Betting Sites In New York
There used to be lots of betting sites in New York. In fact, New York City was, for most of the 1800s and early 1900s, the top spot for sports betting and gambling in the entire US. Even as recently as the 1980s, it was a piece of cake to meet up with your local bookie on some busy street corner, place a bet, and get your winnings. And for decades, this was perfectly legal.
However, because the various mafia syndicates started to run their sportsbooks and other gambling exploits more efficiently than the state itself could manage, the NY government had to put something in place to stem the tide of all the “losses” hitting their monopolized state lotteries and other regulated gaming endeavors. Thus, it is precisely due to the extreme popularity of sports betting in New York that the pastime is now nominally illegal to practice on state soil.
But even as sports betting is technically against the law in New York, it remains a hugely popular activity among Big Apple residents and all others throughout the rest of the state. In fact, outside of Nevada, it is believed that New Yorkers turn the biggest sports betting handle in America, spending an estimated $30-40 billion each year on the activity.
Of course, because of the anti-gambling federal laws in place, the dramatic majority of this money – some 95% of it – goes to various betting sites in New York that actually operate overseas, with a large portion remaining there, fully removed from the domestic NY and national economies. The regulations against sports wagering in the Empire State – and the rest of the country (except NV) – have had a measurably negative effect on the ability of New York and all other states to meet the economic needs of their local populations.
Federal Sports Betting Laws
The first of the three current federal sports betting laws is called the Interstate Wire Act of 1961. This law, a construct of the Kennedy empire, was passed to “prevent” crime families from operating their sports betting and numbers rackets across state lines. Naturally, it didn't work, as these families continued to control the industry nationwide, with several even “going legit” in Las Vegas, leading to the great Sin City boom of the 1960s and 1970s.
The second, more pressing sports betting law came in the guise of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), which formally made it against the law for any state – excepting Nevada – to offer sports betting of any kind. While a few other states were nominally exempt, none – famously including New Jersey – was able to meet the law's simple prerequisites before its grace period ended. As a result of PASPA, new ways to legally wager on sports were quickly developed, and with the rise of the Internet, online sports betting and gambling became a pervasive industry.
The third federal sports betting law of note is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), which was instituted to outlaw the rise in online sports betting, poker, and casino gaming that was so popular at the turn of the millennium. This law, like the others, had no measurable effect on forcing new traffic into Las Vegas-area casinos as intended, though it significantly increased Americans' participation in the “grey market” websites first prompted by PASPA.
The New York Sports Betting Loophole
The reason that the above laws didn't (and don't) work is two-fold. First, prohibitions are typically ineffective and have the track-record for increasing – not decreasing – participation in the banned practice. Secondly – and more importantly – is the so-called New York sports betting loophole. (Of course, this isn't truly a loophole, as NY residents making use of this strategy are in full, unambiguous compliance with all state and federal laws as written.)
The New York sports betting loophole is simply this: None of the federal laws in place against sports betting actually criminalize individual NY residents from placing sports wagers. Rather, these laws merely make it illegal for any NY resident or commercial enterprise to accept sports wagers for profit on New York soil. As all the top legal online sportsbooks are based overseas and wholly outside US jurisdiction, they are legally able to accept your bets as easily as you are legally able to place them. In other words, by using a reputable offshore New York betting site (SportsBetting, BetOnline, BetDSI, etc.), you can safely and legally wager on all the local, regional, national, and global athletic action you wish.
New York State Sports Betting Laws
Though some states have specific legislation in their own books that disallow sports betting, New York state sports betting laws have tentatively legalized the practice. The New York state congress introduced a constitutional amendment in 2013 (Laws of New York, Chapter 174, Section 1367) explicitly allowing sports betting provided that PASPA is ever repealed or overturned. The voting public approved this measure. The law states:
“In addition to authorized gaming activities, a licensed gaming facility may...operate a sports pool upon the approval of the commission... A sports pool shall be operated in a sports wagering lounge located at a casino.”
Though current New York state sports betting laws are limited to casino locations and betting pools rather than traditional sports betting wager systems, there is current action in NY government to expand the scope of the 2013 amendment.
Best New York Sports Betting Sites
There are several hundred (if not several thousand) sports betting sites on the Internet that will gladly take NY resident customers. However, these services are mostly untrustworthy outfits with little to no history in the online sports wagering marketplace, and they shouldn't be trusted. That said, there are also a handful of extremely reputable online sportsbooks that serve the New York area.
The best betting sites in New York are tried-and-true companies like SportsBetting, BetOnline, BetDSI, 5Dimes, and BookMaker, who have a combined century or so of experience in the bookmaking business. Even better, these sites have hundreds of thousands – and perhaps even millions – of NY members, each of whom receives fresh odds, fair lines, simple browsing and wagering interfaces, and guaranteed payouts. These sites also offer a slew of perks for their NY membership base, making wagering with them not only legal and entertaining but even more lucrative than most land-based solutions in Nevada.
SportsBetting is one of the world's leading online betting shops, and it is the most popular single destination in the state for gamblers looking to legally wager on athletics. Wagering on NY sports at SportsBetting is the most accessible way to get into the game, as the site offers by far the most deposit and withdrawal options available anywhere. Whether you're a first-time bettor or a seasoned high-roller, SportsBetting will go the extra mile to accommodate you and make your membership a rewarding experience.
From credit and debit cards (SportsBetting is the only NY bookmaker that accepts American Express) to checks, money orders, and a variety of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, you can fund your account and wager your way. Additionally, SportsBetting offers its NY members several valuable perks, including a 75% Welcome Bonus worth up to $1000 and fresh bonuses on all future deposits. Whether you're a Yankees homer or hater, there's no better place for NY residents to put their money where their passion is than SportsBetting.
BetOnline has been serving the New York area for over 15 years, and they've amassed hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers from the state over that time. With a number of deposit and payout options, the site has something for everyone, including one of the best mobile websites in the business. Wagering on NY sports at BetOnline is a breeze whether you're at home or on the go, and signing up is fast and free, as well.
New BetOnline members are eligible for a generous $2500 Welcome Bonus with a 50% deposit match guarantee, and there's even a fully-fledged online casino, poker room, and international pari-mutuel racebook for fans of the ponies. BetOnline also supports cryptocurrency payment options, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. And if you live in NY but spend time overseas, BetOnline even accepts peer-to-peer services like Neteller and Skrill. If convenience is king, BetOnline is bona fide sports betting royalty.
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New York Betting Sites Banking Options
When you sign up with one of the above sportsbooks (or one of their top-tier competitors), your first consideration is likely to be the buy-in. After all, you cannot wager on athletics until you wrap your head around the New York betting sites banking options.
Fortunately, these options are simple to understand, and they will be more than adequate for most users. Depending on your individual needs, you will want to choose specific deposit and withdrawal options, as each one has different limits and lead times to consider.
Legal Online Sportsbook Deposits For NY Residents
Legal online sportsbook deposits for NY residents vary greatly. Generally speaking, the best solution for you will depend on two factors: how much you want to deposit at once and how quickly you need to be able to start placing your wagers.
If speed is the primary consideration, you will likely be best off choosing to use a credit or debit card to deposit into your New York sportsbook. Visa and Mastercard are the most commonly accepted of these, with some sites even accepting gift cards from these companies. Credit and debit transfers are instantaneous, but they carry relatively low limits compared to other means ($2000-$5000 at most NY betting sites).
If you wish to place big bets, you'll need to deposit larger sums. In that case, old-school methods like bank wire transfers, cashier's checks, and money orders are more appropriate. At most betting sites in New York, you can use these avenues to deposit up to $10,000 at a time. However, you must initiate these deposits at least two weeks before you wish to start betting on any sporting events, as they typically take 10-14 days to clear and show up in your New York sportsbook account.
A third option is to use a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin et al., as crypto carries the lowest fees, has same-day (usually sub-hour) transfer times, and has very high limits on deposits, often up to $25,000.
Legal Online Sportsbook Withdrawals
If you've ever had to go without betting on the Giants for a month or five, you know all about legal online sportsbook withdrawals. Ha! But seriously, when you're signed up at a top betting shop, one of your chief considerations will be how to best get your winnings out. As a matter of course, the payout options at all the best sportsbooks are somewhat limited compared against the deposit options at your disposal.
That said, you still have a number of ways to get your money. Since sportsbooks like SportsBetting and BetOnline no longer offer card chargebacks as a payout option, the only way to get immediate transfers is by using a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or another supported altcoin. Transfers usually take under an hour or so, and the withdrawal limits are often as high as $10,000 at most books.
If you aren't set up to deal with cryptocurrencies yet, you can elect to receive your payouts through a number of other means. Just contact your site's cashier service and request your winnings in the form of a courier check, bank wire, or money order. Just remember, as with transfers, these options will require up to two weeks of wait time before you receive your money stateside.
Live New York Betting Sites
One of the huge benefits that legal betting sites in New York offer has to do with a phenomenon called live betting (a.k.a.) in-game betting. Live New York betting sites – which all the aforementioned top sportsbooks are – allow the bettor to wager on games as they're being played, in real time. You can bet on the outcomes of individual pitches, plays, downs, possessions, holes, strokes, free throws, penalty kicks, free kicks, and more.
To fully take advantage of live betting at your sportsbook of choice, however, you must remember to be actively signed into your account, with your attention both on the real-time live odds page for the game in question and on the game itself. That said, you don't have to sit at home on the computer to take advantage of live betting, as all the best online sportsbooks have robust mobile website portals with full live betting support.
Mobile New York Sports Betting Apps
In today's connected world where just about everything is accessible through a simple smartphone or tablet, you're probably eager to download all the mobile New York sports betting apps you can. Unfortunately, due to Google and Apple corporate policies, this isn't currently possible in the US.
However, sportsbooks like SportsBetting, BetOnline, BetDSI, and others have all built comprehensive, mobile-optimized versions of their websites, and these are freely available to all NY sports betting enthusiasts. All you need to do to take advantage of these mobile New York sports betting sites is log in to your account via your iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or other tablet, and you'll be automatically redirected to your site's optimized, one-tap browsing and betting experience.
You can even save this destination to your device's home screen to make a mobile New York sports betting “web app,” which you can launch immediately and which is nearly as responsive as a native app would be. Until Google and Apple allow real-money gambling apps on the US Google Play store and App Store, this is the next best thing.
Betting Sites In New York FAQs
Will I Get Arrested For Using Betting Sites In New York?
No, you will not get arrested for using betting sites in New York, as the activity is legal on both the state and federal levels provided you only use reputable offshore sportsbooks like SportsBetting, BetOnline, BetDSI, 5Dimes, and BookMaker.
How Many New York Betting Sites Can I Join?
You can join as many New York betting sites as you wish. In fact, since signing up with each top service is free and fast, it is an excellent strategy – and one of the biggest edges you'll ever have – to join multiple different sportsbooks.
Remember, these sportsbooks compete with one another for your business, and they primarily achieve this by offering different odds and lines from their rival services. By shopping around for the best payout on any particular sporting event, you can maximize your winnings substantially.
Can I Have More That One Account At Any Legal New York Betting Site?
Absolutely not. Since you have to verify your identity, your sportsbook will know if and when you try to “game the system” by using multiple accounts. Users caught violating the terms of service will be permanently banned, and any money in their account balances will be forfeited. Sportsbooks take duplicate accounts extremely seriously, and a lifetime ban is simply not worth the risk.
How Old Do I Have To Be To Join Legal Betting Sites In New York?
In order to join legal betting sites in New York, you must be at least 18 years of age. While you may be able to get away with betting under this age limit, once you try to withdraw any winnings, you will have to submit proper government identification that includes your date of birth. Underage users will be banned and their funds forfeited.
Does Bovada Accept NY Residents?
Yes, Bovada now accepts NY residents!
What Are The Most Popular Sports To Bet On In New York?
The most popular sports to bet on in New York are...all of them! As a central hub for all major American sports leagues, betting sites in New York get tons of action on just about every team in the area. The Yankees, Giants, Knicks, and Rangers dominate their respective seasons, but the Mets, Bills, Jets, Nets, Islanders, and Sabres all have plenty of fans that wager on every game, home and away.
Even the NCAA gets lots of love in the Empire State, especially during the football and basketball seasons. For true sports fans and avid bettors, there's no better place than the Big Apple.
What Is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, and it is the industry standard alternative payment method at all major betting sites in New York. That said, Bitcoin (and conceptual spin-offs like Ethereum and Litecoin, which are called altcoins) is not limited to the sports betting industry, as its applications as a decentralized global currency have been explored in just about every facet of the finance world to date.
The benefits of using Bitcoin for your sports betting (or for any other endeavor, including financial investment) lie in the fact that, as a decentralized, non-controlled currency, Bitcoin and other cryptos are not manipulated by any government or non-natural market force.
Cryptocurrency is based on a quantum-computing-resistant technology called blockchain, and – though it has innumerable intricacies – the primary upshot of this “open ledger” approach is massively heightened data security. Essentially, your money – and your sports betting winnings – are the safest they can possibly be when held or traded as cryptocurrencies.
