Best Offshore Sportsbooks Reddit
I am looking to finally use a nice bankroll and start taking this a little more seriously. I'm looking for opinions on the hands down, best offshore site to use. Everywhere I seem to look says Betonline is the best overall and that Bovada is garbage. I'm just looking for some real opinions from fellow degens. Best Online Sportsbooks USA. There are numerous sports betting sites that have appeared online across the globe. SBS’ experts have narrowed down the list to the top 5 online sportsbooks that allow placing sports bets in the United States. Below you will find the current ranking of the best offshore sportsbooks for us players. Top 5 sportsbooks is a leading reviewer of the greatest offshore sports betting sites online. We offer authentic sportsbook reviews helping you choose some of the best offshore sportsbooks in the industry. As players at these five offshore sportsbooks, we've found all 5 to offer safe, reliable, and discrete online sports betting, each one.
Unlike the online casino industry, where people have much more choice in quality establishments, the world of offshore sports betting has never had the options casino players enjoy. Sure, at first look it seems that there are a ton of online sportsbooks, but if you dig just a bit deeper, the truth is that most of those offshore betting sites are pure crap. Despite the many offshore sportsbooks, fact is that only a handful of them are trustworthy and really worthy of patronizing. As you can see, our list of recommended sportsbooks include only 3 of them; a testament to the quality of those betting websites, but also an evidence of the struggles the sports bettors have to endure, compared to casino players.
The list of the top offshore sportsbooks is next, and we have also included our reviews and thoughts on why each sportsbook deserves a place in our ranking. These three USA sportsbooks are of the highest quality, and honestly, the only places we would be comfortable to bet. Despite the limited selection, one should be able to find a match, regardless of the type of bettor – pro or casual. But we highly recommend you avoid any other sportsbook, at least for the foreseeable future.
Best Online Sportsbooks and Betting Sites:
Rank | Sportsbook | Bonus | Payout Speed | Best For | Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | $500 | Extremely Fast 1-2 days | Pros | ||
#2 | $250 | Fast 2-4 days | Casual | ||
#3 | $750 | Very Fast 2-3 days | Both |
It’s important to underline the incredible fact that none of the sportsbooks on this list have missed any payments during the coronavirus epidemic, when for months no sports were being played anywhere in the world. Why is this fact so important – because it shows how financially stable and reliable these offshore betting sites are. When for months all their customers did was withdraw money from their betting accounts, these sportsbooks not only processed those payments in a timely fashion, but didn’t make bettors jump through hoops in order to get their much needed money.
So if you want to have the maximum possible peace of mind when betting online, choose any of these USA online sportsbooks and you won’t have to worry about a single thing. Sadly, there is a reason why our best sportsbook list is so short. Plenty of “famous” (read: those with a lot of advertising) betting websites failed to support their customers during those times of trial.
Bookmaker Review
Bookmaker is sitting atop our list of best online sportsbooks for a good reason, it is undoubtedly the best offshore sportsbook and has been for many years. This sports betting website is so good, it often outranks the Vegas sportsbooks when comparing features.
First, it’s reputation is impeccable; for well over 20 years Bookmaker has been a reliable betting site, always paying on time, never playing any games with its customers, there is really nothing bad you’d read on the Internet about Bookmaker. In other words, these guys always pay and they pay on time, without any BS.
Bookmaker is also the most liquid offshore sportsbook, something extremely important to both pro bettors and casual players alike. After all, how can you expect a sportsbook to pay its customers’ winnings, if they don’t have the money to cover their position? This betting company, however, is as rock solid financially, as they come. One can bet here without any worries about getting their payouts processed in a timely manner. Bookmaker has weathered many a storm in the online gambling industry and we are 100% confident they will continue to do so in the future.
Another great feature many bettors appreciate is the very high betting limits Bookmaker offers its customers. If you consider yourself a high stakes betting enthusiast, this top online sportsbook got you covered. Which brings us back to the importance of having solid financials – you can’t take and pay high stakes bets, if you don’t have the liquidity to cover them. But bets in the teens of thousands of dollars are an every week thing with this excellent betting site. Pro bettors and sharps choose Bookmaker over any other betting website, because here they are always welcome to try their skills.
Overall, this is truly the best online sportsbook, bar none! It has been rated highest for many years and it is one of the very few bright spots in the offshore sports betting market.
Bovada Sportsbook Review
The Bovada online casino has long been ranked in the top 3 casinos on our website, but did you know that Bovada also runs one of the most successful and solid sports betting websites? That’s right, the Bovada sportsbook gives bettors the same high quality service the casino side of the business does. The sportsbook, along with the casino and poker room, make Bovada the compete gambling package. And we would’ve had it at the top spot, if it weren’t for a few small shortcomings; plus, it’s really hard to dethrone Bookmaker from the first spot on the top online sportsbook ranking.
Bovada has an excellent bonus for new betting accounts and you can expect to find solid odds on nearly every sport being played all over the world. Want to bet on darts or snooker – no problem, the sportsbook has odds on such obscure sporting events, as well. Plenty of betting markets and tons of props on everything, from NFL props to winners of elections and reality shows, Bovada will offer you odds on anything.
Where we feel Bovada drops the ball a bit is in the high stakes betting options. While the sportsbook is well known for shunning away sharps, sometimes it feels that they are going somewhat overboard. Quite a few people have seen their betting limits lowered quite a bit, when the betting site suspects them of being sharp, arbing or acting like pro bettors. No doubt, this offshore sportsbook caters mostly towards the casual bettor, pros should avoid it.
But if you just want to bet on sports, without any shenanigans, you can’t go wrong with Bovada. The sportsbook, as well as the casino, is solid financially, pays on time and without hustle, offers plenty of betting options, odds and props, and the bonuses are the biggest you can find among the good offshore sportsbooks.
5 Dimes Review (CLOSED)
Normally we would’ve ranked the 5Dimes sportsbook right after Bookmaker, but this offshore betting website is heavily geared towards pro bettors, with high betting limits, low juice, many bet options, that we decided that Bovada, with its bonuses and ease of use, would be a better option for the casual bettor. That said, 5Dimes is an excellent online sportsbook for anyone looking to squeeze the most out of their bankroll when they bet on sports.
The most famous feature of this betting site is, without doubt, their low juice odds. Among the best online sportsbooks, 5Dimes offers the best odds thanks to the reduced juice, which many pro bettors actively look for when choosing a sports betting website. Not only is the vig smaller than any other offshore gambling website, here customers can go even further – choosing their own odds. On many sporting events, there would be multiple options you can choose from to place a bet. For example, you can move the point spread any way you want – don’t like the -3.5 points, simply change it to 4 or 3 points. Naturally the payout odds will also change, but no other top sportsbook would even think to give you this option, to begin with.
Besides the ability to set your own odds, lines and payout, 5Dimes is also a very stable offshore sportsbook. They have been in business for over two decades and are yet to miss payments, even through the several though times the sports betting industry has had to endure.
The focus of our Offshore Betting Sites guide is to provide accurate and up to date information about the legal status and reliable accessibility of betting entertainment for US players. Offshore sports betting is certainly an integral part of that focus and likely carries the most questions considering the dramatic changes that the US sports gambling market has undergone since 2017.
To provide a comprehensive and well-rounded view of this industry, we will provide information about relevant US gambling laws that impact sports betting, which legally licensed sportsbooks accept US players, and what the advantages are for going with offshore sportsbooks.
Best Offshore Sportsbooks For Americans
The following sports betting sites are located offshore and can legally accept wagers from players in the United States. We only list a couple as we are really only interested in the absolute upper echelon of trusted sports betting sites.
These top sportsbooks are legitimately licensed and regulated, offer a wide range of wagering options, odds and betting lines, and deliver a feature-rich, high-quality wagering experience that includes mobile betting and live betting. They have a secure banking suite with US friendly deposit methods, fast payouts, and substantial bonus offers and promotions.
Site Name | Bonus Offer | Payout | U.S. | Join |
---|---|---|---|---|
50% Bonus Max $250 | 24-48 Hours | |||
50% Bonus Max $1,000 | 24-48 Hours |
Are There Advantages to Offshore Online Sports Betting?
There are numerous advantages to placing bets at an offshore location versus dealing with local bookies. Here are just a few of the benefits you can experience by playing with an offshore sportsbook:
- Licensed and regulated online bookmakers operating outside of US borders are legally sanctioned and there is nothing illegal about Americans placing bets at these destinations. On the flip side, state-based bookies are illegal in most regions throughout the US. Though domestic sports wagering is currently on the rise, the industry is too young to have widespread access to local bookies just yet.
- Online sportsbooks offer 24/7 access through the convenience of your PC, laptop or mobile device.
- Offshore sportsbooks offer you attractive incentives, reduced juice, bonuses and promotions that Vegas and other state-regulated sports wagering markets cannot. Vegas bookies may offer you a free drink, but you can get lower juice options, free bonus money and free slot spins at online gambling sites.
- You never have to travel anywhere to place bets at online bookmakers; simply create an account and log in anytime you want. Domestic sportsbooks require you to be within a specific proximity to them or their servers.
- They provide mobile access from smartphones and tablets, allowing bettors action on the go from anywhere that they have an Intenet or cellular connection.
- Online banking options make it possible to fund your account or request a withdrawal from your PC, laptop or mobile device.
- Security measures are such that playing online is actually safer than walking around with money.
- No matter what the sport is, you can probably find it with an offshore site; they simply have a ton of US-based and international sports on which you can wager.
- You will find many more line options, prop bets, and live, in play betting opportunities with offshore sites via the Internet.
Why Domestic Sports Gambling Has Been Illegal In the US – the Big Three Betting Restrictions
Even though there are popular hotbeds for gambling entertainment within the United States such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, and others, there have also been some very restrictive laws in play. Online sports betting is in its infancy in America due to these restrictive laws. They have changed recently, so here’s a look at the three most prominent regulations which were largely responsible for the boom in offshore sportsbooks for US players in the first place.
The Federal Wire Act
Technically known as the Interstate Wire Act, this is a piece of government legislation passed in 1961 that made it illegal for anyone in America to knowingly accept wagers via a wire (which at the time only included telephones). The law has evolved over time to include Internet gambling, with its application evolving even more in recent years. Until 2011, the law prohibited all forms of domestic online wagering, including online sports wagers.
After the 2011 DOJ formal opinion was issued, the law only kept sports related wagering on the hook. However, after the 2018 repeal of PASPA, the law now only outlaws online interstate wagering.
Since the modification of the Wire Act’s application, state-based online casino, poker, and sports gambling are now permitted within the states that allow gambling and have passed appropriate legislation to legalize and regulate it. The Federal Wire Act does not and never has prohibited offshore online sports betting.
PASPA
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, also called the Bradley Act, was supposedly the government’s way to protect athletes from the influence of things like points shaving and undue pressure to make spreads. Oregon, Delaware, Nevada, and Montana were exempt from PASPA, but in every other state sports betting was expressly illegal.
This all changed when New Jersey decided they were indeed going to offer state-regulated sports gambling entertainment. Lawsuits were filed by the major sports leagues and court cases made it all the way to the Supreme Court, where eventually they ruled in NJ’s favor.
In May of 2018, SCOTUS determined that PASPA was indeed unconstitutional and the law was effectively struck down. There are no longer any federal laws that tell individual states that they cannot allow bookmakers to be regulated within their borders. PASPA has never had any relevance to offshore sports betting and did not ever make it a crime to bet on sports online.
UIGEA
Signed by President George W. Bush, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, known as the UIGEA, is that big piece of legislation that almost killed the poker boom by itself and brought the entire online gambling industry to its knees. This act basically placed heavy regulations on how gambling related transactions were to be processed by banks and/or credit card companies, or rather how they were to be rejected by the financial powers that be.
While debilitating to the industry at first, reputable and legitimate sportsbook operators and payment processors have learned to operate within the confines of this law, and the top offshore sportsbooks have returned to the US gambling market. The UIGEA bill has always been directed solely to financial institutions and does not directly impact the act of placing bets online in any way.
Is Offshore Sports Betting Legal?
Offshore Sportsbooks Ratings
Yes, they are, as long as they possess legitimate credentials verifying their licensing and good standing with the regulatory agencies within the jurisdiction in which they operate. This is something we verify for every gambling site we recommend or that we personally place wagers at. We are not just analysts, we also possess extensive experience as bettors.
All of the above mentioned federal laws have one common thread: they all specifically target the actual business operations, not gamblers. None of them has ever criminalized or made placing bets at offshore gambling sites illegal. The application of these laws is often misrepresented by gambling opponents.
All you really need to remember and/or focus on is that any sports-related bets you place must always be done through a legally licensed destination that is subject to regulatory oversight and that is operating within the industry legally. The same holds true for the following types of online gambling venues:
Types of Sports Covered by Offshore Bookmakers
One big benefit of offshore sportsbooks that we mentioned is that you get to gamble on an incredibly wide variety of sports. Not only can you find all of the popular US-based sports that you love, like football, hockey, etc, but there are also tons of international sports on which you can bet as well. Here are just a few of the many different types of sports you can find to bet on via a reputable sportsbook:
- Football (NFL, amateur, College NCAAF, Canadian, etc)
- Basketball (NBA, College NCAAB, D-league, Euro, etc)
- Golf (all tournaments and rounds)
- Hockey (multiple leagues, pro, and amateur)
- Baseball
- Boxing (all weight classes)
- UFC (most every ultimate fighting league and match)
- Martial arts (local and international competition)
- Soccer (Champions League, FIFA, MLS, etc)
- Tennis (every major tournament)
- Lacrosse (multiple leagues)
- Softball (local and international)
- Olympic Games
- Racing (NASCAR, trucks, bikes, etc)
- Esports
- And much more
Do Offshore Betting Sites Offer Mobile Apps?
According to most reputable reports and statistics from technology analysts out there, it’s clear that we are already to the point that mobile computing is very close to being the number-one way the web is accessed. This means that most people in the USA who gamble are already looking for mobile-friendly sportsbooks so they can play from their iPads, tablets, and smartphones. Are these offshore bookies remaining technologically relevant when it comes to mobile applications? This is definitely an area we check out.
When we review and recommend a sportsbook to you, that site needs to have good mobile technology integrated into their framework. This means a responsive mobile interface that is compatible with any device, and a great software platform that is quick-loading and reliable. We also prefer that no downloads are required and that account management processes, such as banking functions, profile edits, claiming bonuses and talking to customer support are accessible through a sportsbook’s mobile app as well.
Our Process for Selecting The Best Legal Offshore Sports Betting Sites
Our offshore betting site review process is intense and covers hundreds of elements pertaining to an online gambling operation. Here is a list of just a few of the components we examine and evaluate during this process.
- Documentation of legitimate licensing and regulatory oversight
- A record of fair-play and documented compliance certifications from third-party agencies that support legitimacy and trustworthiness.
- Well designed, reliable and glitch-free user interface for PC, laptop and mobile devices.
- Lag-free, quick-loading site and/or mobile application
- Multiple lucrative bonuses, promotions, incentives, and rewards
- Strong security profile with a successful record for ensuring player safety with financial transactions and identity information
- Reliable payment structures; e.g. sportsbooks that operate like a bank
- Multiple separate banking options for deposits and withdrawals, processing of transactions efficiently and quickly, we want to see lightning-fast payouts
- Great customer support that is knowledgeable and responsive
- Ironclad account security to protect your account transactions and funds
- A wide range of sports categories, betting lines, odds and wagering options
- A site that accepts Americans with open arms
- A site that deals in USD so you don’t have to deal with currency conversions.
- And so so much more
How To Sign Up with an Offshore Sportsbook
To ensure you’re properly signing up for a sportsbook, as book A and B may be different, make sure you’re following precisely the instructions given to you by the site. But here are a couple of universal things that can help you with the process.
Offshore Sportsbooks
- Make sure you have an email address to use that you know well and can access easily
- Make sure you check out the payment options at the site you are considering and that they are viable for you to fund your account with
- Sign up with multiple sportsbooks so that you can shop the betting lines for the best odds on a particular game, match or event.
- Never sign up and deposit unless you’re actually going to bet. You don’t want to leave money just hanging out in your account if you’re not truly interested in wagering.
Hopefully, you will leave this page more informed than when you arrived, and that you walk away with information that benefits you as you determine whether or not online sports betting is a good fit for you. If it is, then our recommended bookmakers are a great place to start. If not, then you’ve still found what you were looking for, answers.
Best Offshore Sportsbooks Reddit Streams
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