Safest Betting Sites

Nowadays, the best online betting sites in the industry take bets on the US presidential election. Most experts believe the 2020 presidential election will set all sorts of new records for political betting all over the world. The following US presidential election betting sites.

But there's more to being a top gambling site than being safe to use. Some of our recommended options offer sportsbooks, casino games, and even poker rooms. These 'all-in-one' sites tend to do well with many US customers, but some do prefer sites that cater to just sports betting. If you are looking for the safest betting sites in 2021, you've found what you need. Our experienced team of sports betting experts are constantly analyzing online sportsbooks to determine which are the most trusted options for your real money bets. As of right now, these are the safest sports betting sites. Top Trusted Bookmakers. Betting online is quick, easy and lots of fun and most online betting sites are safe, secure, trustworthy and 100% reliable. It is fair to estimate that 999 times out of 1,000, you won't have any problems.

Introducing our readers to legitimate and reliable online gambling sites is the core mission of what we do here at LegitGamblingSites.com. Whether you're looking for the safest online casinos or the top sportsbooks, our team of experts has compiled a list of premier gaming locations that you can trust.

You're right to be concerned about safety as it relates to internet-based wagering activities. In response to the tens of billions of dollars bet annually on the web, hordes of scammers and thieves have opened their own rogue locations which they use to steal from unsuspecting gamblers. Sometimes, it can be extremely challenging to tell the difference between the safe online gambling sites and the rip-offs.

Fortunately, we're here to make your life a whole lot easier. No matter what sport, wager type, or casino game you're in search of, we have a list of recommendations specially formulated to meet your criteria. In this guide, we'll be looking at the safest gambling sites available. But we don't stop there; any location we share with our readers must meet a whole series of expectations before qualifying for our lists.

About Our Recommendations for the Safest Gambling Sites

In addition to thoroughly vetting gaming operators to find the safest online sportsbooks and betting sites, our review process involves researching numerous other variables and qualities required of our recommendations.

While preventing theft is our highest concern, we also look to maximize customer satisfaction by ensuring our sites are easy to navigate and use, have pain-free banking options, and offer tons of variety – in terms of games, wager types, events, etc.

Mobile Compatibility

Our team includes a betting website's ease of use and compatibility with mobile devices in our rankings because that's how a large percentage of our readers access the safe online gambling sites that we recommend.

Excellent Customer Service

Our team tests the different phone numbers, email addresses, and instant chat options to ensure that they're monitored and that the help desk team is knowledgeable, friendly, and most of all, responsive. We invite you to do the same before signing up with an online gambling site. It will bring you such peace of mind later on, should you run into any problems.

Convenient Deposit Methods

In the US, federal laws prohibit banking institutions from processing transactions between their account holders and gaming websites. Instead, gamblers in this country turn to deposit methods like credit cards, non-PayPal e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies.

The more flexibility a site offers, the better.

Variety of Games and Wager Types

With sports betting at safe online gambling sites, we look for variety in the sports leagues and events they cover as well as the many wagers within each contest. One game can provide all sorts of bets on the scoring totals, point spreads, and all kinds of crazy gambles included in proposition betting.

Risks Involved with Online Gambling

There's a reason we take online gambling safety seriously enough to create an entire website around it. Using the wrong site can have serious financial consequences and create headaches for long periods of time if a bad group gets your personal information. And there's nothing you can do about it once that happens.

You see, online betting exists in a bit of a grey area in many locations – where it's not illegal for individuals to access these websites, but the operators have no licensing regime available to them, so they can't host their servers within the country.

So, customers may access offshore casinos and sportsbooks online, but if anything goes wrong, there's no government agency to complain to, nor is there any recourse if you've been scammed. The crooks simply disappear, and you're left with no options.

That takes us to the most significant risk when trusting an online gambling site: being scammed out of your money. The unfortunate reality is that lots of unethical, greedy thieves set up fake betting websites that look and operate like the real thing – right up until you're ready to cash out. That is if they make it that long without vanishing overnight first.

It's a terrible experience because once they're gone, there's nothing you can do to locate the criminals or your money. The lack of regulations allows them to exist offshore, where they can just bounce around – opening and closing sites as they please – without any legal consequences.

We spend an incredible amount of time and energy upfront, so you don't ever meet one of these rogue organizations, much less give them your money.

Another significant risk is identity theft. If you've been fooled by a scam website, you probably won't know until they've taken off and shut down the URL. And up to that point, you've likely been operating as if it's a legitimate provider, including sharing valuable personal and financial information. What if you've chosen to fund your bankroll using a credit card or direct transfer from your checking?

Now, an organized crime syndicate has some extremely sensitive information. Before the problems get even worse, you'll have to cancel all sorts of accounts and cards, get new ones, and contact the credit agencies to protect your score from whatever the criminals choose to do. The whole experience is an absolute nightmare.

Besides the threats from dishonest outside sources, you should also be aware of the internal dangers of gambling online. With the convenience of having every form of wagering at your fingertips on any mobile device comes a massive amount of personal responsibility. If you struggle with an addictive personality or self-control, problem gambling can drastically impact your life in a negative way.

However, there are steps you can take to minimize the risks. Understanding how to manage your bankroll and organize your staking plans are significant steps in the right direction. We offer tons of articles and beginners guides so that you can enjoy gambling without any adverse effects on your life.

How to Stay Safe and Secure Gambling Online

The easiest way to appreciate internet gaming is to choose a location from our list of the safest online gambling sites. A team of experts in the betting field has already done thorough research on each of those spots and written detailed reviews.

If you must check for yourself, we suggest starting with the gambling license. First, verify that the gambling site has one. If they do, determine under which jurisdiction it was issued. Some regulatory bodies take their responsibilities seriously and hold betting operators to strict standards; others are merely for show and come with very little oversight after being purchased.

Then, you may want to read about the online casino or sportsbook's history and reputation with former players. There are plenty of large gambling forums out there where you'll find customer reviews and complaints. Look for patterns in their experiences, particularly concerning payouts and how they treat bettors who win money.

You should also do some testing of your own before depositing significant cash. Try all of the contact methods provided for customer service issues and make sure they work and are attended to. Then deposit small sums of money and test various wagers or games. Take your time before trusting the site operators with more.

Signs a Gambling Site Is Going Rogue

On rare occasions, what began as an honest, reputable location will slowly devolve into an unsafe website. Now, this is unlikely, especially if you play it smart and stick with our lists of recommendations, but it is possible, and we want you to be prepared for anything. Here are some of the signs that your previously safe online gambling site is headed in the wrong direction.

Payout Timelines Slow Down

If you want to know where to check 'the pulse' of a betting website, look at the payout timelines. Gaming operators don't usually turn bad overnight; there's a slow decline that happens, which could be due to new ownership, a lapse in licensing, or a variety of other factors. Whatever the reason, if you start noticing withdrawal requests taking longer or going unanswered at first, it's time to run.

Analyzing payouts is one of the primary methods of sniffing out a rogue site to begin with. Scam sites will almost always look legit and frequently display licenses and certifications that make them appear official. But if you see repeated claims of unreasonably long cash-out experiences or complaints of low withdrawal limits, you know to stay away.

Anti-Winning Behaviors

There's nothing that brings the scammers to the surface quite like winning. Many unethical operators – who would never qualify for our safest gambling sites recommendations – will appear to be an entirely legitimate business, unless you get a little too lucky. We've seen all sorts of ridiculous behavior used to justify withholding earnings or canceling winning bets.

A popular approach is to accuse a player who's recently won a large bet of either being a professional gambler or violating the terms and conditions. Why professional bettors would be banned from gambling sites is beyond reason, but it's a common excuse nonetheless.

We've seen handicappers use their deposit bonuses to make huge wagers before, resulting in a frozen account. One player took the entirety of their bankroll, including the bonus, and staked it all on a big underdog at an online sportsbook. The bet won, resulting in what should have been a massive payday.

But the site decided that for someone to wager that way – with such confidence – they must either be a professional or have an inside scoop, thus making them a 'cheater.' Of course, the accusations were complete nonsense.

The user's account was immediately frozen, and the cash they deposited was paid out. However, the bonus money and the profits earned from those funds were all withheld. The player had not yet reached their rollover requirement and wouldn't ever be allowed to with a blocked account.

If you ever encounter a scenario like this, take the money you can, close your account, and write a review. Websites that do this belong on every industry blacklist.

Unresponsive Customer Care/Getting the Runaround

If you're trying to get some assistance or reach a manager – maybe to clear up situations like the two listed above – but can't, that's another sign that things are about to get ugly. Along with the slowing payout timelines, when customer service issues start taking longer to be resolved, much less acknowledged, a gambling site is headed towards the blacklist.

Once again, it may be best just to cut your losses when it gets to this point. Try to extract as much of your cash as possible, because it won't be long before they're either done processing payments at all or pull the whole URL down and go dark.

They Weren't Recommended Here

Seriously, all of these horrors can be avoided so easily. All you have to do is trust the experts and stick with the safest online gambling sites, which are presented on our list of recommendations at the top of the page. Those options are all experienced, highly respected gaming corporations with long track records of serving the betting community without any of the funny stuff.

If you'd rather risk it, suit yourself, but we believe you'll find it's ultimately a mistake. While the top online gambling sites for safety provide some of the greatest gambling experiences you'll ever see, the legions of scammers out there promise the exact opposite. We prefer to help readers avoid them entirely, but some people must touch the stove before believing it burns.

The Wrap-Up

Over the internet, every financial transaction carries some level of risk; you have to be extremely cautious. This especially applies to an industry like online gambling, in which enormous revenues have attracted droves of thieves hoping to convince novice bettors to deposit money with their scam sites. But while the threats are definitely out there, you never have to encounter them if you don't want to.

We've gone ahead and done all of the vital research for you and will continue to do so. Our team of expert reviewers is continuously working on new websites, determining if they're worthy to be shared with our readers. The locations that land on our list of safest online gambling sites have proven to be the best available and can be trusted to keep your money safe and secure. Plus, they'll let you withdraw your cash whenever you're ready for a payout.

Sure, a lot can go wrong when betting over the internet, especially if you find a site through an ordinary Google search instead of using expert recommendations. However, there are far more high-quality operators out there than scammers, and a wealth of exciting opportunities and entertaining wagers just waiting to be found. We've done our part by leading the horse to water; we sincerely hope you'll drink!

It's crucially important to stay safe when betting online. In fact, it should be priority number one when assessing a site to bet on.

We've done most of the hard work for you by searching the web, reviewing hundreds of potential betting sites, and separating the worthy sites from those you should avoid.

Check out the sites listed in the table above. All of these passed our security checks with flying colors.

Of course, we don't just expect you to take our word on it. That's why we've outlined how we made the decision to include these below if you're interested.

The safest gambling sites are inevitably found in the countries where it is legal and regulated. These sites have to pass quality checks and comply with strict regulations to get a license from the authorities in these countries. This is one of the factors we consider when assessing a site.

How We Decide if a Betting Site is Safe

There are literally tens of thousands of potential betting sites to choose from. We've visited, bet on, and reviewed thousands of them. Over time, we have developed criteria for assessing betting sites.

Each site listed in the table above passed the following tests:

It Must Have a Valid Gaming License

If a site doesn't have a license issued by a credible authority, that's a warning sign that it might not be safe. It's even worse if it once had one but lost it. That means it violated the issuing authority's rules.

There are lots of gaming authorities in the world, but the following are the ones we rate highest.

This is widely considered the gold standard of casino gaming licenses. The UK is a highly regulated market and there's a zero tolerance policy towards cheating and scheming. If a betting site has a UK license, it's almost guaranteed to be safe.

Malta is a Mediterranean island nation and an iGaming mecca. Lots of online casinos and software firms operate out of Malta. The Gaming Authority, therefore, takes licensing issues incredibly seriously and is quick to clamp down on anything considered unfair.

Geographically, Gibraltar lies off the tip of Spain. It's actually a British overseas territory, though. While it governs its own affairs, gambling regulations stem from the UK Gambling Act (2005), making a Gibraltar license just as worthy as a UK one.

This small island nation in the Caribbean is home to thousands of remote eGaming operations. A Curacao license is generally held in high regard, and although the regulations are a little more flexible than the UKGC's, for example, a betting site with a Curacao license is still considered pretty safe.

Safest Betting Sites Game Of Thrones

So, that's a quick look at some of the top gambling regulators. Pinochle online, free. Our recommended sites always have a valid license. You can double check these directly on the websites listed above.

It Must Offer Fast, Reliable Payouts

There's more than one way for a site to be unsafe, but without a doubt, the most common sort of betting site scam is when you deposit and don't get your money back.

Some sites also put up major obstacles to allowing you to withdraw, such as by asking for unreasonable verification documents or by putting in minimum withdrawal clauses which far exceed the deposits you have made.

We check the terms and conditions of each site we recommend and avoid recommending those with anything we think is ‘funny business.'

Ideally, we want to see same day payout for e-wallet withdrawals, and we want to see a maximum 3-5 business day wait for credit and debit card withdrawals.

Despite how some players feel, we actually like it when a casino asks you to verify your identity. As long as the process isn't too complex or time-consuming, this means the site cares about fraud prevention and identity theft. When it comes to looking for safe betting sites, that's a big plus.

It Must Run on a Secure, Encrypted Connection

Does the idea of advanced encryption make your head spin? Don't worry, we feel you on that.

There's no need to have a deep understanding of this issue to make use of it. That's why they pay IT professionals the big bucks. All you need to know, as an online bettor, is that you want to bet at sites with https:// at the beginning of the web address.

That means the site runs on an SSL encrypted connection. Without getting into boring details, this makes it virtually impossible for hackers and criminals to steal financial and/or personal data on the connection.

If you take a look at any of the sites listed above, you'll see that they run on secure connections. We don't take risks with your data safety, and you should avoid any sites which aren't encrypted.

On most browsers, a little notification will appear beside the address bar telling you if a site is not secure. Pay attention when this happens. It could be a costly mistake to ignore this.

It Must Offer Games from Reputable Software Providers

Whether it's a sports betting site, a casino site, a poker site, or a combination of things, we want to see software from established, reliable firms.

When it comes to online casino betting sites, for example, we really like to see games from NetEnt, Microgaming, IGT, and Playtech. These companies have a long history and are guaranteed fair.

If we see betting software we don't recognize, that's not an automatic write-off. We know this industry is highly innovative and are always willing to give upstarts a chance. However, we need to dig deeper and find out if these companies are reputable, and ideally want to see third-party verification of payouts.

Safe betting sites will have no problem publishing payout rates and explaining how the software works. If they aren't willing to be transparent, we aren't willing to recommend them.

It Must Have an Established History & Solid Base of Players/Bettors

The longer a betting site has been around the better, in our view. If a site has been servicing thousands of players since 1998, it's highly unlikely to be unsafe. If it has survived for decades, it's a safe bet (pun fully intended).

We're also aware, of course, that there are lots of new betting sites coming online on a daily basis, and plenty of them are safe. In those cases, we look at the management team and company running them. If they are experienced and run multiple safe betting sites, we are happy to recommend them.

If a site is totally new, run by a startup with no industry reputation or experience, it's highly unlikely you'll find that site on our recommended list. They will only make it if they've done something exceptional to win our trust.

There are some new betting sites which make the cut, but it's rare, and as you'll see from the table above, most of our preferred betting sites have been around for a while.

Some of the Risks Associated with Online Betting

Part of the key to staying safe when betting online is education. We don't mean to be patronizing, but if you're new to this, you're more likely to fall into the hands of predatory sites and scammers.

We want to prevent that, if possible. Other than sticking to the sites which have already been reviewed in-depth by our team of experts, it helps to know what some of the common safety concerns are.

Here's a quick rundown of some of the risks associated with betting sites:

• Outright Theft – This is simply a site stealing your money or making it impossible to get it back. It happens all too often but can easily be avoided. Stick to sites with a reputation for fair, fast payouts. Also, take some time to at least skim the terms and conditions, especially the ‘withdrawals' section.
• Identity Theft – This is the one that really seems to freak people out these days. It's always slightly unnerving when a betting site asks you to send a copy of your ID and a recent utility bill to verify your account. Again, it won't be such a worry if you stick to the best-known operators who have licenses requiring them to take data protection seriously.
• Fee Gouging – Those terms and conditions are a treasure trove of information, as we've said before. Still, virtually nobody takes the time to read them. This is where dishonest operators can confiscate your winnings for no reason or take back a hefty slice in the form of fees.
• Viruses & Malware – Lots of mobile bettors, in particular, like to download an app from their favorite betting site. However, too many less scrupulous operators install malware, adware, and spyware along with the app. Get a good antivirus program which detects malware, adware, and spyware, and you should be safe.
• Rigged Games & Odds – The crooked bookie or casino run in a smoke-filled room parlor by the mob is long gone. These days, they've migrated online. Some unsafe betting sites create their own odds software or casino games, which are designed to rip you off, plain and simple.

Best Betting Sites

Summary

It's always worth it to take the time to research before deciding on a betting site. You can start by reading some of our in-depth reviews.

We cover each of the points listed above in detail and leave no stone unturned. We're not saying every site we review will turn out to be right for you, but we are saying you'll be in a much better position to make a decision after reading one.

Football Betting Sites

You can find our safest betting sites and their full reviews on the table at the top of this page. We wish you the best of luck!