Safe Sports Bets Today

Many new bettors struggle with deciding on how to bet on sports. It’s an especially intimidating undertaking for bettors without a background in statistics. However, it doesn’t take a stats genius to learn and enjoy sports betting. Bettors just need to understand probabilities to get started. This Sports Betting 101 Guide will help you get started.

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Beginner’s Guide To Sports Betting

Find the best 10 online sports betting sites for 2021, Covers trusted since 1995 reviews feature ratings, their bonuses, free bets, and more.

Anyone asking themselves, “How does sports betting work?” has come to the right place. Our beginner’s guide will help bettors:

• Understand what they’re looking at when they open a sportsbook
• Create basic strategies to manage their bankrolls
• Find the best sportsbook – or sportsbooks – to create accounts for

While Gaming Today can’t reveal every winning wager, we can give bettors the tools to do it themselves. The best sports betting sites include:

If any of these sports betting sites are available, they’re solid choices for newbies. We have reviews for each of these top sports betting apps on Gaming Today.

How To Sign Up At A Legal Sportsbook

Choosing An Online Sportsbook

All of the legal mobile sports betting apps featured here at Gaming Today offer a comprehensive array of sports and ways to bet. The welcome bonuses and specific betting markets differ across the sportsbooks, however.

Be sure to research each sportsbook and choose the sites that offer the bonuses and markets that suit you.

Verifying Your Location

Several states offer legal online sports betting, with each requiring that bettors are located within state borders when making bets. All legal online sportsbooks use geolocation technology to confirm a user’s location when they try to bet.

If you’re trying to bet at William Hill Michigan, for example, you must be located in Michigan to make a legal wager. If you’re close to the state border, the geolocation services might falsely detect that you’re outside of state borders.

If this happens, moving closer inland usually solves the issue.

Registering A New Account

Signing up for a new online sportsbook account usually takes just a couple of minutes. You’ll need to provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number, and a valid email address.

Once your details are verified by the sportsbook, you’re free to make your first deposit and start betting.

Making Your First Deposit

After registering for your new account, navigate to the “Cashier” or “Add Funds” tab, usually at the top right of the lobby at most online sportsbooks. This tab brings up deposit options like ACH/eCheck, credit/debit card, PayPal, and Play+.

You might need to upload a digital copy of your driver’s license or state ID before you can make your first deposit. Once you’ve done that, your first deposit should be added to your player balance within seconds.

Sometimes the issuing bank will reject ACH/eCheck and credit/debit card deposits. PayPal and Play+ usually go through 100% of time time, however.

Making Bets At An Online Sportsbook

The betting markets at online sportsbooks include domestic, international, and sometimes niche sports. At DraftKings Sportsbook, for example, clicking on the “A-Z Sports” link at the left of the main lobby brings up all of the different available sports.

From there, click on the sport you wish to bet, and all available games and ways to bet come up. You make any bet by simply clicking on the line, which sends the bet to your bet slip.

The bet slip will then prompt you to input the amount you wish to wager, and display the potential payoff for winning the bet. Once you’ve inputted your wager amount, you’ll need to click “Confirm” (or something similar) to send the bet through to the sportsbook.

Most Common Types Of Sports Bets

Bettors will find these core bets at every sportsbook:

• Straight bets
• Futures bets
• Prop bets
• Parlay bets

Since these bets are everywhere, understanding them is critical to becoming a successful sports bettor.

Straight Bets

Straight bets are the foundational basics of sports betting. They’re single bets on single games. These include:

• Moneylines
• Point spreads
• Point totals

For example, if a bettor wanted to wager on the Patriots beating the Titans, they could place a moneyline wager on the Patriots. It’s one bet on one outcome. No matter how any other bets turn out, the Patriots wager would win or lose on its own terms.

Futures Bets

Futures bets are high-risk high-reward wagers on a season’s outcome. That includes everything from Championship winners to award winners. A wager on the Packers winning the Super Bowl would be a futures bet. So would a wager on Aaron Rogers winning an MVP award at the end of the NFL season. The odds of betting correctly is challenging, even for sophisticated statistical models. But the rewards are massive for bettors who wager correctly. So, high-risk bettors with strong opinions may be drawn to these.

Prop Bets

Prop bets are also called fun bets. They’re wagers that have nothing to do with a game’s outcome. They’re on random events during the game. They could include everything from the first team to score a set number of touchdowns to the length of the high note at the end of the National Anthem. They’re fun random wagers, and are good for parties.

Parlay Bets

Parlay bets are a string of bets that all have to come true for the bet to win. So, bettors could create a parlay bet that wagers the Broncos and Notre Dame will both win their games. In a parlay bet, both wagers have to win for the parlay to win. There’s no partial credit. It’s risky, but it boosts the odds and increases payouts.

10 Common Question About How Sports Betting Works

Many bettors have similar questions at the beginning. Here are the top ten.

What Is A Point Spread?

Point spreads are the number of points a team has to win or lose by. Here’s what they mean:

• -2.5 means the favorite to win has to win by at least three points.
• +2.5 means the underdog has to lose by less than three points.

That gives bettors who wager on their favorite teams the same chance to win bets as bettors who wager on the best teams.

Any betting guide worth it’s salt can answer that.

What Is A Moneyline Bet?

Moneyline bets are the most basic of sports betting basics. It’s a bet on who will win the game. Here’s an example from an NBA’s live bet:

• Milwaukee Bucks: -530
• Orlando Magic: +380

These are the odds from the third quarter, so bettors have a lot of game information to work with. Anyone confident the Bucks would carry the game could wager on the Bucks to win. But anyone confident in a comeback from the Orlando Magic could bet on them to win.

What Is A Favorite And What Is An Underdog?

A favorite is the team expected to win the game. The underdog is the team expected to lose. Favorites are marked with a negative sign, and underdogs are marked with a positive sign. Those signs tell bettors how risky their wagers are. The lower the negative odds, the higher the chances the favorite will win. The higher the positive odds, the lower the chances the underdog will win.

What Does Over/Under Mean?

Over/Unders refer to point total bets. Bettors who wager over the point total are betting that the two teams will score more combined points than the sportsbook says. Unders wager that fewer the teams will score fewer combined points than the sportsbook says. For example, a sportsbook might offer odds like this for a hockey game:

• St. Louis Blues: O 5.5
• Colorado Avalanche: U 5.5

Either the Blues have to score six or more goals, or the Avalanche has to score five or fewer goals.

What Does -125 Mean?

-125 tells bettors a few things. First, these are odds on the favorite. Whichever team this is is predicted to win – in this case, 55.6%. (Online odds calculators can convert sportsbook odds to probabilities.) These odds also mean that bettors have to wager $125 to win $100. Since this team is more likely to win, sportsbooks aren’t going to pay more out than they accept. Bettors may profit individually, but underdog wagers and house advantages are going to keep sportsbook profits up.

Where Can I Place A Bet?

Since placing bets is integral to sports betting, bettors should know how to find sportsbooks. Many states list licensed sportsbook operators either on the Department of Revenue website or the Lottery Division website. (It depends who runs sportsbooks in that state.) Bettors can also search for sportsbooks at casinos or find sportsbook websites and apps in states that allow online wagering.

The list of states with legal online sports betting is growing by the year. Currently, almost two dozen states have legal online sportsbooks or are in the process of launching sports betting. Some of the most popular states where sports betting is legal include Michigan, Colorado, and Illinois.

What Is Live Betting?

Betting on sports games is one thing, but betting during them can be exhilarating. Live betting allows bettors to make wagers during a game. Sometimes, teams will have a rough start, but bring it together in the end. Other teams have a great start then finish poorly. (Broncos anyone?)

Live betting lets bettors take advantage of these changing odds. It tests a bettor’s ability to guess how the game will change during play. It’s a fresh challenge for bettors who pick the basics up quickly.

How Much Should I Bet?

No more than you’re willing to lose. Learn how to bet on sports one at a time, first. Then you can make a few wagers at a time. Eventually, bettors will be able to put several wagers on one bankroll. Professional bettors know how to distribute their bets so they can balance wins against losses. They begin to run their bet slips like sportsbooks run books.

And it all starts from learning how to make one bet at a time.

What Sports Betting App Offers The Best Odds?

It depends. Some sportsbooks offer strong odds on the favorite, the underdog, certain sports, or offer so many boosts and promotions that they beat the competition. Here are some common trends:

• DraftKings: Competitive odds on favorites
• FanDuel: Competitive odds on underdogs
• FOX Bet: Bet boosts that can improve odds over other sportsbooks
• SBK: Competitive odds, overall

No sportsbook will have the best odds every time. The best way to bet on sports is to understand your own preferences, then find a sportsbook that matches them.

What Are The Most Common Betting Mistakes

Betting on your favorite team instead of the best team is the best way to burn through your money. If you keep losing wagers, don’t keep trying to make the same strategy work. Chasing losses doesn’t work in Vegas, and it doesn’t work on DraftKings. Failing to learn and adjust will hurt new bettors more than most things they can do. (It’s as true on the field as it is off the field.)

Understanding sports betting means understanding that feelings can’t be part of your wagers. Deliberate strategies beat feelings over the lifetime of a sportsbook account.

Sports Betting 101 FAQs

Pick a sportsbook. Bettors don’t have to know the ins and outs of sportsbooks to start betting. They just have to choose a licensed brand, create an account, and start betting. Bettors shouldn’t deposit more than they’re willing to lose, though. Responsible gaming is important. They should also take welcome bonuses into account when they’re making their first deposits and wagers.

Some states allow them. Sports betting has spread across the United States, but not every state has implemented it the same way. Some sportsbooks only allow retail sports betting. Others have online and mobile sports betting. Bettors can check their states’ laws to see whether mobile betting is on the table for them.

Here are the states that legalized online sports betting and whose online sports betting industries are live:

• Michigan
• Virginia
• Nevada
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• West Virginia
• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• New Hampshire

Reliable payouts, site security, and state regulation. In Colorado, licensed sportsbooks are required to keep enough cash on hand to pay bettors. Most states require security audits before sportsbooks go live so social security numbers aren’t stolen en mass. Finally, state governments can twist sportsbooks’ arms into operating legitimately. The risks of abandoning these protections aren’t worth the potential rewards of using illegal sportsbooks.

Are the “better” odds associated with illegal sportsbooks aren’t worth your social security number?

Yes. Licensed sportsbook sites are audited by either state or independent authorities to ensure player data is safe. The most common security measure is end-to-end encryption. That means a hacker can’t even see what bettors are typing into their screens. It’s the kind of security bettors should expect in an industry handling such sensitive information.

In most states, 21. However, three states with legalized (but not necessarily live and operational) sports betting allow 18-year-olds to gamble:

• Washington
• Montana
• Rhode Island

Each of these states probably has a fascinating history that explains why it lets 18-year-olds gamble. But in the meantime, all we can say is not to blow all your college money at a sportsbook.

With a population nearing 40 million people, the largest in the United
States, California is widely considered to have the biggest sporting fan base in
the country. Unsurprisingly, there is a massive number of people here that love
to bet on their favorite sports. Today, our team of experts is here to help you
find the best California sports betting sites currently operating.

There are some truly amazing online sportsbooks available here. To help out
those new to online gambling, we’re listing the most important features to look
for in internet sports betting sites. Later on, we’ll be going over the current
laws and regulations over this popular industry.

Below are five of our favorite California betting sites available
right now. Check them out to see why they’re growing more popular every year.

Features That All California Sports Betting Sites Should Have

Unlike many US states, California has not yet regulated its online gambling
market. Until it does, players here will need to find safe betting sites that
are based in other areas. Fortunately, this industry here evolved massively over
the years.

The majority of online sports betting sites in California are fantastic. Most
are completely safe and offer a huge range of different betting options. Those
new to internet sports betting may feel overwhelmed trying to choose a site to
play through for the first time. Below are four of the most important things to
look for in an online sportsbook today.

Safe and Easy Payment Options

Safety is, and always has been, the most important thing when looking for a website to bet online in California. A site may offer thousands of
incredible betting odds on every single sport, but if it doesn’t provide you
with safe payment options, it’s not even worth looking at. Fortunately, this is
an easy thing to look into.

One of the best ways to learn more about a website’s payment system is to
head over to our list of
sportsbook reviews. Our team has looked through hundreds of different sports
betting sites over the years. In each review on California betting websites,
we explain exactly which payment options are available. If any sites are caught
charging unusual fees or withholding payments, we’ll let you know about it.

Another easy way to look into a website’s cashier system is to check out the
site for yourself. All of the reputable sports betting sites in California will
clearly list exactly which forms of payment are accepted. Head on up to the
sites we recommend at the top of this page and look into the payment options
provided at each one.

We recommend joining websites that allow deposits to be made using both debit
and credit cards. Most of the online sportsbooks in CA only
allow withdrawals to be made using Bitcoin. Don’t let this scare you! Bitcoin
payouts come with extremely low fees and are processed within just a few days.
Some sites, including
Bovada sportsbook, even have entire pages that explain how Bitcoin payouts
are made.

Nothing is more important than safety when betting online in California. We feel strongly
that the first thing you should always look for in a betting website is a safe
cashier system.

Modern Design and User Interface

Some might argue that the design of an online sportsbook isn’t tremendously
important. We disagree. The style and designs of these websites will affect your
entire gambling experience. Every sportsbook has a different design, and it’s
not easy to say that one is better than another.

Almost every internet sportsbook will allow you to check them out before you
join. We recommend heading over to a few different sites and looking at their
homepages. Check to see that the sites don’t crash, and make it easy to actually
place bets.

As we just mentioned, all of the California betting sites operating
today are different. Some feature busy homepages with hundreds of odds and bonus
offers. Others are simplistic, with just a few odds on major US sporting events.

The most important thing is to find a sportsbook that fits your needs. There
are so many great options available today, so this should be easy! Spend a
little time looking at a few different site designs today.

We want to note that the sites at the top of this page are all well-known for
offering incredible designs. Each has amazing functionality that makes it
extremely easy to find the exact sport you want to bet on.

Great Customer Support System

This is, unfortunately, the most overlooked feature of gambling websites. You
would be surprised to find out how many new bettors sign up to a website without
even looking at which support options are provided. Don’t make this mistake.

The state of California will not be around to assist you if an issue arises
with your betting experience. You will need to rely on the website you play at
to help answer any questions. Today, every reputable online sportsbook will
provide members with a number of different customer service options.

The very best sports betting sites in California will offer
a live chat feature. This allows you to speak directly with a customer service
representative over text. It’s without a doubt the easiest and most convenient
way to seek help while betting online in California.

If the sites you’re looking at only offer an email support option, they are
probably not worth joining. Email support can oftentimes take weeks to actually
answer your questions. Stick to sportsbooks that offer direct customer support
options.

There’s a very good chance that you will never have to utilize the customer
support services of the betting site you join. If, however, you need a question
answered, it’s important to know that the company you are betting through will
have your back.

Wide Range of Betting Odds

You should make sure that the
US betting website
you are looking to join provides a wide range of different betting options.
Generally speaking, the more odds that a site provides to its members, the
better the entire site really is. The best California sports betting websites today
provide thousands of different betting odds every single day.

Do you love the NFL? Find a sportsbook offering betting odds on every single
team throughout the entire season. Are you a baseball fan? Look for a betting
site that provides a wide range of different MLB odds.

It’s also a good idea to compare the odds between a few different websites.
Some sports betting sites in California are known to offer better odds than
others. The better the odds are, the better your chances are to win big!

Safe Sports Bets Today Free

Many CA internet sportsbooks today provide members with unique betting
options on things such as politics and entertainment. Novelty betting is growing
more popular than ever. If this is something you are interested in, find a
company offering a number of different fun novelty bets!

Much like design, all California betting sites will offer different
odds. We feel that it’s always a good idea to join a betting website that
provides you with a wide range of different betting options every single day.

Why Are Sports Betting Sites in California so Popular?

California is home to many professional sports teams. As you’d probably
expect, many of the sports fans in this state have been searching for an easy
way to bet on their favorite teams for years.

There are many reasons why betting sports online in California is growing so popular. We’ve
asked a number of Californians why they love to place wagers online, and two
reasons come up time and time again.

Easiest and Safest Option Available

California legalized tribal casinos years ago. Unfortunately, lawmakers here
have not yet taken the steps to regulate sports betting. It’s unusual, as this
industry would likely bring the state millions in additional revenue every
single year.

For now, California sports betting websites are the safest and easiest option
available. As we mentioned earlier, most of the betting sites operating in this
state provide completely secure payment options to all their members. The only
other option is an illegal bookie!

Huge Range of Betting Odds

The top sports betting sites in California will always offer more betting
options than even the biggest land-based sportsbooks around the country. There
are simply more betting options available online. The huge list of betting
options is a major reason why so many people love to bet on their favorite
sports over the internet.

This doesn’t just include sports. Legit California sports betting sites will
allow you to bet on things like politics, movie outcomes, and more. You can
place bets on just about everything from anywhere in the state with an internet
connection.

Is Online Sports Betting in California Allowed?

For many years, lawmakers in California didn’t even want to talk about the
legalization of sports betting. In 2017, things took a turn. That year, Assembly
member Adam Gray introduced an amendment to California’s constitution to
regulate the sports betting market.

This amendment got much more realistic just a year later. In May of 2018, the
US Supreme Court ruled that PASPA was unconstitutional. This decision now allows
every state to set its own laws on sports gambling. Many sports fans in the
state began hoping California would begin to open this market.

As of this writing, there hasn’t been much progress made. Sports gambling remains
banned throughout the state. Most analysts predict that this industry will
become legal and regulated within just a few years.

“(a)State law prohibits commercially operated lotteries, banked or
percentage games, and gambling machines, and strictly regulates parimutuel
wagering on horse racing. To the extent that state law categorically prohibits
certain forms of gambling and prohibits gambling devices, nothing herein shall
be construed, in any manner, to reflect a legislative intent to relax those
prohibitions.

Based on this text, it would seem that all forms of gambling in this state
are banned unless specifically approved by the state government. Many experts
note that there are no specific laws here that prohibit placing sports bets over
the internet. It’s well-known that California has one of the biggest online
sports betting markets in the world, despite the legality lying in somewhat of a
gray area.

Will I Be Prosecuted for Playing at Sports Betting Sites in California?

It’s extremely unlikely. California has not taken the same anti-gambling
measures that many other states have. There are millions of people here that
make online wagers on a regular basis. We have not come across a single case of
any individuals in this state facing legal trouble for making bets online.

How Do I Stay Safe Betting on Sports in California Online?

Online gambling in the US is generally extremely safe. Even without
regulation, there are very few reports of any players dealing with payment
issues. With that being said, there are some simple steps that everyone can take
to ensure their betting experience is nothing but fun.

Even the best California sports betting sites can’t protect players from
themselves. A few of the best ways to stay safe betting online fall on your own
shoulders. Below are the five most important tips to protect yourself while
playing at sports betting sites in California.

Only Play Through Reputable Betting Websites

The easiest way to stay safe gambling online is to only make bets through
reputable websites. Make sure to take the time to find a website that provides
you with safe payment options and a solid customer support system. If you do
this, there’s a great chance you’ll never encounter an issue while betting
online.

Safe Sports Bets Today Nfl

Track How Much You Are Betting

Sports betting is extremely fun. Unfortunately, some players wager more money
than they can actually afford to lose. It’s a common issue that’s surprisingly
easy to avoid. Simply track how much you are spending! If you realize that you
are betting too much money, take a break for a month or two.

Place Wagers on Sports That You Know About

Many who are new to sports betting will instantly begin throwing money on
sports they don’t understand. This is one of the easiest ways to lose money.
It’s always a good idea to only bet money on sports you know about.

Keep Your Betting Account Information Private

This is a no-brainer. You should think of your sports betting account like a
bank account. There is real money on the line, and it’s crucial to keep your
account information private. None of the legit sports betting sites in CA
operating today will ask for your personal account information.

Be Willing to Change Sports Betting Sites

If you follow the steps that we recommend, there’s a very good chance that
you will find the perfect online sportsbook. With that being said, if you
encounter any issues with the site you are playing at, always be willing to move
onto another. There are many incredible California sports betting sites
operating today and one of them will offer the experience you’re looking for.

FAQ on Internet Sports Betting in California

What Are the Most Important Features of California Sports Betting Sites?

It’s fairly easy to spot a good betting site from a bad one nowadays. The
most important features you should look for in a betting site are safe payment
options, a modern design and user interface, solid customer support options, and
betting odds on the sports you want to wager on.

Why Are so Many People Joining Sports Betting Sites in CA?

California, like many other US states, is experiencing a huge surge in online
gambling. Most bettors that we’ve talked to here claim that online sports
wagering is the safest option available, and it offers more betting odds than
even the top land-based sportsbooks in the country.

Is Online Sports Betting in California Allowed?

California is currently working to legalize and regulate sports gambling.
There are still laws here that prohibit land-based sports betting, yet nothing
in the State Statutes specifically bans placing sports bets over the internet.
Most experts feel that California sports betting sites will become fully legal
within the next couple of years.

How Can I Stay Safe Betting Online in California?

Safe Sports Bets Today Football

Most of the sports betting sites in California that operate today are
perfectly safe. The best ways to ensure that your betting experience is
perfectly secure are only playing through reputable companies, tracking how much
you are betting, sticking to sports you understand, keeping your betting account
information private, and being willing to change to a different online
sportsbook.

Conclusion

What To Bet On Sports Today

Once California legalizes online gambling, it’s likely to become the biggest
sports betting market in the country. Millions of people are already placing
sports bets over the internet here. With regulation, the state government can
begin collecting taxes on this revenue being earned.

Fortunately, there are some amazing California sports betting sites available
right now. For expert predictions on major sporting events taking place around
the country, head over to our
gambling blog page. Good luck making your bets!