May 10, 2023
California Online Sports Betting Sites 2023
California sports betting is growing in popularity from Eureka to San Diego, but not many people know the ins and outs of how to bet on sports in the Golden State. Indeed, when it comes to sports betting, CA residents have less flexibility and choice than citizens of many other US states. But thankfully, online sports betting is still available to California bettors.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the legalities of betting on sports in CA, why online betting is king, and offer predictions on the future for in-person betting activity in the Golden State. You’ll discover the best sports betting sites available in California, how to sign up, and your legal rights as a bettor.
California Betting Availability – Quick Overview
Retail Sports Betting Not Available
Online Sports Betting Available
Online Horse Racing Available
Online Poker Available
Online Casinos Available
Retail Casinos Not Available
DFS Available
Tribal Casinos Available
Lottery Available
Gambling Age 18+
Best Betting Sites Available in California
- BetUS – Best all-around California sports betting site
- Bovada – Best for variety of sports betting options
- Everygame – Best California sportsbook for mobile betting
- BetNow – Best for sportsbook competitions
- Sportsbetting.ag – Top CA betting site for banking methods
- MyBookie – Best CA sports betting app for live betting options
#1
BetUS – Best all-around California sports betting site
As our top-rated sportsbook, BetUS scores high across the board with our review staff. That all starts with their solid welcome bonus—using the promo code TSG200, you can get up to $5,000 with a 200% deposit match. Make your deposit from a varied collection of banking options and get to work on filling out your betting slip!
#2
Bovada – Best for Variety of Sports Betting Options
Bovada has a slew of sports betting options for California players to sift through,, so they’ve got you covered for the major North America sports. You can bet on your Chargers, Lakers, your Dodgers and your Kings. You can even bet on college sports, so you can get behind local schools such as UCLA and USC.
But they go the extra mile with events like the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. California is a hotbed of MMA action and hosts many events each year, so you can wager on the UFC and Bellator. CA players that prefer more unique sports such as table tennis, rugby league and even Gaelic Games – Bovada puts it all at the tip of your fingers.
How about making some entertainment bets? Get your bets in early for the Academy Awards, which are held in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the United States. How about politics, such as the next Governor of California? You can bet on all those and more at Bovada. There is no stone unturned in terms of what you can bet on.
#3
Everygame – Best California Sportsbook for Mobile Betting
The Everygame brand has only been around for a few years in this form, having recently been rebranded from “Intertops”. But the sportsbook has been in action since the mid-1990s, and Everygame rates five stars for many factors our experts look for when reviewing betting sites for California.
Everygame players enter a global sports betting network where you get access to some excellent welcome bonuses – including $150 for joining the sportsbook.
But what makes Everygame stand out from other online sportsbooks is its mobile platform. The compressed version runs smoothly on iOS, Android and Windows phones through a browser, so there’s no need to download an app. The live chat and other customer service options are also not impeded by phone compression. You won’t have any problems betting on a road trip down the coast from San Francisco to San Diego.
#4
Betnow – Best for Sportsbook Competitions
Betnow succeeds in delivering a sports betting experience that goes way beyond what you’d expect from such a small site. It’s only been operating for eight years, but already has a loyal following of sports bettors.
Betnow excels in offering sportsbook competitions to all players. These are weekly NFL, MLB and NBA contests with $10,000 giveaways. While the site is by no means polished, it shouldn’t be overlooked by players who want to trigger great bonuses – and there’s a $1,000 welcome offer to fill up your bankroll.
Players at Betnow also benefit from the site’s $10 minimum deposit. This is lower than the industry standard and means entry-level bettors from California don’t have to risk as much to get started. The sportsbook covers all the usual bases, so wagering on football, baseball, and hockey on your favorite teams from the Golden State will be easy and straightforward.
#5
MyBookie – Best CA Betting Site for Live Betting Options
Very few sports betting sites available in California have the capacity to stream live sports alongside betting odds. But that’s precisely what MyBookie offers players. MyBookie has been around less than 10 years, but has built a reputation for hosting a masterful live sports betting experience.
Sports bettors can wager on practically every event going, and watch live events in real time. If the Rams are making a late drive down the field in an NFL game, you can be sure you can wager on every play before the ball is snapped. The $1,000 welcome bonus is pretty hefty by American standards. Also, players will be impressed by the user experience across the MyBookie site.
With a top-notch customer service department and a minimum deposit limit sitting at just $20, there really isn’t much to dislike about MyBookie. The 3-7 day payout speed could be faster… but that’s not unique in the online sports betting industry.
Comparing the Best California Sportsbook Websites
| Sportsbook | Welcome Bonus | Bonus code | available sports | live betting | Read review | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | 50% up to $250 | N/A | 100+ | Yes | Bovada Review | Visit Bovada |
| BetUS | 200% up to $5,000 | JOIN125 | 100+ | Yes | BetUS Review | Visit BetUS |
| Everygame | Up to $750 | N/A | 100+ | Yes | Everygame Review | Visit Everygame |
| MyBookie | First deposit up to $1000 | MYB50 | 100+ | Yes | MyBookie Review | Visit MyBookie |
| Betnow | First Deposit up to $1000 | BN100 | 100+ | Yes | Betnow Review | Visit Betnow |
How We Choose the Best Online Sportsbooks for California
Our review team have trawled through almost 80 online sportsbooks to bring you the best options for California. From signing up to cashing out, our priority is to ensure CA players have a smooth and fair betting experience. To narrow down the options, our experts use these strict criteria to assess online betting site features:
Availability in California
We make sure to only promote sportsbooks that adhere to the latest California online betting laws. If you can’t access the site in California, then we’re not interested!
Safety & Security
With CA home to the world’s biggest global tech hub in Silicon Valley, it’s no surprise Californians take cybersecurity very seriously. Each CA betting site is stress tested for safety and security measures. This includes withdrawal and deposit methods, security software, account protection, and player safeguarding in relation to problem gambling.
Payment Options
The best CA sportsbooks have a range of secure payment methods, including credit cards, bank wire, and e-wallets. Yet it’s crypto we pay special attention to. California has fully embraced the crypto-revolution, ranking third out of US states with the highest-value crypto assets, and home to some of the USA’s biggest crypto exchanges. To cater to this, we look for Bitcoin as a bare minimum, and keep an eye out for a range of alt-coins like Tether and Litecoin.
California Sports Coverage
Sports betting sites have a lot of events and games to cover, but we want to make sure our best-reviewed sites are relevant to the Golden State. So, we look into each sportsbook to check if Californian sports teams and events are featured. Championship teams like the Golden State Warriors and LA Dodgers attract millions of sports bets when they play. It’s only fair for CA players that we recommend betting sites that feature your local teams.
Competitive Odds
A successful betting site needs competitive odds, and we would never recommend a sportsbook that undersells its players. We do the line shopping between different CA sportsbooks, to see if a site is delivering the best odds for its players. But we give extra points for sites that consistently have better odds for the teams Californians are most likely to bet on. This includes the Lakers, Warriors, 49ers, as well as out-of-state teams popular with CA bettors, such as the Boston Celtics and Green Bay Packers.
Customer Support
Betting sites must legally provide customer support, but we look for those who go out of their way for CA bettors. We expect to always have access to 24/7 live chat as a minimum. But we also look for methods such as phone support, email, and mail. With Meta and Twitter both operating out of the Golden State, we give extra credit for social media access. Sportsbook social media accounts provide a public-facing means of communication, and are a good sign that websites are not afraid of public scrutiny. We test all these means of communication to ensure high standards.
Mobile Compatibility
More than half of online sports bets are placed via mobile devices in the USA – and California is no different. All our recommended sites are friendly for mobile sports betting and responsive to fit phone and tablet screens.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in California?
It is not legal to bet on sports at sportsbooks based in California. This law covers both online and retail operations. However, players can use online offshore sportsbooks without any legal issues. That’s because right now, online betting laws in California only prohibit sportsbooks from operating within the state.
Unfortunately, the Golden State does not offer any other in-state options for betting on sports, although you can wager on horses. It means in-person betting is also banned across California.
Sportsbooks and online casinos are actively seeking licenses to operate within the state, but so far, California’s legislature has failed to pass any proposed bills. The most recent bills, Prop 26 and Prop 27, did not pass the public vote in November 2022.
What were Prop 26 and Prop 27?
In 2018, the Supreme Court amended the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. This opened the door for many states to regulate sports betting, both in-person and online.
Four years later, two bills aimed at opening up Californians’ access to online gaming – Prop 26 and Prop 27.
Prop 26 would have allowed in-person sports betting at horse racing tracks and tribal casinos. Prop 27 would have permitted online sports wagering at in-state betting sites. The likes of DraftKings and FanDuel were ready to set up HQs in California if Prop 27 passed.
But both proposition failed to pass through the State Assembly following a public vote, which means players, for now, can only bet online in California via out-of-state sites.
California Sports Betting Timeline
The history of California sports betting goes beyond the federal government’s decision to relax gambling laws in 2018. Let’s take a look at the most recent events that have helped shape the state’s timeline.
The Future of California Sports Betting
It’s hard to know what will happen to sports betting in California. The public rejection of Props 26 and 27 means in-state operators are unlikely to emerge for at least another year. Yes, the likes of DraftKings and BetMGM are seeking alternate legal avenues into the state, but politicians won’t see drafts of legislation until at least 2024.
Even then, voters were put off by the wall-to-wall advertising of Props 26 and 27 and turned away from those brands. Sports betting operators will therefore need to be smarter with how they present new legislation to California’s 39 million residents in the future.
For now, Californians are better off wagering at online betting sites that provide the variety of odds, live betting and bonuses that they’re looking for.
Legislative change could come by the end of the decade, especially if other big states like Florida permit in-state gambling. But for now, the Sunshine State is not progressing on this issue.
How California Sports Betting Compares to Other States
California has one of the biggest potential gambling and sports betting markets in the United States, at an estimated size of $3bn annually. But currently it is one of 15 states that is yet to legalize in-state gaming.
The likes of New York and New Jersey permit mobile wagering at in-state sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings. California, however, still requires players to access out-of-state sportsbooks if they want to make bets online.
Nevada, which neighbors California, generates as much as $70m in sports betting revenues per month during the NFL and NCAA College Football season. Over in New York state, monthly revenues regularly break past $100m.
Even Delaware, a state with a population 2.5% the size of California, averages more than $1m a month in state taxes exclusively from sports betting activity.
Californians seeking to bet in-person can travel to Las Vegas, where sports bets must be placed at a physical location. Oregon allows just one in-state mobile sportsbook operator, DraftKings, although this number is likely to grow.
Californian Sports Teams You Can Bet on
Betting on California sports teams has never been easier. The development of online betting software over the past decade means sportsbooks now have instant access to multiple leagues across the biggest US sports. Here’s a list of the professional California sports teams you can bet on:
California NFL Teams
- San Francisco 49ers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Los Angeles Chargers
Find the best football betting sites with our guide to NFL betting sites.
NBA and WNBA Teams in CA
- Golden State Warriors
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Sacramento Kings
- Los Angeles Sparks
Find the best basketball betting sites with our WNBA betting and NBA betting sites guides.
CA MLB Teams
- Los Angeles Angels
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Oakland Athletics
- San Francisco Giants
- San Diego Padres
Find the top baseball sportsbooks with our MLB betting sites guide.
NHL Teams in California
- San Jose Sharks
- Los Angeles Kings
- Anaheim Ducks
Bet on your favorite NHL teams at the top NHL betting sites.
Californian Soccer Teams
- LA Galaxy
- San Jose Earthquakes
- Los Angeles FC
Looking for somewhere to place your bets on MLS teams? Find the perfect site for betting soccer with our guide.
Most Popular Teams to Bet on in California
California sports fans are as diverse as the state itself. Regarding major league sports, California’s fan base may surprise you. Bovada gave us a rundown of the most popular teams to wager on in their sportsbook for California bettors. When it comes to NFL and NBA teams, residents don’t always cheer for the home team:
NFL Teams
Kansas City Chiefs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buffalo Bills
Green Bay Packers
San Francisco 49ers
NBA Teams
LA Lakers
Golden State Warriors
Milwaukee Bucks
Boston Celtics
Phoenix Suns
Popular Betting Events in California
California is blessed with some of the most high-profile sporting events in the United States. It’s a state that boasts multiple professional teams in all major sports, so it’s only natural that big events come to the Golden State on a regular basis.
Here are five sporting events in California that sports bettors won’t want to miss.
Indian Wells Tennis
2023 US Open Golf
Breeders' Cup
2026 World Cup
Los Angeles Olympics
Not every online sportsbook will offer odds on these above events. But we’ve found three betting sites where California players can wager on these odds:
- Bovada – Total sports betting coverage
- BetUS – Live stream and betting options
- Everygame – Focus on California’s major sports teams
How to Bet on Sports in California
Betting online in California isn’t difficult. While in-state betting companies cannot offer odds to players, there’s nothing to stop Californians joining an offshore sportsbook and placing big bets on the world’s major sporting events.
So, how do you make an online bet in California? Here’s a step-by-step guide:
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The first thing to do is seek a sportsbook that meets your needs. Check out our latest sportsbook reviews and take a look at the bonuses, range of markets, and other incentives that each operator offers.
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You need to join your chosen sportsbook in order to place bets. The sign-up process is quick and easy and you’ll need personal details such as name, age, address, and ID in order to pass security checks.
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Once you have created your account, it’s time to make a deposit. You select your banking method of choice from a list of options (the more banking option a site has, the better!), and the amount of money you would like to deposit. It would be best to check out the welcome bonus for the site as you will likely have to deposit a certain amount in order to receive the bonus.
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Once you’re a member of your new sportsbook, it’s time to cash in your welcome bonus! This is usually done when you make a first deposit, It could also involve entering a promo code. Some sportsbooks will require this code when you sign up. Make sure you are aware of the terms and conditions for bonuses.
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Now you’re online and armed with a bankroll and active account, it’s time to find your perfect bet! Take your time exploring your chosen sportsbook and see what potential profits you’d make on certain bets. You can always clear your betslip and start again, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
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Once you’re happy with your wager, it’s time to hit “Place Bet”! You’ll be able to follow your wager during your chosen live event, and depending on the sportsbook you might be able to cash out early.
Sports Betting in California by Location
BetUS is the overall king of sportsbooks in California. However, there are several other online sports betting sites in the Golden State that sports enthusiasts flock to. Here are the most popular sportsbooks in these CA regions:
Los Angeles – BetNow
With LA hosting so many major league teams, it’s no surprise that Angelenos love BetNow’s sportsbook contests for the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Whether you like the Dodgers, Rams, Lakers, Clippers, Chargers, or Angels, you can compete against other LA bettors for a weekly $10,000 prize pot.
Ready to play at BetNow?
San Francisco (Bay Area) – MyBookie
Home to Apple, Google, and big tech, there is nowhere more synonymous with the smart phone revolution than the Bay Area. It’s no wonder that Bay Area residents are obsessed with mobile betting, and have turned to the MyBookie mobile web app. With a fantastic live bets feature in which you can stream live games straight to your phone, MyBookie is a no-brainier for tech-savvy Bay Area Californians.
Ready to play at MyBookie?
Sports Betting Apps in California
Most sportsbooks do not have downloadable sports betting apps in California. Instead, each sports betting website delivers their sportsbook via mobile web browser. The sites work just the same as if you were betting on desktop – and our reviewers make sure all recommended sportsbooks are fully mobile-compatible.
Play at the Top Mobile Betting Site in CA
Other Types of Gambling in California
Gambling in California goes far beyond sports betting. Here are four other forms of gambling that are available in the state today:
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are hugely popular in the state, and requires players to compete against each other, often in real time. It is believed more than 100,000 Californians play on DFS sites each week.
Poker
California has some strange poker laws, but there is no denying it is popular in the state. Residents can play at the best online poker sites in California via out-of-state sites. It has become an alternative to tribal poker rooms.
Online Casinos
Our reviewers have spent a lot of time looking for the best online casino in California, to make the choice easier for new players as they become more popular in the Golden State.
Latest California Sports Betting News
Gamble Responsibly in California
California has a $4m budget set aside to help tackle problem gambling – and it’s a figure that is expected to rise over the coming years. Here are responsible gambling resources available to help you, both in-state and federally.
- California Department of Public Health
- California Council on Problem Gambling
- The NCPG
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
California Sports Betting Sources
California Sports Betting FAQs
You can bet online in California at the following sites:
Californians can join these sportsbooks right now, and start betting on the world’s biggest sporting events. Each site offers a lucrative welcome bonus, provides excellent customer support, and features a wide range of sports odds.
BetUS is the top-rated sportsbook available in California. It scores full marks for security, banking options, mobile experience, customer support, and bonuses. Other top-rated sites include Bovada, Everygame, and MyBookie.
Yes, you can use our recommended online sportsbooks to place bets in California.
BetUS is available to all sports bettors in California and is welcoming new players across the United States.
Yes, you can use MyBookie in California. It is a secure online sportsbook.
No, DraftKings is not permitted for use in California.
There are no downloadable legal sports betting apps operating in California. However, CA players can access out-of-state sports betting sites via desktop and any mobile device.
Yes, California residents can legally use Bovada because it operates outside of the states border. You can use Bovada in California via your desktop or mobile browser.
Yes, MyBookie is legal for California residents to use.
The statewide gambling age is 18. However, retail casinos have the right to deny entry if you’re not over 21. To gamble online in California, you have to be at least 18.
Currently there are no online California-licensed sportsbooks, therefore offshore betting sites are your only option for betting in CA. However, it remains possible that future legislation will allow the development of California-based sportsbooks.
You are perfectly safe betting on sports in the Golden State as long as you use a safe sportsbook. Look for sites that have good reviews from past customers and top-notch security measures. You can also bet from your mobile and use crypto to make your bets, which adds an extra level of security.
Yes, and by betting apps we mean mobile versions of online sportsbooks. As long as the provider is based outside of California you can use their mobile version of the site. There are no downloadable betting apps in California.
You can bet on casino games at any of California’s tribal casinos, assuming that you are of-age. However, for sports betting, you will need to access betting sites from outside of the Golden State. You can sign up today at any of our recommended sports betting sites to get started.
Horse racing is one of the oldest and most popular gambling traditions in American history, and elsewhere, for that matter. California allows online pari-mutuel horse race wagering as long as it’s done through licensed venues. Chances are when sports betting becomes legal in California, horse racing will also undergo some regulatory changes for the better.
Kody is a family-focused guy that loves being with his wife and daughter, sports, writing, being outside and binge-watching The Office. Kody is a hardcore football and soccer fan but will cover all sorts of different articles that are needed.
