Best Sportsbooks & Online Betting Sites
Sportsbook Reviews & Bonus Offerings for May 2023
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Sportsbooks
If you are new to sports betting, or you are looking to find a new sportsbook to use, it can be difficult to decide where to put your money. As more and more states throughout the country begin to pass legislation permitting online sports betting, new and existing sportsbooks are jostling for dominance in the U.S. sports betting market. To that end, there is a seemingly endless amount of available sports betting sites and apps for users to choose from.
Action Network has created a list of the best online sportsbooks to help new and seasoned sports bettors alike take the guesswork out of picking a sportsbook. Whether you are selecting a sportsbook for the first time or you are simply looking to add a new book to your existing repertoire, our goal is to simplify the process and help to create an enjoyable sports betting experience.
Our team has created a standardized methodology, which is discussed in detail below, for auditing sportsbooks to ensure that our evaluations are impartial and based entirely on real user experiences. Action Network’s expert handicappers have personally used, tested, and evaluated each of the reviewed sportsbooks to determine their quality in the following areas:
- New user bonuses and promotions
- Ongoing bonuses and promotions for existing users
- Sportsbook ingenuity and unique features
- Overall usability
- Web vs. app experience
- Registering and activating new user promotions
- Logging into the sportsbook
- Navigation
- Platform speed
- Data density
- Bet slip experience
- Cashiering
- Deposit and withdrawal options
- Payout speeds
- Sports market coverage
- Bet market coverage
- Odds and price comparisons by sport
- Customer service
- League and team partnerships
Action Network continuously monitors sportsbooks throughout the year to update relevant information and our review ratings to align the ever changing landscape of online sports betting. That way, you’ll always know you’re getting the best information available to make a smart sportsbook selection. Read on to see our list of best online sportsbooks for 2022.
Offers
DraftKings is one of the leaders in the sports betting industry. From bonuses and promotions to available markets, DraftKings Sportsbook is sure to please. Their user friendly interface makes it easy to place any moneyline, spread, total, or prop bet you can find. No DraftKings promo code is required to claim a $1,000 sign-up bonus exclusive to Action Network.
Casinos
Other Online US Sportsbooks Reviewed by Action Network
Only the best-of-the-best sportsbooks can make the cut to be named a top player in the sports betting industry. That doesn’t mean, however, that these are the only options to choose from when selecting a sportsbook. Action Network has reviewed a multitude of other sportsbooks over the years as they have gone live in the United States in the same meticulous fashion. The following sportsbooks are still absolutely worth looking into due to their promotional offerings and/or competitive odds pricing:
| Sportsbook | Action Network Rating | New User Promotional Offer |
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9.4 | Bet $20 get $100 with promo code XACTION (XACTIONNY for New York users and XACTIONBET for NJ/MI) |
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8.6 | 2nd Chance Bet Up to $500 with promo code ACTION |
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9.2 | Bet $1 to receive $200 in bet credits with promo code ACTION |
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9.1 | Bet $10, get $125 in sports bonus if your first bet wins with promo code ACTION |
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9.1 | Get Up to $1,111 in Fred Bets |
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9 | No promotional offer at this time |
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9 |
New player bonus up to $1,000 |
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8.9 | Bet $20 to get $200 in bonus bets if your bet wins |
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8.8 | Bet $10, Get $125 if your first bet wins! |
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8.7 | Get up to a $250 first bet match bonus when you sign up, deposit, and wager on the same day |
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8.5 | $500 bonus bet in PA, $100 bonus in AZ, IN, NJ & VA |
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8.9 | Use promo code ACTION for our 100% first purchase match promo: get up to 600,000 Fliff Coins + 100 in Fliff Cash bonus |
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8.7 | No promo code required to redeem Fanatics Sportsbook Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets offer! |
Also keep an eye out for Fanatics Sportsbook, which recently launched in Massachusetts and is expected to launch in more state markets soon (you can use our link above to test the platform).
Action Network Sportsbook Selector Quiz
Still not sure which sportsbook is right for you? Give our Best Sportsbook Quiz a try to help narrow down the options based on your location, specific betting preferences, and favorite sports markets.
Sportsbook Odds Comparisons
Sportsbooks will frequently have different odds for the same sporting event. That is why it is important for sports bettors to line shop across various books to ensure that they are always getting the best price possible for every wager they place. Action Network has compiled pricing data across its top sportsbooks to help bettors get an idea of which books will typically offer the best odds prices.
Best Average Odds Pricing by Sport
Looking at pricing data for the three major betting markets (spreads, moneyline, totals), we have been able to determine which of the top five sportsbooks offers the best overall average prices across each major sport.
| Sport | BetMGM | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars | PointsBet |
| NFL | 4.85 | 4.58 | 4.55 | 4.43 | 4.57 |
| NBA | 4.74 | 4.55 | 4.56 | 5.47 | 5.76 |
| MLB | 4.72 | 4.48 | 4.58 | 3.86 | 4.83 |
| NCAAF | 4.88 | 4.75 | 4.60 | 4.56 | 5.19 |
| NCAAB | 4.70 | 4.68 | 4.54 | 4.54 | 5.29 |
| Total | 4.74 | 4.66 | 4.62 | 4.71 | 5.18 |
DraftKings has the best average price overall, but Caesars excels in NFL, MLB, NCAAF, and NCAAB. PointsBet has the worst average total pricing market overall.
Best Average Odds Pricing by Bet Type (All Sports Markets)
Many bettors find a niche bet type that they like stick with over time. Whether your preference is betting moneylines, spreads, or totals, here's how the top five sportsbooks compare to one another across each of those markets.
Moneyline
| Sport | BetMGM | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars | PointsBet |
| NFL | 4.79 | 4.40 | 4.19 | 4.06 | 4.58 |
| NBA | 4.79 | 4.14 | 4.20 | 4.71 | 5.71 |
| MLB | 4.61 | 4.04 | 4.45 | 2.87 | 4.65 |
| NCAAF | 4.77 | 4.71 | 4.18 | 4.14 | 4.88 |
| NCAAB | 4.58 | 4.45 | 4.19 | 4.00 | 5.11 |
| Total | 4.56 | 4.39 | 4.31 | 4.03 | 5.00 |
Caesars features the best average moneyline prices across overall. They have the best pricing across several leagues including the NFL, MLB, NCAAF, and NCAAB. PointsBet has the worst overall average moneyline prices across sporting markets.
Spread
| Sport | BetMGM | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars | PointsBet |
| NFL | 4.87 | 4.69 | 4.63 | 4.55 | 4.16 |
| NBA | 4.71 | 4.76 | 4.74 | 5.80 | 5.93 |
| MLB | 4.62 | 4.53 | 4.20 | 4.06 | 4.34 |
| NCAAF | 4.93 | 4.78 | 4.71 | 4.67 | 5.32 |
| NCAAB | 4.77 | 4.82 | 4.72 | 4.77 | 5.42 |
| Total | 4.76 | 4.77 | 4.69 | 4.96 | 5.16 |
DraftKings gives bettors the best overall average spread prices across sports markets, despite league edges being fairly distributed among books. PointsBet offers the worst overall average spread prices across sporting markets.
Totals
| Sport | BetMGM | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars | PointsBet |
| NFL | 4.90 | 4.64 | 4.72 | 4.66 | 5.09 |
| NBA | 4.72 | 4.77 | 4.75 | 5.75 | 5.53 |
| MLB | 5.02 | 4.86 | 4.99 | 4.67 | 5.54 |
| NCAAF | 4.93 | 4.76 | 4.72 | 4.69 | 5.25 |
| NCAAB | 4.76 | 4.77 | 4.70 | 4.77 | 5.36 |
| Total | 4.81 | 4.81 | 4.85 | 5.01 | 5.40 |
BetMGM and FanDuel tie for the best average totals prices overall across sports markets. Caesars, however, has the best prices for most leagues with MLB and NCAAF. PointsBet features the worst overall average totals price across sporting markets.
Best Average NFL Spread Pricing
It is no surprise that the NFL drives the most volume in terms of both money wagered and bets made in the American sports calendar. With that in mind, it pays (literally) to know which sportsbooks offer the best prices on NFL spreads. Our team has compiled data looking at favorite and underdog odds prices across the top five books. Here's how they shake out:
NFL Favorites Pricing
| Pricing Distribution | BetMGM | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars | PointsBet |
| Worst Price | 11% | 29.1% | 29.9% | 12.5% | 18.4% |
| Below Market | 21.5% | 25.2% | 24.5% | 16.4% | 15.9% |
| In-Line With Market | 27% | 25.3% | 18.7% | 23.3% | 30.9% |
| Above Market | 17% | 11.7% | 21.2% | 18.9% | 13.5% |
| Best Price | 23.5% | 8.8% | 5.8% | 28.9% | 21.3% |
Caesars is the go-to sportsbook for best prices on NFL spread favorites. They provide the best price 28.9% of the time, whereas DraftKings lags far behind as the worst option at offering the best price only 5.8% of the time.
NFL Underdogs Pricing
| Pricing Distribution | BetMGM | FanDuel | DraftKings | Caesars | PointsBet |
| Worst Price | 23.5% | 8.8% | 5.8% | 28.9% | 21.3% |
| Below Market | 17% | 11.7% | 21.2% | 18.9% | 13.5% |
| In-Line With Market | 27% | 25.3% | 18.7% | 23.3% | 30.9% |
| Above Market | 21.5% | 25.2% | 24.5% | 16.4% | 15.9% |
| Best Price | 11% | 29.1% | 29.9% | 12.5% | 18.4% |
DraftKings and FanDuel are neck-and-neck on offering the best NFL underdog prices at 29.9% and 29.1% respectively. BetMGM brings up the rear in best underdog prices overall.
Sports Betting Education & Resources
Methodology for Determining Sportsbook Ratings
Action Network grades sportsbooks using a highly specific evaluation methodology. Our team of expert handicappers meticulously review a variety of sportsbook features in order to create an accurate user experience account to share with bettors. Below are the elements that are tested in order to generate an overall sportsbook rating.
Sportsbook Bonuses & Promotions 20%
Bonuses and promotions are often the first thing new potential users are looking at when evaluating sportsbooks. We rate sportsbooks on their bonuses & promotions in two categories:
- Sign-up offers: How strong is their new user bonus to entice bettors to register and begin using the sportsbook?
- Existing user bonuses: How well does the sportsbook continue to keep existing users engaged with regular bonuses, boosts, etc?
Both elements are rated separately on a scale of 1-5. The two scores are then averaged to provide an overall rating for the Bonus & Promotions category.
Mobile App Functionality & User Experience 35%
Most sports bettors are likely to be placing wagers with sportsbooks through a mobile app. Having a technically sophisticated and user friendly app is vital to being rated highly by our experts. The five evaluation elements that makeup this category are:
- Log In Process: How easy and quick is it to sign in to the sportsbook mobile app?
- In-app Navigation: How straightforward is it to find specific contests and information as well as to browse the betting markets?
- General app layout, navigation menus, and in-app search functions are all accounted for here.
- App Speed: How quickly does the mobile app update, redirect users to new pages, and respond to user input?
- Data Density: How much game data can be viewed at once without users having to scroll through multiple pages?
- Bet Slip: How intuitive and seamless is the bet slip to facilitate placing wagers?
All five elements are rated separately on a scale of 1-5. The scores are then averaged to provide an overall rating for the Mobile App Functionality & User Experience category.
Desktop Functionality & User Experience 5%
While most sports bettors are likely to utilize a mobile app, there are users who prefer a desktop experience. We have graded the functionality and user experience using desktop in the same way as above:
- Log In Process: How easy and quick is it to sign in to the sportsbook mobile app?
- Desktop Navigation: How straightforward is it to find specific contests and information as well as to browse the betting markets?
- General app layout, navigation menus, and in-app search functions are all accounted for here.
- Website Speed: How quickly does the mobile app update, redirect users to new pages, and respond to user input?
- Data Density: How much game data can be viewed at once without users having to scroll through multiple pages?
- Bet Slip: How intuitive and seamless is the bet slip to facilitate placing wagers?
All five elements are rated separately on a scale of 1-5. The scores are then averaged to provide an overall rating for the Desktop Functionality & User Experience category.
Cashiering 5%
Ease and speed of depositing and withdrawing money with a sportsbook is another key component to a solid sportsbook. When rating cashiering, our team focuses on the following:
- Deposit & Payout Options: What options are available to users to deposit money and withdraw it from their account. The more options available, the more flexibility users have to manage their money in the way they prefer.
- Deposit Amounts: Is there a reasonable minimum and/or maximum deposit amount in place? Do sportsbooks have a reasonable barrier to entry for lower-end players and do they have high enough ceilings for more high stakes players?
- Payout Speed: How quickly will users get money into their hands after requesting a withdrawal from the sportsbook?
Each of these three elements is rated separately on a scale of 1-5. The scores are then averaged to provide an overall rating for the Cashiering category.
Market Pricing (Compared to Other Sportsbooks) 25%
Having strong odds and reasonable pricing across sports markets is a great way to keep bettors using a sportsbook. Action Network looks at prices across sportsbooks to make direct comparisons on the following areas:
- Overall Average Pricing Across Markets: On average, how does a sportsbook compare to others on its pricing across sports and betting markets?
- By Sport: How does a sportsbook compare to others on its pricing for specific popular sports markets (i.e. NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAAF, NCAAB, etc)?
- By Bet Type: How does a sportsbook compare to others on its pricing for a specific betting market (i.e. moneyline, spread, totals, etc)?
Each of these three elements is rated separately on a scale of 1-5. The scores are then averaged to provide an overall rating for the Market Pricing category.
Market Coverage 10%
Every legitimate sportsbook will cover the major sporting events and bet types, but we also rate each sportsbook on their additional market coverage as well.
- Sports Markets: What sports markets does the sportsbook cover? How niche do they get with their coverage of sporting events?
- Bet Types: What bet types are available through the sportsbook?
- Featured/Unique Bet Types: Does the sportsbook feature unique bet types or wagering opportunities that cannot be found at another sportsbook?
Each of these three elements is rated separately on a scale of 1-5. The scores are then averaged to provide an overall rating for the Market Coverage category.
Generating the Final Sportsbook Review Score
A final score is then generated by creating a weighted average from the scores of the six evaluation categories outlined above. Action Network experts have weighted categories differently based on the level of importance we believe that they represent to bettors. Below is an example of how a final score would be determined using this weighted average method.
- Bonuses & Promotions - 4.5
- Mobile App Functionality & User Experience - 4
- Desktop Functionality & User Experience - 3.5
- Cashiering - 5
- Market Pricing - 4
- Market Coverage - 4.5
Once we have scores, we would multiply those by the weight of each category and then divide that sum by the total sum of the weights.
4.5(20) + 4(35) + 3.5(5) + 5(5) + 4(25) + 4.5(10) / (20 + 35 + 5 + 5 + 25 + 10)
417.5/100 = 4.2
From here, we multiply this score by two to get a rating out of 10. In this example, the sportsbook would receive a final review score 8.4/10.
We know that not everybody will just take our word for it when it comes to selecting a sportsbook. For those who like to dig-in and do the research for themselves, be sure to keep the evaluation criteria outlined above in mind. Don’t be afraid to register for more than one sportsbook. Having accounts in multiple places can help ensure you’re always getting the best odds and lines possible on your wagers.
Sports Betting Education & Resources
There is a lot to learn when it comes to sports betting. Whether you consider yourself a casual bettor or a more sophisticated player, it pays to have a foundational understanding of how sports betting works.
Types of Bets
Sportsbooks offer no shortage of betting options, including some extravagant markets. Most bettors, though, will find the following bet types the most compelling and easy to wager on:
- Moneylines - Moneyline betting is the most straightforward type of wager. This simply requires a user to correctly pick the winner of the game or event being played. Learn more about moneyline betting.
- Point Spreads - Spread betting is a wager on the margin of victory in a game, or the point differential between teams. Learn more about point spread betting.
- Totals (Over/Under) - Totals, also known as Over/Unders, is a bet on the number of points both teams combine to score in a game. The winner of the game is irrelevant in totals. Learn more about totals betting.
- Half Bets - Halves betting allows a bettor to treat the first and second half a game as separate matches. This means users can make different bets for each half (or quarter). Learn more about half bets.
- Player Props - Prop bets for short, this type of wager is typically placed on an individual player performance. This wager is not tied to the final score or outcome of a game, but purely to the individual stats of a single person. Learn more about prop bets.
- Futures - A futures bet is a wager on an event that will be decided later in a season (i.e. end of season result). Odds are more favorable for bettors with futures due the difficulty in correctly predicting an outcome far in advance. Learn more about futures betting.
- Parlays - A parlay is a type of bet where multiple wagers are combined to create a greater payout. Each “leg” of the parlay is required to win in order for a bet to payout. Learn more about parlay betting.
How Betting Odds Work
Understanding how betting odds work is probably the most important place for a new sports bettor to start their education. Without knowing how the odds work, it will be very difficult to make smart wagers. This guide will specifically detail American odds, as this is what sports bettors will encounter when wagering with the sportsbooks detailed above. However, it is worth noting that users may run into Decimal odds as well, particularly with internationally based sportsbooks.
American odds are designed around the notion of a bettor winning or wagering $100 on a given bet. While you are not required to wager that amount, this is the format in which the odds are presented. A favorite (team/player expected to win the competition) and an underdog (team/player expected to lose the competition) is designated for each event. The favorites to win an event are designated by a minus sign (-) while underdogs are given a plus sign (+). The number associated with the favorite is the amount of money that a bettor needs to risk in order to win $100. Conversely, the number associated with the underdog is the amount of money that a bettor will win for every $100 risked. Here’s an example to illustrate how American odds work:
Game 6 NBA Finals
Golden State Warriors (+150) @ Boston Celtics (-175)
As you can see, the Warriors are considered the underdog for this game whereas the Celtics are the favorites. Bettors placing a wager on Golden State would win $150 for every $100 wagered. The odds will scale based on a user’s wager, though. For example, if someone only put $50 on the Warriors to win at +150 odds, their total payout would be $75.
For anyone betting on the Boston Celtics, they would have to bet $175 to win $100. Negative odds will scale as well based on the bettor’s wager. A $50 wager on the Celtics at -175 odds would net a bettor $28.57.
A good sportsbook will allow users to input different wager amounts to see the potential payout prior to submitting the bet. This way, bettors will always know what they stand to gain.
Get more information about American odds to help you improve your betting chances.
Action Network Betting Resources
Even with a strong knowledge base of online sports betting, it helps to have some resources in your back pocket to streamline your wagering and boost your success rate. Action Network has created a variety of tools to help every level of bettor.
Betting Odds Calculators
Figuring out odds in your head can be a hassle. Action Network has a variety of easy-to-use calculators to take the guesswork out of any wager. Bookmark our betting calculators page for quick access.
Bankroll Management
When it comes to being a successful long-term sports bettor, bankroll management is vital. Learn about responsible bankroll management strategies from Action experts.
Sports Betting Terminology
Sports betting has a wide range of terms that may be confusing to new bettors. We’ve created a glossary of commonly used sports betting terms to help you understand what you’re seeing on sportsbooks.
Sports Betting Mistakes to Avoid
There are any number of ways to lose money with sports betting. There are, however, many strategies that bettors can and should implement in order to steadily build their bankroll. Our team has created a list of the most common betting mistakes that cost bettors big money.