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What to Look for in a Good Online Sportsbook

There are many US states, where you can use a sportsbook to wager on your favorite sports and teams legally. As dozens of different betting sites are available, it can be challenging to choose which one is best.
Fortunately, that’s where we come in. Our experts have decades of sports betting experience, so read our list of top things to look out for when choosing an online sportsbook.
Differences between Sportsbooks
You’ll notice that there are a lot of similarities between sportsbooks, with most sites choosing to have the same layout. You’ll find a list of sports on the left, your bet slip on the right, and markets in the middle. However, the similarities tend to end there.
Every betting site has different welcome bonuses, promotions, markets, bet types, odds, and more. By choosing one sportsbook, you may get an excellent welcome bonus but be unable to wager on your favorite sports. Likewise, you could choose a betting site with tons of markets to bet on but a terrible mobile app. However, there are some things to look out for when choosing a sportsbook that will help you get the best quality platform.
Welcome Bonuses
Some online sportsbooks like Bovada offer a welcome bonus exclusive to new players. A welcome bonus gives you a boost when you register an account, such as a chance to play for free or make a profit. You usually need to fulfill terms and conditions like minimum deposits or minimum odds.
Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular types of welcome bonuses:
Deposit Match Bonus
With a deposit match bonus, a sportsbook will match your qualifying deposit up to a percentage with bonus funds. Many betting sites will provide deposit match bonuses as high as 100%, letting you effectively double your money. However, every deposit match bonus will have a limit. You can use your bonus funds like cash to wager on markets like moneylines, point spreads, and totals. Good sportsbooks will offer deposit match bonuses with high percentages.
Most deposit match bonuses will have wagering requirements, which tell you how many times you need to use your bonus funds before you can withdraw. The best online sportsbooks will provide these promotions with low wagering requirements, giving you a good chance of making a profit.
Risk-Free Bet
Rather than giving you funds for depositing, a risk-free bet will cover the losses of your qualifying bet. The sportsbook will set limits on this, such as a maximum bet and minimum odds, and if you meet the requirements, your wager will be protected.
If your bet wins, you will get your stake and profit back. However, the betting site will give you free bets equal to your stake if it loses. You can use these free bets for wagering and withdraw any profits. However, this does not include the value of the free bets.
No Deposit Bonus
Some sportsbooks will provide you with welcome bonuses you can use without needing a deposit. You just need to create an account or opt in and claim the promotion. You can get free bets and bonus funds, which you can use for betting. While there isn’t a minimum deposit, there may be other terms and conditions like minimum odds and time limits.
Markets Offered
The best online sportsbooks will provide markets for a wide variety of sports. Most operators will offer betting lines on the major leagues like the NFL and NBA, but you’ll also find smaller competitions like the NCAAF and NCAAB. In addition, sportsbooks will also cover niche sports like MMA and NASCAR.
Most sportsbooks provide between ten and 20 different sports and more competitions within those sports. You should look for a sportsbook near the top end of this scale to give yourself more options while wagering. However, if you are only interested in betting on popular sports, claiming a generous welcome bonus or having a great mobile platform may be more important.
Mobile Betting
There are many advantages of mobile betting, and plenty of sportsbooks provide mobile apps you can download from the iOS and Android app stores. You can use these mobile apps to access a sportsbook’s full range of features, including all its pre-game and in-play odds and customer support. You can bring your betting on the move as you can use betting apps anywhere you have a connection.
Good sportsbooks will either provide a fully optimized mobile app or a mobile browser site that uses HTML5 technology to work on any screen size.
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BetMGM Unveils First Major Corporate Brand Repositioning with “Make it Legendary” Campaign

BetMGM, a leading sports betting and iGaming operator, unveiled the next evolution of its brand in collaboration with leading independent ad agency Highdive. The refreshed brand identity highlights BetMGM’s dynamic entertainment ecosystem — one that unlocks a world of possibilities, elevated experiences and exceptional hospitality. Bringing the brand to life, the new “Make it Legendary” campaign is anchored by a series of multi-channel spots featuring BetMGM’s newest brand ambassador: EMMY® Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jon Hamm.
“This isn’t just a campaign — it’s a reimagining of what BetMGM stands for. We’re at the forefront of entertainment and gaming, with the spirit of Las Vegas woven into our DNA,” said Casey Hurbis, Chief Marketing Officer, BetMGM. “Our new positioning celebrates the thrill, spectacle and storytelling potential in every spin, play and reward. With Jon Hamm’s talent and universal appeal, he’s a natural fit to represent the refined essence of our brand.”
Highdive worked hand-in-hand with BetMGM’s creative team on the transformation, informed by extensive customer research. The first of six new spots is scheduled to premiere Saturday, Aug. 30 during college football games, with additional spots rolling out across TV, social, digital, out-of-home and BetMGM properties nationwide. Directed by two-time Directors Guild of America Director of the Year Noam Murro, the spots leverage Hamm’s charisma and storytelling charm to make every interaction feel like an elevated experience.
Hamm said, “BetMGM is all about style, and the ‘Make it Legendary’ campaign captures that energy. It’s witty, cinematic, and shows that betting with BetMGM is an unmatched experience.”
Mark Gross, co-founder and co-chief creative officer at Highdive, emphasized the strategic depth of the repositioning and said, “We didn’t just create ads — we built a creative platform that gives BetMGM a long-term advantage. This is about storytelling, connection and creating a brand that truly speaks to today’s players, not at them.”
As BetMGM continues to expand into new markets and introduce new features, responsible gaming remains a key focus. Additionally, BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly including GameSense, an industry leading program, developed and licensed to MGM Resorts by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. Through the integration within BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, customers can receive the same GameSense experience they have grown to rely on at MGM Resorts properties nationwide. This complements BetMGM’s already existing responsible gambling tools which serve to provide customers with an entertaining and safe digital experience.
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US), 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY)1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly.
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Spintec Strengthens its Partnership with Merkur in Colombia and Peru

At the Peru Gaming Show in June, strategic partners Merkur Gaming and Spintec entered a new chapter in their partnership in Latin America. The two companies signed a distribution agreement for Colombia and Peru, marking an important milestone in their collaboration. Their united presence at the show highlighted the strength of this alliance, which continues to deliver considerable advantages to their already winning cooperation across the region.
Spintec’s debut appearance this year was a highlight of Merkur Gaming stand at Jockey Plaza in Lima. The Slovenian specialist in Electronic Table Games (ETGs) featured an impressive range of products that combined innovation, reliability, and performance. Their Karma and Charisma product lines were the big showstoppers with their unbeatable combination of innovation and reliability. These products are gaining traction and popularity all over the world for a very good reason: they are fully engaging and attractive to look at, while also being extremely dependable.
And the quality of Spintec’s portfolio is already delivering measurable results in the region. The renowned research company Eilers & Krejcik recognized Spintec as the top-performing ETG supplier in South America in their April 2025 Latin America Game Performance Report. This achievement propels the partnership in Peru and Colombia even further. It not only underlines the seamless integration of Merkur’s powerful regional presence with Spintec’s technological leadership in ETGs but also serves as a testament to the importance of companies’ growing strategic alliance.
“ETGs are a valuable and strategic addition to Merkur’s already robust product portfolio,” said Dominik Raasch, Management Board Member, Merkur Games. “Our partnership with Spintec is built on a shared vision of delivering excellence, innovation, and value to our customers. The joint market presence we are creating in Latin America is only the beginning.”
Goran Sovilj, Global Sales Director at Spintec, echoed the sentiment: “Our collaboration with Merkur Gaming continues to deepen, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together. With their strong local teams, infrastructure, and sales support, we are perfectly positioned to take the leading role in the ETG market in Latin America, and beyond.”
As the companies continue to strengthen and widen their strategic alliances in the region, their commitment to joint innovation, market leadership and next-level gaming experiences grows even further. The optimism is based on past achievements, but also on a very positive outlook towards future growth.
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Betting on the Super Bowl LX Winner: Events Contracts vs Sports Betting

The NFL regular season is about to start in early September, but all eyes are on Super Bowl LX, the end of the journey. It will kick off on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, where the San Francisco 49ers play their home games. And that’s pretty much all we know about it, for now. Who’s going to play at the halftime show? (Taylor Swift?) What epic TV commercials will be aired (and how much will 30 seconds of airtime cost?) are all unknown.
Another Super Bowl question that has sparked debate as the NFL season is about to kick off is how millions of US fans who want a piece of the action will back their favorite to win. Will they do it through sports betting, which is now legal in most US states, or will they buy event contracts, a new product that is exploding on the internet nowadays, with regulation and legality causing heated debates in courts across the country?
The partnership US betting powerhouse FanDuel announced with event-contract giant CME shows how the industry is trying to navigate an entirely different regulatory universe. The Super Bowl, being one of the largest betting events on the planet, will also determine how these two universes will collide or coexist.
Although many people think sports betting and events contracts are similar, they are two very different beasts.
A traditional sports bet is speculative and meant for entertainment, based on a zero-sum wager between the sportsbook and bettor. Although some bettors apply knowledge and strategy, it is considered gambling, with results being purely up to chance. At the same time, event contracts companies argue that their product has a legitimate hedging function that, although it bears risk, is considered investment risk undertaken for economic purposes.
When placing a bet with a sportsbook, the bettor’s relationship and risk are solely with the sportsbook, which manages the risks, sets up the betting lines, adjusts the odds, and pays out large wins or collects losses. Event contracts are traded between members of a community, facilitated by a centralized exchange platform that doesn’t take part in the trade but rather facilitates transactions between buyers and sellers. Whereas a bookmaker determines odds in traditional betting, event contracts on an exchange platform are priced by market demand.
A bet will typically be binary and held until it expires (or cashed out early). For example, you can bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers to win against the New York Jets in the first gameday of these two teams this season. You will then win or lose based on the odds that were offered when you locked the bet. Event contracts are tradable, and their pricing will fluctuate depending on market conditions. For example, you can buy a contract for “Joe Burrow to win season MVP” and sell it months later at a profit if his odds improve, or alternatively, offload it at a loss if Burrow gets injured and his odds diminish.
Another huge difference is how event contracts are regulated compared to traditional NFL betting. Since the US Supreme Court annulled PASPA (the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992), each US state can regulate its own sports betting market. The regulators’ primary focus is to ensure operator integrity, protect customers from fraud, and put in place mechanisms to prevent and treat problem gambling.
Event contracts are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a federal agency that is more focused on ensuring market integrity, preventing market manipulation, and protecting investors from a seismic market shift. It is rarely concerned with protecting individual investors from addiction and the prevention of loss from excessive trading.
The introduction of event contracts isn’t an evolution of sports betting. It is a big bang, representing the creation of an entirely new marketplace that operates under a different legal framework and a different set of values. Traditional betting lives in the sphere of entertainment and individual player protection, whereas event contracts exist in the world of investment and financial-market transparency and integrity.
The outcome of this regulatory debate will determine whether betting on the NFL and other major league sports will stay within the sportsbook space or expand into financial trading markets.
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