Legal Sportsbook Deposits

Deposits are important to consider when choosing a safe US sports betting site. A sportsbook deposit is an efficient way to fund your online bank account. There are all kinds of ways to do this, and the sites we recommend offer some of the fastest and most reliable deposit methods you’ll find anywhere on the web.

The first thing you’ll need to do after you sign up for a sports betting site is make your first deposit. This page will provide info on how to do that. You’ll learn the ins and outs of deposits: the various methods and services you can use, fees and minimums/maximums, and processing times. We’ll tell you about the fastest deposit methods. We’ll even share with you some great online sportsbooks for US players.

Are Online Sportsbook Deposits Legal?

Yes, deposits are legal. This is because when you make a deposit, you are not actually putting money in your account. Rather, you are buying “credit,” similar to the way you buy chips in a land-based sportsbook. You may be asking yourself why you have to transfer your money into credit. This is because of a 2006 law called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which prevents online betting sites from transferring funds directly to and from a players’ bank account.

It is not against the law for a player to place a bet with an online sportsbook. The UIGEA only applies to sites that are transferring hard currency. Anyway, the UIGEA is a US law, and doesn’t apply to sites that operate outside of America. We’ve made sure that all the sites we review are legal and trustable. If these sites were breaking any laws, they wouldn’t count millions of US players as members. We review sites that are designed with US bettors in mind. These sportsbooks have many great deposit options

More: State Laws for Sports Betting

Deposit Methods at US Sportsbooks

All of the sites we recommend have an abundance of deposit methods. Are you looking for speed and efficiency? Or, maybe you’re in the market for a deposit option with minimal processing fees? Whatever turns out to be most convenient for you, these legal online sportsbooks are sure to have you covered. Credit cards are very popular, but are occasionally declined. Don’t worry, though. You can use cash wire transfers, money orders, bank wire transfers, cash/gift cards, or Bitcoin. Each of these methods has its advantages. Let us zoom in on each of these options.

Cash/Debit Cards

Using a debit or credit card is one of the most popular deposit methods. All you need to do is go to the online cashier and click on the corresponding icon. Credit or debit card deposits usually don’t have any usage fees. They do, however, occasionally have minimums and maximums. In addition, a few states do not allow credit card deposits. In general, though, this is an easy, convenient method, especially since most Americans have at least one credit or debit card.

Cash Wire Transfers

Also known as Person to Person transfers, cash wire transfers are a fast and easy way to get money into your account. Usually you will be able to see your funds in your account in less than an hour. You can make cash wire transfers at participating retail locations, or simply complete the entire process online. Some are only available at certain times of the day, although others are available 24/7. You can use Western Union or Money Gram, each of which has several options with different minimum/maximums and fees.

Money Orders

This is another excellent deposit method that is popular among users. The sites will credit your account as soon as they receive the money order. Most sites accept money orders from any local retailer that sells them. FedEx delivers them, so you may have to pay a courier fee for money orders under $1000. Also, be aware that there is usually a minimum deposit of about $100. For more information, you can always call or email the site.

Bank Wire Transfers

This is a very fast ways to transfer money, and one of the safest. Since you are dealing directly with your bank, you don’t have to worry about being ripped off, or losing funds in the transfer process. You have to contact your bank and fill out a special form in order to use this method. In addition, the minimums are usually quite high, about $1000. Nevertheless, for safety and speed, this method is unbeatable and ideal for anyone who bets big.

Cash/Gift Cards

Here is a great method for the more casual bettor. Let’s say you just want to deposit a small amount. All you do is purchase a gift card. There are several options, including the Amazon gift card and the Walmart gift card. With your deposit, you’ll usually have to send an email to the site with your gift card details and the card number. Minimums are usually very small, as low as $50, although Walmart gift cards can be in any denomination.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a web-based service that turns hard cash into virtual cash. You create a Bitcoin “wallet” and a Bitcoin address. You give this address to whomever you are transacting with. There is usually a minimum of about $25 and a high maximum of about $25,000. You don’t actually wager in Bitcoin currency. Bitcoin is converted into credit as soon as it is deposited into your account. There are no fees for using Bitcoin. You should contact the site for more detailed instructions.

Sportsbook Deposit Fees & Conditions

The reason there are fees associated with deposits is because you aren’t just sending cash to the online sportsbook. Your transaction goes through a third party, and it takes time and effort to process. In some cases, like money orders, a courier makes the delivery, which must be paid for. Whichever service provider processes your transaction needs to be paid, too, because they are a separate business from the sportsbook and are providing their own service.

Processing Times

Each method of deposit has specific processing times. Most deposit methods, like cash wire transfers, take almost no time at all, while some methods take a bit longer. However, even if a service says it could take up to 24 hours, chances are it will be much faster. A service has to specify that a deposit could take longer, but chances are it will be faster than the listed time. The sites we recommend specifically use services that offer the fastest and most convenient deposit methods on the web.

Minimums/Maximums

Most deposit methods do have a minimum and a maximum deposit amount, although there are a few, like the Walmart gift card, that do not have any set amounts. If you’re using Visa for the first time, you have to deposit at least $50 and no more than $250 on many sites. Money Gram has several different options, each of which has a specific limit. MG Express, for example, is only available in $200 denominations. It all depends on the deposit method and the site. Research all the options before you choose a deposit method.

Fastest Deposit Method

Credit cards are the fastest, most convenient and reliable method. The majority of Americans have at least one. Sometimes your credit card might not go through the first time. This may be due to large volume of transactions going on at the same time. It’s perfectly fine to try your card a few times until it goes through. You can also try different cards until you find one that works. If you don’t want to use a credit card to make a deposit, you can use many other methods.

US Sportsbooks with the Best Deposit Methods

Now that you’ve learned some of the more popular deposit methods, we’d like to help you choose a safe and great US online sportsbook for legal betting. We bet on sports all the time, and we’ve tried out a whole bunch of them. We know what to look for, and we know what makes a US online sportsbook great. The sites we’ve chosen are sportsbooks that we regularly bet on, and we feel confident in recommending to you.

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If you are a sports fan, it is entirely possible that you have perused BetOnline’s amazing sportsbook without even knowing it. This is because this site has been around for almost two decades, and the layout has gone through some vast changes. This historic (in internet terms) US sports betting site has tons of experience, which means that the developers have gone through the trial and error process of building a successful sportsbook. As the site stands now, it is a leading example of how things should be done.

One of the many things BetOnline does better than most is come up with convenient funding methods. You will find a big variety of deposit options that will get your money in to your account quickly. You will find credit/debit cards, Western Union, MoneyGram, money orders, bank wires, Bitcoin, and more. The options aren’t endless, but there are more here than most of the competition. You will find that credit/debit cards are the most efficient options, but there are plenty of backups in case those methods fail.

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