For as long as there has been sports, there has also been sports betting. In that same vein, for as long as there has been internet, there has been online sports betting. The first online sportsbooks were nothing like they are today, instead they primarily operated over the phone with much less succinct book keeping. Some of these same companies who were around during the beginning of the internet are still in existence today; and bigger than ever before.
The actual landscape and dynamics of online sportsbooks have changed dramatically over the past few decades, to say the very least. It’s hard to imagine that online sportsbooks first came to fruition over 20 years ago, but it’s true. In that time, many books have come and gone. Some were closed due to circumstances out of their control, others outright stole from players, and others still simply failed as businesses.
Current Sports Betting tells you about how online sportsbooks function today, which books are the top choices, and how to navigate your way through the sometimes confusing world of online sports betting sites.
US Online Sportsbooks
Sportsbooks online are a particularly complex topic when it comes to the United States. While there are an abundance of regulated sports betting shops lining every street in large European cities, especially in the UK, the situation could not be much different for sports bettors in the US.
There have been many changes over the years both in terms of brick and mortar sportsbooks in the US, be it in Las Vegas, Atlantic City or elsewhere, and only recently have these changes begun to tide over into the online sports betting market. With that said, online sportsbooks in the United States remain a very unique environment that is not comparable to most other countries around the world.
Your actual options for US online sportsbooks will come down to two primary factors. First, you need to consider your state’s laws and regulations. Since gambling and sports betting is almost always delegated at a state level and not a federal level, the actual online sportsbook in your home state may very well be different from your neighboring state.
Once you have done ample research in regards to online sportsbooks in the area you reside, the next step is finding sportsbooks that will accept you as a player. While most US facing online sportsbooks accept bettors and signups from prospective bettors in almost all states, it is still important to check out any individual online sportsbooks terms and conditions. While you likely would not be allowed to register in the first place, you wouldn’t be very happy to deposit real money at an online book only to later find out that you can’t withdraw your funds.
When it comes down to it, there are many different online sportsbooks for US players to choose from. Only Nevada and New Jersey have any sort of online sportsbooks that are operated by brick and mortar casinos. Those books can be accessed via apps that the gaming companies have created, and they are an entirely different subject that the online sportsbooks referenced.
Since US online sportsbooks are not regulated by a government body nor are they heavily monitored (generally speaking) in their home territories, it is up to you the player to make careful decisions when betting sports online.
We provide our best, most complete reviews of US sportsbooks possible, but it is important to note that United States sports bettors must be very diligent in their decision making, especially when dealing with real money online sports betting deposits, withdrawals and wagers.
Mobile Online Sportsbooks
Mobile online sportsbooks are becoming increasingly popular, however they may not exist in the way you might be thinking. In this modern age of smartphones and tablets, it is a common presumption that all sportsbooks also have downloadable applications. In the United States especially, this is not the case. Instead, bettors place mobile wagers by way of mobile sportsbook sites that can be accessed by the browser that your smartphone or tablet comes equipped with. These sites, in many cases, will look and feel like an app, but they operate within your web browser.
The reason we do not see a boatload of sportsbook applications has everything to do with the fact that their legality is constantly called into question. As a result, app stores from Apple and Android have, for the most part, avoided offering any real money online sportsbook applications. With all of this being said, players can create shortcuts on their phones or tablets so that they can navigate directly to the sportsbook mobile site rather than have to type in the URL time after time.
Mobile online sportsbooks are often almost exactly the same as the standard online sportsbook with which it is associated. This means that the same lines and markets offered on the desktop website will also be accessible from your mobile device. No matter whether you are live betting, attempting to deposit into an account, or even trying to make a withdrawal request, all of this can be done from your mobile device with no trouble at all. This was not always the case, but we are increasingly seeing sportsbooks focus more heavily on their mobile offering, which has, in turn, nearly eliminated the need to ever place wagers from a desktop or laptop.
How We Review Online Sportsbooks
Reviews of online sportsbooks by CSB are both extremely comprehensive and brutally honest. While we tend to not list shady or otherwise rogue or untrustworthy sportsbooks at all, we would tell you if there is reason to avoid any book that is listed in our reviews.
From a player perspective, we tell you about all of the important elements that exist in any legitimate online sportsbook. CSB tells you the value points, including deposit bonuses, recurring promotions, money back on losses, and so on. We also tell you whether an online book is known for its trustworthiness when it comes to payment processing, both when you fund your account and when you make a withdrawal.
In addition to promotions and banking, CSB reviews break down the ongoing benefits (or negatives) to joining any online sportsbook. For example, some books offer lower juice on certain leagues, and vig reduction is one major way to save a lot of money long term. This is why one online sportsbook may be the best choice for one player, while another book may be the top choice for someone else. CSB sportsbook reviews focus on clarity, and we want you to have a positive, value added experience when ultimately choosing which sportsbook to join.
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