Want to bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia 76ers, or Pittsburgh Penguins? If so, you will need an online sports betting account.
Choosing a sports betting app is an important decision to make as a sports bettor. Sports betting is now legal in Pennsylvania at retail locations and online. Residents of the Keystone State can bet on sports at brick-and-mortar casinos, or on their mobile phones or computers.
This guide will break down the best Pennsylvania sports betting sites by comparing the total number of sports and bets offered, odds, live betting features, mobile apps, educational resources, ease of use, as well as current bonuses and promotions.
Best Online Sports Betting Sites in PA
- DraftKings Sportsbook – Best Overall
- FanDuel – Best Live Betting
- Barstool Sportsbook - Best for Stoolies
- BetMGM – Great Mobile App
- FOX Bet – Best for Poker Players
- BetRivers – Good Bet Variety, Poor Mobile App
Best Overall
DraftKings is the complete package for both new and experienced sports bettors and daily fantasy sports players. While the live betting, education, and mobile app are all great, I found the unique bets and pre-game statistics DraftKings offers to be the best in the state. Read full review
Best Live Betting
Rattle off any feature you want in a sports betting app and it’s likely FanDuel Sportsbook has got it… and then some. From top-of-the-line live betting and an impressive laundry list of bet types and sports to industry-leading promotions, competitive odds, and innovative live play-by-play contests, FanDuel is a sportsbook for all bettors. Read full review
Best for Stoolies
Online sports betting got a lot more entertaining late last year when Barstool Sportsbook entered the field. Brand loyalists will get a kick out of the Barstool-themed bet types and promotions concocted by the company’s popular personalities. But even if you’re not a diehard Stoolie and just want to lay some action, you’ll find everything the best traditional sportsbooks offer on the Barstool app. Read full review
Great Mobile App
Make no mistake, despite being a casino-based brand, MGM is all-in on online sports betting. The BetMGM app provides users with a wide collection of sports and bets to wager on, in addition to a full suite of casino and poker games (if available in your state). Read full review
Best for Poker Players
While FOX Bet is an excellent option for online poker and casino games, FOX Bet will also satisfy most sports bettors thanks to its offering of sports, bet variety, promotions, and features. Read full review
Good Bet Variety, Poor Mobile App
BetRivers has the foundation of a great sports betting site. It’s one of the premier services for live betting, has a wide variety of sports (the most of any app), and offers great promotions. Mobile bettors, however, will find the slow and clunky app a frustrating user experience.
Read full review
Other Pennsylvania Sportsbooks
In addition to our top six Pennsylvania sports betting apps for 2021, we reviewed four others. Here's our high-level takeaways for each. To dive deeper, read our reviews.
BetAmerica
While its history as a horse racing site is impressive, when it comes to sports betting BetAmerica has room for improvement. Although the BetAmerica mobile app is easy to use, I found the education, bonuses for new customers, and variety of bets to be underwhelming. Read full review
Unibet
Although I like the overall selection of bets and live bets at Unibet, there aren’t enough differentiating factors to make the sportsbook a premiere selection. Geotechnology issues and poor navigation in the mobile app also withhold Unibet from being an above average sportsbook. Read full review
Caesars
Unless you are already a Caesars Rewards member who visits Caesars brick-and-mortar casinos, the Caesars Sportsbook struggles to compete with competitors that offer a wider variety of bets, better mobile apps and education, and higher quality promotions. Read full review
Betfred
Betfred has a longstanding history as a bookmaker in the U.K., but its identity as a U.S. sportsbook is all over the map. Betfred USA operates in three states, but — and this is unusual — users in each state are presented with completely different betting experiences. Even then, the Betfred sportsbooks we tested felt incomplete in terms of bet variety, mobile betting, and education. Read full review
Best Betting Odds in Pennsylvania
To determine which PA sports betting sites offer the best odds, I recorded and analyzed data from hundreds of games for spread, moneyline, and total bets. The sportsbooks that provide the best odds for each sport are listed below.
| Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | Barstool Sportsbook | BetMGM | FOX Bet | BetRivers Sportsbook |
| NFL Moneyline | Best | Average | Good | Average | Average | Best |
| NFL Spread | Below Average | Below Average | Below Average | Below Average | Good | Below Average |
| NFL Total | Below Average | Below Average | Below Average | Below Average | Good | Below Average |
| NBA Moneyline | Average | Average | Average | Average | Below Average | Average |
| NBA Spread | Below Average | Good | Below Average | Average | Best | Below Average |
| NBA Total | Below Average | Average | Average | Average | Good | Below Average |
| NHL Moneyline | Best | Average | Below Average | Average | Worst | Best |
| NHL Spread | Average | Good | Worst | Worst | N/A | N/A |
| NHL Total | Below Average | Average | Below Average | Below Average | Worst | N/A |
| Soccer Moneyline | Average | Average | Best | Good | Below Average | N/A |
| NCAAF Moneyline | Below Average | Below Average | Below Average | Average | Good | Below Average |
| NCAAB Moneyline | Average | Good | Average | Good | Worst | Good |
| Odds |
Deposit Options
Here is a comparison of deposit options amongst top PA sportsbooks.
| Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | Barstool Sportsbook | BetMGM | FOX Bet | BetRivers Sportsbook |
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $10 | $10 | $10 | $10 | $10 |
| Total Deposit Methods | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Deposit Min/Max - Debit/Credit Card | $5/$2,000 | $10/Varies | $10/N/A | $0/Varies | $10/Varies | $10/Varies |
| Deposit Min/Max - PayPal | $5/$2,000 | $10/Varies | $10/N/A | $10/Varies | $10/Varies | N/A |
| PayPal | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Deposit - Debit/Credit Card | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deposit - Online Bank Transfer (ACH) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Withdrawal Options
Here is a comparison of withdrawal options amongst top PA sportsbooks.
| Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | Barstool Sportsbook | BetMGM | FOX Bet | BetRivers Sportsbook |
| Minimum Withdrawal | $1 - $15 | None Listed | $10 | $10 | $10 | $10 |
| Total Withdrawal Methods | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Withdrawal Min/Max - PayPal | $5/Varies | None listed | $10/N/A | $10/Varies | $10/$8,300 | N/A |
| Withdrawal - Online Bank Transfer (ACH) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Withdrawal - PayPal | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Withdrawal - Prepaid Gift Card | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pennsylvania Sports Betting Timeline
Here is a short timeline of how Pennsylvania sports betting became a reality:
- 2015 - Representative Rick Kotik proposed a bill that would allow sports betting at licensed Pennsylvania casinos.
- 2017 - Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 271 into law in October. House Bill 271, introduced by Jason Oritay, effectively legalized sports betting in Pennsylvania, pending a federal law change.
- 2018 - The Supreme Court voted to overturn a federal ban on sports betting outside Nevada in May. With HB 271 in place, Pennsylvania’s 12 licensed casinos could apply for a sports betting license. The first legal sports bet in Pennsylvania took place on November 17, 2018, at Hollywood Casino.
- 2019 - SugarHouse was the first online sportsbook to go live in Pennsylvania in May. Several sportsbooks followed throughout the rest of 2019, including DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and BetRivers.
- 2020 - With the addition of Barstool Sportsbook, there are now 10 different sports betting apps available to Pennsylvania residents.
Best Pennsylvania Sportsbooks Summary
Below is a summary of the best online sportsbooks currently available in Pennsylvania.
| Sportsbook | Minimum Deposit | Sports & Bets Offered | Odds | Mobile Betting | Bonuses & Promotions | Live Betting | Overall | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings Sportsbook | $5 | N/A | ||||||
| FanDuel Sportsbook | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| Barstool Sportsbook | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| BetMGM | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| FOX Bet | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| BetRivers Sportsbook | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| BetAmerica | $1 | N/A | ||||||
| Unibet | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| Caesars | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| Betfred | N/A | N/A | ||||||
| SugarHouse | $10 | N/A | ||||||
| Parx Sportsbook | N/A |
DraftKings Sportsbook 
DraftKings delivers the ultimate package for sports bettors, including unique contests and bet types, industry-leading pre-game statistics, excellent education for beginners, Daily Fantasy contests, and private pools with friends. This outstanding all-round experience makes DraftKings our top overall sportsbook in 2021. Read full review
Minimum deposit: $5
Who choose DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Great for beginners. DraftKings’ noteworthy educational materials include guidance on how to bet and different bet types, as well as sport-specific guides that cover common strategies for betting success.
- Unique bets and contests. The variety of sports and bets offered —one of the largest selections of unique bet types and contests we’ve seen — and an excellent live betting experience makes DraftKings one heck of a sportsbook.
- Bonuses: Promotions change throughout the year, but typical ones include risk-free bets up to $1,000 for new bettors, and deposit matches, among others. Keep in mind there are typically rollover requirements attached to each bonus.
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FanDuel
Rattle off any feature you want in a sports betting app and it’s likely FanDuel Sportsbook has got it… and then some. From top-of-the-line live betting and an impressive laundry list of bet types and sports to industry-leading promotions, competitive odds, and innovative live play-by-play contests, FanDuel is a sportsbook for all bettors. Read full review
Minimum deposit: $10
Why choose FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Excellent mobile app. With its focus on usability, we found the FanDuel Sportsbook app to be one the best-designed apps overall.
- Great for bettors. High-quality live betting, variety of bets offered, and noteworthy odds are all features new and experienced bettors will appreciate.
- Bonuses: Promotions change throughout the year, but typically FanDuel offers a risk-free bet up to $1,000, and several other smaller seasonal offerings. Keep in mind there are typically rollover requirements attached to each bonus.
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Barstool Sportsbook 
Online sports betting got a lot more entertaining late last year when Barstool Sportsbook entered the field. Brand loyalists will get a kick out of the Barstool-themed bet types and promotions concocted by the company’s popular personalities. But even if you’re not a diehard Stoolie and just want to lay some action, you’ll find everything the best traditional sportsbooks offer on the Barstool app. Read full review
Minimum Deposit: $10
Why Choose Barstool Sportsbook?
- Great for Stoolies. Stoolies can bet with or against their favorite Barstool personalities. While the Barstool Sportsbook is a newer sportsbook to the scene, I expect Barstool to continue to integrate more of its media content in the months to come. For example, imagine watching the Barstool Sports Advisors and placing a bet on the same app.
- Variety of banking options. Barstool Sportsbook has one of the best selections of banking options available, including credit/debit cards, PayPal, and direct deposit from over 1,000 banks.
- Bonuses: Upon launching in September 2020, Barstool Sportsbook offered a risk-free bet up to $500 on the user’s first eligible wager following their first deposit. Keep in mind there are typically rollover requirements attached to each bonus.
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What Pennsylvania Casinos Offer in Person Sports Betting?
Residents of Pennsylvania can bet on sports in-person at the following casinos. You can bet at any of these casinos regardless of what mobile app(s) you use and vice versa.
- Harrah's Philadelphia
- Hollywood Casino
- Parx Casino
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia
- South Philadelphia Turf Club
- Valley Forge
The only connection that betting apps and casinos have is their partnerships. For example, if you use the BetRivers mobile app, one way to withdraw your money is at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, PA.
How do I bet online in PA (Pennsylvania)?
- 1. Create an account. Every online sportsbook has an online website as well as a mobile app. To create an account on the app or website, you will need your name, address, phone number, and email address. Some sportsbooks might ask for more information such as social security number; which is normal.
- 2. Fund the account. Deposit money into your newly created account. In Pennsylvania, standard banking methods include credit/debit cards, PayPal, ACH (e-check), Bank Transfers, Play+ Cards, and PayNearMe.
- 3. Add your bet(s) to the betslip. To do this, click on the bet that you want to place.
- 4. Select the wager amount. Enter the amount of money you want to wager. The bet slip will display your total wager and potential payout. Keep in mind, the potential payout includes the money that you are wagering. For example, in the screenshot below, you are betting $10 to win $8.80. Thus, the potential payout is $18.80 (total wager $10 + potential winnings $8.80).
- 5. Finalize the bet. Place your bet and set an alarm for game time!
- Online Sports Betting - Legal (launch - May of 2019)
- Online Horse Betting - Legal
- Daily Fantasy Sports - Legal
- iGaming (online slots) - Legal (launch - July of 2019)
- Online Poker - Legal (launch - July of 2019)
- Offshore Sportsbooks - Not Legal
- Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Philadelphia Phillies (MLB) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Philadelphia Union (MLS) - Team Website // Schedule // News
- Football - NFL, NCAA, CFL
- Basketball - NBA, NCAA, WNBA, International Leagues
- Soccer - English Premier League, MLS, International Leagues
- Baseball - MLB + International Leagues
- Hockey - NHL + International Leagues
- Golf - PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, International Leagues
- Tennis - All Major U.S. Tournaments + International Matches
- Other Sports - UFC/MMA, Motor Sports, Boxing, Cricket, etc.
- Odds have either a plus or minus in front of them.
- Odds are in terms of 100.
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What forms of gambling are legal in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has quite the selection of online gaming products to choose from. Here are the forms of gambling legal in Pennsylvania:
Popular Pennsylvania Sports Teams
Pennsylvania is fortunate enough to have eight professional sports teams, in addition to college powerhouses such as Villanova, Penn State, and the University of Pittsburgh. Residents of Pennsylvania can bet on all professional and collegiate teams, which includes the following professional teams:
What sports leagues can I bet on in Pennsylvania?
Almost all domestic and international leagues are available to bet on with Pennsylvania sportsbooks:
How to Read Odds
Odds represent the likelihood of an outcome occurring. In sports betting, each team is assigned odds that represent the likelihood of them winning the game. American odds are what you will see displayed on every U.S. sportsbook and sports betting app.
The first thing you will notice when reading odds will be that:
Betting Odds are written in terms of 100 as an industry standard. The easiest way to think of the plus and minus signs is as follows: If it is a plus, you will receive more than a $100 payout on a $100 bet. If it is a minus, you will have to bet more than $100 to win a $100 payout.
Thankfully, you can view your potential winnings on each bet before placing it at an online sportsbook. That said, it is beneficial to understand the betting odds.
Keep in mind for both spreads and totals, if the game ends in a draw for the bet, you get your stake back but do not win or lose any additional money.
What is a Moneyline bet?
A moneyline bet is a wager on which team will win the game outright. Both the favorite and the underdog are given odds to win the game. View sample bet slip.
| Moneyline Odds | How to Read it | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| Lions +130 | Lions plus 130 | By betting $100 you will win $130 if the Lions win |
| Packers -150 | Packers minus 150 | To win $100, you must wager $150 on the Packers to win |
What is a Spread bet?
A spread bet is a wager on which team will cover the spread or point spread. Underdogs will be given additional points with the spread, while the favorite will have to win by a certain amount of points to cover the spread. View sample bet slip.
| Spread Odds | How to Read it | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| Lakers + 5 (-110) | Lakers plus 5 points at minus 110 odds | The Lakers must win the game, or lose by less than 5 for you to win your bet |
| Rockets -5 (-110) | Rockets minus 5 points at minus 110 odds | The Rockets must win the game by more than 5 points for you to win your bet. A tie is a push, meaning you don't win or lose. |
What is an Over/Under (Total) bet?
An over/under bet focuses on how many points are scored, regardless of who wins the game. After a total point score has been set, bettors can wager whether the game's actual score will be over or under the preset point score. View sample bet slip.
| Total Odds | How to Read it |
|---|---|
| Over 7 (-115) | In order to win $100, you must bet $115 on the overall combined run score to be higher than 7 |
| Under 7 (-110) | In order to win $100, you must wager $110 on the total combined run score to be less than 7 |
More of a visual person? Here's a YouTube video covering moneyline, spread, and total bets.
What is a Parlay bet?
A parlay bet is a group of bets, typically spread, moneyline, or total bets, combined into one bet to increase the payout odds. Every separate bet must win to win a parlay bet. View example bet slip.
What is a Future bet?
A futures bet is a bet on an event that takes place in days, weeks, or months. The most common future bets are placed on what team will win the finals before the season starts. View example bet slip.
What are Bonus Rollover Requirements?
Rollover requirements are requirements bettors MUST fulfill before they can withdraw the bonus money. Each type of bonus has different terms and conditions, which you should examine before accepting.
Rollover requirements for sports betting often range between 1X-10X, with some extreme requirements going all the way up to 15X. For example, let’s say you deposit $100 and receive a $50 bonus with a 5X rollover. Before you can withdraw the $50 in bonus funds, you have to wager $750 (($100 + $50)x5). Clearly, the $50 bonus is a lot harder to obtain if you don’t bet frequently.
This table gives you an idea of how much you will have to wager before withdrawing your bonus at multiple rollover rates. We will assume each deposit made is $100.
| Bonus Percentage ($100 Deposit) | Bonus Amount | Bonus Withdrawal with 1X Rollover | Bonus Withdrawal with 3X Rollover | Bonus Withdrawal with 5X Rollover | Bonus Withdrawal with 10X Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25% Deposit Match | $25 | (100+25)x1 = $125 | (100+25)x3 = $375 | (100+25)x5 = $625 | (100+25)x10 = $1,250 |
| 50% Deposit Match | $50 | (100+50)x1 = $150 | (100+50)x3 = $450 | (100+50)x5 = $750 | (100+50)x10 = $1,500 |
| 100% Deposit Match | $100 | (100+100)x1 = $200 | (100+100)x3 = $600 | (100+100)x5 = $1,000 | (100+100)x10 = $2,000 |
Is Sports Betting Legal in PA (Pennsylvania)?
Sports betting is legal in Pennsylvania at brick-and-mortar casinos and online. The first legal sports bet in Pennsylvania took place on November 17, 2018, at Hollywood Casino.
Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 271 into law in October 2017. House Bill 271, introduced by Jason Oritay, effectively legalized sports betting in Pennsylvania, pending a federal law change, which took place in 2018.
How old do you have to be to bet on sports in Pennsylvania?
Anybody who is 21 years or older can bet on sports in Pennsylvania. As long as you are 21 and within state lines, you do not have to be a resident of Pennsylvania to bet on sports.
If you live in Pennsylvania and travel to a state that does not have legal betting, you will not be able to bet. Your phone or laptop uses geo-technology to make sure you are within state lines. The only people prohibited from betting on sports include athletes, coaches, refs, and other related personnel.
Do you have to pay taxes on sports betting in PA?
According to the IRS, “Gambling winnings are fully taxable, and you must report the income on your tax return.” Form W-2G is used to report gambling winnings and gambling losses, which may be deduced if adequately itemized.
For online gambling winnings, residents must send in Form W-2G when certain winning thresholds are reached. For example, if a player wins more than $600 or at least 300 times the wager amount, the form must be filled out.
Your income level will determine what tax rate you pay, in addition to a 3.07% tax added on by the state of Pennsylvania.
Is it legal to bet on horse racing in Pennsylvania?
It is legal to bet on horse racing in Pennsylvania. Residents can bet at racetracks, or with legal online providers such as TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires. You can not bet on horses from Pennsylvania sportsbooks, except for BetAmerica, which offers different websites for its sports betting and horse racing products.
Does Pennsylvania offer an online lottery?
Yes, Pennsylvania offers an online lottery with dozens of games. The games resemble slot machines in both appearance and style of play.
Each lottery dollar is distributed as follows (source): 65¢ to prizes for players, 26¢ to benefit programs, 7¢ to retailers & vendors, and 2¢ for the Lottery’s ongoing operations and administrative costs. Since 1972, the Pennsylvania Lottery has contributed $29 billion to benefit programs.
Is DraftKings sportsbook legal in Pennsylvania?
DraftKings is a safe and legal sports betting option for residents of Pennsylvania. DraftKings obtained its license from Meadows Racetrack and Casino.
Is FanDuel sportsbook legal in Pennsylvania?
FanDuel is a safe and legal sports betting option for residents of Pennsylvania. FanDuel obtained its license from Valley Forge Casino.
Is Bovada legal in Pennsylvania?
Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie are considered offshore sportsbooks and are illegal. These sportsbooks are not approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which regulates all legal Pennsylvania sportsbooks.
Methodology
For Moneyline.com’s annual best online sportsbooks review, we collected more than 36,000 data points over five months from 20 sportsbooks that serve 11 states where full-scale mobile betting is legalized. Hundreds of hours were spent testing and scoring each sportsbook (mobile and online/desktop) in seven core categories: sports and bets offered, odds, live betting, mobile betting, education, ease of use, and bonuses and promotions. The results determined each sportsbook’s overall rating.
Data from more than 1,700 bets (including moneyline, spread and total bets) was used to generate each sportsbook’s comparative odds ranking. Leagues and bet types collected include NCAA football moneyline bets, NCAA basketball moneyline bets, NFL moneyline, spread and total bets, NBA spread, moneyline and total bets, NHL moneyline, puckline and total bets, and soccer 3-way result (moneyline) bets. When collecting odds, we made sure to collect the same games at the same time for each sportsbook, ensuring data accuracy.
About Moneyline.com’s chief sportsbook researcher, Joey Shadeck: I’ve been a hobby sports bettor for more than six years, placing hundreds of bets on my favorite sports (football, basketball, MMA) and teams (Packers, Spartans, and whoever is playing the Lions). Beyond sports betting, I’m known for saying “Wanna bet on it?” in almost any situation and that is how I found out I can eat 42 chicken nuggets in less than 20 minutes.
As of February 2021, 22 different states have legalized sports betting to some capacity. Of those 22 states, the following 11 have legalized full-scale mobile betting: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada (must register in-person), New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.
Learn more about how we test.