Bovada

1. Biggest and safest sportsbook
2. Exclusive Bitcoin bonuses
3. Industry-best user interface

1. Only serves residents of United States, Mexico and Brazil
2. Not among the earliest sportsbooks to post odds
3. First deposit via credit card is free, but 5.9% fee on subsequent credit card deposits

At Bovada, there are two different tiers of welcome bonuses. If you deposit via Bitcoin, Bovada will give you a 50% sign-up bonus up to $500. If you deposit instead with a credit card, it's still a 50% welcome bonus, but it gets maxed out at $250. And the welcome bonus isn't limited to the sportsbook; it applies to Bovada's casino and racebook as well.

Bovada's rollover requirements are among the very best in the industry. The sportsbook and racebook only require a 5X rollover, while it's 30x in the casino. But note that Bovada requires 100% of the rollover to be met. If a client wants to withdraw funds prior to the completion of the rollover, then they are subject to having the bonus (and all money won using the bonus) revoked.

One of Bovada's greatest features is its Rewards Program. Clients earn Rewards Points every time a bet is made in the sportsbook, casino or poker room. And those Rewards Points can be redeemed at any time for cash bonuses. But that's not all. Bovada also gives its clients a percentage of their losses back. Certainly, no one likes to lose. But if you hit a dry spell, Bovada will soften the blow by giving you daily cash back on your losses. The amount rewarded is based on the amount of your most recent deposit.

One of the reasons Bovada is (by far) the biggest online sportsbook is that it's easy to deposit and withdraw money. You have your choice of making your deposit with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Amex), Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash. Please note that although there are no fees associated with your first credit card deposit, you will incur a 5.9% fee on all subsequent credit card deposits. If you deposit with Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash, there are never any fees. Withdrawal options are limited to Bitcoin (Max $9,500; one per day) and cashier's check (Max $3,000). Bovada (and Bodog before it) has never missed a payout, so you know your money is safe.

Give Bovada credit. It has listened to its clients. Years ago, Bovada was among the latest of sportsbooks to post its odds. Indeed, it was not uncommon for Bovada to have no overnight odds posted, which didn't fly with any of its sharp bettors. That's no longer the case. Bovada now releases its odds on a schedule comparable to most of the other major online sportsbooks (though not as early as, say, BetOnline).

Bovada's odds are also unique — that is to say, its odds are often a half-point different than the mainstream. And that's a very good thing for bettors who shop lines at multiple books. But unlike, for example, the unique odds at BetNow or BetOnline, which are not weighted toward the favorite or the underdog, Bovada's odds are indeed weighted toward the favorite.

Bovada's website and user interface are second-to-none in the sportsbook industry. It is exceptionally easy to navigate and also the best-designed. The major sports are laid out at the top, and there's also a search bar, so you can find your game lightning-quick. (Interestingly, very few sportsbooks have this very useful search bar feature (GTBets also does)). Another thing Bovada does, which is customer-friendly, is that it lists Live Betting Odds for popular events at the top of its sports betting page. And, then, immediately below that are games about to start. All-in-all, it makes for a well-thought-out website. Likewise, Bovada's mobile platform is also straightforward, intuitive, and built for speed, so you never have to worry about missing the current odds, or not getting your bet down in time. Bettors can access Bovada's mobile betting platform on both iOS and Android devices, and that includes Bovada's casino and poker room.

Bovada understands its clientele. For the most part, they're casual gamblers who view betting on sports and playing casino games as entertainment. To that end, Bovada's betting limits are not large. But they're more than enough for most bettors. The NFL is maxed out at $5,000, college football at $2,500, while NBA, college hoops, baseball and hockey are capped at $2,000.

Bovada offers live betting on all major sports, and even on such events as the NFL, NBA and NHL drafts.

In addition to the major sports, Bovada also has an extensive offering of props, and has the best eSports menu. Some of the fun props you might find at Bovada include betting on which Supreme Court Justice will be the next to leave, and what the closing price of a stock (e.g., Tesla) might be at a certain date.

Bovada's casino, poker room and racebook are also not afterthoughts. Indeed, Bovada's poker room is the most trafficked for United States players, while its casino's table games are continually updated and have high quality graphics.

Bovada's customer service is available around the clock. You can reach an agent via telephone at 1-866-870-1011, live chat, or email at service@bovada.lv.