Welcome to our online bookmaker reviews page, which is probably one of the most helpful sections of the www.AmericanBookmakers.net website. If you have ever traveled, you probably have used travel review services like Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia.
Those companies travel around the world, review accommodations and travel offerings, and tell you what they found. That is exactly what we do as well. What started out as a love for sports and wagering on sporting events years ago turned into a reputation as a respected industry analyst.
That is because our review process is very intense and demanding. You will never see a list of 30 or 40 online bookmaker reviews with our name on it. That is because, quite simply and truthfully, there are not that many legal American online bookmakers who deserve the title of best or top-rated.
They say experience is a great teacher. That is definitely the case regarding the legal online sports betting industry. And experience is often gained through painful, negative experiences. That includes the many online bookmaking frogs we have kissed over the years, which definitely did not turn into princes.
But rather than water down our review process so that we could recommend more sites, we still demand that Internet sportsbooks act with extremely high levels of integrity, safety, and security. First and foremost, they must be legally licensed in a recognized online gambling jurisdiction.
They need to deliver mobile access, familiar and speedy deposit and payout options, and many other important qualities. Let's look at the five major components which form the foundation for the exact review process we use to identify the top legal online bookmakers, so you will understand that those companies which make the cut are truly the class of the marketplace.
The process described on this page is precisely how we arrived at identifying the best American online bookmakers that we recommend in this resource guide, as well as those designated for non-USA players.
The Best-Reviewed Legal Online Bookmakers
| Sportsbook Name | Bonus | USA? | Visit | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | $1000 |  | Visit Site | Read Review |
| Betonline | $1000 | | Visit Site | Read Review |
| Bookmaker | $500 | | Visit Site | Read Review |
| Sportsbetting.AG | $1000 | | Visit Site | Read Review |
| MyBookie | $1000 | | Visit Site | Read Review |
Why Licensing and Certification Are so Important When Performing Online Bookmaker Reviews
This is probably the least investigated and most important area of study when someone chooses an Internet sportsbook. If you live in the United States, don't you think it is important to identify the legal online bookmakers that support your wagers? Of course, it is.
Regarding this area, we stay updated on legislation and litigation regarding legal and illegal Internet bookmaking operations. Unlike the USA, many governments, like Canada's and the UK's, have recognized and regulated online sports betting, resulting in high-quality UK bookmakers and Canadian bookmakers. Australian bookmakers also fall into this category.
They have developed financial industries which license companies to deliver online bookmaking offerings. Such credible legal licensing of an online bookmaker is the first important "must-have" we look for before continuing our bookmaker review process.
Internet Sportsbooks Should Have "Easy In" and "Easy Out" Banking Options
Once legitimate and legal licensing has been established, our bookmaker review investigates banking options. This is, in many cases, the top priority of most Internet sports bettors, and rightfully so. If you cannot get your money in for instant access and receive speedy payouts and withdrawals, an otherwise attractive online bookmaker becomes anything but.
It is also nice to make deposits with your preferred credit card and have multiple deposit options. Are gift cards and debit cards honored for funding your account? Can you use a bank or wire transfer as a deposit method? How long does each different deposit option take? Is there any fee associated with making a withdrawal?
These are the important questions that we ask in our legal online bookmaker review process.
Mobile Is Mandatory
We do not have to explain here how popular mobile Internet access has become and how much it is growing. More people access the World Wide Web from their smartphones or tablets than from traditional laptop and desktop personal computers. And that includes sports bettors. It just makes sense.
Since attending sporting events live and watching sporting contests is an "on-the-go" experience, you need to be able to access your account, deposit and withdraw funds, and place wagers through a mobile betting interface.
And that means software must be blazing fast and secure, your user interface must be friendly and simple, and all aspects of the PC version of your control panel should be intact. Our online bookmaker review procedure demands an excellent mobile experience.
Are Your Online Sportsbook's Lines, Odds, And Payouts Competitive?
Once you establish licensing, you know you have a legal and reputable operation. Just as importantly, you need to know that your online bookmaker is not yanking the line on you.
Our sports betting analysts do a lot of research in this department. They are all seasoned sports gamblers themselves, so they understand what you are looking for when it comes to money lines, spreads, odds, and the other important numbers attached to your wagers.
Getting that extra 1/2 point on a spread bet without paying for it could be the difference between a winner and a loser. Knowing you can receive 9,900 to 1 odds on a 25-team mixed sport parlay is awesome. Frequently looking at -105 lines when other websites demand -110 is straight-up money in the bank.
These are the things we look for, and we ensure the legal online bookmakers we recommend provide lines, odds, and numbers that are competitive at least, and in many cases, better than the vaunted "Vegas line."
Bonuses Are a Vital Part of Our Online Bookmaker Review Process
Bonuses are important, but they come last in our online bookmaker review process. The reasoning is simple.
If your sports betting site is not legally licensed, doesn't offer an awesome mobile experience, has horrible banking options and fees, and forces unrealistic guaranteed profits on you through high vigorish and uncompetitive lines and odds, who cares how attractive the bonuses are?
The better online bookmaking operations will generally reward your welcome bonus with a matching deposit of somewhere between 25% and 50%. This could mean several hundred dollars added to your bankroll.
And the top operators, the only ones we recommend, have wagering requirements and rollovers that are actually attainable. After welcome bonuses, we dig a little further. We have actually uncovered two legal online bookmakers that reward you with lifetime deposit bonuses every time you add money to your account.
There are, of course, generous Refer-a-Friend incentives, special deposit bonuses, and free play bets offered by the best sportsbook operations as well.