Many bettors feel frustrated by the limits and restrictions of local betting sites. Offshore sportsbooks offer more competitive odds, bigger bonuses, and access to global sports markets.
We’ve tested these sites ourselves, checking licenses and payout reliability. In this article, we break down the legal gray areas, explain the real risks and benefits, and give you honest advice to help you make an informed choice about using offshore sportsbooks.
We’ve identified eight of the best offshore sportsbooks for players in the United States. These sites each have a specialty, which we’ve detailed below to help you choose the best site for your sports betting needs.
Bovada is the best offshore sports betting site overall because they offer a large selection of popular and niche sports, have fast payouts, and exceptional customer service.
Bovada has been in business for more than 10 years, and they’ve improved their sportsbook quite a bit from the first iteration. For example, they have a customizable prop builder tool that allows you to pick and choose player prop wagers much faster than competing sportsbooks.
Not to mention the #WhatsYaWager feature. If you’re looking for specific odds on an event or player, you can tweet the hashtag at Bovada to get custom odds made for your wager. No other market we’ve seen has that level of customization.
At the end of the day, Bovada is at the top of their game. You can wager on the NFL, NBA, World Cup, and dozens of other sporting events from your desktop, Android, or iOS device.
For all the football fans out there, BetOnline is the best option for you. Not only does BetOnline have the most extensive selection of NFL betting options on the market, they actively provide value by boosting the odds on regular season games.
Users can place year-long futures on the Super Bowl, bet live as games are in play, or choose from a plethora of game props. Plus, for the length of the NFL regular season, BetOnline runs a Perfect Parlay and an NFL MegaContest, with prizes up to $250,000 every week. Entry is free, which is great for casual bettors looking to up their chances of winning big.
New players can use BetOnline’s 50% welcome boost up to $1,000 to wager on their favorite NFL team.
America’s favorite pastime can certainly be profitable for bettors at SportsBetting.ag. Not only does SportsBetting.ag offer long-term futures on the World Series, they also run frequent promotions and contests which can boost your bankroll when betting on baseball.
Their Double Up Welcome Bonus lets players double their deposit (twice!) to use on sports betting lines. There’s only a 14x wagering requirement and a minimum $100 deposit.
You can use these extra funds to place player props on MLB players in SportsBetting.ag’s new Player Props platform, which has early wagers on almost all players.
BetUS is the best sportsbook for betting on the basketball because of their razor-sharp odds and years of experience. BetUS has been in the online gambling game since 1994, making it one of the oldest standing sportsbooks for online players.
BetUs has a plethora of odds on every major basketball event, including the NBA Championship, March Madness, WNBA Finals, and even international and Olympic basketball.
You’ll find point spreads, over/unders, moneylines, and props for almost every game. Not to mention, there are plenty of daily odds boosters and promotions that can help you get more value out of each wager. Plus, BetUS has The Locker Room and BetUS TV, which offer news, picks, and more for bettors of every caliber.
Out of all the other offshore sportsbooks, MyBookie has the best selection when it comes to betting on horse and dog races. Their racebook is well-laid out with betting options for parlays, exacta, trifecta, superfecta, and much more.
MyBookie has coverage of thoroughbred and harness races, as well as betting on greyhounds. MyBookie mainly covers races in the US, but they also have lines on races in Canada, the UK, Italy, Scandinavia, and Africa.
MyBookie also offers players an 8% horse rebate on all lost wagers. You don’t need a bonus code for this promotion, it’s automatically applied to your account with no rollover requirements.
Here’s a quick look at our top sites so you can quickly compare:
| Sportsbook | Welcome Bonus | Minimum Deposit | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | 100% up to $1,000 | $5 | Curaçao |
| BetOnline | $50 up to $250 and 100 FS | $10 | Panama |
| SportsBetting.ag | $50 up to $250 and 100 FS | $10 | Panama |
| BetUS | 125% up to $2,625 | $10 | Curaçao & Comoros |
| MyBookie | 100% up to $1,000 | $20 | Curaçao |
Before we recommend any gambling site to our users, we first have to make sure it stands up to our standards. Our team has an extensive review process, but for offshore sportsbooks, we also focus on the following criteria:
So now you know how we evaluate online sportsbooks, but how do you know which one is right for you? With so many options vying for your attention, it can be hard to choose a sportsbook that will work for your gambling needs.
Here are a few questions that first-time sports bettors should consider when choosing an offshore sportsbook.
While almost all sportsbooks offer at least a moneyline on a certain game, some have better props than others. If you’re a no-frills moneyline bettor, choosing a quick site like BetUS is in your best interest.
But, if you’re looking for line volume, sites like Bovada and BetOnline have a lot of props on almost all sports and matchups.
If you’re planning on betting on every NFL game, you should probably go ahead and claim a sports welcome bonus. You’ll be able to complete the wagering requirements because you’re betting a few times a week.
But if you only like wagering on big events, like the Super Bowl, you’ll make more money if you don’t claim a bonus. It’s hard to meet the wagering requirements with a single wager.
Sports betting sites like SportsBetting.ag have great contests for the World Cup, Super Bowl, and other high-profile sporting events.
If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, you might want to choose a sportsbook with high withdrawal limits. BetOnline has a $100,000 withdrawal limit on most crypto options.
If you’re a low-stakes player, look for sites with low minimum deposit options and low minimum wagers, like Bovada. You can deposit as little as $5 and wagers often start at $0.50 a piece.
Best Bonuses at Offshore Sports BettingOffshore sportsbooks bonuses are famous for a reason. There are lot of offers available: welcome boosts, crypto matches, reloads, risk-free bets, parlay perks, sport-specific promos, you name it.
Some are genuinely useful. Others look great on the surface but come with rollover rules or restrictions that make withdrawing a headache. That’s where most players get frustrated. Not because they lost a bet, but because the bonus itself boxed them in.
Our goal is to highlight only the bonuses that are actually worth your time. We went through every offer and focused on reasonable rollover, clear terms, and how the bonus really works for sports bettors. If an offer felt predatory, unrealistic, or overly complicated, we removed it.
These are some of the best offers we found at offshore sites.
This is one of the strongest sportsbook welcome offers offshore because the rollover is unusually low for a bonus this size. A 5x requirement makes this bonus actually beatable, especially compared to other books where playthrough ranges from 10x to 14x.
Claim Bovada OfferThis is a great long-term offer rather than a one-time promo. The percentage scales with your deposit, and even at the higher tiers the rollover never becomes unreasonable. High-volume bettors benefit the most because the match percentage climbs as your deposits do. It’s an ongoing value generator for players who deposit frequently in crypto.
Claim the BetUS BonusThese are two of the most useful recurring promos offshore. They’re simple: make your first bet in each category, win and keep the profit, or lose and get refunded in free play.
The 6x rollover is fair for free-play terms, and because they’re risk-contained at $50, they’re perfect for casual players. They also give you two risk-free ways to explore BetOnline’s platform.
Claim the BetOnline OfferThis is the softest rollover requirement of all the bonuses. A 1x playthrough makes this refund incredibly player-friendly, especially given the $100 cap. It’s the best risk-free offer in the entire lineup for value versus commitment.
Get Sportsbetting.ag OfferBovada’s points system rewards every type of gambling activity, not just sports. The ability to redeem for cash bonuses, climb tiers through lifetime points (no resets), and unlock better banking options is genuinely valuable for long-term bettors. Among loyalty programs, this one is the most flexible and transparent.
Visit BovadaThe seven-tier system rewards bettors across all categories and offers a meaningful path toward better perks. The fact that points can be redeemed directly (100 = $1) and used in the Rewards Store gives players full control over how they get value back.
Visit Lucky RebelOnline sports betting in the United States operates on a state-by-state basis. There’s no single federal law that legalizes or bans it nationwide; instead, every state decides for itself whether and how to regulate online sportsbooks.
As of now, more than 25 states and Washington DC offer legal online sports betting. If you’re inside one of these states, you can only bet with platforms approved by your local regulator.
In states without regulated sports betting, players often turn to offshore sportsbooks. These sites operate outside US jurisdiction and fill the gap where local options don’t exist.
They remain widely used across the country, especially in large states like California, Texas, and Florida. This is the reason why offshore sports sites are still relevant today. They are available to most US citizens and operate under foreign licenses that require their own security standards.
Offshore sportsbooks fill the gap in states without regulated betting, but they aren’t perfect.
They offer real advantage but also come with limitations you should understand before depositing. Here’s a straightforward look at what you gain and what you trade off when you bet with offshore sites.
Offshore sportsbooks operate outside of the United States’ jurisdiction, but can still offer gambling services to customers throughout North America.
These sportsbooks are often licensed by third-party government agencies in places like Panama, Curaçao, or Malta.
These regulators oversee essential areas such as player fund segregation, anti-money-laundering controls, cybersecurity standards, and dispute procedures. While oversight varies by country, the reputable offshore books meet baseline requirements to operate legally in their home jurisdictions.
US players can access offshore sportsbooks because no federal law explicitly prohibits individuals from placing bets on them. The restrictions you’ll see tend to come from the sportsbooks themselves, not the US government.
For example, Bovada blocks users in New York, New Jersey, and several other regulated states because those states have launched their own local sports betting markets, and offshore sites generally avoid competing directly with local regulators.
How to Know A Sportsbook Is SafeA lot of people hear the words “offshore” and “unregulated” and get nervous about signing up at for a gambling site. However, the term “unregulated” isn’t entirely true, simply because almost all of the sites we recommend come licensed by a gambling authority from Panama, Malta, or Curaçao.
These agencies require gambling sites to comply with Know Your Customer regulations, appoint data protection and anti-money laundering officers, and have written contracts with software providers to prove game fairness.
If you’re still concerned about a site’s legitimacy, you can usually spot their badge of certification in the footer of their site, or find their license number in the terms and conditions.
Many of the sports sites we recommend take extra precautions to ensure player safety, such as enabling Two-Factor Authentication and employing the latest TLS-encryption to protect player data.
How Taxes Work for Offshore Sports BettingEven if you’re betting at an offshore sportsbook, your winnings aren’t tax-free. The IRS treats gambling winnings the same regardless of where the bet was placed: domestic sportsbook, offshore site, casino, or even a home poker game. If you win money, it counts as taxable income.
Offshore sportsbooks don’t issue W-2G forms, and they don’t report your winnings to the IRS. That responsibility falls entirely on you. US taxpayers must report gambling income on their federal return, and in some states, gambling winnings are also subject to state income tax.
The simplest way to stay compliant is to keep a record of your deposits, withdrawals, and net wins. The IRS allows you to deduct gambling losses up to the amount of your winnings, but only if you itemize, and only with accurate documentation.
Offshore sportsbooks won’t withhold taxes, track your play, or send reminders, so staying organized is essential. If you consistently withdraw from offshore sites, we recommend to keep a log or consult a tax professional to understand how these rules apply to your situation.
Tips for Sports Betting at Offshore SportsbooksWagering online is a bit different than betting on sports in a land-based sportsbook, so here are a few tips you can use to maximize your offshore gambling experience.
Shop lines at multiple sites – If you’re looking to place a wager on a certain game, you’ll obviously what the odds that will get you the most profit, right? Well, line shopping—checking the numbers on the same bet across multiple sites—can help you find the most value. For example, BetOnline had odds for the Diamondbacks to win the MLB playoffs against the Rangers for -108, while MyBookie had the Diamondbacks at -115 for the same game. Obviously, BetOnline has better odds because you only have to wager $108 to win $100, as opposed to MyBookie’s $115.
Read up on your wagers – Plenty of sports news outlets provide helpful picks on upcoming games, so reading up on your sport of choice can help you make informed bets. A lot of these places have whole teams of people dedicated to looking at stats to come up with these picks, so that data behind them is more than most casual sports bettors have access to.
Don’t bet emotionally – One of the mistakes novice bettors make is wagering on their favorite team every game. Obviously, you want your team to win, but that can cloud your judgment, leading to placing losing wagers. Try to think about each wager realistically, and back up your choices with informed data.
Responsible Sports GamblingWagering on sports is meant to be a fun hobby, but it can easily get out of hand if you’re not careful. Remember to never gamble with money you can’t afford to lose, and to recognize the signs of gambling addiction. If you are struggling with your gambling habits, there are plenty of responsible gambling resources out there that can help:
Offshore sportsbooks are available throughout the US to residents of states where regulated sports betting is not yet available.
Even in states where sportsbooks are regulated, bettors still find value in using offshore bookies. These sites offer deposits and withdrawals with crypto, give out larger bonuses and free bets, and have lines on college and niche sports that regulated sites can’t offer.
Before you sign up at an online sportsbook, make sure you read up on its reputation and check out some of our resources below:
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