Our experts rank their best online gambling sites for real money

More online gambling sites are operating in the US than ever before. That includes online casinos, online sportsbooks and online poker sites.

Here’s an expert overview of the best gambling sites currently available. We cover what the top gambling sites offer, how to create a new betting account and other key details to help you make informed online gambling decisions.

How to find the best gambling site

There are many different factors you should consider when evaluating online gambling sites. Before joining one, be sure that it provides the features listed below.

Legal in your state

First, you must ensure the online gambling site operates legally in your location. That means it is licensed and regulated.

Many states allow online sports betting, and daily fantasy sports is almost everywhere. Only a handful of states allow real money online casinos. When deciding whether to join an online gambling site, don’t even begin to consider it unless the site is legal in your jurisdiction.

A variety of wagering products

Beyond that, look for a gambling site that best suits your needs. The ones we recommend offer not only sports betting but also casino games, plus DFS and horse betting, in some cases.

If you’re a fan of all of those, pick a site that allows you to easily move between these different gambling options with the same betting account.

Other factors to consider when choosing a gambling site include:

• Game selection and betting options
• Site and app design and usability
• Competitive odds (for sports betting) and high RTP (return to player) percentages for slots and casino games
• Brand reputation
• Welcome offers and ongoing bonuses and promotions
• Available banking options
• Payout speeds for withdrawals
• Customer service and ways to connect with support

How we review the best gambling sites

The evaluation process for the best gambling sites starts with the factors listed above. To arrive at our rankings and recommendations, we individually test all the sites to get a first-hand sense of how each site looks and functions.

A breakdown of our process for reviewing the best gambling sites in 2024 is featured here:

1. Reviewing the selection of games and betting options: We spend time looking at and testing all of the games provided by these operators to ensure they run smoothly using a desktop and mobile device.
2. Ensuring banking methods are secure: Payment security is a must-have for any gambling sites we recommend. We prefer platforms offering a variety of methods to make deposits and withdrawals.
3. Testing customer support options: All reputable gambling sites provide their members with a variety of customer support options. We test each one to ensure they can answer questions quickly and effectively.
4. Claiming bonuses and promotions: We prefer to claim bonuses to help ensure they work as intended. We will always be quick to point out bonuses that come with unfavorable terms and conditions.

Our staff includes writers and editors with extensive experience covering the gambling industry. They bring that wealth of knowledge and expertise to our judgments of how online gambling sites compare.

We are also entirely independent and accept no outside editorial input for our reporting or reviews.

NJ.com’s best gambling sites

After a thorough rating and review process, we’ve narrowed down the five best gambling sites currently operating in the US.

Caesars Palace Online Casino & Caesars Sportsbook

• Products offered: Online casino, online sportsbook, online horse race betting
• Caesars Palace legal states: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• Caesars Sportsbook legal states: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia

Caesars has been a flagship brand in the gaming industry for decades and has become a significant provider of legal online gambling options in many states, particularly for online casino games and online sports betting.

Caesars Interactive Entertainment was among the first companies to launch an online casino back in late 2013. Today, Caesars has online casinos operating in four states, operating as Caesars Palace Online Casino in Michigan, West Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The first online Caesars Sportsbook launched in 2018, and it now provides online sports betting in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia.

In 2022, Caesars launched its horse betting app, Caesars Racebook. It’s available in 22 states.

Caesars Sportsbook has become a major national player in online sports betting with its ubiquitous promotional campaigns. It provides odds on all major sports including football, baseball and basketball.

Caesars previously owned the WSOP.com online poker site, which offered legal poker in four states. It sold that product in August 2024 and does not currently offer poker playing options.

BetMGM Online Casino & Sportsbook

• Products offered: Online casino, online sportsbook, online poker
• BetMGM Casino legal states: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• BetMGM Sportsbook legal states: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia

BetMGM is the online gambling arm of MGM International. There are now BetMGM sites for online sports betting, online casino and online poker.

After starting as PlayMGM in 2018, BetMGM Sportsbook rebranded, and the “King of Sportsbooks” (as it calls itself) is now available in almost half of US states.

Meanwhile, BetMGM online casino has been up and running as a legal NJ online casino since 2017 and later launched in WV, PA and MI.

BetMGM Poker also first went live in 2017 and is currently available in three states (MI, NJ, PA).

Gamblers continue to praise BetMGM’s products, especially the online casino and sportsbook. The casino features a huge selection of games, including many exclusive to BetMGM. The sportsbook has a wide variety of markets and bet types available.

FanDuel Online Casino & Sportsbook

• Products offered: Online casino, online sportsbook, online horse race betting, daily fantasy
• FanDuel Casino legal states: Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• FanDuel Sportsbook legal states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia

FanDuel first came to prominence as a major daily fantasy sports provider in 2009. It later added sports betting, casino, and horse betting to its online gambling options.

The first FanDuel Sportsbook went live in 2018 and is now available in over a 20 states.

FanDuel’s sportsbook has become a favorite for bettors thanks to its many same-game parlay promos and other features. It also offers live streaming options via its popular FanDuel TV product.

FanDuel Casino had its launch in PA in 2020 and is now also live in CT, MI, NJ and WV.

The FanDuel Casino has a narrower library of games than some competing sites. A little more than 200 titles are available, including a selection of slots, table games and live dealer options.

DraftKings Online Casino & Sportsbook

• Products offered: Online casino, online sportsbook, online horse race betting, daily fantasy
• DraftKings Casino legal states: Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• DraftKings Sportsbook legal states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia

DraftKings is a trusted brand and a top choice for online sports betting, online casino games, daily fantasy sports, and even horse betting.

This platform became a DFS giant not long after launching in 2012. Then, in 2018, DraftKings launched its first DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey and now offers legal sports betting in more than two dozen states.

This betting operator also launched its first online casino in early 2019 and now has online casinos in multiple states.

Finally, in 2023, the company launched a new horse betting product, DK Horse. It’s available in 20 states.

The multiple platforms all feature the same attractive green-and-black color scheme and are intuitively designed. In states with multiple products, DraftKings makes it simple to move between them, making it a terrific all-purpose online gambling site.

Fanatics Online Casino & Sportsbook

• Products offered: Online casino, online sportsbook
• Fanatics Casino legal states: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania West Virginia
• Fanatics Sportsbook legal states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia

Fanatics made headlines in 2021 when it announced the launch of its online sports betting operations. It then quickly entered the US online casino industry.

This platform expanded rapidly and now offers online casino gaming options in four states, and online sports betting options in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Our experts have spent a considerable amount of time testing Fanatics Sportsbook. It impresses in almost every way, with a sleek user interface and a massive variety of odds. Fanatics Sportsbook provides some unique wagering options, including same-game parlays on all major sporting events.

The live sportsbook at Fanatics is excellent, too. Users easily can place wagers live on events taking place around the world. This online sportsbook also has a great live-streaming platform, allowing users to watch and wager on sports as they take place.

Fanatics’ online casino product is also fantastic. Users have access to over 200 slot titles and a variety of popular table games (and their variations) such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.

Like many other modern online casinos, Fanatics operates a great live dealer product. It partnered with Evolution Gaming to provide more than 10 live games – more than some top competitors.

Is online gambling legal in the US?

Online gambling is legal in many US states, though not all of them. Most states that do allow online gambling will permit some forms while prohibiting others.

Online sports betting is by far the most prevalent form of online gambling allowed in the US, and is legal in nearly 40 states. Daily fantasy sports also is either explicitly legal or allowed (i.e., not explicitly illegal) in most of the US.

Betting on horse races online is also legal nearly everywhere in the US. Meanwhile, legal real money online poker and online casinos are less prevalent and are only allowed in a handful of states.

Make sure any gambling site you use is licensed and regulated to operate in your jurisdiction.

You should be able to find the regulators’ seal on the site itself, such as in New Jersey, where all legal gambling sites display the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) seal.

If you live in a state where online casinos are not legal, you can legally play casino-style games on social casino apps or at sweeps cash casinos.

Is online gambling safe?

Once you’ve determined that a gambling site is legally operating in your state, you can be assured that your personal information and funds are safe and secure when you play the games or place bets.

Regulators audit all legal online gambling sites in the US to ensure they operate fairly and follow necessary protocols to protect customers’ privacy.

If you ever encounter problems when gambling on a licensed site, it is legally required to help you try to resolve your issue.

Remember, however, that even though online gambling might be safe, gambling isn’t for everyone.

Those who suffer from problem gambling are strongly advised not to seek out online gambling sites. Never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose, and if you do suffer from problem gambling, understand there are many ways to get help.

See more: Keys to responsible gambling and how to find help for problem gambling

How to avoid illegal gambling sites

You might encounter online gambling sites that are not legal in your state but claim to be.

These “rogue” sites generally operate outside the US and do not abide by US state gambling laws or regulations. You run a great risk if you deposit money or gamble on these sites. They open you up to all sorts of possible negative consequences, and you have no legal recourse should they occur.

Always look for the regulators’ seal to confirm an online gambling site is operating legally in your state. See here for a full list of the best online casinos that are legal and licensed in your state.

Types of online gambling available in the US

Online gambling sites offer many ways to gamble, including all of the most popular varieties:

Sports betting

The best online sports betting sites offer all the same traditional sports bets as brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and then some.

It is easy to place moneyline, spread and totals bets on every major sport, league or sporting event. You also can bet parlays, individual and team props, futures and place live bets while the game is in action.

Casino

Online casinos always offer slots, including progressive jackpot slots. They also typically offer a range of table games, including:

• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Video poker

You’ll additionally find most New Jersey online casinos (and elsewhere) offer online live dealer casino games, which feature a dealer managing the game from a live studio, thereby combining the convenience of online gambling with the social aspect of in-person gambling.

Horse betting

Many horse betting sites and apps offer advance deposit wagering on horse races from around the country and the world.

These sites allow all the different “straight” and “exotic” wagers horse bettors like to make and, in some cases, even enable live streaming of simulcast races.

Poker

Online poker sites enable players to compete against one another in cash games, tournaments, and sit-n-gos. You’ll even find some online-only forms of poker, such as the “fast-fold” games, which involve playing cash games with a pool of players constantly rotating from table to table.

No-Limit Texas Hold’em is the most popular variant online, but look for Pot-Limit Omaha, stud variants, and even Badugi or other lesser-known games.

Our recommended banking methods on gambling sites

Legal online gambling sites offer safe and secure ways to deposit funds and cash out your winnings.

When choosing a site, check the available deposit and withdrawal options and any other information about payout speeds, minimums and maximums. Common deposit methods at many online gambling sites include:

• ACH funds transfer (e.g., VIP Preferred)
• credit and debit cards
• electronic gift card
• online banking
• PayNearMe
• PayPal, Skrill, Venmo
• prepaid cards (e.g., site-branded Play+ cards)
• wire transfer

You usually have fewer options for withdrawing funds, but most sites give you multiple ways to take out money. Also, whenever a gambling site partners with a retail casino, you usually can conduct banking in person at the casino cage (for both deposits and withdrawals).

Best gambling site bonuses

Online gambling sites offer enticing bonuses to lure in new customers and satisfy long-time bettors.

Online casino no deposit bonuses and deposit match bonuses are common across many types of gambling sites, as are instant cash bonuses, reload bonuses, refer-a-friend bonuses and rewards offered from participation in loyalty programs.

Other types of bonuses are specific to the kind of gambling site, for example:

• Online sportsbook bonuses: bonus bets, no sweat bets, boosted odds
• Online casino bonuses: casino credits, free spins, jackpots
• Horse betting sites: bet refunds, bet insurance, site credits
• Online poker sites: freerolls (tournaments requiring no entry fee), free entries into real money tournaments

Always read through the terms and conditions of the bonus. When the offer looks good, take advantage.