The Best US Bookmakers With Free Bets In 2020
Legal online sports betting has been a reality in the US for almost two years now. But as states are free to craft their own rules, progress has been somewhat slow and uneven. Still, there are plenty of reputed online bookmakers offering NFL, NBA, MLB, and other major betting markets to US punters in 2020.
It is important that you rely only on the top brands in sports betting in the US. Americans have always been crazy about wagering on sports online, even when the ban was in place. As a result, there were plenty of shady sites offering bets to the US market.
Now that everything has been legalized, you have the option to opt for clean and legal US sportsbooks with free bets, instead of those dodgy sites with questionable business tactics. Here are the most trusted US bookmakers for sports betting in 2020, with their pros and cons:
1. Bovada
There is only one US sportsbook that garners universal acclaim across forums and reviews sites all over the web and that is Bovada. This site is the undisputed king of online sportsbooks in the US. The bookmaker, formerly known as Bodog, has been serving US bettors for well over two decades now.
The company behind Bodog spun off its US-facing sportsbook as Bovada in 2011. Even after the rebranding, Bovada has managed to maintain its stellar reputation in the American market. You can look at them from any angle – available betting markets, customer service, punctuality of payouts – and they always come out on top, well ahead of the competition.
Only Americans are allowed to register at Bovada, but with a few notable restrictions. The company does not allow residents of Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland to place bets on the site, due to state laws. And if you are Canadian, you can use their sister site, the famous Bodog.
Licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission in Canada, and owned by the Morris Mohawk Group, Bovada offers bets on all major sports and leagues in the US and the rest of the world. Regular players can claim bonuses, free bets, and enroll in their lucrative rewards program.
2. Bookmaker.eu
If you want a US-friendly sportsbook that welcomes players from all states (except New Jersey as of 2019), Bookmaker.eu is just what the doctor ordered for you! Live since 1997, they are one of the oldest and biggest sports betting sites serving the US market. Besides US residents, the site also welcomes Canadians and other nationalities in the Americas.
Bookmaker.eu’s popularity and position on our review list are based on its excellent track record in customer service over the years. Their reputation is second only to Bovada, and that too, not by much. Many US-friendly bookmakers shy away from taking big bets. Bookmaker.eu does not belong to that category and welcomes whales and regular players with open arms.
The company has a Costa Rica gambling license and operates a legit business with a heavy focus on customer satisfaction and reliability in honoring payouts. You can place bets on all big-5 US sports leagues as well as other sporting events and tournaments here.
They offer many different bonuses from time to time, including 100% welcome cash bonuses, reload bonuses on deposits, and even free bets. You can also get special promos if you use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
3. Intertops
Yet another permanent fixture on any top five list of the best US bookmakers with free bets is Intertops. Though it welcomes US players, residents from the following states are exempt due to new laws – Maryland, Washington, New York, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, and Kentucky,
As one of the first online sportsbooks to launch in the early days of the internet, Intertops has been around for nearly 24 years now. Their longevity in this highly challenging and competitive market is a sure sign of their credibility and reliability. With 24-hour customer service across multiple channels, Intertops is always ready to help out its customers.
Licensed in Antigua, Intertops is a legit firm that welcomes players from several countries besides the United States. They do prohibit residents from places like Australia and the UK though.
Their bonuses seem extra profitable for smaller players, with a higher percentage bonus for smaller deposits. Once you become a regular player, you can also claim other reload bonuses and free bets, as well as regular perks from a loyalty program.
We have very few complaints with regard to the availability of betting markets at Intertops. They cover all the important leagues, as well as other sports like tennis, golf, athletics, and more. The lack of a daily race book aside, they do offer markets on major racing events like the Kentucky Derby as well.
4. 5Dimes
Another long-lasting US sportsbook with a legacy dating back to before the new Millennium, 5Dimes remains a solid option in 2020. Based in Costa Rica, the bookmaker has opened its site to players from all 50 states as of now. While that may change in the future as new state laws are enacted, right now things are great for US players at 5Dimes.
The biggest strength of this bookmaker in a crowded market has to be the speed at which it delivers payouts to its US customers. They have forged a strong reputation in this regard by offering payouts within hours, not days like the rest of the competition. While that does come at the cost of extra charges at times, the overall reaction remains strongly positive.
The list of sports betting markets covered include NBA, NFL, College football, and other leagues like the MLB and MLS. Soccer from other major countries gets a separate section, as does horse racing, while athletics, darts, rugby, Olympics, volleyball, and other miscellaneous sports are covered in the “Other Sports” section.
Bonuses are quite strong and 5Dimes, with their “reduced juice” offer attracting many US players with a promise of huge savings over time. Free bets and reloads are also offered from time to time. While the website interface may seem a bit outdated or spartan, it works thanks to its overall simplicity.
5. Sportsbetting.ag
For long considered a black sheep in the US online bookmaker market, Sportsbetting.ag has come a long way in 2020. Under new ownership, the sportsbook as effectively cast aside its old reputation as a highly unreliable destination for US punters. This transformation happened in 2012 when the old Sportsbetting.com site was bought by BetOnline.
The site in its current avatar is licensed in Panama and welcomes US players from all 50 states with zero restrictions. Their main bonus attractions include a welcome bonus and a lifetime reload bonus available on all deposits. Other bonuses include free live bets, and reduced juice on certain betting lines.
Payouts are fast and reliable, thanks to the system used by the sportsbook owner BetOnline. There have been very few complaints if any since the latter took over this bookmaker. As is often the case at the best US bookmakers, all major sports leagues and betting markets are covered here as well.
Though they mainly take smaller bets ranging from $1 to $500, you may even find up to $10,000 bets welcome at certain money lines, with Super Bowl spreads climbing even higher to 25k or more. On the whole, their limits are comparable to the others mentioned above.