Best New York Sportsbooks

Sports betting has been on the rise across the US since 2018, and many states have legalized online sports betting since. When looking at sports betting in New York, it’s essential to consider the history of New York’s gambling laws and its stance toward online gambling today.

Bettors in New York now have access to hundreds of online sportsbooks, but how do they know which they can use and which are trustworthy and reliable? We evaluated several aspects of these and compiled a list of the best New York online sportsbooks. 

Online Sportsbooks in New York

Although retail sports betting is allowed, real money online sportsbooks within the state have only just started being allowed. After the Supreme Court declared the federal law PASPA unconstitutional in 2018, New York opened its first retail sportsbook in 2019. Several more sportsbooks would open in 2019, followed by 2020, when a bill was proposed to allow online sports betting. 

Although the bill never passed, 2021 brought a more open mindset, with New York Governor Cuomo and lawmakers stating their intent to legalize online sports betting. They opened the floor for application requests from interested sportsbooks and received many requests. It was only in January 2022 that they approved four online sportsbooks to launch their online betting platforms and app in New York. We expect to see more online sportsbooks based in New York become available with how things are moving forward.

Other than sportsbooks operating out of New York, offshore sportsbooks are also available. New York bettors can play at many different offshore licensed sportsbooks, as the gambling laws of New York don’t expressly prohibit the use of offshore sportsbooks. 

Betting Options

One of the first things we look at when looking for the best New York sportsbook is looking at what betting types they offer. We look for the most popular bet types when evaluating online sportsbooks.

Moneyline Betting

One of the most common and straightforward bets is a money line bet. A money line bet is where you place a wager on who you believe will win the match. The odds are given in the American plus and minus format. The higher the odds, the lower is the individual or team’s chances of winning, while lower odds indicate a higher chance of winning.

The odds also show bettors what they stand to win when betting on a particular team or player. Plus odds like +115 are assigned to the underdogs and mean that if you bet $100, you will win $115 if your bet is successful. Minus odds like -120 are given to the favorites and indicate if you bet $120, you will win $100 if your bet is successful.

Live Betting

Many bettors struggle to bridge the gap between betting in person at a betting shop or racetrack and betting online. Live betting is the way to overcome that gap and have you betting from the comfort of your home while still feeling like part of the action. Bets can be made in real-time after the cutoff time for pre-match bets has passed.

It allows you to make bets based on what is happening during the game and is a great time to start making prop bets. The best New York online sportsbooks also offer HD video streaming technology so that bettors can watch the game as it’s happening and make bets related to the current unfolding of events.

Point Spread

A point spread is like a step up from money line bets, where bookmakers try to average the odds between two teams that are unequal in their ability. If teams initially have vastly different odds like -115 and +120, bookmakers will try to average both teams’ odds to -110 by adding a handicap. This handicap is a margin by which the teams must win or lose for the bet to be successful.

For example, if the point spread odds for Team A are -8.5 (-110), they are the favorites and thus need to win with an 8.5 or more point lead. The underdogs will have +8.5 (-110) odds, meaning they have to lose with a less than 8.5 point difference or win the game for the bet to be successful. 

Totals Bet

Also called the Over/Under bet, this bet looks at the total points scored during a match. Bookmakers will offer their odds on the game, meaning what they believe the total points/goals will be scored during a game by both teams. Bettors will bet on whether they believe the total points will be over or under this mark. You will usually see bookmakers setting the total score at a half-point mark to ensure a tie can’t happen.

Let’s look at a match with a total score of 9.5 for its odds. By betting under, the total score needs to be less than 9.5, like if the game ended with a 5/4 score, totaling 9. If you bet over, the total score needs to be more than 9.5, like if the match ended 6/5, giving you a total of 11.

Futures Bet

While it is a long-term investment, futures bets are some of the most popular bet types. Bettors can bet on almost any event in the future, but they will only receive their winnings at the end of the event or season. Futures bets are also good bets to use when making a parlay bet, as you can add several other bet types supporting your futures bet.

A popular example of a futures bet is when you wager on who you believe will win this season’s Super Bowl. The odds on futures bets tend to change often as time goes by, and it’s influenced by how teams are playing and what is happening in the betting market.

Prop Bets

Prop bets remain a fan favorite among bettors, as it makes betting that much more exciting. Bettors who make a bet using this type don’t need to worry about which team wins but rather if their wager’s specific conditions are fulfilled.

It includes bets like which player will score the most goals, how the coin toss will play out, and other such bets. It’s also a popular bet to use when making parlay bets, as it can easily be combined with other bets.

Parlay Bets

Parlay bets are the riskiest bet type but, as a result, one of the most lucrative ones. In a parlay bet, you make multiple bets, usually between two and ten, on one bet slip. If all your bets are successful, you win the entire bet slip and can receive massive returns. However, if even one of your bets on the bet slip results in a loss, then the whole bet slip is void.

If bettors bet on a particular team to win the finals of the Super Bowl, then they can use a parlay bet to make that bet even more lucrative. That’s because you know that to win the finals, you also need to win your first match, semi-final match, etc. 

New York Sportsbooks Promotions and Bonuses

With online sportsbooks come betting bonuses and promotions. The most frequently offered bonus is matched deposit bonuses and free bets, with some sportsbooks offering no deposit bonuses. The welcome bonus is generally one of these three types of bonuses.

A matched deposit bonus means that players will have their deposit matched by the casino between 100% and 500% up to a certain amount. They will receive it as bonus funds or free bet credits that they can use to bet on their favorite sports. If a sportsbook offers a 150% bonus up to $900 on your deposit, then if you deposit $10, you’ll receive an extra $15 and can play with $25 altogether. If you deposit $600, you’ll receive $900 and play with $1500. If you deposit more than $600, you won’t receive the 150% equivalent of the amount but rather the maximum bonus amount of $900.

Free bets are similar to bonus funds in that you can use them to bet, but they’re usually given as bet credits or bet tokens players can use. The free bets will have a specific value set by the sportsbook and can be given either as a match deposit bonus or as a no deposit bonus. A no deposit bonus is a bonus you receive without needing to make a deposit and generally is a lower amount, between $5 and $30.

All bonuses also have specific requirements attached to them. This can be a minimum deposit amount, rollover requirements, a bonus expiry period, winnings cap, or any other conditions a bettor must fulfill.

Banking at New York Online Sportsbooks

Playing with real money means many payment methods should be available to New York players. This includes the below popular payment methods.

Credit Cards and Debit Cards

Most online sportsbooks offer Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards, but this deposit method can carry some complications. Due to the UIGEA federal law, some credit card companies don’t allow payments from online gambling service providers, whether legal in the state or not. The payout time for this payment method is generally between three and five days.

Prepaid cards/Play+

One of the most popular payment methods is the Play+ card, linked to the gambling service providers. You can load money onto this card and then use it to deposit funds on the online sportsbook. You can also use it to withdraw your funds and sometimes even present it for payment at establishments that accept Discover. Prepaid cards like Paysafecard are also an accepted deposit method, but it isn’t always available for withdrawals. If it is, the withdrawal limit is usually set relatively low.

PayPal

Arguably the best payment method, PayPal acts as an intermediary between banks, card companies, and gambling service providers. It’s one of the fastest payout methods, generally taking between one and three days. You will also find that PayPal offers low to no transaction fees, making it one of New York bettors’ favorite payment methods. There are plenty of sports bettors that will actively seek out PayPal betting sites to sign up with.

Online Banking

This is the go-to withdrawal method if your deposit method isn’t available for withdrawals. Bank transfers and wire transfers are some of the methods that will almost always be offered. However, it is also one of the methods with the longest payout speed, taking between three and seven days.

PayNearMe

If you don’t want to make an online payment, you can always pop in by certain establishments partnered with online sportsbooks. These are usually shops like 7-Eleven or CVS. You can also go directly to the online sportsbook physical cash cage if they have one. While making deposits and withdrawals this way is fast and easy, you should be aware that a fee usually applies.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is still relatively new to the mainstream but is becoming an increasingly popular option for sports bettors. There are now a number of Bitcoin betting sites available to join, most of which are offshore sites.

How To Register and Place a Bet

Bettors can easily register by following the below steps:

1. Visit the website or download the app for one of the sportsbooks on our list
2. Click the “Register” or “Join Us” button to sign up
3. Add your personal details like name, address, and contact details
4. Check your available bonuses and their requirements
5. Deposit via your cashier and claim your bonus
6. Start betting on your favorite sport

New York Sports Leagues Available for Betting

Many different sports/leagues are available to bet on, especially if you use the best New York sportsbook on our recommended list. Certain bets are not allowed, like betting on college sports if you live in the same state. The top sports bettors love to bet on include:

• NFL Betting Sites
• NBA Betting Sites
• NHL Betting Sites
• MLB Betting Sites
• Horse Racing Betting Sites
• Soccer Betting Sites
• UFC Betting Sites
• Boxing Betting Sites
• Tennis Betting Sites
• Esports Betting Sites
• March Madness Betting Sites
• NCAA Betting Sites
• NASCAR Betting Sites

We always look for the sportsbooks that offer the most variety in their sports selection, as it allows you to bet on more types. Bettors have the chance to branch out so long as the sportsbook offers more choices than just the most popular sport. This includes offering sports like NASCAR, MMA boxing, etc.

Features of the Best New York Sportsbooks

While the above points are essential for any New York sportsbook, there are more criteria we use to judge them by. The top three things we look for in all sportsbooks are:

• Licensing and Security
• Compatibility and user-friendly interface
• Good Customer Service

Conclusion

New York is taking steps toward completely legalizing online sports betting, with the first few sportsbooks being legalized at the start of 2022. This makes us hopeful that more will follow, but in the meantime, bettors also have access to offshore sportsbooks. Evaluating the online sportsbooks using the above criteria, we compiled a list of the best New York online sportsbooks. So have a look at our list and start betting on your favorite sport today.

FAQs

What age do bettors in New York need to be?

Bettors need to be 21 years of age to bet online or at a casino/racetrack.

Is betting legal in New York?

Yes, although it’s a highly recent development and is still in the process of being finalized.

What is the most popular sport to bet on in New York?

The most popular sport to bet on in New York, and across the US really, is by far Football.