Last Updated:
Jul 4, 2025
Legal Online Betting
Find All The Legal Ways to Bet Where You Live
Not every state has legal sportsbooks - but every state has legal ways to bet. We break down all your options and help you get started.
Online Betting Options in Your State: State by State Legal Betting Guide
Find the right betting format for you
Legal betting in the U.S. isn’t always as simple as downloading an app and placing a bet. It depends on where you live - and what kind of betting you’re interested in. Some states allow sportsbooks. Others allow fantasy contests. And in a lot of places, the most accessible option might be a social sportsbook or a prediction market.
If that sounds confusing, you're not alone. Most people only hear about the big names like FanDuel or DraftKings. But the truth is, there are several legal ways to bet out there, each with their own rules, pros, and quirks. That’s why Betting Scanner was built: to help regular people understand what’s legal, what’s safe, and what their best options are to bet on sports, casino games, or more.
Whether you're brand new to gambling or just looking for better options in your state, we’ll guide you through the full landscape - from fantasy and social sportsbooks to real-money promos and beyond.
Learn All the Legal Ways to Bet in the US
Cole Redding
- Editor-in-Chief
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to legal betting in the U.S. I’ve seen too many folks miss out - or worse, fall into shady offshore sites - just because they didn’t know their options. That’s why this site exists.
At Betting Scanner, we break down every legal way to bet - from traditional sportsbooks and fantasy pick’ems to sweepstakes sites and prediction markets. We explain how they work, where they’re legal, and which ones are actually worth your time.
Every betting format has its own pros and cons - and we want to help you find the one that fits you. Our mission is to help you bet smarter, offering clear answers, real comparisons, and advice you can trust.
As Seen on
What Can You Bet On Legally? All Betting Options in the US
Whether you're into traditional sports betting, fantasy contests, or looking to explore alternative betting formats like Sweepstakes or Prediction Markets - there’s probably at least one legal way for you to play in your state. Below you can learn about all the different legal betting formats available to US players.
Real-Money Sportsbooks
Bet on pro & college games with licensed U.S. sportsbooks.
Social & Sweepstakes Sportsbooks
Sports betting using virtual coins, with real money prize potential.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Compete in pick’em and traditional fantasy formats for real money.
Prediction Markets
Trade on real-world outcomes like elections, policy moves, and more.
Comparing Betting Formats
Category
Game Format
What Can You
Bet On
Bet On
Types of Bets
Live Betting
Payouts
Cashout
Options
Options
Legality
Regulator
KYC Required
Welcome Bonus
Loyalty Program
Referral Program
Sportsbooks
Odds-based betslip
Sports (NFL, NBA, UFC)
Straights, parlays, props, futures, etc
✅
Real money
PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, debit cards, ACH, + more
State-regulated
State commissions
✅
✅
✅
✅
Daily FantaSy TraditionaL
Salary cap, roster build
Player performance
Fantasy scoring
❌
Real money or entries
PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, debit cards, ACH, + more
State-regulated / Legal in most states
Varies by state
✅
✅
✅
✅
Daily FantaSy
Pick 'Em
Pick 'Em
Entry slip (2–6 picks)
Player props (O/U)
Over/under stat lines
❌
Real money
PayPal, Venmo, debit cards, ACH, Paysafe + more
State-regulated / Gray area in most states
Varies by state
✅
✅
❌
✅
Prediction Markets
Buy shares in outcomes
Politics, news, crypto, sports
Yes/No binary outcomes
✅
Real money or crypto
Crypto, ACH
Regulated by CFTC
CFTC
✅
✅
❌
✅
The Team Behind Betting Scanner
Editor-in-Chief
Cole Redding
- Editor-in-Chief
Cole cut his teeth as a sportswriter in Texas, covering everything from Longhorns games to small-town Friday night lights. A lifelong bettor stuck with offshore books for over a decade thanks to Texas' slow path to legalization, he eventually found his way into the world of social sportsbooks - where he uncovered a fast-growing, community of bettors.
Today, he writes for the millions of Americans in states without legal books, helping them explore safe ways to bet without running afoul of the law.
As editor-in-chief, he keeps BettingScanner honest, human, and grounded in what bettors actually care about: fairness, fun, and finding your lane - even when the state won’t give you one.
Main Expertise: Social Sportsbooks, Sweepstakes, Alt Formats
Location: Austin, Texas
Prediction Markets Expert
Ari Vega
- Prediction Markets Betting Expert
Ari started out as a poker grinder, then a crypto trader, before stumbling onto prediction markets. He’s now deep into platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, betting on everything from politics to pop culture to tech layoffs. If it has uncertainty and odds, Ari’s in.
Skeptical by nature, Ari is fully convinced that the weirdest bets often hide the sharpest edges. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to beat the market by reading the news better than everyone else - Ari’s here to show you how.
Main Expertise: Poker, Speculative markets, crypto trading
Location: Online nomad (currently NYC)
Senior Sportsbook Analyst
JD Daniels
- Senior Sportsbook Analyst
JD has been betting since 2009, back when his bookie was a guy named Vin who ran lines out of Philly. He survived the sketchy offshore days (barely) and made the jump to regulated sportsbooks the second New Jersey legalized in 2018. Since then, he’s turned hunting bonuses and exploiting odds boosts into an art form.
These days, JD specializes in helping new bettors skip the rookie mistakes, as well as showing seasoned ones how to play the promo game like a pro. If there’s a bonus to be had or a line that doesn’t look right, JD’s probably already on it.
Main Expertise: Traditional Sports Betting, Bonuses & Promos
Location: New Jersey
Fantasy & DFS Specialist
Nate Lin
- DFS Specialist & Sports Analytics Lead
Nate is the guy in your league who drafts three RBs in the first four rounds, fades the consensus TE pick, and still beats you in the playoffs. Every year.
Living for data, matchups, and micro-edges, Nate doesn’t just play daily fantasy sports - he breaks them down like markets. With a background in data analysis and a decade of grinding DFS and pick’em formats, Nate’s built a reputation for spotting inefficiencies before the crowd.
Whether it’s NFL, NBA, or MLB, if it involves player performance and real money, Nate’s tracking it, charting it, and finding edges.
Main Expertise: Season-long fantasy, DFS, pick’em, best ball
Location: Milwaukee, WI
