California Sports Betting - 10 Best Online Sports Betting Sites CA

Sports betting in California seems to be just around the horizon, and many fans can’t wait to wager on their favorite teams. California is home to 15 professional sports teams across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, so sports betting in the state has enormous potential.

For now, Californians can place bets with a variety of offshore online sports betting sites. We’ll review the 10 best California sports betting sites for 2023. We’ll also take a closer look at the state of sports betting in California and when it could be legal.

The 10 Best California Sports Betting Sites

Let’s jump right into our list of the 10 best California sports betting sites to wager with in 2023:

1. BetOnline - Overall Best Site for Sports Betting in California - $1,000 Welcome Bonus

2. Bovada - Best California Sports Betting Site for Prop Bets

3. Lucky Block - Top Crypto Sportsbook in California with No KYC Process

4. MyBookie - Popular Online Racebook in California

5. EveryGame - Great California Sports Betting App for MLS Wagers

6. XBet - Lots of Live In-game Betting Option

7. BetNow - Good Choice for for Futures Betting

8. BUSR - Biggest Welcome Bonus in California ($2,500)

9. Jazz - Top California Sportsbook for If Bets and Round Robins

10. Sportsbetting.ag - One of the Best for Esports Betting

Best Online Betting Sites in California Reviewed

With so many online betting sites for Californians to choose from, it can be tough to pick the right one. That’s why we’ve put together detailed reviews of the 10 best online sports betting sites in California.

1. BetOnline - Overall Best Site for Sports Betting in California - $1,000 Welcome Bonus

BetOnline is our #1 pick for online betting in California. This sportsbook offers wagers on more than 27 different sports, including all the major US leagues and popular sports around the world.

At BetOnline, Californians can bet on their favorite California franchises like the LA Lakers, San Francisco 49ers, or San Diego Padres. They can also wager on sports like golf, tennis, soccer, and much more. BetOnline also accepts wagers on esports like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), League of Legends, DOTA 2, and FIFA.

This California sports betting site offers consistently competitive odds, which makes it one of the more favorable bookies for players to bet with. BetOnline is the first place we check when we want to know what odds are available for big upcoming games.

In addition to straight bets, BetOnline offers parlays, teasers, and if bets. Players can also wager on live games and choose from enormous arrays of game and player prop bets. The selection of betting opportunities is unrivaled

BetOnline also has daily Odds Boosters. These are featured parlays that players can take and receive higher odds than those wagers would normally get. It’s a fun way to combine multiple games and win potentially big payouts.

BetOnline accepts credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and more than 18 popular cryptocurrencies. New players automatically receive a 50% deposit match welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. A player’s first crypto deposit is also eligible for a $1,000 bonus, and the sportsbook offers a 10% boost on all Bitcoin deposits.

Key Features:

• Competitive odds across 27 sports
• Esports betting for major games
• Parlays, teasers, and if bets
• Daily Odds Booster parlays
• $1,000 welcome bonus

Visit BetOnline

2. Bovada - Best California Sports Betting Site for Prop Bets

Bovada is a close runner-up for the title of best online sportsbook in California. This online betting site accepts wagers on a whopping 32 sports around the world.

Players can bet on every major football, basketball, hockey, and soccer game, plus golf and tennis tournaments, NASCAR, and much more. Bovada also offers esports betting on CS:GO, League of Legends, Call of Duty, and DOTA 2.

Bovada’s odds are very competitive and the sportsbook often matches the odds from other top online bookies. For niche sports like volleyball and cycling, Bovada often has the best odds of any California betting sites.

Wagering options include straight bets, parlays, and teasers, plus an extremely wide range of game and prop bets. Bovada offers an interactive Props Builder tool that enables players to search through all of the available prop bets by team, player, or sport. Players can add or remove props from a parlay and see how their odds change instantly.

Bovada also offers live in-game wagers for the majority of matches the sportsbook carries. A limited selection of prop bets are updated in real-time, too, which can make for some fun betting. The only drawback is that players can’t stream matches live right on Bovada’s site.

All new players at Bovada receive a 50% deposit match when they join the sportsbook. The match limit is $250 for credit and debit card deposits or $750 for crypto deposits. Bovada accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Tether.

Key Features:

• Accepts wagers on 32 global sports
• Very competitive odds for niche sports
• Interactive Props Builder feature
• Live prop bets available
• Welcome bonus up to $750

Visit Bovada

3. Lucky Block - Top Crypto Sportsbook in California with No KYC Process

Lucky Block is our top pick for crypto sports betting in California. This is one of the only blockchain-native sportsbooks currently available and Lucky Block has deep roots in the crypto world.

What’s unique about Lucky Block is that it’s one of the only California sports betting sites that doesn’t conduct a Know Your Customer (KYC) process when signing up new players. Californians only have to enter an email address to join Lucky Block and start betting. There’s no ID required to withdraw winnings from this sportsbook, either.

That means that players can bet in complete anonymity and privacy at Lucky Block. 

Lucky Block also stands out for offering an enormous range of sports to bet on. Players can wager on 35 sports including all the major US leagues, soccer, tennis, golf, motorsports, MMA, cycling, and much more. Lucky Block also supports esports betting for all of the most popular titles.

This sportsbook is relatively new and doesn’t have the same depth of prop bets as other online sportsbooks in California. However, the odds are competitive thanks to the fact that they come from professional oddsmakers. Lucky Block uses BetRadar for most game odds and Digital Sports Tech for player props.

Bettors at Lucky Block should also check out this platform’s online casino. New players at Lucky Block automatically receive unlimited 15% cashback on losses at the casino, which is one of the best online casino welcome bonus offers available right now. There’s no wagering requirement on the cashback players earn.

Lucky Block accepts popular cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Dogecoin, Cardano, Binance Coin, and Tron. Californians can also deposit funds with a credit or debit card, although this doesn’t offer the same anonymity as betting with crypto.

All payouts from Lucky Block are processed immediately. So, crypto withdrawals can reach a bettor’s wallet in as little as a few minutes.

Bettors in California must use a VPN to access the Lucky Block sportsbook.

Key Features:

• No KYC process - bet anonymously
• Wagers on 35 global sports
• Competitive odds from professional oddsmakers
• Casino offers unlimited 15% cashback welcome bonus
• Accepts 7 popular cryptocurrencies

Visit Lucky Block

4. MyBookie - Best Online Racebook in California

California bettors who want to wager on horse races should check out MyBookie. This online sportsbook has an integrated racebook that accepts wagers on tracks around the world. Players can bet on thoroughbred and harness races across the US, the UK, South Africa, Australia, Japan, and more.

MyBookie offers all of the research players need to make betting decisions. Even better, players can collect unlimited 8% cashback on horse bets they lose. The cashback doesn’t have any wagering requirement, so bettors can withdraw it or roll it into another bet at the racebook or sportsbook.

MyBookie’s sportsbook is also quite good, with wagers for more than 27 sports. This California sports betting site also accepts live in-game wagers and has a huge selection of player props. Many live games are available to stream right on the bookie’s platform.

This sportsbook offers all new players a 50% deposit match welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. In addition, players earn a 25% deposit match up to $1,000 on every reload deposit.

Key Features:

• Earn unlimited 8% cashback at racebook
• Bet on horse races around the globe
• Stream live games on the sportsbook site
• $1,000 welcome bonus + $1,000 reload bonuses

Visit MyBookie

5. EveryGame - Best California Sports Betting App for MLS Wagers

EveryGame is one of the best online sports betting sites in California for wagering on soccer. This sportsbook is based in Europe and offers a wider range of soccer bets than almost any other bookie available to Californians. Players can be on little-known European teams.

EveryGame has expanded its coverage to Major League Soccer (MLS) matches in the US. In California, that means being able to bet on every Galaxy, FC, and Earthquakes game. EveryGame carries a wide range of game props for these matches, although the selection of player props isn’t huge.

Another benefit to EveryGame is halftime betting, which is available not only for soccer but all of the sports this bookie takes wagers on. EveryGame introduces new wagers and odds midway through games, adding a new dimension to betting.

EveryGame offers new players a 100% deposit match on each of their first 3 deposits, up to $250 each. That’s a total potential welcome bonus of up to $750. Players can make a deposit with a credit or debit card, the e-wallet ecoPayz, or with cryptos like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin.

Key Features:

• Bet on European soccer and MLS
• Very competitive odds for soccer betting
• Halftime betting
• $750 welcome bonus

Visit EveryGame

6. XBet - Top California Sportsbook for Live In-game Betting

Nearly all of the best sports betting apps in California offer live in-game betting, but XBet stands a notch above the rest for this betting option.

XBet’s live odds are often more favorable for the same matches than live odds at competing bookies. In addition, players can stream most live games right on XBet’s platform, so their bet slip is never more than a click away.

XBet offers live betting for 27 sports, including esports. Most matches include a wide range of game and prop bets, although these may not be available for live betting. The sportsbook also has an integrated racebook that offers unlimited 7% cashback on losses.

New players at XBet receive a 50% deposit match welcome bonus up to $500, plus a 25% reload bonus up to $250 on every subsequent deposit.

Key Features:

• Live betting with on-platform streaming
• Offers esports and horse racing wagers
• $500 welcome bonus + $250 reload bonuses

Visit XBet

7. BetNow - Best California Bookie for Futures Betting

At first glance, BetNow can’t stack up against the best sports betting sites in California. It only offers 8 sports and the welcome bonus is limited to $500. 

However, BetNow offers something that few other California online sports betting sites do: future betting.

With futures betting, players can wager on what they think will happen next season - often a year or longer into the future. For example, Californians can bet on which team will win next year’s Super Bowl before this year’s big game even happens. They can also bet on which player will be the MLB’s American or National League MVP.

Futures bets are currently available for the NFL, MLB, and European soccer. 

BetNow only requires a $20 minimum deposit. The bookie accepts credit and debit cards, bank transfers, Bitcoin, and Bitcoin Cash.

Key Features:

• Futures betting for NFL, MLB, and soccer
• $500 welcome bonus
• Low $20 minimum deposit

Visit BetNow

8. BUSR - Biggest Welcome Bonus in California ($2,500)

BUSR has the biggest welcome bonus of any sportsbooks in California. New players can claim a 150% deposit match up to $2,500! Even better, the wagering requirement on BUSR’s welcome bonus is just 10X.

BUSR offers wagers on 24 popular sports along with prop bets and live in-game betting. There’s no esports betting at this sportsbook, but bettors can wager on the NFL, NBA, NHL, UFC, MLS, and more. Odds are generally very competitive, although not the best we’ve seen for big games.

This sportsbook also offers horse race betting and includes 8% cashback on losses. So, it’s worth checking out for bettors interested in thoroughbred or harness racing.

BUSR accepts credit and debit cards along with 4 popular cryptocurrencies. Withdrawals are paid out in around 48 hours.

Key Features:

• $2,500 welcome bonus
• 24 sports with props and live betting
• Unlimited 8% cashback on horse racing losses

Visit BUSR

9. Jazz - Top California Sportsbook for If Bets and Round Robins

Jazz is an easy-to-use sportsbook that stands out for its wide range of betting options. Players at Jazz can place standard bets like straight, parlay, or teaser bets. In addition, they can place if bets, round robins, and action reverse bets. These more complex betting types lead to some interesting combinations and potentially big payouts.

Jazz has a limited range of sports and prop bets compared to other top California sportsbooks. The major US leagues are represented along with soccer, golf, tennis, and NASCAR. Beginner bettors might find that Jazz is less overwhelming than other sportsbooks, although there’s also a chance this bookie won’t carry wagers for lesser-watched games.

Jazz accepts credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and Bitcoin. The minimum deposit is just $25 and new players can earn a $1,000 welcome bonus.

Key Features:

• Parlays, teasers, if bets, round robins, and action reverse bets
• User-friendly interface
• $1,000 welcome bonus

Visit Jazz

10. Sportsbetting.ag - Best California Sportsbook for Esports Betting

Sportsbetting.ag is our top pick for esports betting in California. This sportsbook has an incredible range of esports to bet on, including CS:GO, League of Legends, Rainbow Six, DOTA 2, NBA2K, and Age of Empires. On top of that, Sportsbetting.ag integrates with Twitch so that bettors can stream live esports matches right from the betting platform.

New players at Sportsbetting.ag can claim a 50% deposit match welcome bonus worth up to $1,000. There’s another $1,000 bonus that players can earn for making their first crypto deposit. All reloads qualify for a 25% deposit match up to $250 per deposit.

Key Features:

• Tons of esports betting options
• $1,000 welcome bonus + $1,000 crypto bonus
• $250 deposit reload bonuses

Visit Sportsbetting.ag

Is Sports Betting Legal in California?

Sports betting is currently not legal in California. There were 2 statewide referendums put to voters in 2022 that would have legalized sports betting, but both were voted down by wide margins.

There’s a chance that sports betting could be legalized in 2023, but it seems unlikely to happen. Legalizing sports betting would require an amendment to the state’s constitution, and so any California sports betting bill must go to voters for a referendum.

At the same time, California’s Native American tribes are generally united against online sports betting. Tribes generally argue that they have a monopoly on gambling in the state. Any efforts to legalize sports betting statewide would jeopardize that monopoly.

If and when sports betting is approved, most experts believe it would take at least a year before the first sportsbooks launch in California.

Online Sports Betting

California currently does not offer any online sports betting. Daily fantasy sports betting is allowed according to Johan Wallman at bestsportsbettingcalifornia.com.

Californians can bet on sports online with an offshore sportsbook, which we’ll cover in more detail below.

Land-based Betting

California has more than 65 casinos and nearly 90 card rooms, the vast majority of which are run by Native American tribes. However, none of these land-based betting sites offer sports betting. The California state constitution does not allow sports betting even at tribal casinos.

Horse Racing Betting

California offers legal horse race betting both online and in-person. Online horse race betting is currently allowed through approved platforms including:

• TVG Racing
• TwinSpires
• Xpressbet
• WatchandWager
• bRacing
• NYRA Bets
• OffTrackBetting

In-person and pari-mutuel horse race betting is allowed at any California race track and at dozens of off-track betting sites. Many tribal casinos double as off-track betting sites.

There are currently 4 operating race tracks in California:

• Santa Anita Park (Arcadia)
• Del Mar Fairgrounds (Del Mar)
• Golden Gate Fields (Berkeley)
• Los Alamitos Race Course (Cypress)

History of California Sports Betting Legislation

California has tried and failed to legalize sports betting in recent years. Legalizing sports betting will require a change to the state’s constitution, not just a California sports betting bill approved by the state legislature. Here’s a recent history of sports betting legalization in California:

• Nov 8, 2022: Californians overwhelmingly voted No on two referendums that would have legalized sports betting. Prop 26 would have allowed land-based betting at tribal casinos and racetracks. Prop 27 would have allowed online sports betting in California.

• Oct 31, 2022: California Governor Gavin Newsom came out against Prop 27, which would have legalized online sports betting. Newsom said that Prop 27 would hurt the state’s Native American tribes.

• June 2022: Prop 27 was added to California’s November ballot after it achieved more than 1 million signatures on a petition. This set up a referendum on online sports betting in the state.

• May 2021: Prop 26 was added to California’s 2022 election after achieving more than 1 million signatures. Prop 26 was backed by the state’s Native American tribes.

Offshore Sports Betting in California

Although voters decided not to legalize sports betting in California, residents in the state can still place wagers through offshore sportsbooks. Offshore sportsbooks are based outside the US, so they’re not subject to California’s regulations on sports betting.

Importantly, bans on sports betting in California apply only to sportsbook operators, not individual bettors. So, betting with an offshore betting site lies in a legal gray area that Californians can take advantage of. It’s widely thought that hundreds of thousands of California residents currently bet with offshore sportsbooks.

There are few legal protections for players who bet with offshore sportsbooks, so it’s important to choose a trustworthy site. The 10 best betting sites in California that we reviewed have been around for many years and have paid out consistently to players.

Offshore betting sites often have more favorable odds than US-based sportsbooks. Most also offer betting on college sports, including NCAA football and basketball. Many US states prohibit college sports betting and California’s Prop 26 and 27 would have followed this trend.

In addition, offshore sportsbooks typically offer generous welcome bonuses. BetOnline, our #1 pick for California sports betting, offers new players a $1,000 bonus.

Betting Tax in California

All gambling winnings must be reported as personal income when filing taxes in California. This includes winnings from an offshore sportsbook.

Personal income tax rates in California range from 1% to 12.3% depending on an individual’s total income. Gambling losses cannot be deducted from other income if losses exceed winnings.

In addition, all gambling winnings must be reported as taxable income when filing federal taxes.

How to Bet on Sports in California

Ready to start playing with the best online sports betting sites in California? We’ll show players how to get started with our top pick, BetOnline. The process is similar at other California online sportsbooks.

Step 1: Sign Up

Head to BetOnline and click Join. Enter a name, email, phone number, birthday, and password. Then click Create Account.

Visit BetOnline

Step 2: Deposit

Choose a payment method to fund the new betting account. BetOnline accepts credit cards, bank transfers, and more than 18 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Fiat deposits incur a deposit fee, while crypto deposits are free.

BetOnline will automatically apply a welcome bonus code to the deposit.

Step 3: Bet

Visit BetOnline’s sportsbook lobby to see the full selection of wagers available. Click on any odds to add them to the bet slip. Then enter the amount to wager on each bet and click Place Bet.

Conclusion

California voters may have turned down the opportunity to legalize sports betting, but Californians can still bet on their favorite teams using offshore sportsbooks.

The best California sports betting site for 2023 is BetOnline, which offers wagers on 27 sports and a $1,000 welcome bonus. Join BetOnline today to start betting!

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FAQs

Is sports betting legal in California?

Sports betting is not legal in California. Voters voted No on 2 referendums that would have legalized sports betting in the state. However, Californians can still bet with an offshore sportsbook like BetOnline.

Can I bet on sports online in California?

Players can be on sports online in California using an offshore sportsbook. BetOnline, Bovada, and other top offshore bookies accept California residents and offer betting on all major US sports. 

When will California legalize sports betting?

California had a chance to legalize sports betting in 2022, but voters turned down 2 constitutional amendments that would have legalized betting in the state. There is little chance that California will pass an amendment in 2023, so bettors may have to wait until 2024 or beyond.

Where can I bet on sports in California?

California does not have any land-based sportsbooks, although bettors can wager on horse races at any racetrack or off-track betting site. Sports betting is only available online through offshore betting sites like BetOnline, Bovada, and Lucky Block.

Responsible Gambling

• https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ 
• https://www.ncpgambling.org/ 
• https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/