Sportsbook Funding Methods
Welcome to the bet hub of information regarding sportsbook deposit methods. We know that the most important part of creating a sports betting account is the ability to get your funds loaded in time to bet on that next game or event. This is why, beyond going through all of the deposit methods thoroughly, we are going to give you reviews of the online sportsbooks that offer the best deposit options. You won’t find as many safe and secure methods by going to your cousin’s bookie. Instead, you can choose from many highly-rated sports betting sites that are reputable and legal. This site will fill you in on everything you need to know in order to make safe and legal deposits at online sportsbooks.
On this homepage, we are going to give you a little background on the legal aspects of making deposits, as well as cover a little bit about each method. Be sure to head to our more in depth pages for much more legal information, as well as extensive coverage of each and every deposit type that you can use. Also, there are some methods for USA residents that differ from the deposit options that the rest of the world can use. We will differentiate between US/Worldwide options when we list the Deposit methods later on this page.
Making Legal USA Sportsbook Deposits
Sports fans from American and all over the world are able to legally make deposits at online sportsbooks. That being the case, there are some things USA residents should know. While most countries in Europe and other parts of the world tend to have lax sportsbook funding laws, America is a little bit different. We have a federal law called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was created in 2006 in order to regulate the many gambling sites that were proliferating at the time (mainly poker sites).
Luckily, the sports betting sites that accept USA residents are located outside of the country, so they don’t fall within the jurisdiction of the UGIEA. Our financial institutions do, however. Because of this, you may occasionally have your credit/debit card deposit declined by the site. This is very rare, but it does occasionally happen. The solution is to simply choose a different deposit method (there are plenty), try a different card, or contact the site. By contacting the sportsbook, they will ensure that you will be able to deposit your funds into your account. These sites are regulated and operate under gaming licenses, and they make sure to protect themselves as well as their members.
Deciding which deposit method is best for you depends on a variety of factors. The main things to take note of are the fees, speeds, and limits. If a game is starting soon, you will want to choose a method that is fast, such as credit/debit or Bitcoin deposits. If you need to add a very large amount to your account because you want to bet big on the next World Series or the Super Bowl, you will want to choose a method with very high limits, such as a bank wire transfer. Some methods don’t have any limits, depending on the site. You will also want to keep an eye on the fees. A general rule of thumb is: the faster the deposit method and the bigger the limit, the higher the fees. However, this is far from being set in stone, and some methods that are super-fast are also free. It all depends on the site and what they offer.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing your deposit method is the possible deposit bonuses that are available. Almost every site offers some kind of initial and recurring bonus whenever you make a deposit, and sometimes the bonus amount changes or depends on the type of deposit you choose. Make sure to check out the promotions page of the site you are using, and head over to our deposit bonuses page to learn much more. Now, let’s take a look at the deposit methods that you will find at online sportsbooks.
We will start with the options are available for U.S. players (as well as most worldwide players). Secondly, we will list the options that are only available for non-U.S. players. To learn more about any of these deposit methods, head over to our individual deposit type pages.
Players from the United States have a wide range of options when it comes to funding their online sportsbook accounts. These include everything from credit and debit cards to cash wire transfers to good ole’-fashioned checks and money orders. Players also have access to a variety of electronic money transfer services such as Bitcoin and bank wire transfers. But that’s not all: don’t forget about prepaid cards and gift cards. We are now going to examine each of these methods in detail, starting with credit cards.
Credit Card Deposits
Every site that you can join will offer credit card deposits. Most of them generally take Visa and MasterCard, and more than a few also accept American Express, Discover, and JCB. Credit card deposits are fast, and generally come with minimums/maximums from about $50 to $3,500. Some sites charge fees that rarely go above 6.5%, but other sites don’t charge anything. Check out our credit card deposits page to learn much more about this method.
Debit Card Deposits
Every site that offers credit card deposits will also let you use debit cards for deposits. They generally accept the same card types as they do with credit, and debit transactions are just as fast. Occasionally the limits will differ between credit/debit, but usually they are the exact same. Choosing between credit and debit usually just comes down to which method you would prefer to use, as all of their speeds, fees, and limits are generally the same.
Cash Wire Transfers
Most sites offer cash wire transfers in the form of Western Union and MoneyGram. These are great for those that don’t feel like using banks to deposit. You can go to any local grocery store/gas station/what-have-you that offers cash wire services, and wire your money to the site. Some online sportsbooks will even let you do this completely online so you don’t have to leave the house. Cash wire deposits usually come with small fees, but not always. They also tend to have minimums around $20-$50, and maximums between $500 and $5,000.
Money Orders & Checks
Almost every online sportsbook for U.S. players will offer money order deposits, and some of them also accept checks. The idea is the same for both. You will make the money order/check out to the sportsbook, and send it over your preferred mail carrier. Each method tends to take 1-3 weeks, but you can always expedite shipping to speed things up. Both checks and money orders rarely come with fees. You will generally only need to pay for the delivery cost, although some sites cover that for you if you deposit over a certain amount, usually about $300. Minimums/maximums are usually around $100-$10,000.
Bitcoin
Sportsbooks for American players don’t generally offer many eWallet deposit methods, but Bitcoin is the exception. Almost every site offers it, and if you have a Bitcoin account this is a great way to fund your online sports betting. Bitcoin deposit transfers are very fast, usually completing in just seconds, and there are rarely any fees (although exchange rates will apply). Bitcoin minimums fluctuate between sites, with some as low as $20, and others around $250. Similarly, maximums can be anywhere from $900 to around $5,000.
DirectPay Deposits
DirectPay deposits provide USA players with several options for transferring funds into their accounts. All three options are distinctly different, but all have their own advantages depending on your personal preferences. You can choose between in-person options such as the limitless DirectPay Bank Wire, or, DirectPay Cash/Counter which allows you to deposit anywhere from $100 to $2000 in cash. There is also a DirectPay Electronic Transfer option, which is the fastest method and can send $100 to $9500 from your online banking portal within minutes.
Bank Wire Transfers
Bank wire transfers are offered at most online sportsbooks, and they tend to be best for large deposits. Their minimums start out around $500-$1,000, and their maximums hover around $2,500 to unlimited. Bank wires also come with the highest fees out of all of the deposit methods, generally between $40 and $120 depending on the amount deposited. This is why they are considered best for very large deposits. Bank wires usually take 1-2 business days, and you will need to contact the site with your bank wire instructions in order to complete the transaction.
Prepaid Gift Cards
Many sites will accept prepaid Visa/MasterCard cards, and/or certain gift cards as forms of deposits. For prepaid cards, you will generally just need to call the site with the code on the back of the card, and they should be able to process your deposit within seconds. With cash gift cards, many sites require you to take a photograph of the card with the 10 or 15 digit code scratched off. You can then send it in an email or attach it in a live chat session, and the site will transfer the funds post-haste. There are rarely any fees for any of these methods, and if they are there then they are quite small. Minimums and maximums vary greatly from site to site, so make sure to check with the sportsbook you are using. Some of them, for gift cards especially, require you to deposit in certain increments of, say, $50 or so.
Players residing outside the United States have access to many more deposit options, as compared to their American counterparts. Some of these options, such as credit or debit card, are familiar to US players, however others, like PayPal, do not allow Americans to make sports betting deposits. These next few sections will shed some light on each of the best sportsbook deposit methods for players outside of the U.S. as well as show readers which online sportsbooks accept them.
There are four different commonly accepted debit card brands for non-US players. They are Visa, Maestro, Electron, and MasterCard. Debit cards work instantly, so there’s no waiting around trying to figure out where your money went. Minimums are nice and low, around $10, and the maximums are around $30,000. Like all deposit methods for non-US players, there is no extra processing fee. When you are ready to transfer your funds, simply click on debit card from the options list and enter your card number, deposit amount, and your sportsbook password and click the “Make Deposit” tab.
If you want to use your credit card to make a sportsbook account deposit, several brands are available. Visa and MasterCard both are easy options, and you can also use Prepaid Cards. Like credit cards, debit cards work instantaneously. The same minimums and maximums apply, as well: $10 and $30,000. To make a credit card transfer, simply select “credit card” from the available list of deposit options. Once you have done that, you will need to enter your credit card information and your sportsbook account password. Click “Make Deposit” and you are finished.
An extremely popular eWallet service, NETeller allows users to easily transfer funds from one account to another, all digitally. You can use NETeller to deposit as little as $20 or as much as $50,000 into your sportsbook account. It’s up to you. There is absolutely no waiting around, because your transfer goes through immediately. Of course, there is no fee. When you deposit for the first time, you will be required to provide a twelve-digit NETeller account number and six-digit Authentication Code, plus your sportsbook password. You will not have to enter your verification code every single time you use NETeller, because it will be stored for future use.
Another very popular eWallet, Skrill is widely used throughout the world for transferring funds into sports betting sites. It lets you deposit as little as $10 and as much as $38,000 into your sportsbook account. The speed is instant, and fees are nonexistent. In order to use Skrill, you must select it from the options list of your sportsbook’s funding methods page. Enter the amount you would like to deposit, provide your sportsbook password, and click the “Make Deposit” tab. You will be taken to the Skrill website, where you will have to enter the requisite information and confirm your deposit.
Skrill 1-Tap is another type of eWallet service that gives you the option of depositing anywhere from $10 to $13,000 into your sportsbook account. Like other eWallet services, Skrill takes just a few seconds to transfer. Like all deposit methods for non-US players, there is no extra charge for using the service. Go to the deposits section of you sportsbook, choose Skrill 1-Tap from the list, and enter your password and the amount you wish to deposit.
Similar to other eWallet services, PayPal allows non U.S. users the ability to deposit into sportsbook accounts in a heartbeat with no extra fees or charges. However, the limits are slightly different. While the minimum is $20, which is similar to other eWallet services, the maximum is $10,000. In order to use PayPal, click on its icon on the Deposits page. Type in how much you want to deposit, and be sure to include your sportsbook account password. Once you click on “Make Deposit“, you will be taken to the PayPal website for verification purposes.
A good method for those who want to deposit a small amount of money at a time, PaySafeCard is a very popular method of funding sports betting accounts where it is accepted. Known for little to no transfer fees, and instant transfer capabilities, PaySafeCard can be purchased at various retail outlets and Automatic Teller Machines. Once you purchase your voucher, you can transfer your funds directly into your sportsbook account. The deposit process is very similar to the ones listed above, only with PaySafeCard you can deposit multiple vouchers at the same time by clicking on “Enter Additional PINS.”
This service is a virtual prepaid card that lets you load money onto it using a credit card, debit card, or a bank transfer. There are no extra charges and the speed is instant. There is a minimum deposit limit of $20 and a maximum of $30,000. If you go to your sportsbook’s Deposits page, you can select EntroPay from the long list of payment options. You will need to enter you EntroPay card details, your deposit amount, and your sportsbook account password. Once you have entered all of the requisite information, click the tab that says “Make Deposit.”
A very convenient e-wallet that can be used to quickly add funds to a sports betting account, Instadebit is highly trusted and well-respected in the industry. This method allows users to deposit money directly from a bank account into a sportsbook account with a minimal amount of hassle. Users can also keep money in an Instadebit account with the ability to send it to a desired sportsbook account at will. The minimums are low and maximums high - fees are minimal when transferring money directly from a bank account to a sports betting account. It is a very fast method as well, taking no more than two days from the time it is processed. Over 32 countries support Instadebit, including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and the Netherlands.
A bank wire transfer is an electronic transfer of funds from your bank account directly to your sportsbook account. European sports betting fans love bank wire transfers for several reasons. The first and most important reason is that the maximums are extremely high. Some sportsbooks let you deposit up to $100,000 at a time. The second reason is that the minimums are usually very low, sometimes around just $50. Lastly, there are no extra transaction fees. You can learn more by visiting our page dedicated to bank wire transfers, or you can contact your financial institution or visit your favorite online sportsbook for the details.
A cheque is another option for non-US players who want to make a sportsbook deposit. Cheques take a bit longer than some of the other popular methods do, and the minimums and maximums are pretty high ($1,500 and $80,000). Still, there are no extra transaction fees you have to worry about, which is good. You can send in a cashier’s cheque, personal cheque, international money order, or banker’s draft. As with each deposit method, you should check the details provided on the sportsbook website.
Being able to easily transfer money into your account is one of the benchmarks of a good online sportsbook. Making a deposit is the first step in the betting process once you have signed up at a wagering site. The sportsbooks that we recommend each have a host of easy and trusted deposit methods just for you. Most sites accepts debit/credit cards, gift cards, Bitcoin, MoneyGram, Western Union, money order, bank wire transfer, and prepaid card. These methods each have their own limits, fees, and waiting times. In fact, the rules and regulations can vary from one site to another, so it is important that you read the fine print. We are here to help you figure out your best options when it comes to funding you sportsbook account. We have hand-selected some choice sportsbooks that make depositing money a no-brainer. So let’s get on with, already.
High Success Rates With American Credit / Debit Card Deposits
In the echelon of online sportsbooks, Bovada is at the very top. There are several reasons for this. Besides being safe and trustworthy, Bovada offers a ton of great features and benefits, such as bonuses, live in-game play, and mobile betting. Most of all, though, Bovada make depositing money into your account a simple process. It is as easy as visiting Bovada’s “deposit methods” section and choosing a method that suits you needs. If you ever have any issues with deposits, Bovada’s customer service representatives will work out the problem for you. There are several deposit options available, and we are going to tell you a bit more about them.
The first and most common way to deposit money into your Bovada account is credit/debit card; this sportsbook accepts both MasterCard and Visa, and even a few others that aren't advertised. People love credit/debit cards because they are extremely fast, have low minimums and high maximums, and only charge a very small percentage for transaction fees. Bovada members also love Western Union and MoneyGram, which are types of rapid transfer services. The fees are extremely low and the limits are reasonable. Finally, Bitcoin is a preferred method for anyone who likes to do his or her business electronically. You can learn about each of these methods in detail by visiting our pages devoted to each of these funding methods.