. If you cannot find licensing information for a sportsbook, that is a significant red flag.

For a detailed breakdown of how state licensing works and what regulatory bodies oversee sportsbooks, see our guide to sportsbook licensing.

Odds Quality and Pricing

After confirming a sportsbook is licensed, odds quality should be your next priority. The odds a sportsbook offers directly determine how much you win on successful bets and how much you pay in commission (the vig or juice) on every wager.

Understanding the Vig

The standard vig on point spread and totals bets is -110 on each side, meaning you risk $110 to win $100. This translates to an implied break-even win rate of 52.4%. Some sportsbooks regularly offer reduced juice at -108 or -105 on select markets. Over time, the difference between -110 and -105 is substantial.

Consider this: at -110, you need to win 52.4% of your bets to break even. At -105, you need to win only 51.2%. That 1.2% gap may sound small, but for someone placing 500 bets a year at $50 per bet, it means the difference between losing money and potentially being profitable.

How to Evaluate Odds Quality

The best way to assess a sportsbook's odds quality is to compare its lines against other books on the same events. Do this regularly across different sports and market types (spreads, moneylines, totals). Some sportsbooks are consistently sharper on NFL, while others may offer better NBA or MLB lines.

You can use our sportsbook reviews to compare offerings across major licensed operators and see how they stack up on pricing, markets, and other factors.

Available Betting Markets

Not all sportsbooks offer the same depth of markets. If you only bet NFL spreads and moneylines, most major sportsbooks will serve you fine. But if you want extensive player prop markets, same-game parlays, live betting on niche sports, or futures for mid-tier leagues, market availability varies significantly.

Core Markets

Every licensed US sportsbook offers the fundamental bet types: point spreads, moneylines, and totals (over/under) for major US sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college football, college basketball). These are table stakes.

Where Sportsbooks Differentiate

The differences emerge in:

• Player and game props: Some books offer 200+ prop markets per NFL game; others offer a fraction of that
• Live/in-play betting: Speed, market availability during play, and the quality of live odds vary widely
• Same-game parlays (SGPs): Most major books now offer SGPs, but the available legs and correlation adjustments differ
• Niche sports: Soccer, tennis, golf, MMA, and international leagues are well-covered by some books and barely offered by others
• Futures depth: Championship futures are universal, but player award futures, division winners, and season win totals may not be available everywhere

If you have specific betting interests beyond the major US sports, check a sportsbook's market catalog before signing up.

Bonuses, Promotions, and Loyalty Programs

Welcome bonuses are the most visible way sportsbooks compete for new customers. Understanding how bonuses work helps you extract genuine value rather than being lured by misleading headline numbers.

Types of Welcome Bonuses

Bonus Type	How It Works	Typical Value
Bonus Bets (Bet Credits)	Place a qualifying bet; if it loses, receive bonus bets equal to your stake	$100-$1,500
Deposit Match	Sportsbook matches a percentage of your first deposit as bonus funds	20-100% match up to $1,000
No-Sweat First Bet	If your first bet loses, get your stake back as bonus bets	$500-$1,000
Bonus Cash	Receive cash or site credit upon sign-up or first deposit	$50-$200

Reading the Fine Print

The headline number of a bonus is less important than the terms attached to it. Key details to check:

• Wagering requirements: Some bonus bets must be wagered a certain number of times before winnings are withdrawable. A 1x playthrough is standard and fair; anything higher should give you pause.
• Minimum odds: Many bonuses only apply to bets placed at minimum odds (e.g., -200 or longer). Placing a heavy favorite at -500 may not qualify.
• Expiration: Bonus bets typically expire in 7-14 days. If you do not use them in time, they disappear.
• Withdrawal restrictions: With most bonus bet offers, you receive the profit from a winning bonus bet but not the bonus bet stake itself.

Ongoing Promotions

Beyond the welcome offer, evaluate a sportsbook's ongoing promotions. These include daily odds boosts, profit boosts on parlays, parlay insurance (get a refund if one leg loses), and referral bonuses. The best sportsbooks provide consistent value to existing customers, not just new sign-ups. State-specific bonus availability can also vary, so understanding how to bet on sports legally in your state helps you know what to expect.

Loyalty Programs

Some sportsbooks offer tiered loyalty or VIP programs that reward volume with perks like higher limits, faster withdrawals, dedicated account managers, and exclusive promotions. These matter more for high-volume bettors but are worth considering if you plan to bet regularly.

Mobile App and User Experience

The vast majority of legal sports bets in the US are placed through mobile apps. The quality of the app directly affects your day-to-day betting experience.

What to Evaluate

• Stability and speed: Does the app crash or freeze? Are pages slow to load, especially during peak times like Sunday NFL kickoff?
• Bet slip functionality: How easy is it to add selections, adjust wager amounts, and combine bets into parlays?
• Live betting interface: Can you quickly find live markets and place bets before lines move? Slow live betting interfaces cost you money.
• Navigation: Can you find specific games, markets, and bet types without excessive scrolling or searching?
• Search function: A good search feature lets you jump directly to a team, player, or event.

Using Reviews as Signal

App store ratings provide a useful, if imperfect, signal of app quality. Look at recent reviews specifically, since apps are updated frequently. A sportsbook with a 4.7-star rating on 500,000 reviews has earned that rating over time. Pay attention to patterns in negative reviews (recurring crashes, withdrawal complaints, login issues) rather than isolated complaints.

Payment Methods and Payout Speed

How you move money in and out of a sportsbook matters more than most beginners realize. Payout speed, in particular, is one of the biggest differentiators between sportsbooks.

Common Deposit Methods

Most US sportsbooks accept:

• Online banking / ACH transfer
• Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard)
• PayPal
• Venmo
• Apple Pay
• Play+ prepaid card
• Cash at retail locations (where available)

Credit card deposits are restricted or blocked at most sportsbooks due to banking regulations.

Withdrawal Options and Speed

This is where sportsbooks diverge significantly. Some process PayPal and Venmo withdrawals in under an hour. Others take 3-5 business days for a bank transfer. Before you deposit, check the withdrawal methods available and their typical processing times.

Withdrawal Method	Typical Processing Time	Notes
PayPal / Venmo	Under 24 hours	Fastest option at most sportsbooks
Online Banking (ACH)	2-5 business days	Standard at most books
Play+ Prepaid Card	Under 24 hours	Funds available on the card quickly
Check by Mail	7-14 business days	Slowest option; avoid if possible

Minimum and Maximum Limits

Check both deposit minimums (usually $5-$20) and withdrawal minimums (usually $10-$20). Also check maximum withdrawal limits per transaction and per day. High-volume bettors should verify that a sportsbook can handle large withdrawals without excessive delays.

Customer Support

You may never need customer support, but when you do, the quality matters. A frozen withdrawal, a disputed bet settlement, or a technical issue during a live bet requires timely resolution.

What to Look For

• Live chat availability: This is the standard for immediate help. Check whether it is available 24/7 or only during certain hours.
• Response quality: Agents should be able to resolve issues, not just recite scripts. This is difficult to evaluate before you need it, but user reviews often highlight support quality.
• Email and phone options: Live chat should not be the only channel. Some issues require escalation.
• Help center: A well-organized FAQ and help center allows you to resolve common issues without waiting for an agent.

Regulated US sportsbooks generally provide better support than you might expect, since state gaming commissions require complaint resolution processes. If a sportsbook cannot resolve your issue, you can escalate to the state regulator.

Also consider account security features. Look for sportsbooks that offer two-factor authentication (2FA), device management alerts, and secure login options. You are trusting this platform with personal information and real money, so basic security controls should be standard.

Responsible Gambling Tools

A sportsbook that takes responsible gambling seriously provides tools that help you stay in control of your betting. These are not just regulatory checkboxes; they are practical features that protect your bankroll and your well-being.

Key Tools to Look For

• Deposit limits: Set daily, weekly, or monthly caps on how much you can deposit
• Loss limits: Cap the amount you can lose in a given period
• Wager limits: Restrict the size of individual bets
• Time limits and session reminders: Get notifications after a set amount of time spent on the app
• Self-exclusion: Temporarily or permanently block yourself from the sportsbook
• Reality checks: Pop-up summaries showing your net results during a session

Every licensed US sportsbook is required to offer some form of these tools, but implementation quality varies. Some sportsbooks make these tools easy to find and adjust. Others bury them in settings menus. A sportsbook that prominently features responsible gambling tools demonstrates a genuine commitment to player welfare.

For a comprehensive look at responsible gambling features and how to use them, see our guide on responsible gambling tools.

Red Flags: Signs of a Bad Sportsbook

Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to look for. Watch for these warning signs:

Slow or refused payouts. If a sportsbook consistently takes longer than advertised to process withdrawals, or makes excuses to delay payments, this is the most serious red flag. A licensed sportsbook that refuses to pay verified winnings can be reported to the state gaming commission.

No visible licensing information. If you cannot find a state license number or the sportsbook is not listed on your state gaming commission's website, do not deposit money there.

Consistently worse odds. Some sportsbooks price their lines significantly wider than competitors. If a book routinely offers -115 where others offer -110, you are paying a hidden tax on every bet.

Aggressive or misleading bonus terms. Watch for bonus offers with unrealistic wagering requirements (10x playthrough, for example), very short expiration windows, or terms that make it nearly impossible to withdraw bonus winnings.

No responsible gambling tools. A sportsbook without deposit limits, loss limits, or self-exclusion options is either unlicensed or not complying with state regulations.

Poor or nonexistent customer support. If you cannot reach a human through live chat or phone, resolving account issues will be frustrating at best and impossible at worst.

Beginner vs Advanced Bettor Needs

Your priorities when choosing a sportsbook should match your experience level and betting style.

Factor	Beginner Priority	Advanced Priority
App UX / Ease of Use	High - intuitive interface matters when learning	Medium - experienced bettors adapt to any interface
Welcome Bonus	High - bonus bets help reduce early risk	Low - ongoing promotions matter more
Odds Quality	Medium - matters, but hard to evaluate early on	High - the most important long-term factor
Market Depth	Low - beginners rarely need 200 prop markets	High - niche markets and props are where edges live
Payout Speed	Medium - nice but not critical for small amounts	High - fast access to winnings enables line shopping
Betting Limits	Low - beginners rarely hit max limits	High - limit restrictions are a deal-breaker for sharps
Multiple Accounts	Low - start with one sportsbook to learn	High - 2-4 accounts for line shopping is standard

For Beginners

Start with one sportsbook that has a strong welcome bonus and an app you find easy to use. Do not overthink it. As you gain experience and understand what matters to you, open accounts at one or two additional books. The learning curve is steep enough without managing multiple accounts from day one.

For Experienced Bettors

If you are serious about sports betting, maintaining accounts at 3-4 sportsbooks is standard practice. This allows you to shop for the best line on every bet, take advantage of promotions across multiple platforms, and avoid being limited at any single book. Odds quality and payout speed should be your top priorities.

How to Compare Sportsbooks Side by Side

Here is a practical process for evaluating sportsbooks:

1. Start with licensing. Confirm the sportsbook is licensed in your state. If it is not, stop here.
2. Sign up and claim the welcome bonus. Most sportsbooks let you browse before depositing, but you need an account to see the full market catalog and odds.
3. Compare odds on the same events. Open two or three sportsbook apps side by side and compare odds on upcoming games. Do this over several days across different sports.
4. Test a withdrawal. Make a small deposit, place a few bets, and then withdraw. This tells you more about the payout process than any review can.
5. Evaluate the app under pressure. Use the live betting interface during a game. Is it responsive? Do the odds update in real time? Can you place a bet quickly?
6. Check promotions after the welcome offer. Log in for a week or two and see what ongoing promotions are available to existing customers.

For detailed comparisons of specific operators, visit our sportsbook reviews page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best sportsbook for beginners?

There is no single best sportsbook for all beginners, because priorities vary. However, sportsbooks with intuitive apps, generous welcome bonuses, and strong customer support tend to be the best starting points. FanDuel and DraftKings are popular first choices because of their user-friendly interfaces and widespread availability. The best advice is to try one, get comfortable with the basics, and then explore others.

How many sportsbook accounts should I have?

For beginners, one account is enough while you learn the fundamentals. As you gain experience, opening accounts at 2-4 sportsbooks is recommended. Multiple accounts allow you to compare odds and take the best price on every bet, which is one of the simplest ways to improve your long-term results. There is no limit on how many accounts you can have across different operators.

Are all legal sportsbooks safe to use?

Yes, in the sense that all state-licensed sportsbooks must meet regulatory requirements for fund segregation, fair odds, and consumer protection. However, the quality of the experience varies. A sportsbook being safe and legal does not mean it offers the best odds, fastest payouts, or best app. Safety is the baseline; everything else is where you should be selective.

What is the most important factor when choosing a sportsbook?

Licensing and legality are the non-negotiable starting point. Beyond that, odds quality is the most impactful factor for your bottom line over time. The difference between a sportsbook that consistently offers competitive odds and one that prices wide can amount to hundreds of dollars per year for an active bettor. Payout speed is a close second, especially for bettors who maintain accounts at multiple sportsbooks.

How do I know if a sportsbook is licensed in my state?

Check the sportsbook's website footer for licensing information, which usually includes the state license number and the regulatory body that issued it. You can also verify directly with your state gaming commission's website, which maintains a list of licensed operators. If you cannot find licensing information, do not deposit money at that sportsbook.

Can I switch sportsbooks after signing up?

Yes, you can switch at any time. Withdraw your remaining balance from your current sportsbook and deposit at a new one. There are no contracts or commitments. Many bettors maintain active accounts at multiple sportsbooks simultaneously and shift their primary book based on which one offers the best odds and promotions at any given time.

Do all sportsbooks offer the same odds?

No. While odds on the same event are usually similar across sportsbooks, they are rarely identical. Differences of 5-10 cents in the juice are common, and occasionally the actual line differs (one book might have a spread at -3 while another has it at -2.5). These differences are why experienced bettors maintain multiple accounts and shop for the best line before placing every bet.

What sportsbook has the best odds?

No single sportsbook consistently offers the best odds across every sport and market. One book might have sharper NFL lines while another prices NBA player props more competitively. Odds quality also shifts over time as sportsbooks adjust their pricing models. The most effective approach is to maintain accounts at two or three licensed sportsbooks and compare lines before placing each bet. This line shopping habit is one of the simplest ways to get better value on every wager.

What should I do if a sportsbook will not pay me?

First, contact the sportsbook's customer support to understand why the payout is being withheld. Common legitimate reasons include incomplete identity verification, pending wagering requirements on bonus funds, or a withdrawal method mismatch. If the sportsbook cannot provide a valid reason or refuses to resolve the issue, file a complaint with your state gaming commission. State regulators have the authority to investigate and enforce compliance. This consumer protection is one of the key benefits of using licensed sportsbooks over unlicensed offshore operators.