Online Sports Betting California – Are Sportsbooks in California Legal?

Comparing California’s Best Online Betting Sites

To help you choose the right betting site for you we have summarised our top 10 California sportsbooks into a table showing their sports betting promo codes & bonuses, the number of sports covered and any live betting or streaming options.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in California?

Online sports betting is currently not regulated in California. However, our recommended offshore sportsbooks do accept bets from US players.

You must be at least 18 years old, reside in California, and have a method of depositing and withdrawing money in order to gamble with one of these offshore sports betting websites.

Who can Legally Bet on Sports in California

Sports betting is not regulated in California but you can still place sports bets can still be placed at the offshore sportsbooks we recommend.

You need to be at least 18 years old, physically located in California, and have access to cash to bet with one of these sites.

How to Bet on Sports Online in California

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to bet on sports in California, from visiting the homepage to placing your first wager. In this example we will use our top CA sportsbook, Bovada, but the process will be similar for all sportsbooks.

1. Visit Bovada & Click ‘Join’

To begin using a new sportsbook, go to the California online sports betting site of your choosing using the links on this page, then look for the “Join” or “Register” option on the homepage and give it a click. In the case of Bovada you will find a red ‘Join’ button at the top right of the screen on a desktop.

Step 2: Create Account – Enter your personal details

Your name, birth date, mobile number, email address, and zip code will be requested when you click the Join button. This is also where you’ll set your password. You must confirm that you are of legal age to gamble by checking the appropriate box. To finish, select “Register.”

Step 3: Verify Your Account

Verifying your phone number grants you access to all features of your new Bovada account, including the ability to receive a welcome bonus.

Bovada will send you a code through SMS text message that you’ll need to enter into the prompt that appears. You can always choose to verify later if you’d rather not, but doing so will prevent you from receiving any benefits until you do.

Step 4: Fund Your New Account

Of course you will first need to fund your new betting account before you can start placing any wagers. When you’re signed into the Bovada site, select the person symbol in the upper right corner and then the red ‘Deposit’ option to make a deposit.

This will open up the deposit window where you can choose your preferred payment method. To claim your welcome bonus, simply follow the on-screen prompts, making sure to use the coupon code INSIDERS in the appropriate box.

Step 5: Start Betting!

You can begin wagering once you have cleared funds in your account. This is usually instantaneous with most methods.

When will Betting be Legal in California?

Sports betting in California has been a hotly contested issue. The latest bill to authorize retail and online sports betting was rejected by California voters and November 8, 2022. It now looks like the earliest we can expect legal sports betting in CA is 2024.

Previous Sports Betting Bills in California

Voters in California overwhelmingly rejected Prop 26 & Prop 27 to legalize sports betting on the November 8, 2022 ballot, This dealt a crushing blow to expensive campaigns by Native American tribes and the betting industry who raised almost $460m.

• 2022 – Both proposals to legalize sports betting in the Golden State on November 8 were soundly defeated. Proposition 26 offered wagering in tribal retail sportsbooks, while Proposition 27 allowed wagering through a voter’s mobile device.
• 2021 – California Sports Wagering and Consumer Protection Act – Identical to the 2020 measure
• 2021 – California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act – An initiative put forth by seven established sportsbooks which offers to donate a portion of earnings to organizations that help the homeless and mentally ill.
• 2021 – Age-Verified Trival Online and In-Person Sports Wagering Act – San Manuel submitted the measure, which would permit both in-person and online betting.
• 2020 – California Sports Wagering and Consumer Protection Act – Proposed by multiple cities in California.
• 2020 – The California Sports Wagering Regulation and Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act – The original date for the summary was January 21, 2020, but this is the tribal casino initiative, which will be on the ballot on November 8, 2022, if it gets the nearly one million votes it needs.
• 2019 – ACA – 16 (2019)

Tax on Sports Betting Winnings in California

As sports betting in California is not regulated, the best place to bet on sports is at CA offshore sportsbooks. Therefore, you pay no tax on winnings at these sites.

However, if you were to bet at a physical casino, you would need to pay tax. Although this will likely not apply to sports betting.

With a total of 10 tax brackets, California has a complex tax structure. So, your tax rate may vary significantly depending on the amount of winnings you receive. The rates range from 1% to 13.3%.

• Income of $0 is taxed at 1%
• Income of up to $8,809 is taxed at 2%
• Income of up to $20,883 is taxed at 4%
• Income of up to $32,960 is taxed at 6%
• Income of up to $45,753 is taxed at 8%
• Income of up to $57,824 is taxed at 9.3%
• Income of up to $295,373 is taxed at 10.3%
• Income of up to $354,445 is taxed at 11.3%
• Income of up to $590,742 is taxed at 12.3%
• Income of $1,000,000 or more is taxed at 13.3%

California Online Sports Betting Payment Methods

You will need to have a working means of carrying out transactions if you want to make deposits or withdrawals. There are traditional methods, eWallets and cryptocurrencies.

Crypto Betting Options

Offshore sportsbooks are big supporters of cryptocurrency, with several different coins to choose from for wagering and bigger welcome bonuses just for cryptocurrency users. Some of the most common cryptos accepted are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Binance, Avalanche, Cardano, Tether, Litecoin, Stellar, Bitcoin Cash and Shiba Inu.

eWallet Betting Options

You can use an eWallet to make transactions by either linking your bank account to it and then depositing funds or withdrawing them, or by using the funds already stored in your eWallet account.

Traditional Payment Methods

If you are unable to use cryptocurrencies or eWallets, you still have the traditional options for making deposits and withdrawals at offshore sportsbooks. These include credit and debit cards, ACH Transfer, online banking, wire transfer, PayNearMe and Check by mail.

Betting Bonuses Available in California

While betting on your favorite teams is undoubtedly the most exciting part of playing at online sportsbooks, collecting bonuses and taking part in promotions greatly enhances the overall experience. The money you win from using these promos can be used to play on the site and increase your overall winnings. The most common types of bonuses are shown below.

Match Deposit Bonuses

A match deposit bonus is a reward given as bonus funds in exchange for making an initial deposit, usually in the form of a percentage match up to a maximum amount.

For example, if you make a deposit of up to $1,000 at MyBookie, for instance, the site will match your deposit by 50%. That means a $2,000 deposit is required to obtain the full $1,000 bonus. The minimum deposit is $10, and there is a 10x wagering requirement. Therefore to be able to cash out bonus money, you’ll need to make wagers equal to 10 times the sum of your initial deposit plus bonus.

No Deposit Bonuses

The best part of a no deposit bonus is that it is awarded automatically upon account registration with no deposit required. The amounts are usually small, ranging from $10 to $25, but they serve as a good start for you to test a new online sportsbook.

Free Bets

Free bets and free spins are given out by sportsbooks as part of promotions or contests. If you are lucky enough to obtain a free bet you can enjoy a risk free wager, although the free bet stake will not be returned with any winnings as is standard practice with free bets. Some sportsbooks such as BetOnline will also give new players a risk free bet to try on live betting.

Popular Sports to Bet on

The best California online sports betting sites typically have between 30 and 50 different sports available for bettors to choose from. So let’s look at some of the most common options:

NFL

The most popular sport in America is football. Therefore, whether you want to wager on the NFL (National Football League), where professionals compete, or the NCAAF (National Collegiate Athletic Association Football), where college teams compete, the leading sportsbooks will have you fully covered. Point spreads, moneylines, totals, team and player prop bets (such as who will score the first touchdown), and other bets and props are available.

Here is a list of the three NFL teams in California:

• Los Angeles Chargers – Play their home games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood
• Los Angeles Rams – Won the Super Bowl in 2022. Also play home games at SoFi Stadium.
• San Francisco 49ers – Play at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area. Have won five Super Bowls in their history.

NBA

Aside from football, basketball is another national pastime that draws huge crowds around the United States. This is why the best offshore sportsbooks will have basketball lines on the NBA and collegiate hoops (NCAAB).

All of the sites we suggest provide more than just point spread bets for basketball, including moneylines, totals, and various props. Sportsbetting.ag, Bovada, and MyBookie are among the best NBA betting sites, and they also cover international basketball competitions like the FIBA World Basketball Championship.

There are four NBA teams in the state: 

• Golden State Warriors – Won three NBA titles in four years, including back-to-back (2015, 2017, 2018)
• Los Angeles Lakers – Winners or 12 NBA Championships most recently in 2020
• Los Angeles Clippers – This basketball team now plays at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA
• Sacramento Kings – Plays home games at the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento. Have never won an NBA title

MLB

Baseball, often regarded as the USA’s favorite pastime, is another of the most heavily bet on sports in the United States. Therefore, all MLB games and futures are available at the best California sportsbooks during the entire season, from the regular season to the postseason. Leading MLB betting sites like BetOnline, XBet, and BetUS publish their opening moneyline and run line odds and lines early.

There are currently five MLB teams in California:

• Los Angeles Angels – Play at Angel Stadium of Anaheim and won a World Series in 2002
• Los Angeles Dodgers – Play at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles. Won the World Series in 2020
• Oakland Athletics – Play at RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland. Relocated from Kansas City in 1968.
• San Diego Padres – Play at Petco Park in San Diego. Have never won a World Series.
• San Francisco Giants – Play at Oracle Park, San Francisco. Won three world series in five years (2010, 2012, 2014)

NHL

Ice hockey fans have a great selection of domestic and international competitions to pick from at all of our recommended California sportsbooks.  The NHL, Stanley Cup, and CFL are a few of these. The moneyline, spreads, and totals are the most common NHL betting options. BetOnline and MyBookie are particular good choices for if you enjoy hockey betting.

There are three NHL teams in California:

• Anaheim Ducks – An expansion team in 1993. Play home games at Honda Center in Anaheim
• Los Angeles Kings – Play at Crypto.com Arena, Figueroa Street, LA. Won two Stanley Cups in three years (2012, 2014)
• San Jose Sharks – Play at SAP Center at San Jose. Have never won a Stanley Cup since joining the league in 1991

NCAA Football

Odds on NCAA college football ((National Collegiate Athletic Association) can be found at each of the offshore sportsbooks featured on this page. There are a wide variety of markets, props much like in the NFL. College football futures are available on tournaments like the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. Bovada is a good choice for college football.

Here is the list of NCAA football teams in California:

• Cal Poly Mustangs
• California Golden Bears
• Fresno State Bulldogs
• Sacramento State Hornets
• San Diego Toreros
• San Diego Aztecs
• San Jose State Spartans
• Stanford Cardinals
• UC Davis Aggies
• UCLA Bruins
• USC Trojans

NCAA Basketball

All of the offshore sportsbooks featured on this page also provide odds on college basketball (NCAAB). You will find a wide variety of markets, moneylines, spreads, totals and props much like with the NBA. Futures are also available on big tournaments such as March Madness.

There are many NCAAB college basketball teams located in California which has the most Division I teams of any state in America with 26. They are:

• California Baptist Lancers
• Cal Poly Mustangs
• CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners
• CSU Fullerton Titans
• CSU Northridge Matadors
• Fresno State Bulldogs
• Long Beach State
• Loyola Marymount Lions
• Pacific Tigers
• Pepperdine Waves
• Sacramento State Hornets
• Saint Mary’s Gaels
• San Diego Toreros
• San Diego Aztecs
• San Francisco Dons
• San Jose State Spartans
• Santa Clara Broncos
• Stanford Cardinals
• UC Berkeley (California Golden Bears)
• UC Davis Aggies
• UC Irvine Anteaters
• UC Riverside Highlanders
• UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
• UC San Diego Tritons
• USC Trojans
• UCLA Bruins

Golf

Another sport that is becoming more and more popular among gamblers is golf. The main golf tournaments such as The Masters, US Open, and PGA Tour typically have betting odds accessible all year round. The outright winner, Top 5, Top 10, First Round Leader, 2-balls, 3-balls, etc. are all options for wagering. If you enjoy wagering on golf, we suggest you visit BetOnline.

California golf events include the PGA TOUR Qualifiers, California State Open, Women’s California State Open, Champions Tour Qualifiers, SoCal Open, San Diego County Open and the IE Amateur Championship. The top California golf courses are Pebble Beach, Pasatiempo Santa Cruz, Spyglass Hill, Torrey Pines La Jolla and the Trump National LA, Rancho Palos Verdes.

Horse Racing

California is one of the major horse racing hubs in the United States where tracks like Santa Anita Raceway and Del Mar Race Track are well-known. The California Horse Racing Board promotes and safeguards the state’s horse racing industry, which is home to numerous Grade 1 racing events.

Horse racing betting apps is in the pinnacle for betting on horses in California. They generally provide a simpler and smoother way to place your wagers.

Horse race betting is a big global industry and the vast majority of offshore sportsbooks offers pari-mutuel wagers online, including win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, hi-5, and quinella. Some of the best online California sportsbooks, like MyBookie, Bovada, and BetOnline, have integrated separate racebooks within their websites. This simplifies the process for bettors to keep up with the most recent races, odds, and information.

DFS

Daily fantasy sports are played across shorter time frames than traditional fantasy sports, typically, as the name suggests, lasting a single day. Sometimes DFS contests can last several days or for the duration of a tournament. BetOnline and MyBookie provide free daily fantasy and survival contests for regular players. These tournaments can be exciting and provide you a chance to win additional cash with no risk.

Live Betting at Californian Betting Sites

You can place ‘in-play’ bets on sporting events that are currently underway with live betting. The sportsbooks live betting odds will change constantly based on how each team or player is performing so you will need to act quickly to take the odds you want.

There may be a few seconds time delay before your bet is accepted and you will notice that live betting may occasionally become ‘suspended’ and become temporarily unavailable during key moments such as touchdowns or turnovers while the oddsmakers update the live odds. BetUS and MyBookie are always on top of things and are two of the best California sportsbooks for live betting.

How California Sports Betting Compares to its Neighboring States

The states of Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona, all of which border California, have all already passed legislation legalizing sports betting. Nevada is home to Las Vegas of course who were the first, and for many years the only US state, to have legalized sports wagering since 1949.

Arizona has been making giant strides in online sports betting, with some of the state’s sportsbooks even forming partnerships with NFL teams.

The Best Sports Betting Site in California

Residents of California have access to a number of excellent sports betting websites, and choosing the ideal one will always depend on the preferences and needs of the individual.

In our opinion, Bovada has a lot of the features that a top-notch website should, making it our best sports betting site in California. This California online sports betting site offers a wide selection of prop bets and tools, comprehensive live lines and futures odds on all the most popular sports in North America. To top things off, there is a thorough Racebook, integrated live esports broadcasting, a solid selection of payment methods, and a good variety of promotions available.

  This article was written for Business 2 Community by Darren Moore.
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Author: Darren Moore

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Darren has over 30 years experience in the gambling industry, both as bookmaker and bettor. He worked for UK bookmaker Ladbrokes in their London head office and betting shops before beginning his career as a sports journalist working for the Racing Post and has written for publications such as …

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