How to Bet Online for Real Money in 2025
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Betting on the team favored to win is a safer bet but does not offer a lucrative payout. Winning bets on the underdog are less common and return a larger payout for the risk.
Total Bets
Total bets, also known as over/under bets, are another popular and basic type of sports bet. For total bets, a projected total number of points, scores, or goals is given to a matchup by the online sportsbook. You then place your wager on whether you think the actual score will be higher or lower than the project points.
| Team | Total | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | 49.5o | -110 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 495.u | -110 |
In this example, the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is given a projected total of 49.5 (half points are included to avoid the possibility of a push, or tie, where all bettors are returned their original wagers).
If you were to bet on the over for this game, then you would need the total score to be 50 points or higher. If you were betting on the under, you would need the total score to be 49 points or fewer.
The outcome of these bets can be affected by many external factors, such as bad weather, injured players, and even poor coaching decisions.
Parlay Bets
Parlay bets are a type of bet that requires you to place multiple wagers on the same sports matchup. To win your parlay, all individual picks must be correct and in order for this to happen they must exceed the projected odds set by the online betting sites.
Parlays with larger returns require a fair amount of risk for the bettor.
Prop Bets
Prop bets are one of the most exciting types of sports bets there is, and they add a unique twist to your viewing experience.
Prop bets are different for nearly every sport or match, but they can be anything from the total length of an NBA game to who will score the first touchdown in a football game. The possibilities are endless when it comes to prop bets, and that’s what makes them so much fun!
Live Sports Betting for Real Money
When trying to win money betting on sports, live betting is another exciting and popular type of sport bet. As the name suggests, you are making bets on aspects of the sport while the game, matchup, or race is being played out.
Live sports bets can be placed in real time and do not require any waiting or delay. This makes live betting an ideal option for bettors who want to place their wagers immediately after seeing the matchup, instead of having to wait until it is finished to see if they won. Live bets are also popular among professional sports bettors who are good at predicting outcomes and trends in specific sports.
Live betting is not offered at all sports betting sites. Those who do offer live betting may limit the type of live bets they accept, or only allow live betting on certain sports.
Many live bets are similar to regular odds bets in that you’re doing nothing more than predicting whether an event will end up with a “yes” or a “no.” However, because you can make these bets live as the action unfolds, there is a lot of potential profitability if you know what you are doing.
The live betting lines you see when placing live bets are constantly changing, which means you need to stay on your toes and get in position to make a bet while there is still a line that makes sense. There’s absolutely no guarantee that live betting odds will be available for much longer than what you see them.
If live sports betting interests you, take the time to learn more about it before jumping in and making real money bets left and right.
Sports Betting Odds Explained
If you have not spent much time navigating your way around a sports betting site, then you may be a bit confused when you see all the different numbers associated with a matchup. Luckily, we are here to help.
Whenever you are placing bets on a sports betting site, you may see individual or teams’ betting odds represented in one of three ways:
- American Odds
- Decimal Odds
- Fractional Odds
American Odds
American odds are the most common way for sportsbooks to display betting odds. These odds represent returns relative to $100 as the base wager. Here is an example of what American betting odds look like:
| Team | Betting Odds |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | -225 |
| Colorado Rockies | +165 |
In this example, the Atlanta Braves are being given odds of -225, while the Colorado Rockies are sitting with odds at +165. Teams with the negative (-) betting odds are considered the favorite to win their matchup, while teams with positive (+) betting odds are considered underdogs.
Calculating the return for American betting odds is quite simple. As we mentioned above, American odds represent returns relative to a $100 bet.
Negative betting odds represent how much money you would need to wager in order to earn $100. Using the example above, a winning $225 bet on the Atlanta Braves would give you a total payout of $335.
Positive betting odds represent the amount of money you would earn from a $100 bet if won. If you wagered $100 on the Colorado Rockies, and they won, your total payout would be $265.
Decimal Odds
Decimal odds are another way that online sportsbooks will represent returns. In sports betting, decimal odds are used to convert American odds into a fairer format. This is most common in Europe, Australia, and Canada.
Decimal odds are similar to American odds, only the numbers represent returns that are relative to a $1 bet rather than $100. This makes it easier to calculate your actual payout for winning bets.
Using the same example as before, here is what the decimal odds look like for the same matchup between the Braves and Rockies:
| Team | Betting Odds |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | 1.44 |
| Colorado Rockies | 2.65 |
Calculating returns on a bet under decimal betting odds is not too complicated. The number represents the total return, so all you need to do is multiply it.
For every $1 bet on the Braves, you are profiting 44 cents, assuming they win. This means that a $10 winning bet on the Braves would earn you a profit of $4.40, with a total payout of $14.40.
For every $1 wagered on the Rockies, you are earning $1.65 in profit. A $10 wager on them would earn you $16.50, with a total payout of $26.50.
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are mostly used in the UK and throughout Ireland, and the returns for them are considered difficult to understand. The fractional odds for the matchup above would look like this:
| Team | Betting Odds |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | 4/9 |
| Colorado Rockies | 33/20 |
Calculating returns for fractional odds is slightly more difficult than decimal and American odds.
To figure out your return, multiply your wager by the top number (numerator) and then divide the result by the bottom number (denominator).
A $10 wager on the Atlanta Braves can be calculated like this:
(10 X 4) / 9 = $4.44
Sports Betting Bonuses
One thing that all sports bettors have in common is their love for betting bonuses. These sports betting bonuses can be extremely beneficial to bettors, and can help you capitalize on your winning bets while also recovering from your losing bets. And the best part is that all of the best sports betting sites on the market offer them.
For example, MyBookie is a great online sportsbook that offers some of the best and most popular betting bonuses, such as:
- Deposit Bonuses
- Reload Bonuses
- Cashback Bonuses
Deposit Bonuses
A deposit bonus is perhaps the most common sports betting bonus that real money online sportsbooks offer. A deposit bonus is when the sports betting site matches a certain percentage of your initial deposit in order to give you a bigger starting bankroll.
For example, say you made an initial $100 real money deposit at MyBookie and were given their standard 100% deposit bonus. They would match your $100, and give you a starting budget of $200.
Some sites even offer to match over 100% of your first deposit, with a maximum deposit limit that they will match. And while initial deposits are generally the only time an online sportsbook will match you fully, they have been known to run promotional deposit bonuses for specific types of payment methods, such as Bitcoin.
Reload Bonuses
A reload bonus is similar to a deposit bonus, only it applies to specific deposits that you make after your initial one. These bonuses are typically much smaller than initial deposit bonuses, and not every sports betting site offers them year round.
For example, MyBookie periodically offers a reload bonus to existing customers that offers to match 25% of any deposits worth up to $500. This is one way that an online sportsbook keeps you interested in betting and helps you fund your betting activity.
Cashback Bonuses
Cashback bonuses, which are also known as rakeback or rebate promotions, are a less common, but well received type of sports betting bonus. These bonuses are used to earn a percentage of your wager back on losing bets or based on the commission the sportsbook earned from your bet. Therefore, the more money you wager, the more you can expect to get back from a loss.
This is a great way for bettors to take a little extra risk on what could be a very profitable bet. It also helps to keep your bankroll from draining too quickly.
Real Money Sports Betting Apps
With the large number of people that are betting on mobile devices, it only makes sense for sports betting sites to create apps to make the experience even more convenient for bettors.
Using real money betting apps is not only a great way to quickly find your preferred sportsbook, but they also offer several other benefits as well, such as:
- Convenience
- Shopping for Lines
- User-Friendly
Convenience
Not everyone has the time to sit at a computer and shop, then deposit money into their sportsbook account. A real money sports betting app lets bettors log in quickly, find odds on which they want to bet, and make their wagers fast.
Shopping for Lines
One of the best things about real money sports betting apps is that you can quickly shop around for the best betting odds. This is especially true if you have betting accounts with more than one sports betting site and have multiple apps downloaded to your mobile device.
User-Friendly
Sportsbooks have made it so easy to use real money betting apps, even the most technologically challenged bettors can easily download and navigate through their real money sports betting app with ease. Find what you need, when you need it using sports betting apps.
History of Real Money Sports Betting Legality
The history of real money sports betting can be traced back as far as the 1800s when betting on horse races began to pave the path for sports betting as we know it today. While real money sports betting is easily accessible today, it has not always been the case.
Before sports betting became available for common citizens, only those who could afford to bet high amounts were allowed to do so. And even though sports betting was known to be happening, there was a lack of specific laws surrounding the practice. But it was still considered illegal throughout the 1800s and well into the 1900s.
Despite real money sports betting being around for more than a century, it wasn’t until the late 20th century that real money sports betting became available to anyone who wanted to place a bet.
The laws surrounding sports betting finally began to loosen in the 1960s with the passing of the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, which aimed to eliminate illegal bookie operations. This led to Nevada becoming recognized as the best state for real money sports betting — something they had publicly legalized in 1931.
As sports betting popularity grew in Nevada, other states became interested in legalizing the practice. This eventually led to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) which banned sports betting throughout the US, with the exception of four states that had already established legal operations.
Fast forward to today, and more than two dozen states in the US have legalized sports betting – though some only allow for in-person betting rather than online. This still hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the biggest industries in the world.
US Sports Betting
In the US, individual states have been making the decision to legalize sports betting. While some allow sports betting to take place in person and online, others only allow it to be done at a physical sportsbook.
Currently, these states allow for sports betting online:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
These states require sports betting to be in-person only:
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Washington
Discover More About Online Betting for Money
Top Sports Betting Sites
Feel ready to take on the sports betting world? Check out this page to find the top sports betting sites to wager with.
Sports Betting Essentials
If you are looking for even more information on sports betting, then you have to check out our sports betting essentials page. It is equipped with all of the vital information you need to know to be a successful sports bettor.
Sports Betting Beginner’s Guide
Still new to sports betting? No problem! Check out our sports betting beginner’s guide to get started on the right foot.
Real Money Sports Betting FAQ
Is Sports Betting Online Legal?
The answer to this question depends on your location. Be sure to check your state and local laws before betting on sports for real money online.
What Sports Can You Bet on Online?
When using one of the online sportsbooks we recommend above, you can bet on nearly any sport that you can think of. This includes sports being played outside of the US.
What Are the Most Popular Sports to Bet on Online?
By far the most popular sports to bet on online are football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. These are classic sports that have been around for decades upon decades.
What Is a Bookie?
A “bookie” is an individual or entity that accepts real money wagers on sporting events or contests between members of the public.
Can You Win Real Money Wagering on Sports Online?
Yes, you can win real money by betting on sports online. However, you also have the chance to lose money, so bet wisely!
What Sporting Event Is the Most Bet Upon?
The Super Bowl is generally the most bet upon contest in real money sports betting, as it offers a ton of different prop and live betting options.
What Are the Most Popular Bet Types for Sports Betting Online?
The point spread and over/under are two of the standard bets you can place at an online sportsbook. They are simple to understand and offer decent profitability if you are successful with your wagers.
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