Guide to Online Bookmakers Operating in the U.S.

In May 2018, sports bettors in the U.S. were given a great gift. That was the month and the years that the Supreme Court of the United States lifted the nation's ban on sports betting and certain forms of online gambling. As part of that decision, each state under the "States Rights" clause of the U.S. Constitution was given the right to decide the fate of sports betting in their respective states.

As a result of the SCOTUS' historic decision, more than three dozen states have legalized some form of online sports betting. In almost every state where sports betting has been legalized, online sports betting has claimed its place as America's go-to sports betting option.

Online Bookmakers Flock to the U.S. Sports betting Market

After years of monitoring illegal sports betting in the U.S., there was little doubt that the U.S. sports betting market would quickly become the largest such market in the world. that prompted major retail gambling concerns from the U.S. to create their own online sports betting platforms. They were joined by several top European online bookmakers who wanted a piece of the U.S. sports betting pie.

Today, there are 9 or more prominent online sports betting operators taking online sports wagers somewhere in the U.S. As a sports bettor in a state where such activities are legal, you almost assuredly have choices when it comes to selecting an online sports betting home.

How might you make your choice? We would suggest that you compare and contrast Welcome Bonus offers. To assist you in that endeavor, we have created the Online Bookmaker Welcome Bonus Guide. Here is a peek at the basic Welcome Bonus Terms & Conditions for each of the aforementioned 9 U.S. online bookmakers.

Please Note: If a specific operator is operating in multiple states, the operator's Welcome Bonus might vary slightly from one state to the next. However, the following information will be able to serve as a general guide.

bet365

Time is running out on this offer, which expires on September 14, 2024, unless the operator extends it. The offer comes with two options:

Option #1 - The new customer can make a minimum initial deposit and sports bet of $10. If the bet loses, the customer will be entitled to receive a 100% rebate of up to $1,000.

Option #2 - The new customer can make an initial deposit of $10, followed by a sports bet of at least $5. Once the initial bet has been recorded, they will be entitled to receive $150 in bonus bets, which can be made in any increments with minimum payout odds of -500.

BetMGM

The current BetMGM Sportsbook Welcome Bonus offer is scheduled to expire at midnight on December 31, 2024. To claim this offer, new customers must make an initial deposit of $10 to be followed by an initial sports bet of at least $10. If that initial bet ends up a losing bet, the customer will be entitled to receive a 100% bonus bet rebate of up to $1,500. Once they receive access to their bonus bet, they will have 14 days to use it or lose it. If the bonus amount is $50 or less, one bonus bet token will be issued. If the bonus amount is over $50, it will be issued in 20% increments.

BetRivers

The current BetRivers Sportsbook Welcome Bonus offer is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2024. To claim this offer, new customers must make an initial deposit of $10 to be followed by an initial sports bet of at least $10. If their first bet loses, they will be entitled to receive a bonus bet of equal value up to a maximum of $250. Once the bonus has been received. they will have 30 days to use it before it expires without any residual value. Bonus code "SPORTS" must be used with the first deposit to claim this promotion.

Caesars Sportsbook and Casino

The current Caesars Sportsbook Welcome Bonus offer has been extended to March 3, 2025. To claim this offer, new customers must make an initial deposit of $10 to be followed by an initial sports bet of at least $10. If that initial bet ends up losing, the customer will be entitled to receive a 100% bonus bet rebate of up to $1,000. Once they receive access to their bonus bet, they will have 14 days to use it or lose it.

DraftKings

The current DraftKings Welcome Bonus offer is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2024, and comes with two options:

Option #1 - To claim this bonus, new customers will need to make an initial cash deposit of $5, followed by an initial sports bet of $5. After meeting these requirements new customers will be entitled to receive $200 in bonus bets, which can be wagered in any increments on any market. They will also receive a one-month free trial subscription to NFL+Premium.

Option #2 - This option requires a minimum deposit of $10. After the minimum deposit has been made, the customer will receive a 20% matching deposit bonus of up to $1,000.

Fanduel

The current Fanduel Welcome Bonus offer is scheduled to expire on September 22, 2024. To claim this bonus, new customers will need to make an initial cash deposit of $5 to be followed by an initial sports bet of $5. After meeting these requirements new customers will be entitled to receive $200 in bonus bets, which can be wagered in any increments. They will receive a three-week free trial subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube/YouTube TV.

Fanatics

The current Fanatics Sportsbook Welcome Bonus offer is scheduled to expire on December 1, 2024. To claim this bonus, new customers will need to make an initial deposit of at least $100, followed by an initial sports bet of at least $100. If they place the bet, win or lose, they will receive a bonus bet of $100. This same $100 bonus bet is available for each successive day that a new customer makes a minimum sports bet of $100, extending out over the first 10 days from the first bet.

Golden Nugget

The current Golden Nugget Sportsbook Welcome Bonus offer is being treated as an ongoing offer. It will remain available as is until management decides to make a change. To claim this bonus, new customers will need to make an initial cash deposit and sports bet of at least $10. Once they have met these requirements, they will be entitled to receive a 100% matching deposit bonus of up to $250. The bonus bet will need to be used within 14 days at minimum odds of -200 or it will expire with no value.

Hard Rock Bet

The current Hard Rock Bet Welcome Bonus offer is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2024. To claim this offer, new customers must make an initial deposit of $10 to be followed by an initial sports bet of at least $5. Once the initial bet has been made, the new customer will be entitled to receive $100 in bonus bets to be used in increments of $20 at minimum payout odds of -250. Bonus bets will need to be used within 14 days of issuance or they will expire with no residual value.

Additional Information About Terms and Conditions

As you contemplate which online/mobile sportsbook will best suit your needs, some general terms and conditions warrant consideration. While general terms and conditions might vary slightly from one state to the next and one operator to the next, they should all fall closely within the following guidelines:

• Online sports bettors in each state will need to show proof that they are at least 21 years of age


• Online sports bettors are required by law to be physically located in their respective states when using their online sportsbook website


• Each online bookmaker is required by law to track customer locations with the latest in geo-tracking technology

Good Luck!