Best Mobile Sportsbook

We live in a technological age where we want everything right now no matter where we are. Well, if the rest of the world is obliging, why shouldn’t we expect the same from the sports betting industry? And they have delivered! Mobile betting sites have exploded in popularity, and there are some incredible options out there offering a great mobile sports betting experience. Below, you’ll find the list of our top recommended online sportsbooks that you can bet from your phone or any smart device wherever you are!

It would be tough for me to recommend a sports betting site as one of the best mobile sportsbooks of the year if they didn’t have an extensive lineup of sports clients you can bet on. The excellent news is MyBookie delivers very well in this area. Currently, there are more than 20 sports in Bovada’s mobile sportsbook. Welcome to Mobile Sportsbook Apps, where we review the highest rated mobile sportsbooks offering sports betting apps for Android, Blackberry, Iphone and Ipad.These mobile sites offer the same fantastic user experience and betting options as you have come to expect from the desktop versions of the site, and are some of the highest rated brands in the online betting industry.

If you’re having trouble deciding which of these mobile betting sites is best for you, we have some additional information that might help. In the sections below, we will break down the specific criteria that make up a great mobile betting site, we’ll discuss the difference between mobile betting sites and standalone apps, and we will walk you through how to get started betting online now.

By the time you finish this guide, you’ll be an expert on mobile betting sites and will be much better equipped to decide which of these sites is best for you and your needs.

What Criteria Makes a Great Mobile Betting Site

When you create a betting site that is only going to be used from a desktop computer, things do not have to be perfect. If the graphics aren’t great, buttons aren’t aligned properly, or other little things are messed up, people can still figure it out. But when you take all of this, and you scrunch it down to a phone or tablet screen, the margin for error disappears.

While creating a mobile betting site is not rocket science or brain surgery, you are still going to want to use a site where the developers approached it with that sort of attention to detail. Below, you will find the criteria that we feel is the most important for a mobile betting site to have. Some of these criteria are deal-breakers, and some of them are just on our wish list. That being said, the mobile betting sites that we recommended above excel in all of these categories.

A Great User Interface

The heart and soul of a good mobile betting site begins and ends with the quality of their user interface. As we have already alluded to, when everything must fit on a smaller screen, there must be a lot more attention to detail. Specifically, attention to detail with how the site is organized and laid out.

If the buttons are too close together or too small for you to click, you are going to run a high risk of betting the wrong game, the wrong bet, or even the wrong bet amount. When you make mistakes like this in a hurry, you might not catch them and end up having to deal with the mistake at the end of the game. While this is not your fault, a cruddy betting site will not care or have any sympathy.

So, to protect yourself from not just a bad experience but also from losing money, you should only bet with quality mobile betting sites that understand the end-user experience. While you may wonder how any company can get all of the necessary information for each bet onto one screen, we assure you that it is not only possible but can be done in a slick, easy-to-use manner.

Adequate Servers and Software

As traditional betting sites and mobile betting sites grow, their infrastructure and systems need to grow at the same pace if not faster. When a site successfully does this, it shows in the user experience. When a site does not do this, it manifests itself as glitches, crashes, and errors.

You can imagine this like a restaurant that does not have enough seats for everyone that wants to eat there. They will try and put in extra tables, but the food will still come out slow and incorrect. They’ll try quick band-aid fixes, but it never fixes the root problem that they need more space.

Online gambling sites make plenty of money, and they should be reinvesting a large portion of that money into their site, servers, and software to facilitate a top-notch betting experience for you and their other customers. When a site is too greedy to use their profits to ensure the quality of their product, they have no place in this industry.

Trust and Reliability

It doesn’t matter if you’re betting at a brick-and-mortar casino, from your computer at home, from your phone at work or the bar, or on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific; you deserve to get your money’s worth from your bets and have the sports betting experience that you expect. Nothing changes when it comes to trust and reliability when you move from an in-person casino or sportsbook to a mobile betting platform.

You still need to be able to trust that your money is safe, your personal information is secure, and that your bets will be paid according to how you expect them to be. The responsibility falls on the sportsbook to ensure that this happens. Not only are they responsible for making sure your information and money are safe, but we feel they are also responsible for relaying that trust to you and putting your mind at ease.

Whether you are betting for profit or entertainment value, the experience should still be fun and free of unnecessary headaches because of safety issues. If you do not feel 100% safe with a mobile betting site, you should not bet another dollar there. You should take your money off and find a more reputable source to handle your action. This is why we go to such great lengths to vet the sites we recommend.

The Necessary Security Protocols

Let’s be honest; the internet is a scary place. When you bet from home, you do have a considerable amount of control over your side of the connection. When you start betting from other places on your smart device, you start to give up some of that control. Now, this should not deter you from ever using your phone or smart device outside of your home. The only reason we mention it is to point out that security becomes much more important when you start using mobile betting sites.

When you decide to bet for real money, you not only have to load money onto the site, but you also have to give them at least some of your personal information so that they can pay you out when you win. You should never have to worry that either of these two things is at risk from an internal or external threat.

Also, as we said earlier with the trust factor, the responsibility is not just to provide top-notch security. There is also a responsibility to let you know this security exists and put your mind at ease when you’re making your bets. Whether you’re depositing, betting, withdrawing, or just letting your account sit, you should have no fears that anything negative is going to happen.

Mobile Banking Options

In the early days of mobile betting sites, when you wanted to make a deposit, you still had to go to a desktop version of the site or a brick-and-mortar location to get your bets in. Thankfully, banking technology has kept pace with the growth and changes of the sports betting industry. Now, most mobile betting sites offer you at least some options to get your money on and offline right from your smart device.

While it is becoming fairly standard industry-wide to have some options, the quality and quantity of these options are not standard across the industry. It is sadly very common to find many sites online that only offer one option to withdraw or deposit your money. What we like to see when we are reviewing and ranking mobile betting sites are several quality options for depositing and withdrawing.

There is a strong emphasis there on the word “quality.” A mobile betting site can have a thousand deposit or withdrawal options for all we care, but if they’re all garbage, that is the same as zero.

A Desktop Version of the Site

Almost everyone has some form of GPS in their cars these days. But does that mean you still don’t carry an old-school map as a backup? If you consider yourself a prepared individual, then you probably have a folded-up map somewhere in your car just in case.

This analogy (maybe a bit of a stretch) is how we like to look at mobile betting sites. While we are almost always going to use the mobile platform from our phone, we still want to have the “old-school” option available in case we need it or want to use it.

If you’re doing a lot of research on your bets from your computer, you might want to be able to have an extra web tab open to make your bets. It might not be ideal for you to switch back and forth between your phone and your computer. When a mobile betting site also has a desktop version, this is easily handled.

Do most mobile betting sites have a desktop version? We are going to address this in the very next section of this guide.

Mobile Betting Sites vs. Apps

If you’re new to mobile betting, but you’ve heard people talk about it, you’ve probably got some questions. One of the most common questions that we get asked is what the difference is between a mobile betting site and a mobile betting app. Are they the same thing or different? Is one better than the other, or are they the same?

Well, these are great questions. Let’s get to the bottom of them.

A mobile betting app, on the other hand, is a standalone program that you download onto your phone or smart device. Think of it like this. From your phone, you could go to your web browser and go to facebook.com and handle your Facebook business that way. Or you could download the Facebook app that is a standalone program that you can open from your phone or smart device.

Best Mobile Sportsbook App

If you’ve ever used both of those from your phone, you know that it is a wildly different experience. Which experience is better? It depends, and we’ll address that shortly.

But first, let’s recap the differences between the two to make sure you have it clear. A mobile betting site is a “normal” website that has been specially coded to work better on your phone or smart device. Another term for this you may hear is mobile-friendly site. A mobile betting app is a program that you must download to your device to get access to the information or betting you are looking for. The bets you make from both are the same, but the experience will typically be different.

The Benefits of Mobile Betting Sites Over Apps

While there is nothing wrong with using either (and we recommend both throughout our site), our favorite to use is mobile betting sites. We want to go over a few of the reasons that we think they’re the better choice over a standalone app when you’re looking to sports bet on the go.

You Don’t Have to Download Anything

When you use a mobile betting app, you have to download a program. But you can’t just download any program. You have to make sure that you are downloading the right version of the program for your phone or smart device. You also have to make sure that the version of the software works with the current operating system on your device.

This also means you’re going to have to download updates. A good betting site or app will always be making changes and improvements (even if only for security purposes). If you’re using an app, you’re going to have to download these updates regularly. Often, you won’t be allowed access to your account until you download the updates. This can be a real pain in the neck if you’re looking to get in a last-minute bet before a game starts.

With mobile betting sites, you don’t have to download anything. Updates are pushed through automatically, and you’ll always see the most up-to-date product. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about device compatibility. As long as you can access the internet through your device, you’ll be able to access your betting site.

You Don’t Have to Take up Space on Your Phone

Yes, the memory banks on phones and smart devices are getting big these days. Even so, you don’t want to have to take up unnecessary memory or real estate on your home screen. It’s much more convenient to bookmark a page instead of having to keep the full program on your device. Why not take advantage of the company storing the information on their server?

Additionally, you may run into some security issues with an app versus a mobile betting site. If you set your app to auto log in, anyone that gets their hands on your phone (maybe your kids) while it’s unlocked will be able to click a button and get into your betting account. Also, if you are slow to download new security patches and updates, you may find your device getting hacked and your personal information at risk.

You Have a Desktop Option, Too

We mentioned in the last section that we would address this. When you choose to bet with a mobile-friendly betting site, you get the perk of having a desktop version to use as well. Because you are just accessing a website from a web browser, you can do the exact same thing from your computer. In fact, you can easily access your account from any smart device.

This means that when you’re on your computer, you won’t be able to make any bets unless you pull out your phone and start double-fisting the action. While this sounds cool when we put it that way, it’s not that much fun. It’s a lot easier to have your research going on one tab and your bets and betting lines going on the other.

Additionally, if you’re looking to line shop between several books, this is a nightmare from your phone. You’ll have to open multiple apps at once and hope one doesn’t close while you look at another. With the web-based platforms, you can do this with ease from a desktop or even from your smart device.

Getting Started Now

There is no time like the present to get started with a new mobile betting site. While we know that sounds like something you’d hear from a car salesman, it really is the best time to get started. Whether you’re looking to make your first bet or are making the transition from brick and mortar, you’re going to love the flexibility and freedom that comes with a mobile betting site.

You’re never going to miss a bet again or miss an opportunity to pounce on some short-lived value before the other sharks gobble it all up. You’ll also never have to miss work or sneak out of a family outing again to get your bets in. If you’re ready to get started enjoying these benefits, check out one of the sites we recommended at the top of the page.

Sports betting has arrived in Virginia! FanDuel Sportsbook opened its virtual doors for business in January 2021.

As we welcome legalized online sports betting in Virginia, the time is right to take a look at what we have on tap. We are able to place bets on all of the major games and events, including on local favorites such as the Washington Football Team.

We can’t place wagers on any in-state college programs, but we have a green light for the rest of the college basketball and football games on the docket. All of the bet types we could ask for are available, making it really easy to get in the game.

We’ll be covering everything you need to know right here, including bonus offers and the top features you have to look forward to. Let’s get to it.

Online sports betting is live in VA

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Is Virginia sports betting legal?

Yes. Sports betting launched on January 21, 2021 after becoming legal in July 2020, courtesy of the passage of HB 896 and SB 384 by the state legislature earlier in the year and the subsequent signing of the legislation into law by Gov. Ralph Northam. The law is the result of multiple years of deliberation in the normally conservative state.

These are the relevant launch dates for online sports betting:

Virginia sports betting apps for March 2021

Virginia sports betting apps make the dream of having a legal sportsbook at your fingertips a reality. The platforms from industry leaders are top-notch and simple to use, and they’re offering up some fantastic bonuses for new players to take advantage of. We’ll cover everything you need to know about downloading and using the apps in a bit. For now, let’s take a closer look at the top options you’ll have available.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel has also quickly become a go-to spot in a number of states. The visually appealing and user-friendly interface has a lot to do with that, as does its recent focus on innovative offerings such as single-game parlays.

Fanduel was the first app to go live in Virginia.

DraftKings Sportsbook

It’s pretty easy to see why the DraftKings online betting app has raced to the top of the charts in all markets entered to date. The platform is super slick and filled with bells and whistles. Among the top highlights is an outstanding live betting feature.

BetMGM Sportsbook

The well-known MGM brand from the casino world is also becoming a major player in online and mobile sports betting. BetMGM sports betting app offers a range of sports, competitive odds and regular promotions for users to take advantage of. BetMGM Virginia is live!

BetRivers Sportsbook

A member of the Rush Street family, BetRivers continues to grow its presence across legal sports betting states. Among the top benefits is an ongoing rewards program that lets bettors accrue points just for wagering. The BetRivers sports app also went live Jan. 2021.

William Hill Sportsbook

A major name on the international gambling scene, William Hill’s presence continues to grow here in the US. The platform isn’t quite as flashy as its competitors, but it’s still a great spot to jump in and get down to business. The William Hill VA app launched in Feb. 2021 .

PointsBet Sportsbook

This Australia-based operator has made tremendous strides since entering the US market in January 2019. PointsBet is bettor-focused, and that shows in its promo offerings that include reduced juice and odds boosts. PointsBet is not live yet in Virginia.

Sportsbook bonuses and free bet offers

When getting set to play at a new sportsbook, be sure to take a pause and ask yourself a simple question: What’s in it for me? It’s a competitive world out there, so Virginia sports betting operators are constantly offering deals to new players. Here’s some of what you’ll see.

Best Mobile Sportsbook Promo

• Free bets: Some books will give you free funds in the form of site credits that you can use to place bets. Any winnings are yours to keep.
• Deposit match: Certain operators will match your first deposit up to a set amount, sometimes by as much as 100%.
• Risk free bets: A few books will allow you to place your first bet in risk-free fashion after making a deposit. If it loses, you’ll be refunded the bet amount in site credit.

Sign-up offers provide a great way to try out new sites while also potentially building up your bank roll. Sportsbooks are happy to pay for your business in today’s competitive environment, so be sure to take advantage.

How to start online sports betting in Virginia

Once you decide where you want to play, you can be up and running quickly and easily. The best place to start is by clicking on our exclusive links. This will ensure that you’re getting the best possible bonus offer from that operator.

After you do that, you’ll arrive at the main sign-up page. You’ll be prompted to enter some basic details — think name, date of birth, last four digits of Social Security number, etc. — and will then have to check off a few boxes. Once you click submit, your account will be set.

Next, be sure to download the VA sports betting app for your device from the sportsbook website. Log in on mobile for the first time and you’ll be good to go there, too. After just a few minutes from start to finish, you’ll have access to legal sports betting both online and via app.

Once you’re completely up and running, take some time to look around and get the lay of the land. Here are a few of the areas you’ll want to check out.

• Sports available for betting.
• How the bet slip works.
• The area to deposit and withdraw funds.
• How to get help and contact support.

The good news is that the leading sports betting operators invest heavily on the tech side. That means that both the sites and apps are generally easy to navigate. You should be able to find what you’re looking for quickly.

After you get a handle on the basics, you can dive in and get ready to place some bets. This is a simple process, as you just need to click on your choices to have them added to the betting slip. From there, plug in your bet amount, review the wager and click submit.

VA sportsbook pricing and lines

The best sports betting lines are no longer the sole domain of Las Vegas. While it was like that for decades, the new legal landscape has been a game-changer. Leading operators across the legal states are offering odds that are on point.

Here in Virginia, it’ll be more of the same. You can still take the time to see what the oddsmakers out in Sin City have to say about a game or event, but know that you’ll find comparable lines here at home.

On the operator front, competition helps to breed efficiency in betting markets. You won’t find the exact same numbers at every sportsbook in Virginia, so you should always take the time to shop around for the best prices.

VA sports teams to bet on

While no teams from any of the major sports leagues make their home in VA, many residents have adopted clubs from the DC metro area as local favorites. For each of them, you’ll be able to bet on the individual game outcomes, place some props and live bets, and even check out the futures market for season-long wagers.

• NFL: Washington Football Team
• NBA: Washington Wizards
• MLB: Washington Nationals
• NHL: Washington Capitals
• MLS: DC United

Of course, you can bet on any squad you choose for each of the above sports. It’s a different story with college. For college football and basketball, you can’t bet on any in-state teams. However, betting on all other Division I programs in both sports is perfectly fine.

Beyond the pro and college team sports, you’ll find a whole host of options to consider. The most popular of the other sports will also attract tons of betting volume, while others fall into the niche category and see much less action.

• Tennis
• NASCAR
• UFC
• Boxing
• Cricket
• Cycling
• Darts
• Handball
• MMA
• Rugby
• Snooker
• Table tennis
• Volleyball

Please note that not all of the above will be available at every VA sports betting site, but each of the individual sportsbooks will have a solid overall selection. In short, you won’t be lacking for things to bet on here in VA.

Futures and prop betting in Virginia

Your betting action doesn’t have to be limited to the outcome of individual games and events. There are several other ways to get in on the fun, including with futures and props. Futures are long-term wagers, while props are ways to get some side action in.

A futures bet is a wager on something that won’t be decided until a later date. Many of the most popular markets revolve around league championships or the winners of top individual events, such as:

• College Football Playoff
• Golf majors — Masters, etc.
• Tennis Grand Slams — Wimbledon, etc.
• NASCAR Daytona 500

There are also futures for individual team performances, such as regular season win totals and the winners of conferences and divisions. Odds for futures come out in the offseason. Bettors stay engaged throughout the year, and the numbers will move in response to betting action.

The general gist is to find the selections you want at the best prices, so shopping around to compare numbers is always a good idea. If you make the right call on futures bets, you could be in for a nice score when the wager is settled.

Keep in mind that settlement doesn’t happen until the outcome is known. A futures bet requires a long-term perspective, so budget accordingly. For props, you’ll find some of the season-long variety.

Bets in this category include the NFL passing yards leader, or on the MLB player who will hit the most homers. Props are also available on individual games. Some revolve around team performance or the game as a whole, while many are based on player accomplishments.

• How many yards will Alex Smith throw for — over/under 269.5?
• Will Alex Ovechkin score a goal in the game — yes/no?
• Which pitcher will have more strikeouts — Max Scherzer or Jacob deGrom?

There’s a dedicated section for the futures market under the tabs for each of the individual sports at online sportsbooks. For props, clicking through on the individual game listings will bring you to a page with the available offerings.

Live betting in Virginia

Live betting is a segment of the sports betting industry that has gained a great deal of traction in recent times. Also known as in game betting, live betting opens the doors to placing wagers as the action plays out in real time.

The market moves really fast, but staying on top of things is easy with a VA sports betting app from DraftKings or FanDuel. Offerings will vary based on what’s going on, but you’ll see things like updated game lines and prop betting opportunities.

• What will be the result of this next drive for Washington — TD/FG/TO/punt?
• Which side will score three runs first — Nationals or Braves?
• Which team will hold the lead at halftime — Wizards or Hornets?

When you log in to the VA sports betting app of your choice, you should see a dedicated section for live betting. Once you click on that, the lobby will be populated with current and upcoming offerings. Live betting is a great way to stay engaged with the games and potentially turn a profit, but remember to always bet within your comfort level.

How online sports betting works in Virginia

You can get started with betting on sports in VA at any time. You can register online or via app with legal and regulated operators. You’ll need to enter just a few simple pieces of information, including:

• Name
• Address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Last four digits of your Social Security number

In order to play, users have to be 21 or older and located within state lines. Your age will be verified as part of the sign-up process. If the operator has any trouble doing so, you’ll likely need to provide documentation.

While there’s not an in-state residency requirement, users need to be in Virginia to actually place bets. To verify that you are, sites use what’s known as geolocation tracking. You can manage your account elsewhere — deposit funds, check lines, etc. — but in order to place bets, you must physically be in VA.

What’s legal and illegal to bet on in VA

You can bet on all of the major sports in Virginia, as well as a whole host of others that are on a smaller scale. While there’s plenty to choose from, there are some restrictions to keep in mind.

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• No betting on collegiate games involving VA-based teams.
• Live betting and player props are prohibited for college sports
• Bets are allowed on sporting events only, so you can’t bet on things like elections.

The restriction on non-sports wagering is not exclusive to Virginia. Many other states have adopted the same policy, while wagering on elections is prohibited across the US. College rules have been handled on a state-by-state basis, and we have seen plenty of variance.

Virginia law is one of the more restrictive in that you can’t place bets on in-state teams. New Jersey sportsbooks also implemented such a policy, while Pennsylvania sportsbooks has no such restrictions in place. While you can’t bet on the in-state programs, you can wager on other college basketball and football contests without issue.

How sports betting licensing works in VA

There are high expectations for the Virginia online sports betting market. Operators who are approved and vetted by the Virginia Lottery are on the hook for $250,000 for a three-year license as well as a 15% revenue tax in order to set up shop.

As part of the legalization process, there was plenty of back and forth on where the tax dollars would be allocated. That has all been squared away now that the bill is signed into law. Here’s the breakdown.

• The state gets 95%.
• The Virginia Lottery Board gets 5% for overseeing the industry.
• The final 5% is dedicated to a problem gambling and support fund that is slated to be overseen by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

Legal sports betting has been a hit in all of the new markets across the US. We can expect more of the same in VA. That’s great news for those who have been patiently waiting to legally and safely place their wagers at home, as well as for the state’s tax coffers.

Where to bet on sports in Virginia

There are no brick-and-mortar casinos in Virginia, but that could change in the future. As the sports betting legalization drama was playing out, a green light was given for physical casinos in the following cities:

• Bristol
• Danville
• Norfolk
• Portsmouth

Additionally, Richmond is still set to vote on whether to allow a casino there. If and when the prospective casinos actually open their doors, we can expect retail sportsbooks to be included among the on-site offerings. Interestingly, the following leagues have also been permitted to submit licenses for potential sportsbooks in any future construction projects in VA:

• NFL
• NBA
• MLB
• NHL
• MLS

While there are no pro teams in VA at this time for any of these leagues, the area is often mentioned as a potential spot for relocation or expansion. For now, we’ll consider this an intriguing tidbit to keep a close eye on.

Last but not least, the two operating racetracks in VA also have the opportunity to have their own sportsbook or to partner up with an existing operator. For a retail option that could open up quickly, this is the spot to watch. Here are the details on the two tracks.

Martinsville Speedway

• Address: 340 Speedway Road, Ridgeway, VA
• Tickets: 877-RACE-TIX

Richmond Raceway

• Address: 600 E. Laburnum Ave., Richmond, VA
• Tickets: 866-455-RACE