Best Sports Betting Sites & Apps for Beginners 2023

The online sports betting industry is booming as mobile sports betting becomes more popular in the United States, with more states legalizing it every day. If not hundreds, dozens of online sports betting apps are popping up around the country and obtaining legal licenses from local gaming regulators.

Online sports betting can be scary when starting because your hard-earned money is on the line, and you might need to fully understand all of the features and betting types available on the mobile betting app. Good news for you, I’ve detailed all the information you’ll need to get started below.

If you’re new to online sports betting and need help figuring out where to start, then you’re in the right place. Please read below for the five best mobile sports betting apps for beginners, how we chose them, how to join, and much more!

5 Top Sports Betting Apps for Beginners April 2023

All of the best sports betting apps for beginners feature great user interfaces that are simple and easy to understand while featuring top-tier welcome bonuses. In today’s saturated market, great sports betting apps will need more than just competitive odds to stand out above the competition.

Before choosing the right one, beginners should always check several online sports betting apps. Characteristics that should be considered are the user interface, the betting resources for users, their betting markets, deposit methods, and welcome bonuses.

Each of the sportsbook apps below are the best in the business and have plenty of different features that are perfect for welcoming new users to their platforms. Please read below for more information on their welcome bonuses, the best thing about each sportsbook, and the states they are available.

DraftKings Sportsbook

The DraftKings Sportsbook app is one of the best in the business as it boasts an enormous number of betting types and markets, as well as one of the best user interfaces on the market. The home page’s organization and simple bet slip make it perfect for new users trying to get into the sports betting space.

DraftKings is best known for its phenomenal mobile sports betting app that gives users access to ongoing promotions, including risk-free bets, odds boosts, and bet insurance on same-game parlays. The app is also home to several valuable resources for new users, including how-to tutorial videos on how to use their platform and matchup stats on almost every matchup listed.

The DraftKings Sportsbook app also features a phenomenal welcome bonus for new users with a 20% deposit match worth up to $1,000 and a free bet worth up to $50. It’s the only deposit match on this list, so the terms and conditions differ from the rest, primarily in the five-time playthrough requirement that requires users to bet five times their initial deposit to get their bonus.

To receive this bonus, click the link below and register for an account; your bonus will be based on your initial deposit!

• States Where the DraftKings Sportsbook is Legal: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, and WY
• DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code Explained

FanDuel Sportsbook

The FanDuel mobile sportsbook is ironically very similar to its main rival in daily fantasy sports and sports betting, DraftKings. It’s the only user interface on the list that can come close to DraftKings, as it can fit so much information clearly and concisely for the user’s enjoyment.

FanDuel also features some of the best ongoing promotions in the business with tons of odds modifiers and local promotions, giving users access to NBA League Pass for placing wagers on their local NBA team on their platform. FanDuel is best known for the number of bets available on the site and a create-your-own bet tool for users to make their wagers (FanDuel will provide odds if the bet is accepted)!

The FanDuel welcome bonus is somewhat lackluster as it only provides a single risk-free bet worth up to $1,000. While this bonus is somewhat standard, they have great ongoing promotions, as mentioned above. To receive this bonus, click the link below and register for an account!

• States Where the FanDuel Sportsbook is Legal: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, and WY.
• FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code Explained

Caesars Sportsbook

The Caesars Sportsbook is another titan of the mobile sports betting industry as it partnered with William Hill (a famous international sports betting operator) to create a mobile sportsbook app that’s perfect for bettors of all skill levels!

The Caesars Sportsbook app is best known for its rewards program, which partners with Caesars Entertainment to allow users to earn rewards through all dollars spent with Caesars, on-site or online. The rewards program also allows users to redeem points for unique on-site experiences and earn perks that give them priority access to Caesars Resorts and Hotels.

The Caesars Rewards program is so beneficial that they’ve even begun to give out rewards bonuses as a new customer promotion! New users receive a risk-free bet worth up to $1,250, 1,000 reward tier credits, and 1,000 reward points. To get this bonus, click the link below and use promo code “GUSABFULL” during the registration process!

• States Where the Caesars Sportsbook is Legal: AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, Washington D.C., WV, and WY
• Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code Explained

PointsBet Sportsbook

The PointsBet Sportsbook is partnered with NBC Sports allowing them to have several great in-app features like live stats and streaming for specific events. It also features unique ongoing promotions for existing users; however, they are primarily odds boosts, while bonuses like risk-free bets are less common.

PointsBet is best known for having the most lucrative welcome bonus in the sports betting industry and the most convenient deposit methods. Whether through an online bank transfer or an in-cash payment at a local participating retailer, there are several ways that users may fund their online sports betting accounts.

PointsBet has one of the best welcome sportsbook bonuses on the list, as they offer new users not one but TWO risk-free bets worth up to $2,000! The first risk-free bet is worth up to $1,500 on the points spread, while the second is worth up to $500 on the odds. To receive this promotion, click the link below and use promo code “GPC” when registering for an account.

• States Where the PointsBet Sportsbook is Legal: CO, IL, IN, IA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, VA, and WV
• PointsBet Sportsbook Promo Code Explained

Barstool Sportsbook

Barstool Sports is one of the fastest-growing media organizations in the United States. Their popularity continues to grow with Gen-Z, millennials, and the investing public. Penn Gaming partnered with Barstool in 2020 to bring the public the Barstool Sportsbook, which has since become incredibly popular through its unique promotions and marketing techniques.

The Barstool Sportsbook is best known for its unique promotions that allow users to bet along with their favorite media personalities and the number of unique betting markets available. With the number of podcasts and YouTube shows that Barstool operates, they have a unique ability to reach their betting audience.

The Barstool Sportsbook features a welcome bonus of a $1,000 risk-free bet along with a $10 free bet credit! There is no promo code or link for this promotion; go to the website or download the online betting app and register for an account.

• States Where the Barstool Sportsbook is Legal: AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, and WV
• Barstool Sportsbook Promo Code Explained

Criteria for Selecting Sportsbooks for Rookies

There are several reasons to choose an online sports betting app, especially if you’re a beginner. Rookies need simpler and easier-to-understand user interfaces and resources to help them make better bets.

New customers need to also look into the betting markets available on the mobile app and the types of bets offered by the betting site. Welcome bonuses and customer service are other big characteristics that should be considered before joining a sportsbook.

User Interface

The best sports betting app for beginners is the one with the most straightforward user interface because it allows users to create their bets and parlays seamlessly without inhibitions. A user interface includes how an online website and sportsbook app’s layout is organized and how easy the bet slip is to understand.

A well-organized user interface will feature several different menus clearly and concisely while providing plenty of on-screen betting options. Take the picture below; for example, DraftKings features promotions available, the most popular live and upcoming events, and different leagues and sports tailored explicitly to your betting habits on their homepage, which is great for users looking for their favorite bets.

Betting Resources

Most mobile betting apps feature different betting resources focused on assisting users in making more educated bets. Great sports betting apps will offer instructional videos on how to place bets on the platform, meaning they will have tutorials on how to use their sportsbook and what the different pages and odds mean.

Other betting resources include matchup stats that provide information on individual teams or athletes, their personal matchup history, and how they’ve fared against each other. Other resources include what the lines opened at and where the public’s money is being spent.

Bet Slip

The bet slip is an essential aspect of online betting apps because it’s the direct point of sales between the user and the online sportsbook. The bet slip allows users to create a parlay, round robin, teaser, or straight bet with their selections and the ability to see previous betting history.

Betting history is an important resource because it can help users keep track of the bets they’ve won and the money they’ve lost in the meantime. While having a huge betting history can look complicated, if it’s organized correctly, it will be easy to understand and determine which bets are currently open and which have ended.

Betting Market Depth

Betting market depth is how many different sports and leagues are available to bet on through mobile sportsbook apps and the types of bets available. Most legal sportsbook apps feature around 15-20 different sports to bet on as well as all of the major leagues in the United States and internationally.

Market depth is crucial because it determines whether you can place the bets you want to make. If you’re a fan of the UFC and it’s not offered in a specific online sportsbook, then that’s not the right sportsbook for you! Similarly, if you’re looking to place same-game parlays, you’ll want to be sure the sportsbook you’re joining has those types of bets available.

Banking Methods

Banking methods are critical for users because they determine whether or not you will even be able to play on the sportsbook in the first place! Most mobile sportsbooks feature several convenient banking methods that include in-person cash payments, so save your time on one that only features some or most of the ones listed below.

• Debit or Credit Cards
• Online Bank Transfers
• ACH eCheck
• Play+ Prepaid Cards
• Visa Prepaid Cards
• PayPal
• Skrill
• Venmo
• PayNearMe Cash Locations

Whether it be online or in-person, most online sportsbooks feature plenty of convenient ways to deposit money into an account because their main goal is to get your money after all. Most sportsbooks don’t feature any fees for making a deposit; however, some methods like credit and debit cards might receive fees from their bank for the terms of their card agreement.

Customer Service

Customer service is very important for beginners because it’s easy to make a mistake when you first start out, and you’ll want the best and fastest help possible. Whether it be an issue with geolocation, making deposits, or you can’t find the bet you’re looking for, several scenarios may result in you wanting to contact customer service.

Most online sportsbooks offer a live chat feature that can be found in the app or on the website (example below), and it’s generally the easiest and fastest way to get help from customer support. Another option most sportsbooks offer is a toll-free phone number that will yield results quickly; however, if the issue is not time-sensitive, it’s also possible to email customer support and get help in a day or two.

Sports Betting Bonuses

Bonuses and promotions are also significant because of how saturated the market currently is for the sports betting industry. Most top-tier sportsbooks offer great welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions for users, so if you’re thinking of joining one with few promotions, think again.

Promotions are the best way to get the most bang for your buck, and several online sports betting apps feature an array of promotions that range from odds boosts (most popular) to bet insurance to risk-free bets.

Betting Apps with Risk-Free Bets for New Users

The risk-free bet is one of the most popular forms of welcome bonuses for online sportsbooks to use because it entices players to join and get their money back in the form of free bets if their first bet loses. It’s the most common form of welcome bonus from online sportsbooks, so we’ve compared the best ones for new users!

Below is a table featuring the five best risk-free bet welcome bonuses around the United States, the promo codes necessary to receive the bonus, and the links necessary to start the registration process.

Getting Started with a Mobile Betting App

First, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll bet online on the sportsbook’s website or use its mobile app. If you’re choosing the mobile app, go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, search for the sportsbook of choice, and download the app onto your phone. Almost all platforms feature both iPhone and Android sports betting apps.

After this, the user will only need a few minutes to create their account, make their first deposit, and start betting!

Create Your Account

To create your account, you will need to find the “Join Now” button (or something similar) in the top-right-hand corner of the screen (as seen below) and click it to start the registration process. While each sportsbook will vary on the different steps and procedures to sign up for your account, it will generally all be very similar because, by law, they must verify user identity through a few personal details.

On the first screen, you will need to enter your created username and password, along with your phone number and email address. This information is used to sign into your account in the future and how the sportsbook will contact you in the case of customer service.

The second screen is where you will provide your details to verify your identity, including your full name, home address, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number. The sportsbook keeps private and encrypts all this information, so don’t worry; your information is safe.

The third step will involve accepting the terms and conditions of the sportsbook, and then it will verify your identity and create your account! Promo codes are entered during either the first or second step, depending on the sportsbook.

Make a Deposit

After your account has been created, you will need to make an initial deposit to fund your betting account by going to the cashier’s page and selecting deposit, which will bring up a similar screen to the example below.

From this screen, you will choose from one of the banking methods and decide how much you’d like to deposit into your account. Most sports betting apps feature different deposit minimums and maximums for each banking method, and each sportsbook will be different; however, a traditional minimum deposit would be around $10.

Some sportsbooks will also feature promo code options on this screen for new users (or ongoing users) to use during their initial deposit for their welcome bonus promotion.

Place Bets

Lastly, you’ll need to find the wager you’re looking for! If you can’t find the sport or league you’re looking for on the home page, go to the sports menu and choose from the options available.

After you’ve chosen the sport, you’ll be on a page with all of the upcoming events, with the three most popular bet types next to them. If moneyline, point spreads, or point totals aren’t what you’re looking for, click the event you’d like to bet on, which will expand the betting options and show all available.

Choose your bet, go to your bet slip, enter how much you’d like to risk on the bet, then click “place bet,” as seen below.

Best Bet Types for Beginners

The best betting types for beginners are generally the simpler ones; however, a few complex betting options should be used in moderation to get a grip on the different features. There are tons of simple bets, ranging from being the game’s winner to how many wins a team can get over the span of a season; read below for more detail!

Simple Betting Types

The simplest and most common betting types are the following:

• MoneyLine – A bet on who will win
• Point Spread – A bet on the team that will win based on a spread of points that will either be given or taken away from the final result. Example: Green Bay -5 means that Green Bay would need to win by 6 points to cash the bet
• Point Total – A bet on how many total points will be in a game given a line. Example: Over 225 means the combined total between the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics will need to be 226 or more

These three bets are almost always featured directly next to the event, as seen below.

Other bets that are also very simple include prop bets, which is essentially a bet on whether or not something will happen throughout an event, primarily a stat. Prop bets are often over-under totals bets, which means there will be a line provided, and the bet will be on whether or not the stat will be over or under that line (similar to point totals).

Prop bets can also be extended to bets that take place over the entire season, which are called futures and can be on things like how many wins a team will get or the player that wins MVP or rookie of the year. Other betting types include live bets, which occur while the event is in progress.

Complex Betting Types

Some complex betting types include parlays, round robins, and same-game parlays, which all can be used to get bets with great odds! Parlays, for example, are more than one of the simple bets added together for better odds, meaning everything in the bet needs to happen for the entire thing to win.

Same-game parlays are very similar to parlays, except they include multiple prop bets from a specific game. Prop bets can be parlayed together on several online sports betting sites as long as they are from different games, however, some allow users to make multiple prop bets from the same event.

Round robins use parlays to combine three or more picks into all parlay combinations possible to give users several ways to win and somewhat hedge their bets. A hedge allows users to bet on other outcomes to win some of their money back, so in a round-robin situation, the smaller parlays are hedging for the larger parlays.

Best Betting Markets for Beginners

The best sports betting markets for beginners depend on the user joining the platform because the most accessible sport to bet on is whatever you know the best! Bet on the sports you follow the closest because it gives you more insight into your picks, giving you a higher chance of winning.

Some sports are much more difficult to bet on because individual matchups of teams or athletes only have two outcomes (or three with a tie), while races and golf tournaments are more difficult. These markets are more difficult because more than two teams or athletes compete for the same prize, meaning more choices are available in the field.

The best bets to be made as a beginner are straight bets and small parlays to start learning the way of the land. I don’t recommend a parlay larger than three legs when just starting out because often, people will see the big payout of a ten-legger and think it’s a sure thing when it’s a long shot.

Sports Betting Strategies for Beginners

Beginners should take several different approaches to sports betting as they should both bet conservatively and on what they know and use daily or weekly promotions to their advantage. Promotions are essential to learn early as they’re the best way to boost your bankroll!

The primary strategy I can teach beginners is to take things slowly and only place simple wagers until you’re very comfortable with your betting position and branch out into more comfortable small two or three-leg parlays. Small same-game parlays are also a good choice for beginners because it allows users to bet on a few different stats happening throughout the event.

The second strategy is to bet on what you know and always do your research. Any sport you’re familiar with can be researched to determine the best bet for each matchup based on the team or athlete’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, you will want to look up offensive and defensive ranks for the NBA and the history of their last five games to see if they are on a hot or cold streak.

On a similar note, NBA promo codes or Football betting promo codes for NFL betting can provide a second chance or some kind of insurance if your first bet doesn’t go as planned.

States in the U.S. Where Online Sports Betting is Legalized

Federal legislation in 2018 paved the way for states to determine their local gambling and choose to allow citizens to gamble their money online legally. As more states continue to legalize sports betting online, more sportsbooks are joining the market to dip their toe in the booming sports betting industry.

Since the change, there have been 22 total states where online sports betting has been legalized, and more states are considering it in current legislation. The 22 states where sports gambling is currently legal are:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Kansas
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Summary

Overall, any of the biggest sportsbooks are perfect for beginners because they have the most available resources for new users to educate themselves on their bets before making them. While the five sportsbooks above are in my personal order, they could be in any order for new users because of how good each of them are.

One of the main things you’ll want to look for is the sportsbook’s welcome bonus, and I’ve named my personal top five above in quantity and quality. New users should also accommodate themselves with recurring sports betting promo codes because they give them the most bang for their buck.

FAQ’s