Best Hawaii Sportsbooks

Gambling and sports betting sites have been a favorite pastime for many people around the world. With the development of technology and online sportsbooks, many bettors can now wager online without needing to visit a land-based racetrack or betting shop. Since the first online sportsbook appeared, many more have followed, and today there are hundreds of options available.

The USA has strict laws and regulations surrounding online gambling and sports betting. Depending on the state you live in, there is a different degree to which forms of gambling are allowed. We’ll be looking at the state of Hawaii and its view on online sports betting within this detailed guide.

Online Sportsbooks in Hawaii

Hawaii is one of two states, the other being Utah, where all forms of gambling are illegal. No land-based or online sportsbooks or casinos are allowed within the state’s borders. Hawaii even bans bingo, horse and dog races, as well as any other form of gambling. Hawaii authorities do allow social casinos, as there is no actual gambling happening in social casinos, and it functions more like an app game with in-game purchases.

In 2020, a bill was introduced to investigate the income revenue the state would make if they legalized sports betting. Hawaii is a popular tourist destination, and many thought they could boost their income by offering casinos and sportsbooks, whether land-based or online. However, the bill never got further than the Senate committee phase, and ultimately, nothing came of it.

One of the reasons Hawaii stands against gambling is because they value family as one of the core principles in their culture and traditions. Further, the Hawaii Coalition against gambling president states that it’s not necessary to introduce casinos and sportsbooks in the state, as there are enough enjoyable activities to do in Hawaii year-round.

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to gamble online. There are several offshore sportsbooks that offer their services to people in Hawaii. These offshore sportsbooks don’t fall under US jurisdiction and can operate in the state without Hawaii regulating them.

Betting Options

There are several betting options when it comes to sports. Having several betting options allows bettors to adapt to the sport and situation, allowing for more controlled betting. Some bet types are more suited to certain sports, so providing a variety is vital to healthy and successful betting.

Moneyline 

One of the most common forms of betting is Moneyline bets. Moneyline bets use American plus and minus odds, where the minus figures denote the amount you need to bet to win $100, while the plus figure denotes the amount you can win if you bet $100. Minus odds are given to the favorite to win, and while you win less, you will have a bigger chance of winning. Since the underdogs are less likely to win, they get plus odds, making the return better if they do win.

Point Spread

Another form of betting is point spread betting, which is similar to Moneyline bets, but with an added factor. When making a points spread bet, the bookmakers try to even the odds between two unequal teams to average odds of -110. To do that, they add a condition to win for both teams. The favorite team has to win by a certain amount of points, while the underdogs have to lose by less than that amount of points or win the game.

Totals

Totals betting is a popular bet type, as you don’t bet on which team will win but rather on what the combined points will be at the end of the game. It’s also called the Over/Under bet, as the bookmakers will set a figure that they believe will be the end score. You can bet the total points from both teams will be more than that figure or less than that figure.

Live 

Live bets can be almost any type of bet, as the only requirement is that the bet is made in real-time while the game is ongoing. The wagers most often found in live bets are prop bets. Live bets often have HD streaming technology or a digital representation of the match, so that players can follow it and make bets on events currently happening. It also opens up plenty of opportunities to place different wagers.

Prop

Prop bets are some of the most diverse bets possible, and it usually has to do with some specific event or circumstances coming to pass. It can be a bet on a specific player, the number of yellow cards given, whether a team manager will retire, or almost any other specific circumstance. These bets can often be used in conjunction with other bets when making a parlay bet.

Parlay

Parlay refers to a bet where you have multiple bets on one bet slip. Parlay betting is a way to maximize your returns, but you also risk a lot more when doing so. For a parlay bet to be successful, all the bets you made need to result in a win. Since a parlay bet can have up to 10 different bets on one bet slip, this can often be quite difficult. If even one of the bets loses, then it won’t matter that the other nine won, as the bet slip will still be considered a loss. However, it’s a great way to combine different bets and win significant returns.

Hawaii Sportsbooks Promotions and Bonuses

One of the benefits of betting on the best Hawaii sportsbooks available online is that there are some of the best sports betting bonuses and promotions available. These bonuses can range from welcome and reload bonuses to loyalty programs and monthly bonuses. It’s the perfect way to attract new players and keep existing players loyal. There are a variety of promotions available to bettors in Hawaii.

It’s important to note that all bonuses have bonus terms and some form of restrictions that have to be completed. These conditions refer to wagering requirements, with the standard falling between 25x and 35x, minimum deposit requirements, sports and payment restrictions, or a maximum winnings limit. The standard minimum deposit is generally around $10 but can go as low as $1 and as high as $25. It’s also important to note any payment restrictions, as often bonuses aren’t available when you deposit using Neteller or Skrill.

Matched Deposit Bonuses

The matched deposit bonus is the most common type and is often the go-to for bonuses other than the welcome bonus. The matched bonus will match your deposit between 50% and 500%, up to a specified amount when you make a deposit. If you make a deposit more than the maximum amount and the bonus is 100% or more, you’ll still only receive the maximum bonus amount instead of 100% of your deposit. Since this is a bonus where you make a deposit, they often have a higher winnings cap and lower wagering requirements.

Risk-Free Bets

Risk-free bets are often given as a welcome bonus, as it’s a way for bettors to get used to online sports betting without risking their bankroll. A risk-free bet is when a bettor makes a deposit and a bet, but if the bet results in a loss, then they are credited their initial wager amount back. If your risk-free bet results in a win, then it proceeds as a normal bet. Risk-free bets often have a maximum amount you can bet and are often only valid for your first bet or first 24 hours after signing up at a sportsbook.

Free Bets

Free bets are a bet type that can be given as part of your matched deposit bonus or as a no deposit bonus. Free bets come in the form of bet tokens or credits that bettors can use to make a bet. These bet tokens often have a specified value and allow you to get a feel for the gaming platform without making a bet with your own money. Often, this bet is a popular option for online sportsbooks and can have either low or high bonus conditions depending on the promotion.

No Deposit Bonuses

As the name states, a no deposit bonus is more like a reward the player receives for completing some action. This action can either be signing up at the online sportsbook or verifying your account on any other similar condition. Since no deposit is required, the bonus amount is generally a lower amount, between $5 and $30, and has higher wagering requirements. It can also have a lower winnings cap or payment restrictions.

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses are great for both existing and new players. Online sportsbooks offer these types of bonuses to bettors either daily, weekly, or monthly. With this type of promotion, players make a deposit and receive a matched deposit bonus most of the time. Compared to welcome bonuses, the matched percentage amount is usually lower, between 25% and 100%. However, it’s a very convenient way to boost your bankroll and make more bets for less money.

Banking at Hawaii Online Sportsbooks

A benefit of playing online at real money betting sites is that there are usually many different payment methods available. Having many methods provided means that you can easily switch if you encounter a problem with one method and often also offers faster withdrawals, depending on the method.

Credit Cards and Debit Cards

Cards including Visa and Mastercard are accepted at almost every online sportsbook. Some even accept cards like Discover, Maestro, and American Express. However, card companies in the USA don’t always accept transactions related to an online gambling service provider due to the UIGEA federal law. Cards generally take between two and five days to withdraw and often have a small commission fee from the card company.

PayPal and E-Wallets

Some of the best payment methods are e-wallets, and the good news is that there are many available to you. Online sportsbooks often offer a variety of e-wallets, with the most popular one in the USA being PayPal. PayPal betting sites not only offers fast withdrawals and low to no fees, but it also acts as an intermediary between your card company or bank and the online gambling service provider. Other e-wallets that are often seen are Neteller, Skrill, MuchBetter and EcoPayz. E-wallets take between one and three days to withdraw.

Online Banking

Online banking such as bank and wire transfers are generally the go-to withdrawal method if your deposit method isn’t available. It’s the payment method that takes the longest to withdraw, between two and seven days, and there are often bank charges attached. In the USA, they also offer ACH transfers at times, though it’s less prevalent in offshore casinos found in Hawaii.

Cryptocurrencies

A diverse payment method is cryptocurrencies. Not only are cryptocurrencies not limited to a specific fiat currency, but they offer the fastest withdrawal times. Since crypto betting sites are generally bound by smart contracts and use a decentralized blockchain to process their payments, you should be able to withdraw your funds within minutes. The only delay to your withdrawal could be the online sportsbooks processing time, but it shouldn’t take more than 24 hours. Many different cryptos are available, ranging from Bitcoin betting sites and Ethereum to Ripple and Litecoin.

How To Register and Place a Bet

Although sports betting is illegal in Hawaii, you can still open an account with an offshore casino. You must be over the age of 18 to register, and you’ll also have to verify your account before you can make withdrawals.

1. Choose one of the best Hawaii Sportsbooks on our list
2. Open the sportsbook’s website and click on the “Sign up” button in the top right corner.
3. Complete all the relevant fields. It will require personal information.
4. When registered, ensure you are aware of any bonus terms of the welcome bonus.
5. Click on the Cashier icon and then on the deposit tab.
6. Choose your payment method, link it with your crypto wallet, or load your payment details.
7. Make your deposit, ensuring it meets any minimum deposit requirements, or use the promo code.
8. Your deposit should reflect in your account balance, which is generally found in the website’s top left or right corner.
9. Claim your bonus if it isn’t credited automatically.
10. Choose your sport and odds and make your bet.

Hawaii Sports Leagues Available for Betting

Hawaii is fairly limited in the sports offered in the state. They have the University of Hawaii but no other real professional teams. While they have some teams, the travel to the island and the logistics of it make it difficult for them to offer the same league of sports teams that other states do. However, offshore casinos offer sports betting options in most of your favorite leagues. 

There are several college sports you can bet on as well, like NCAAB, especially as in 2016, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors made it to Round 32. The same can be said for NCAAF, as the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors have, since 2000, won six bowl games. Like racetracks and casinos, Daily Fantasy sports are not legal in Hawaii. However, there are several races you can bet on using offshore casinos.

All of the most popular sports are available, including some other sports such as golf that aren’t bet on as frequently. There are options to play at NFL betting sites, NBA betting sites, NHL betting sites, MLB betting sites, UFC betting sites, Soccer betting sites, NASCAR betting sites, Boxing betting sites and Esports betting sites, for example.

Features of the Best Hawaii Sportsbooks

When we look for the best Hawaii sportsbooks, we don’t only consider their bonuses and sports selection. There are, unfortunately, many online sportsbooks that are shady and offer unfair terms, so it’s crucial to make sure you’re playing at a trustworthy site. We’ve done in-depth research to bring you the best Hawaii sportsbook by also considering the below factors.

Licensing and Security

One of the first factors we look for is whether the sportsbook is licensed. The best Hawaii sportsbooks are licensed and thus regulated by the independent licensing authority. Seeing as Hawaii bans all forms of gambling, they don’t have a state licensing authority. That’s why only offshore casinos and sportsbooks can operate in Hawaii.

An offshore license refers to a license that is given by another country. There are several offshore licenses that you can find. Some of the most frequently seen ones are Malta Gaming Authority, Curacao eGaming, Panama, Costa Rica, and Gibraltar. These licensing authorities need to ensure that any online casino or sportsbook licensed with them follows all applicable gambling legislation.

Another point we consider is what security measures the best Hawaii sportsbooks offer. Not only should they use data encryption software like SSL encryption, but they should also have a KYC process in place. The KYC policy stands for Know Your Client, and this policy is when the online gambling service provider requires the player to verify their identity. To complete the KYC process, the bettor sends in several documents, including a copy of their identification, proof of address, banking, and any other documents required.

Compatibility

The best Hawaii sportsbooks should be available as web-based platforms on smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices. Whether you use Mac and iOS or Windows and Android, you should be able to access the website easily, as well as make bets. Some online sportsbooks also offer a mobile app bettors can use, often making it even easier to access the betting platform and place a wager.

However, when we look at a website’s compatibility, we don’t just look at how to access it but also the ease of access when using the website. This ease of access means the website needs to be visually appealing and easy to navigate. Elements we look for are navigation bars and filters, a search bar, and sports tabs. Since there are so many different sports available and several types of bets within each sport, the best Hawaii sportsbooks are neatly organized. 

The website layout should be straightforward, where you can see your sports tabs, your account information like your current balance, and your promotions page. It would help if you also had a section where your current bets are listed, as this helps you keep track of your bankroll.

Customer Service

Playing in a state where gambling is illegal means that good customer service is more crucial than ever. The best Hawaii sportsbooks offer several customer support channels, including a phone line, support email, and 24/7 live chat. These 24/7 support channels allow their bettors to contact them no matter the time, which is vital when playing at an offshore casino that operates in different time zones.

We also look for a well-organized and extensive FAQ section, as well as tutorials and step-by-step guides. These are useful for bettors new to the site and help ease the process when you have a query. Often, these queries will already be answered in the FAQ section, making it faster to look up the answer than to contact support.

Another way the best Hawaii sportsbooks support their customers is by offering them several responsible gambling tools. Responsible gambling tools refer to tools players can use to ensure they don’t develop a gambling problem and control their gambling habits.

Tools like personal and session limits are used to control how much you can deposit daily, weekly, and monthly and how much you can bet or lose. Session limits ensure you can only spend a certain amount of time per day, week, and month on the website. 

Reality checks are another offered tool, where a notification will pop up and ensure the players are aware of their current playing time and sometimes even how much they’ve spent or lost in that time. The last tools are cool-off periods and self-exclusion, which bans the bettor from the online platform for a specified amount of time if they need a break.

Conclusion

Online sports betting has been picking up speed the last few years, especially since the Supreme Court declared the PASPA federal law unconstitutional in 2018. However, this doesn’t mean that sports betting is now legal in all states. Hawaii is one of the states with some of the strictest gambling laws. All forms of gambling are banned in the state, and no online casinos or sportsbooks are allowed to operate out of the state. 

Yet, that doesn’t mean that bettors can’t bet at all. Offshore sportsbooks are available in Hawaii and can be used to place bets on almost any sport. The legality of offshore gambling falls in a slightly gray area, as the casinos aren’t based in the state and thus not held accountable under the laws of Hawaii. Yet, there are many offshore casinos, and not all of them are trustworthy.

We launched an in-depth evaluation and review of the different sportsbooks in Hawaii to find the best Hawaii sportsbooks. We looked at their bet types and the sports they cover, as well as their bonuses and banking methods. We also looked at their licensing and security, compatibility, and customer service to ensure they’re the best Hawaii sportsbooks. Using our step-by-step instructions on how to register and bet, have a look at our list of the Best Hawaii Sportsbooks to see our thoughts on them.

FAQs

Can I make an online sports bet in Hawaii?

Although online sports betting is illegal in Hawaii, you can bet at several offshore sportsbooks. However, you must note the risks before betting online since it is illegal to gamble in Hawaii.

Are online sportsbooks offered on Hawaii cruise ships?

No, online sports betting is not allowed on any Hawaii cruise ships. Gambling is also banned on any cruise ship that docks in Hawaii. In the case of the two cruise casinos that docs at Kauai, they also close all gambling facilities until they are a minimum of 12 nautical miles from the shores of Hawaii.

Are offshore casinos safe to use in Hawaii?

While the offshore casinos on our list are safe and fair to use, you should be aware that you’re playing at your own risk in Hawaii due to their strict no gambling laws. However, the best Hawaii online sportsbooks are trustworthy online gambling service providers.