Last Updated Apr 28, 2022, 11:49 AM ET
More than two decades’ worth of sports betting excellence has positioned Covers as the preeminent digital authority for sports bettors across the world. Our experts cut through the clutter to uncover actionable and trustworthy information. We never recommend a bookmaker that we wouldn’t use ourselves. Our unbiased bookmaker reviews — backed by the Covers BetSmart System™ — are designed to make smarter sports bettors.
More than two decades’ worth of sports betting excellence has positioned Covers as the preeminent digital authority for sports bettors across the world. Our experts cut through the clutter to uncover actionable and trustworthy information. We never recommend a bookmaker that we wouldn’t use ourselves. Our unbiased bookmaker reviews — backed by the Covers BetSmart System™ — are designed to make smarter sports bettors.
Covers BetSmart System™
Covers has been in this game for a long time — 25-plus years, in fact. This means that we have been rating and reviewing online betting sites since sportsbooks first took their offerings to the World Wide Web. We’ve decided to take all of this experience and develop the Covers BetSmart System™, all in an effort to ensure you’re playing at a safe and secure betting site.
Each sportsbook is given a 5-star rating that is based on the five main factors that we feel are crucial to you having a good experience while betting online: bonuses and promotions, banking and payout speeds, key features, security and trust, and customer service.
This isn’t to say that we only look at the above factors when reviewing a sportsbook. Our team of experts digs deep to ensure we’re only recommending the best betting sites available. Our reviewers are also sports bettors and they test out each site for a few days before submitting their review.
They sign up, deposit, and grab their welcome bonus. Then they make bets, testing out features like live betting and cash out. Finally, they withdraw their money. The detail that goes into our review process ensures that you’re getting the most detailed sportsbook reviews possible.
Learn how we rate sportsbooksAll bettors want their winnings quickly, so payout speed is an important factor in our evaluation process. We’re also looking for a nice variety of deposit and withdrawal options.
While a big welcome bonus is always nice, we also check to ensure that the terms and conditions around it are fair. We also evaluate the sportsbook for reload bonuses and promotions for existing customers.
This is a broad category but we like to see sportsbooks that push the envelope to deliver an amazing experience to sports bettors. Some of the features we look for include: mobile app, competitive odds pricing, variety of betting markets, live betting, early cash out, streaming options, poker and casino offerings, responsible gambling features.
With real money at stake, you need to know you’re depositing at a site you can trust. Before recommending any sportsbook, we’ll make sure they have a valid license for the jurisdiction from the appropriate regulators. We’ll also ensure the website is safe and secure so that your data is protected.
If an issue arises, you should be able to have it solved quickly and conveniently by a real person. We like to see different options to reach customer support and how quickly they resolve the issue.
While the five categories above are the basis for our sportsbook ratings, we dig deep and look at everything we possibly can at every online sportsbook we review: the sign-up process, verification process, limits, localization, VIP or loyalty program, user experience.
Covers takes pride in being the most trusted site for sports betting information and we want you to have the best experience wagering at safe betting sites. So when a sportsbook doesn’t meet our standards, or when we get multiple reports of bad practices from our users, they end up on our blacklist.
Bonuses can be a great way to grow your bankroll right out of the gate. But they can be a bit confusing: 100% deposit match up to $200. Up to $200 in bet credits. A $200 risk-free bet. Which one is right for you?
With so many different types of promotions available, it's important you understand the differences between them before making your choice. We explain the differences below, but as always, be sure to check the terms and conditions of the bonus before claiming it.
| Bonus | Description | Find this bonus at |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit Match |
These are the most popular bonuses awarded by sportsbooks. They are usually given at first deposit as a percentage of your first deposit. For example, get a 100% deposit match bonus up to $200. |
888 Sport
|
| Bet Credits |
A bet credit is money added to your account that can be used to make a bet but can’t be withdrawn. You can, of course, withdraw any winnings made from bet credits. |
bet365
|
| Free Bet |
A free bet works just like a bet credit where you're given money to wager with, but it can't be withdrawn. Any winnings from a free bet are yours to keep! |
Betway
|
| Bet & Get |
Some sportsbooks will reward new bettors for making their first real money wager by offering free bets as a reward. For example, make a first bet of £10 and get £30 in free bets. |
William Hill
|
| Backup Bet |
A backup bet is also known as a risk-free bet in the gambling industry. Make a wager according to the terms of the promotion and get your stake back if that bet loses. |
Sportingbet
|
Bettors wager on a wide variety of sports but these six tend to pull in more bets than the others.
Betting on “the beautiful game” has never been easier due to the proliferation of football betting sites. The most trusted soccer betting sites have something for everyone, with odds on teams, goals, bookings, and corners plus in-play odds for every EPL fixture.
NBA basketball betting may set up shop in North America, but the sport is now truly a global phenomenon. The most trusted basketball betting sites post team and player props as well as live betting options.
Betting on American football is spreading. Fans wager on the bone-crunching action of the NFL every week instead of only the Super Bowl. The best football betting sites have more than enough NFL odds to make you a fierce fan for at least a Sunday.
Ice hockey's lightning-quick pace and crushing hits have made the NHL one of the most popular betting markets at sports betting sites around the globe. The most trusted hockey betting sites around the globe offer plenty of NHL odds options.
Step up to the plate and take a swing with MLB baseball betting. The MLB schedule has action on the diamond every day from the spring to the fall, and the best online baseball betting sites provide more than enough odds to keep up with that constant calendar.
You haven’t bet on sports until you’ve tried betting on college basketball. The NCAA Tournament is nicknamed March Madness for a reason, with the 68-team bracket providing a thrill ride for anyone with action. Online sports betting sites offer college basketball betting odds all season but really go mad in March.
The bands. The cheerleaders. The rivalries. The bowl games. College football betting is a wild ride every Saturday. It doesn’t matter if you’re not alumni, the best betting sites will have you shouting for your favorite school in no time.
We have had our finger on the pulse of the sports betting industry for more than 25 years.
The sportsbooks we recommend have been personally reviewed, rigorously curated, and frequently updated by our team of experts.
News outlets turn to Covers for our earned reputation as a trusted and authoritative source of sports betting information. These are among the notable publications and media outlets that have referenced Covers.com and our industry experts.
A sportsbook is a place that accepts bets or wagers on sporting events.
This depends on where you’re trying to place a bet from. Be sure to check your local gambling laws before placing a bet.
The best online sportsbook for 2021 is bet365. The rest of our favorite betting sites are listed above. All have been reviewed and vetted by our trademarked Covers BetSmart System.
Our research has shown that Pinnacle, bet365, and William Hill are consistently among the sportsbooks with the best odds. Best odds can vary by sport and even by game, however, which is why it is important to shop around before placing a bet.
Joshua Howe is a commercial content editor at Covers, assisting experts in making smarter sports bettors.
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