Nevada Legal Sports Betting

Nevada has long been the mecca of betting. The state legalized it in the year of 1931 as a way to stimulate the economy in the middle of the Great Depression. Now nearing its 100th of legalization, Nevada remains the betting destination of the world (maybe outside of Macao).

Mind you, Nevada is no longer the only state with legalized betting — far from it actually. However, the state is still strongly associated with betting, thus attracts tourists and bettors from all over the world. You’ll want to keep reading to get our in-depth guide to betting in Nevada.

Is Sports Betting Legal In Nevada?

Oh, yeah it’s legal— you don’t even need to wonder about this one. Until 2018, Nevada had a monopoly on sports betting in the entire country. That is no more due to the Supreme Court striking down a federal ban on it. But even then, Nevada still has one of the liveliest sports betting markets around. Las Vegas features the world's biggest and most impressive sportsbooks the world has to see.

Here’s the thing though: Nevada has some unique language to restrict who can offer mobile app betting online. They require bettors to register for apps in person at local casinos. This rule is made to freeze out apps like DraftKings and FanDuel, who are online-only. Some of Nevada’s biggest corporations (Caesars and BetMGM) carry a lot of power so don’t think that rule isn’t motivated by them and lobbyists. Regardless, betting apps work fine in Nevada upon registering in person.

International Online Sportsbooks Available In Nevada

Nevada has long been a pioneer in the realm of sports betting, boasting a well-established legal framework that offers a plethora of wagering options. However, even in this advanced market, bettors should be aware of certain restrictions that exist within state-regulated sportsbooks. For example, while you can bet on nearly all major sports, state law prohibits wagers on political events and some entertainment props. Additionally, there are limitations regarding betting on in-state college teams, such as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), which can limit options for local fans eager to support their teams.

For bettors seeking more diverse opportunities, international sportsbooks provide an attractive alternative. These offshore platforms allow you to place wagers on political outcomes and engage with a broader range of college sports without the restrictions that apply to Nevada’s regulated sportsbooks. If you’re interested in betting on local college games or significant political events, international sportsbooks can greatly expand your options.

Concerns about the safety and reliability of offshore betting are valid, but the international sportsbooks we recommend have undergone thorough vetting to ensure they meet high standards of security and integrity. Our team has used these platforms extensively, confirming that they provide fast payouts, fair odds, and responsive customer support. By choosing these trusted offshore operators, Nevada bettors can confidently explore a wider array of betting options while ensuring the safety of their funds and personal information.

Legal Online Sportsbooks Available In Nevada

Nevada has long been the heart of sports betting in the United States, with legal wagering dating back decades. The state offers both online and in-person betting, allowing bettors to place wagers via mobile apps or visit one of the many renowned physical sportsbooks scattered across Las Vegas and beyond. As the original sports betting hub, Nevada's market is vast and diverse, featuring a wide range of betting options on major sports like football, basketball, and baseball, as well as more niche sports. The state's competitive environment and established betting culture make it a premier destination for sports enthusiasts looking to wager in a secure and well-regulated market. Here’s an easy-to-understand table on which betting apps are allowed in Nevada and which aren’t:

Nevada Online Sportsbook Comparison

We get it, there are A LOT of sports betting options in Nevada, particularly on the online side of things. Options are typically good for bettors, but it can be overwhelming at first, trying to sift through it all. That’s why we’ve compared and contrasted the existing options for you already. Out of this, we’ve created a “best for” list underneath to help guide you to the right app:

Best sportsbook for betting options: BetMGM is our choice. They call themselves “The King of Sportsbooks” and it’s actually appropriate. The lion's share of BetMGM’s sportsbook is reserved for the top leagues like NFL, NBA, and so on. However, BetMGM has deep support for smaller leagues and sports too. Packaged together, it creates a one-stop shop for betting.

Best sportsbook for competitive odds: Caesars has the edge here. Though, we will say, betting apps almost always offer identical odds across the board nowadays. Variance is hard to come by BUT when you do find it, it’s more likely to be at Caesars.

Best sportsbook for bonuses: BetMGM takes the cake here. This becomes obvious when you first try out the site. They’re offering up to $1500 to first-time users of the app. It’s a “first bet free” deal so a bettor can throw as much as $1500 into a bet. Win, and boom, you just profited big time. Lose? The $1500 is refunded in full. It’s a perfect risk-free way to get started on BetMGM.

Best sportsbook for mobile: This may come as a surprise but we’re picking William Hill. Ironically, Caesars owns Williams Hill but still operates it separately under its own name and branding. That’s good too because William Hill recently underwent a massive update to its app, which paid off well. The update has skyrocketed the user experience ahead of the rest. Give it a try!

Best sportsbook for user experience: We’re picking Caesars here for one major reason: the ability to stream NFL games. They were the first to pull this off, and still do for local games (in your market only) and primetime games (TNF, SNF, and MNF). The coolest part? You don’t need a TV or streaming subscription. The games load right up for bettors in the Caesars app. Cool, huh?

Nevada Quick Facts

What You Can’t Bet On In Nevada?

It may feel like anything goes in Nevada, but that’s not completely true either. There are regulations, including on the things you can put money on. That’s why we wanted to cover the betting outcomes that are NOT available on licensed sportsbooks and apps.

Politics: it feels like politics has become sports these days, hasn’t it? It certainly has created diehard fanbases and rivalries that mimic sports, but here’s the thing, Nevada doesn’t take in bets on elections. You’ll have to go elsewhere to wager on who wins the presidency (more on this shortly).

Award shows: what do the Oscars and Grammys have in common? They are major entertainment industry award shows that can’t be bet on in Nevada.

WWE: ah, yes, our favorite kind of simulated fighting. Simulated, as it’s scripted ahead of time. This means bets can’t be placed on it since it’s not a “real” competition.

Nevada bettors wanting action on the above things aren’t completely out of luck, however. Offshore sportsbooks readily take bets on this. What’s more, these offshore sportsbooks work perfectly fine across Nevada. Some even work better than the licensed platforms of are being honest.

Who Can Legally Bet In Nevada?

As we said, regulations do exist in Nevada, including on who can bet. Here’s a quick overview on it:

Legal age: 21 years old — this is the standard across the country (the exception being native-owned establishments).

Mobile betting: yes, betting on a phone is 100 percent allowed in Nevada. But how you sign up to do that has some rules, which we get into shortly.

Retail sportsbooks: of course, Nevada allows in-person betting. This state features some of the grandest casinos around — almost all with sportsbooks inside of them.

In-person registration: before you bet on a mobile app, you have to physically register in person, per Nevada law. This rule zeroes out online-only sportsbooks like FanDuel since they don’t have physical locations.

Within state borders: every single app has geofencing software to ensure bets being made are coming within state borders and not, say, California (the neighboring state with betting banned). This tech is so good that even VPNs can’t bypass it.

Taxable winnings: the good news is Nevada has no state income tax. The bad news is the federal tax rate applies. Generally, winnings count as income and will be taxed at a bettor’s respective income bracket.

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Nevada Sportsbooks & Casinos

With hundreds of casinos in Nevada, that means there are hundreds of sportsbooks. Almost every casino in the state has a sportsbook of sorts located in their venue. Some are much larger than others, and some have small kiosks that sports bettors can bet on. We can't name them all, but here's a few to look out for:

• Westgate is the top sportsbook in Las Vegas and the world’s largest. Prior to being branded the Westgate, it was known as the Las Vegas Hilton. The Westgate offers the best odds and the largest variety of sports betting options. All of the top professional sports bettors use Westgate to place their wagers - where there is a designated $1000 minimum bet window for the high rollers.
• The Wynn Las Vegas is another top sportsbook in Nevada, and since its recent renovation in 2017, one of the most visually stunning sportsbooks in the state. They offer a great selection of early lines and generous payouts.
• Station Casinos is a chain of casinos in the state and the first in the state to offer a sports betting website which then was upgraded to an app to place wagers online. Their main clientele tends to be more recreational gamblers, and they’re connected to the casino player’s club.
• CG Technology operates several sportsbooks in well-known casinos in Las Vegas. CG Technology operated casinos include the Cosmopolitan, Hard Rock, M Resort, Palazzo, Palms, and more. They are known for their futures offering and are now accepting more high-limit bets.
• Caesars Entertainment operates several casinos in Las Vegas and many other states. As one of the world’s largest casino operators, their sportsbook offering isn’t targeted toward big sharks, but more toward recreational bettors. Casinos like Bally’s, Caesar’s Palace, Flamingo, Harrah’s, and Planet Hollywood are all casinos under Caesar’s umbrella.
• MGM Resorts International operates on a national level and has many sportsbook offerings in their casinos. The Aria, Bellagio, Excalibur, Luxor, MGM Grand, and many more casinos offer a great selection of odds to their tourist clientele, who all happen to be from many different walks of life. They offer one of the best Nevada mobile betting apps that's only available to MGM Resort customers.

Nevada Sports Betting Timeline

Let's quickly take you through time and see Nevada's long-standing reputation with sports betting over the years:

1949 and the PASPA law in Nevada

The state legalized sports betting in 1949 and was the first state to do so. Once PASPA was passed in 1992, which prohibits sports betting in the United States, Nevada, along with three other states received immunity, allowing single-game wagering. States began challenging the lawmakers over the years, and New Jersey began taking charge in the fight against PASPA in 2011.

PASPA revisited in 2018

When PASPA was overturned in 2018, it opened up Nevada sportsbooks to accept new betting options and more money for the state. Roughly $3 billion is wagered on sports each year, and since PASPA was overturned, that number is increasing drastically. Mind you, this likely has hurt Nevada in a way, because now those other states are opening their own sportsbooks, Nevada isn’t the only destination for sports betting anymore.

Since Nevada already had single-game wagering, they already had the jump on many states, and the overturn of PASPA allowed them to open up more betting options. There are 334 casinos regulated in the state of Nevada and over three million people. The Las Vegas strip has 45 casinos alone, with sportsbooks, nightclubs, Cirque du Soleil, and more.

Huge sporting events are always going on in Vegas, like UFC and boxing fights, and now with professional sports teams moving to the area from the NFL and NHL, we can expect a boom in sports betting revenue.

Amendments in 2021 and the future

As of May 13 2021, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) proposed amendments to its gambling regulations, allowing for casinos to offers a wide range of gambling services, not just online poker. Authorizing online casino gaming would be huge for the state.

How To Bet On Sports In Nevada?

Earlier we mentioned what you can’t put money on in Nevada, but here is what’s on the table. Spoiler alert: most sports can freely be bet on.

How To Bet On Football In Nevada?

Ah, yes, nothing draws bigger betting action than the pigskin. This especially goes for Nevada, which can draw massive tourism for the Super Bowl. You won’t miss out on any NFL or NCAAF wagers here in Nevada.

How To Bet On Basketball In Nevada?

Like the Super Bowl, NCAA March Madness also draws crowds to Las Vegas for the opening week of games. It’s an experience every bettor needs to try out at least once. NBA betting action is also on the table outside of college hoops.

How To Bet On Baseball In Nevada?

This might be the most lucrative sport to bet for those with an edge. With 162 regular season games in the MLB, Nevada bettors have limitless betting opportunities on this sport.

How To Bet On Fighting In Nevada?

Here’s a sport deeply associated with the state. The most major UFC and boxing fights regularly take place in Las Vegas. When those go down, tourists come in droves too. There’s something about a big-fight atmosphere in Vegas that needs to be experienced too.

Betting On Nevada Sports Teams

Once upon a time, pro sports teams ran away from Nevada and sports betting. Today? They’re sprinting toward it. Vegas has become a sports town all of a sudden thanks to an injection of teams moving there:

Betting On Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders moved to Vegas from the Bay Area in 2020 and debuted a state-of-the-art stadium in Allegiant Stadium — just south of the Vegas Strip. They are the big attraction in a city full of attractions, despite not having a lot of on-field success yet.

Betting On Las Vegas Golden Knights

They are Vegas’s first-ever pro team— not only to call it home but to also win a championship. The Golden Knights won the NHL Stanley Cup in 2024, only eight years after first being established.

Betting On Las Vegas A’s

The newest pro team to move to Vegas? The Oakland Athletics of the MLB. The move hasn’t happened yet, but the city is already at work in creating a new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip to house the A’s.

Betting On NCAA Teams

Before the pro teams swarmed into the state, the collegiate programs best represented the Silver State. That would be the Nevada Wolf Pack in the north (Reno) and the Rebels in Las Vegas. For the longest time, the Pack were known for their inventive football team, while UNLV was regarded for its basketball program. Ironically, both schools have flipped places with Nevada now being a basketball school and UNLV being more into football.

Nevada Betting Revenue Statistics

We’re writing this in August of 2024. As of this writing, we have a running total of Nevada’s betting revenue since 2018 when it became legal at the federal level. Here are some of the high-level figures:

Nevada’s total handle — as in bets made — is almost $42 billion since 2018. This is the third most in the nation, behind only New Jersey and New York. It shows people are still flocking to Nevada to bet despite betting being available nationwide.

Interestingly, Nevada has the lowest hold in the nation at 5.8 percent. Hold is how much sportsbooks keep after paying out players. The nationwide average is closer to 8 percent. Why is Nevada so low? Well, “sharp” bettors that do this for a living almost always live in Nevada. Their wins make Nevada a harder market for operators to profit off.

Of all the money bet on sports, Nevada has kept $162 million for taxes. Again, not high, but they make up the money through hotels, food, and so on of travelers that visit.

Other Types Of Betting In Nevada

Any and all other types of betting are 100 percent legal in Nevada — not just sports. Of course, you can’t come to Vegas and not try out the casino games, especially from the world-class locations. The full assortment of games, from slots to table games, will be calling your name. Heck, even the airport has slot machines waiting for you as soon as you get off your flight in Vegas or Reno.

Horse-race betting is allowed too. Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada is a very rural state. So you’ll see racetracks as a fabric of some of the smaller towns. It’s worth mingling with the locals and getting action in person.

Perhaps the only thing that Nevada doesn’t have is a lottery. That’s because the state already has world-class betting elsewhere — there’s no need to take that away with scratch-off tickets or random draws.

Sports Betting Rules In Each State

Nevada isn't the only state we've written a guide for — we did the same for the other 49 states! Here's our directory:

Responsible Gaming In Nevada

Yes, Nevada openly promotes gambling and the thrills that come with it. However, to their credit, they also take problem gambling extremely seriously — and we mean extremely.

Problem gambling is when someone’s betting habits start to get out of control. Instead of just being a fun activity, it becomes something they feel they have to do, even when it’s hurting them financially, emotionally, or in their relationships. If gambling is no longer just entertainment but feels like a compulsion, that’s when it’s a problem and one that must be addressed before it gets worse.

Visit any Las Vegas casino and you’ll see brochures for problem gambling. These brochures have help resources listed right there. However, we wanted to add in a few of our own in case you’re doing your betting all online. Here’s some online-based resources:

Nevada Council on Problem Gambling (https://www.nevadacouncil.org/)
A nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness, providing education, and advocating for quality treatment and support resources for problem gambling in Nevada. They offer a 24-hour Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER and text support at 800-GAM.

Gamblers Anonymous (GA) (https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/)
A fellowship of individuals who share their experiences to help each other overcome gambling problems. GA meetings are available throughout Nevada, providing peer support and a structured recovery program.

Project Worth (https://www.projectworthnv.org/)
An initiative offering self-assessment tools, information on treatment options, and resources for individuals seeking help with gambling addiction. While not a crisis resource, it provides valuable guidance for those considering their next steps toward recovery.

National Resources:

Gamble Aware (https://www.gambleaware.org/)

A non-profit organization providing resources and support for individuals struggling with gambling addiction.

International Center for Responsible Gaming (https://www.icrg.org/)

The International Center for Responsible Gaming (CRG) is a research institution dedicated to promoting safe gambling practices and addressing gambling-related issues.

24/7 Gambling Support Line (https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-national-problem-gambling-helpline/)

A round-the-clock helpline offering immediate assistance and guidance for those experiencing gambling-related problems.