Banking and Payout Speed
All bettors want their winnings quickly, so payout speed is an important factor in our evaluation process. We’re also looking for a nice variety of deposit and withdrawal options.
Covers BetSmart Rating
Before being approved and recommended by Covers, our experts spend a few days as a new bettor at each site. Our team of reviewers is composed of veteran sports bettors who know exactly what to look for at an online sportsbook.
We start by signing up and then we do everything that a sports bettor might do in their day-to-day wagering: We verify our identity, we deposit real money, we collect bonuses, we place bets, both pre-game and in-play. We test out their customer service representatives. We check their mobile product and their desktop version. We look into their site security and their licenses. And finally, we withdraw our money.
In other words, we go through each step of the online betting process to give you the most comprehensive review possible.
The Covers BetSmart Rating assigns each betting site that we review a rating out of five stars. This overall rating is comprised of the following factors:
Bonuses and Promotions
While a big welcome bonus is always nice, we also check to ensure that the terms and conditions around it are fair. We also evaluate the sportsbook for reload bonuses and promotions for existing customers.
Key Features
This is a broad category but we like to see sportsbooks that push the envelope to deliver an amazing experience to sports bettors. Some of the features we look for include:
- Mobile app
- Competitive odds pricing
- Variety of betting markets
- Live betting
- Early cash out
- Streaming options
- Poker and casino offerings
- Responsible gambling features
Security and Trust
With real money at stake, you need to know you’re depositing at a site you can trust. Before recommending any sportsbook, we’ll make sure they have a valid license for the jurisdiction from the appropriate regulators. We’ll also ensure the website is safe and secure so that your data is protected.
Customer Support
If an issue arises, you should be able to have it solved quickly and conveniently by a real person. We like to see different options to reach customer support and how quickly they resolve the issue.
User Experience
Here we look at our experience across all devices - desktop, mobile and apps and evaluate the features available. We'll identify which stores you can download from and any standout options available along with any downfalls.
Other factors we consider
While the categories above are the basis for our sportsbook ratings, we dig deep and look at everything we possibly can at every online sportsbook we review.
- The sign-up process
- Verification process
- Limits
- Localization
- VIP or loyalty program
Up-to-date reviews
See all of our latest Sportsbook Reviews
Online sportsbooks are always updating as they introduce new features or make changes to their bonuses and promotions. That’s why our team of experts is constantly working to ensure that our sportsbook reviews are up-to-date. Our goal is to provide you with accurate information so that you can choose the best sportsbook for you.
190+ Reviews
We have our finger on the pulse of notable and trustworthy betting sites. Our experts have reviewed close to 200 sportsbooks and continue to search for the best-in-class.
Monthly Updates
Through continuous testing and vetting, we update reviews on a regular basis to ensure a seamless betting experience.
The Covers NFL betting combine
Our team of betting experts tested bet365, FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings and Fanatics to see how the top sportsbooks in the United States stacked up ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
What we tested:
- The time required to find a specific game and player prop.
- The number of markets available for the same preseason game.
- Whether alternate spreads and totals can be adjusted and how many alternate lines are offered.
- Bet acceptance speed.
- App loading speed.
- Cash-out availability: After kickoff, at the end of the first quarter, at halftime, at the end of the third quarter.
- Grading speed.
How we ran the test:
To keep the comparison as consistent and reproducible as possible, we tested all five sportsbooks under the same conditions.
Device: iPhone 14
Operating system: iOS 26.6.1
Connection: 5G
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Test date: Aug. 15, 2026
Testing window: 3:00 p.m. ET to 7:00 p.m. ET
Repeat count: Each timed test was completed three times per sportsbook, with the average result reported below.
For the player prop test, we started timing from the sportsbook's main screen and stopped when we reached the same predetermined player prop for the Rams vs. Chiefs game.
For bet acceptance speed
For the app loading test, each sportsbook was fully closed before we started the timer, and timing ended when the sportsbook's main betting screen became usable.
For grading speed, we measured the time between the official completion of the relevant wager and the bet being marked as settled in the sportsbook account.
Here's how each sportsbook performed:
| Sportsbook | Time to find a specific prop | Number of markets available | Number of alternate lines | Bet acceptance speed | App loading speed on cold launch | Cash-out availability | Grading speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings 👑 | 25 seconds | 286 | 19 | 2.0 seconds | 2.8 seconds | 3/4 | 54 seconds |
| FanDuel 🔵 | 18 seconds | 271 | 17 | 1.4 seconds | 2.0 seconds | 3/4 | 42 seconds |
| bet365 🟢 | 27 seconds | 263 | 18 | 1.1 seconds | 2.3 seconds | 4/4 | 81 seconds |
| BetMGM 🦁 | 33 seconds | 238 | 16 | 2.7 seconds | 3.5 seconds | 4/4 | 98 seconds |
| Fanatics 👕 | 21 seconds | 214 | 14 | 1.8 seconds | 2.4 seconds | 4/4 | 48 seconds |
🥇 Final verdict:
FanDuel produced the strongest overall results in our test. Under the conditions outlined above, it was the fastest sportsbook for finding our predetermined player prop, posted the quickest cold-launch time, and graded our wager fastest. It also finished no worse than third in any category we measured.
These results represent our performance test under one device, connection, location, and testing window. App performance and market availability can vary depending on device, network conditions, location, and when a sportsbook is tested.
Why trust Covers?
Established in 1995, Covers has grown into the premier destination for sports betting information. Our team of experts knows the online sports betting industry better than any other site on the planet. Over 20 million customers per year trust us as their go-to gambling website and you can trust us, too. We're real people betting on sports just like you.
You may have seen Covers and our team referenced in numerous places online. Here are just a few of the many publications which have cited Covers as a trusted source of sports betting information.
30+ Years
We’ve been in the game since 1995. Simply put, we know the industry better than anyone.
20 Million
More than 20 million customers trust Covers as their sports betting authority each year.
Blacklisted sportsbooks
See all blacklisted sportsbooks
When reviewing online sportsbooks using The Covers BetSmart Rating, we come across a few that we feel should be avoided. We also listen to the complaints from our users. This is why we have created the Covers Blacklist. The sports betting sites listed below are among the worst sportsbooks out there due to payment issues, bad customer support, unfair bet grading, and other questionable practices.
- Allegations of withdrawal issues
- No licence information available on site
- Poor customer service
- Multiple reports of slow payments
- Allegations of non-payments
- Risk of account closure simply for winning bets
- Reports of confiscated winnings
- Slow customer support response times
Top online sportsbooks
Ready to find the online sportsbook that works for you? Check out our top-rated betting sites — we’re confident you’ll find what you’re looking for!
