9+ Best Sports Betting Sites in California for Sports Variety and Bonuses

While none of us appreciate the longstanding impact the COVID-19 epidemic has had on our day-to-day lives, it has led to the exponential growth of online sports betting options. 

Even in California, online gamblers now have a plethora of sports betting options to choose from without needing to go anywhere but the internet. 

With so many new, online options available for sports bettors, we curated a list of the best sports betting sites in California to help you make the right choice. 

Related: 10 Best Bitcoin Casino Sites

The Best Sports Betting Sites in California

1. Best sports betting site overall – Bovada
2. Best sportsbook for gaming variety – BetOnline
3. Best sports betting site for horse racing – MyBookie
4. Best site for novice bettors – Intertops 
5. Best site for professional bettors – Sportsbetting.ag 
6. Best for live sports betting – BETUS 
7. Best for mainstream sports – XBet 
8. Best site for combined sports/casino options – Busr.ag 
9. Best sports betting site for VIP members – Gtbets.ag 
10. Best crypto sports betting site – Cloudbet 

1. Bovada – Best Sports Betting Site Overall

• Accepts crypto payments 
• Special crypto bonuses offered 
• VIP program with competitive rewards
• Live sports betting, video poker, and casino games offered
• Solid mainstream sports betting opportunities 

Bovada accepts Bitcoin payments/deposits, and they offer additional welcome bonuses if you make a deposit using cryptocurrency. 

The sports betting site also gives risk-free deposit matches and bonuses upon signing up with their sports betting site, and their minimum deposit requirement goes for pennies on the dollar. Bovada’s welcome bonus is triple-tiered and is based upon your first three deposits with the site. 

Bovada’s VIP program offers the best rewards on the market. Starting from your first deposit, you can begin earning loyalty points that can later be cashed out or used to save money on in-person accommodations. 

Bovada offers live sports betting options, video poker, slots, blackjack, and other mainstream casino games all in one place. It doesn’t offer niche sports betting options like some other sportsbook sites do, but you will have the opportunity to bet on over 20 mainstream sports. 

They’re an all-in-one company, and you can gain loyalty points with each bet placed anywhere on the site (this includes slots, video poker, sports betting, blackjack, etc). 

The only downside of using Bovada is dealing with their high credit card fees. They will make you pay fees on any deposit placed using a credit card. However, there is a workaround for leaving their fees behind – when you use Bitcoin to make deposits and accept payouts, all transactions are 100% fee-free. 

2. BetOnline – Best for gaming variety

• Generous sign-up bonus 
• Over 400 games available to play online
• Niche sports betting + live dealer games 
• Vast selection of slot games

BetOnline offers customers over 400 games on their all-in-one website (including over 200 slots). They also offer their players a generous sign-up bonus as a warm welcome for new and returning online bettors. 

The casino’s sportsbook section offers 10 main sports options and around 14 non-mainstream sports that players can bet on. There’s a diverse selection of niche sports including horse racing, cricket, esports, and other entertainment events. 

BetOnline also has an extensive selection of table games, live dealer tables, and video poker games to choose from. 

The major downside associated with using BetOnline is that you will pay high fees to make credit card deposits. This may not be music to your ears, but it might inspire you to learn more about crypto. 

Overall, BetOnline offers a fantastic user experience, a wide variety of live casino games and niche sports betting options, and a killer welcome bonus upon signing up with them. Because they readily accept cryptocurrency, it’s easy enough to avoid incurring high credit card fees. 

3. MyBookie – Best for horse racing

• Great variety of horse racing options 
• Unique live betting on international sports
• Has niche sports not found on other sites 
• Competitive promotional offers for new members 

MyBookie offers more horse racing options than any other website on the market. You can find odds for greyhound, thoroughbred, and harness horse racing events in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, South Africa, Japan, and Sweden exclusively on this sports betting site. 

MyBookie also encompasses international sports coverage, and is not limited to mainstream games. If you are a fan of sports played worldwide, odds are that MyBookie offers a way to bet on them. 

Some niche sports betting options offered by MyBookie include cricket, Aussie Rules football, rugby, chess, darts, billiards, and college sports. 

MyBookie has live betting options for niche sports, meaning that you can bet on a game of championship chess as it takes place. Very few sportsbook sites allow for this kind of live betting, which puts MyBookie near the top of the sportsbook pack. 

They have competitive promotional offers and rewards available for new members of their website. 

MyBookie also has a great selection of games offered in its casino section. However, games are provided only by BetSoft. And while it’s a highly reputable software provider, a more diverse games library 

All in all, MyBookie has some amazing online sportsbook betting options, is safe to use, and earns itself a strong ranking within our top 10 list. 

4. Intertops – Best for novice bettors

• Bitcoin accepted for deposits and withdrawal
• Competitive promotional offers for new members 
• Fast payouts, wide variety of payment options 
• Good mix of sportsbook/casino betting options

Intertops offers users a very solid selection of sports betting options. Their website also has tons of casino games to play when you need a change of pace, and they make it very easy to navigate their snappy website. 

This sportsbook accepts Bitcoin deposits and can pay out withdrawals using cryptocurrency. It has a wide variety of competitive promotional offers available for new and existing members to take advantage of. 

In addition to their selection of mainstream sports betting options such as UFC, golf, tennis, and basketball, Intertops also has a wide variety of online casino games at the ready. 

The casino has over 300 different games for members, including a large selection of slots, live dealer table games, and video poker. 

The competitive promotional offers are geared towards novice online bettors that aren’t looking to make a large financial commitment before placing their bets. While they offer a comparatively small welcome bonus, they advertise small, weekly deposit bonuses that will incentivize new customers to get their foot in the door. 

Overall, Intertops is the best sports betting site for novice members looking to try their hand at online sports betting without being required to put down a large initial deposit. 

5. Sportsbetting.ag – Best for professional bettors

• Very friendly towards professional bettors 
• 400+ of sports/casino betting options available 
• Multiple forms of crypto accepted 
• Excellent customer service support 

Unlike other sportsbook websites, Sportsbetting.ag doesn’t offer less attractive dual lines for bettors they deem “professional”. Every online member of theirs plays with the same odds, and professional bettors receive the same attractive lines that are offered to novice players. 

The deposit, betting, and withdrawal limits are also higher than what is imposed by their competition. They cater to both novice and professional online players equally well.

If you regularly place sports bets and you like better odds, Sportsbetting.ag is the site for you. There are plenty of sports betting options available for you to choose from. Included in their plethora of sports odds – aside from mainstream games – are esports, racing, boxing, lacrosse, martial arts, and softball. 

This sportsbook also doesn’t skimp on its wide variety of available casino games. There are over 400 slots, table games, table poker, video poker, and bingo. 

Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum for both deposits and withdrawals are supported. They offer 48-hour (fee-free) payouts from their crypto wallet to yours. If you ever have questions for them, their customer service support is excellent and will promptly respond to you via email. 

The casino accepts multiple forms of payment for deposits and withdrawals, but it doesn’t hide the fact that it favors crypto transactions more. Traditional banking methods are available but almost all of them come with high fees. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about cryptocurrency, now is the perfect time. 

6. BETUS – Best for live sports betting

• Live horse racing and esports betting options available 
• Generous welcome bonus for new players
• Customer service offers excellent support
• Good mainstream selection of casino games

BETUS is highly focused on the sportsbook options they bring to the table, and they offer live horse racing + esports betting. They’ll even give you a refund on your bet if your horse is scratched from an upcoming race. 

The casino also offers a generous welcome bonus to new players – their welcome bonus over-matches your first deposit.

There’s a good selection of casino games offered by BETUS with almost 300 titles for players to choose from. 

The only downside associated with using BETUS is their limited number of available payout options. They will pay out with multiple forms of cryptocurrency (mainly Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin), bank wire transfer, and personal checks. 

However, only cryptocurrency payouts can be reasonably expected to hit your account in 48 hours. Bank transfers and check payouts will take up to 2 weeks to reach you. If you’re on board with cryptocurrency, you’ll have no problem using BETUS. 

Overall, BETUS is a solid sportsbook site for avid crypto fans and bettors who are interested in taking advantage of niche sports betting options. 

7. XBet – Best for mainstream sports

• Cryptocurrency accepted 
• Very competitive mainstream sports betting odds
• Large variety of mainstream sports to choose from

XBet offers over fifteen major sports that you can bet on, and they have very competitive odds for each one of them. Available options include football, golf, tennis, soccer, hockey, esports, cricket, and horse racing. 

While XBet could benefit from a more diverse selection of sports betting options, mainstream sports fans will find themselves content with XBet’s current offerings. What’s more is that XBet gives online bettors very favorable odds to play with. 

They have a solid selection of online casino slots, video poker, and other table games for their users to enjoy. They accept Bitcoin as deposit and withdrawal options, and XBet will cash out your winnings via cryptocurrency within 48 hours. 

There are very few downsides associated with choosing XBet, but they’re still worth mentioning. XBet offers new users a comparatively small welcome bonus in contrast to their competition, which doesn’t help them entice as many new players as they otherwise could. 

But despite its underwhelming bonus scheme, XBet is still a great choice for bettors who are looking to enjoy a reliable selection of online casino games and mainstream sports betting options. 

8. Busr.ag – Best for combined sports/casino options

• 275+ tracks for online horse betting
• Multiple payout methods available 
• 350+ online casino games 
• Low sportsbook limits 

In addition to offering betting options for 200+ established racetracks, Busr.ag brings a vast selection of online casino games to the table. 

Their online casino is just as robust as their sportsbook, and that’s saying something when we’re talking about a website made to primarily focus on sports betting options. Busr.ag offers other niche sports options in addition to horse racing, including international soccer and tennis. 

While Busr.ag doesn’t offer live dealer poker, they do have 350+ other casino games. They also support multiple deposit and withdrawal methods.

There are a couple things that players may not enjoy as much, though. One is that Busr.ag offers comparatively low sportsbook limits when put side by side with industry competitors. The other is that there’s no native mobile app available. 

Busr.ag is still one of the best combined sportsbook/online casino websites on the market for California players, and we strongly encourage you to give the sportsbook a try if you enjoy taking a break between sporting events and playing specialty slots. 

9. Gtbets.ag – Best for VIP members

• Cryptocurrency accepted for deposit/withdrawal 
• Excellent selection of VIP features 
• Free credit card deposits for new members
• Comparatively low betting limits 

GTbets accepts Bitcoin as a valid payment option for deposits and withdrawals, and they even offer free credit card deposits for new members on their site. There’s a great selection of sports betting options that range from horse racing to rugby.

The casino really shines when it comes to rewarding their VIP members with cash savings on in-person accommodations and financial rewards that line their betting accounts. You can start to accrue VIP points with your first bet. 

Although GTbets offers comparatively low betting limits, their website targets purely recreational more so than professional online bettors. Their VIP rewards program certainly makes up for their lower betting limits over time.

The only true downside associated with using GTbets is a high crypto withdrawal minimum limit. But overall, GTbets is a great sportsbook website that focuses on providing seasonal sports betting options along with extensive VIP benefits for loyal members. 

10. Cloudbet – Best for crypto enthusiasts 

• Cryptocurrency accepted + encouraged 
• Fast payouts for website members 
• Live sports betting options 
• NordVPN required for use in California 

Cloudbet offers fast payouts for members of their website and they bring live sports betting options to the table. It’s a sports betting site designed specifically for crypto enthusiasts, supporting Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash (BCHN), ETH, DSH, USDT, USDC, LINK, PAXG, PAX, DOGE, DAI, and LTC.

While Cloudbet doesn’t offer the most competitive betting odds in the industry, they make up for it with their wide selection of live betting sports options and their convenient online user interface. Other industry competitors sometimes fail to offer live online sports betting, so it’s a relief to see that Cloudbet is answering popular demand by including it in their lineup.

It’s important to note that you’ll need to have a VPN installed in order to use Cloudbet in the state of California. NordVPN comes highly recommended because, unlike other VPNs on the market, you won’t have to deal with slow internet speeds or a network that disconnects at random. 

Our Ranking Methodology for California Sportsbooks Online

Design and Interface

The best California sports betting sites have smart, intuitive design that allows players to easily navigate and access the information and links that they need. We made sure the sites featured on our list do not have overly executed sports themes and cluttered layout. 

Promotions

We also did our research on the bonuses given to customers upon sign-up for each of our final picks. We took into special consideration the online sports betting sites that offer continual rewards, benefits, and discounts on entertainment + in-person resort stays to their most loyal customers. 

Sports Variety

We looked for sports betting sites that offered a niche selection of sports betting options. Major sports leagues as well as non-mainstream sports can be found in the sportsbooks in our list.

Payment Flexibility 

Flexible banking options is one of the main things to consider when choosing the best sports betting sites to sign up to. You should have some freedom in adding and removing funds from your account. We considered sites that support both fiat and cryptocurrencies, and offer several payment methods to its players.

Is Horse Racing Betting Legal in California? 

Here’s some good news for avid horse racing bettors – parimutuel betting is currently legal for horse racing in California. While other forms of sports betting will remain illegal until early 2022, you can begin wagering your horse racing bets right now on sites like BETUS and MyBookie. 

How Much Tax Do You Pay on Winnings? 

In California, because mainstream sports betting is not yet legal for now, we can only give you a prospective answer to this question. 

The third and latest sports betting bill on the table for California proposes a 10% surcharge tax on any winnings that you receive through sportsbook websites. 

For parimutuel horse racing bets, you will have to pay anywhere from 1% to 13.3% in taxes on your winnings which, in California, are taxed as normal income, depending on how much you take to the bank. 

The Best Bonus Offers in California

Some of the best bonus offers in California have been primed to entice new customers upon the arrival of legal online sports betting. 

Welcome (Sign-on) Bonuses 

Welcome (sign-on) bonuses are given to you by sportsbook sites when you make an account with them. You do not need to make an initial deposit to receive a welcome bonus – they will give you free money to spend on placing bets with them. It’s really that easy. 

All you have to do is sign up for an account with them and insert their promo code to receive your free money. 

Matched Deposit Bonuses 

After you make an account and submit your first deposit with your chosen sportsbook site, they will match your initial deposit with their own money. 

A quick example – if your first deposit is $500, you will have $1,000 total in your account with the site. This $1,000 can be used to wager bets or play the slots free of charge. 

Banking Options For Sports Betting in California 

Placing your bets with sportsbook websites in California is easy. On sites that accept cryptocurrency, you can enjoy fee-free transactions. 

Credit card, ACH, bank transfer, and cryptocurrency deposits are currently legal for all sportsbook websites that will begin to operate in California by early 2022. 

Mobile Apps for Sportsbook Sites in California

Mobile gambling is currently legal in California, and mobile sports betting is making its way into California by early 2022. 

Bovada is the only site on our list that has a mobile app available for both iOS and Android phones. It is a fantastic mobile app for online bettors that offers streamlined graphics and an easy-to-use layout. 

All of our additional top picks operate with full mobile compatibility, but you will have to navigate through their websites on your phone in order to place bets on the go. 

Live Betting/Streaming for Sports Betting Sites in California 

Live sports betting is currently illegal in California, but that is set to change early next year. 

With that being said, some sportsbook sites on our list do offer live, in-game betting including Bovada, MyBookie, BETUS, and Busr.ag. These are the ones worth checking if you’re interested in live sports betting options. On those sites, you can make live bets on horse racing, international sports, and mainstream sports in-game. 

Sportsbook Buying Guide for California Residents 

1. Excellent Live betting options

If you’re interested in live sports betting, make sure you choose a site that allows in-game bets to be placed. The best sportsbook should allow mainstream and niche sports betting for its players. 

2. Flexible banking methods

Adding and removing funds from your sports betting account should be a breeze. Sites that offer multiple payment options and support crypto transactions should be on top of your list.

3. Great deals and promotions

Sign-up bonuses or deposit matches shouldn’t be the only promotions you focus on. The best betting sites offer several bonuses specifically for the sports enthusiasts. A solid VIP program also tells you about a site’s dedication to provide its players the best value for their money.

4. Superb overall user experience

Fast and easy sign-ups, intuitive website design, responsive customer support team, and a dedicated mobile app are just a few of the things that contribute to an excellent user experience. These are what you need to look for when choosing a sports betting site to sign up to.

The Easy Way to Get Started Betting in California 

1. Sign Up For A New Account 

Navigate to the website you want to bet with. Click on the “Sign Up” button in the upper right hand corner of your screen. Enter your personal information and hit “Confirm”. 

2. Check Your Email Inbox For Confirmation

Next, open your email inbox and look for a verification email from your chosen sportsbook site. If you don’t see the email in your primary inbox, click on your “Spam” folder and see if it was sent there. Open the verification email and click on the “Verify My Account” button. 

3. Open The Website And Deposit Money 

The final step is simple. Open your chosen website and make an initial deposit in order to redeem your sign-on bonus. After that, you can start placing bets online!

Physical Casinos/Sportsbooks in California 

• Yaamava Resort Casino 

• Pechanga Resort & Casino

• Morongo Casino Resort & Spa  

• Thunder Valley Casino

• Cache Creek Casino & Resort 

• Viejo Casino & Resort  

• Red Hawk Casino

• Sycuan Casino Resort  

• Chumash Casino Resort 

• Barona Casino Resort

Wrapping Up on the Best Sports Betting Sites for California Players

With everything it offers, you honestly can’t go wrong with Bovada. It’s easily our top pick because of its great sports/casino gaming selection and its dedicated mobile app for placing bets on the go. 

We hope you found our review helpful in making an informed decision about the best sports betting site for you. And as soon as online sports betting becomes legal in California, you’ll be among the first to enjoy everything the top sportsbooks in the state have to offer. 

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