If you’re thinking about sports betting in New York, it’s not a surprise: this is one of the top states in the US when it comes to sports teams, and there are plenty to pick from from all of the major leagues. From the New York Yankees baseball team to other teams like the New York Knicks of the NBA and MLS’ New York City Red Bulls, there’s a team for everyone no matter what your preferred sport might be.
There have been some hurdles in the way of a top sports betting scene emerging in New York. It’s only recently been legalized – and only from some providers. The betting market is developing though – and this blog post will explain what the options are, and how you can find the best sportsbooks.
The law
First off, it’s worth exploring what the law says on the topic of online sports betting in NY. You might have heard that sports betting in New York on a legal basis is a relatively recent phenomenon. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was a federal law banning most forms of sports betting across the US, was struck down back in the 2018 – leaving it up to individual states to make the decisions on how to legalize and regulate sportsbooks in their individual states if they wish to do so.
Some states, like New Jersey, embraced the opportunity with open arms. Others, however, were less keen. New York was one of them. It has taken the state several years to get to where it is currently. It was only in January of this year that the first few sportsbooks were legalized. At present, the state allows several sportsbook operators to carry out business within its borders. This came after a period of protracted wrangling between different agents in the state government, and lots of compromising on all sides of the debate.
Choosing a provider
The first place to go when you’re thinking about a new sportsbook provider in New York is to the legal offerings. It’s widely expected that more legal providers will be allowed to start operating in the coming months, although admittedly at the moment there is a limited amount of choice. It’s also possible that some of the legal providers will not offer the best odds among all the sportsbooks you can find online, or the very widest range of choice when it comes to picking your preferred sport. However, legal providers do offer some security, as they’re regulated and overseen by the authorities, for more details check out TheGameDay.
It’s also worth pointing out that there are some illegal sportsbooks in operation in New York. As anyone who bet on sports in New York before January 2024 will tell you, these sportsbooks have been in operation for a while. It’s been possible for years to bet online in some way even before legalization. However, these sportsbooks are not necessarily legal – and they also aren’t regulated in the same way, so there is an increased level of risk.
You might, for example, find yourself falling victim to a scam and since the sportsbooks are operating illegally, you won’t have the same recourse as you would with a legal option. For this reason, it’s recommended that you stick to the legal providers. If you’re absolutely desperate for more choice, New Jersey is just over the river and offers a wider selection of sportsbooks.
Ask Around
New York is famously a city of insiders. Every New Yorker knows the best deli, the most authentic pizza place, the hippest bar or coolest club. If you have friends or family in New York, it’s likely you have at least one betting connection. Ask around and get recommendations from people you know. This is a great way to find a trustworthy sportsbook. It can also help make betting more of a social activity – you can chat with your friends about who you’re betting on and all get together to watch the game. Biggest winner buys a round of drinks of course!
Figure out what you want and need from a sportsbook
The best sportsbook isn’t necessarily going to be the best sportsbook for you. If the highest rated sportsbook only lets you put money on NFL, NBA, and MLB games but you’re more interested in placing bets on more niche sports, then it won’t work for you. Figure out what it is that you want in a sportsbook – range of sports, payment options, types of bets, etc – and go from there. Once you know exactly what you’re looking for it will be easier to narrow down your options.
Reviews and guides
When it comes to narrowing down your options, you might find that you don’t know exactly where to look or who to ask for details about the operation of top sportsbooks in New York. That’s where reviews and guides can come in handy. A reviews site can be useful because it provides details from other bettors about what each site offers. Often, it’s possible to cross compare sites based on how competitive their odds are, for example, while you can also compare based on range of sports, security and more. It’s possible to weed out the bad apples in this way and choose sites which are reputable and well-liked by the wider community.
In the end, choosing a sportsbook in New York is certainly a challenge. There’s no obvious site to pick, and it can sometimes seem overwhelming to compare all of the different ones. The good news, however, is that there are several factors that you can use to narrow it all down. From focusing entirely on the legal sportsbooks to using review sites to sort out the bad apples, there’s a method for everybody to find a sportsbook that they’re comfortable using.
