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If you’re racking your brain about the best payment options out there, we can help. We’ve pulled together a guide to some of our favorite sportsbook banking methods, highlighting their pros, cons, and the type of bettors they’re suitable for.
Here’s a look at the different options with facts about the key details, strengths, and weaknesses.
Debit and credit cards remain the absolute most popular way to fund sports betting online. Whether yours is inscribed with the Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX insignia, it shouldn’t make too much difference; card payments are still king, with most of the best sportsbooks online supporting deposits and withdrawals via plastic.
If you’re a casual bettor who enjoys the occasional flutter on your favorite NFL team or similar, keying in your card details to make the odd bookie deposit shouldn’t be too much trouble. Debit and credit cards are still one of the easiest, no-nonsense ways to fund a sportsbook account online, even if they do lack the bells and whistles of more advanced methods.
As one of the world’s biggest and most recognizable digital banking brands, PayPal needs little introduction, with millions of users trusting it to facilitate simple, timely, and cheap web payments. There are tons of PayPal betting sites these days, so you should have no trouble finding a brand that supports it. Give it a go for reliable and fast sportsbook deposits and withdrawals, and a comfortable buffer between you and your favorite betting brands.
Since PayPal is about as mainstream as e-wallet payment apps get, the service is a nice option for those who want a more robust payment solution than card without any steep learning curve attached. Armed with the app, deposits and withdrawals will never have felt so effortless, so it’s great for desktop and mobile bettors alike. Do note, though, that some bookies take issue with PayPal users claiming sign-up bonuses, so if scoring big introductory rewards is important to you, this is a point worth considering.
Hot on PayPal’s heels in the e-wallet arena comes Neteller, whose Fort Knox-esque security is definitely one of its strong points. Neteller betting sites are becoming increasingly prevalent, as a growing number of sports bettors realize the benefits of this long-standing banking app, which is now over 25 years old. It has a couple of advantages over rival services, too, including Net+ – a dedicated bank card that lets you withdraw cash from your Neteller account at physical ATMs.
If you’re keen to keep your betting history an arm’s length away from your main bank statement, Neteller provides a reliable, robust, and private place to manage your sportsbook bankroll. When reviewing this nifty e-wallet service, we were impressed with the security controls it offers as standard, including 256-bit encryption, two-factor authentication, and real-time fraud monitoring. So, if security and privacy are your main concerns when choosing online betting payment methods, Neteller is a safe pair of hands.
When reviewing Skrill betting sites, we found that these offered you a very good place to manage your sports betting cash flow. Around since 2001, Skrill has earned a solid reputation for customer satisfaction and high levels of security, which it achieves through active fraud monitoring and other advanced provisions. It’s laughably easy to use, too, making it a very effective alternative to the likes of PayPal.
If for whatever reason you’re unhappy with PayPal (or the service simply isn’t supported by your preferred bookmaker), Skrill is waiting in the wings. Effortless to use and widely accepted by big-brand sportsbooks, this user-friendly e-wallet also benefits from speedy deposit and withdrawal times, with winnings tumbling into your Skrill account within 24 hours on average.
Have an iPhone? Then chances are pretty high that you’ll have used Apple Pay before, perhaps when boarding a bus or buying groceries. But did you know that Apple Pay betting sites are also a thing, giving regular mobile bettors the perfect platform through which to make streamlined bookmaker payments on the move? Simply add your favorite payment methods to your iPhone and you’re ready to start making secure, one-touch deposits direct from your mobile device.
If you do most of your gambling on the go, this payment method is a must. You can forget all about inputting card numbers and passing convoluted verification checks, with Apple Pay speeding up the entire payment process. Granted, unlike other online betting payment methods, it doesn’t support withdrawals, but considering that it’s free to use, 100% secure, and available at the touch of a button, we think most smartphone bettors will have no problem making this their go-to deposit method of choice.
In a hurry? Use our handy chart to find your perfect betting payment method below…
| Payment method type | Main plus point | Main drawback | Deposit speed | Withdrawal speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debit and credit cards | A self-explanatory way to pay, with no learning curve required. | Lacks the security and privacy of other payment services. | Instant | 2-10 business days |
| PayPal | Effortless to use with excellent coverage. | Some sites bar PayPal users from claiming welcome deals. | Instant | Within 24 hours on average |
| Neteller | Premium security features for robust safety and privacy. | Fees apply to all Neteller transactions. | Instant | Within 24 hours on average |
| Skrill | One of the easiest e-wallets to use for streamlined money transfers. | Some bookmakers only accept Skrill deposits, not withdrawals. | Instant | Within 24 hours on average |
| Apple Pay | Support one-touch deposits to a range of online bookmakers. | Doesn’t support sports betting withdrawals. | Instant | n/a |
Talk about stating the obvious, but this obviously isn’t an exhaustive list of payment options. From the Android equivalent of Apple Pay (Google Pay) to old-school bank transfers, prepaid cards, and alternative e-wallets – bookmakers generally aren’t all that choosy about how you pay, deposit, and withdraw cash, so it’s just a case of finding what works best for you.
Chances are that you will want lots of flexibility in how you make deposits and withdrawals for sports betting. So here are three online sportsbooks who give you a good idea of what to expect when it comes to online betting payment methods:
This is a market-leading online sportsbook that lets you make deposits with debit cards, credit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, ACH bank transfers, checks, via the casino cage or even with the prepaid DraftKings Play+ card.
You can make minimum deposits here from as little as $5, although the maximum deposit thresholds can be relatively low if you are a new customer.
When it comes to withdrawals, you can request a payout from a minimum of $20. This will usually be done to the same payment method used for your deposits. It can take DraftKings anywhere up to three working days to process your withdrawals, and then it might take between two and seven days for the money to show up in your account. Just so you know, DraftKings won’t charge you any fees for making deposits or withdrawals.
You’ll find a familiar range of online betting payment methods at FanDuel. Here, you can make your payments with credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, ACH bank transfer, PayNearMe, check or with the FanDuel prepaid card. Just note that some banks like Bank of America and Union Bank may block payments to this sportsbook, so check beforehand.
Most of the above payment methods can be used to make instant deposits and you shouldn’t encounter any fees for doing so. The minimum deposit amount is usually $10.
You’ll also find that FanDuel offers secure and efficient withdrawals with the above payment methods. Here, you can make withdrawals from a minimum of between $10 and $25 depending on where you are playing from, and the withdrawals should come through anywhere between 24 hours and several working days.
This is another one of the heavy-hitters in the world of sports betting that offers you plenty of flexibility and variety in its accepted payment methods.
This means that you can make your deposits here via ACH bank transfer, Mastercard, Discover, Visa, American Express, PayPal, Play+, PayNearMe or at the casino cage. You’ll find that there is a $10 minimum deposit threshold and most deposits should go through virtually instantly.
When it comes to making a withdrawal, you can do so from a minimum of $10 via Caesars Palace Play + Card, PayPal, cash at the casino or ACH bank transfer. You’ll find that ewallet withdrawals will go through within three business days, while this might go up to five business days for bank transfers.
Of course, there’s plenty to consider when it comes to landing on a suitable payment method. From security features and fees to processing speeds, customer service quality, and upper and lower limits – much can dictate the banking facility that’s best for you, so don’t be afraid to compare and test all the different options offered through your favorite bookmakers.
Here at Deadspin, our experts test and re-test all of the latest options, so are well placed to offer advice on the facilities that might work best for you. Plus, don’t forget that we’re also a one-stop shop for sports features and updates, including the very latest football news and stories.
Whether you opt for Skrill or PayPal or are happy to stick with Visa debit, you should find no shortage of banking facilities at top betting sites in the US. In particular, Visa betting sites are a popular choice for their reliability and widespread acceptance. Be sure to check for regional restrictions in the brand’s T&Cs before signing up, as any jurisdictional differences could impact the payment methods available to you.
In our experience, e-wallet services like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller offer some of the fastest betting site withdrawal times on average, with winnings typically transferred to your account within 24 hours. However, if you’re lucky enough to qualify to use Visa FastFunds, you may be able to withdraw cash in as little as 30 minutes, provided the right conditions are met.
No matter which payment method you choose, funds are typically available in your sportsbook bankroll right away, ready for you to place your bets. In some cases, however, there may be a slight delay, particularly if you’re using an old-school method like bank transfer.
Thanks to significant advances in security and anti-fraud technology, no online payment method is considered inherently risky or dangerous. Provided the bookmaker you’re using has SSL encryption, you should be safe to use whichever banking facility you prefer. With that said, the likes of Neteller and Skrill are lauded for their premium security features, while debit and credit cards offer the peace of mind of being connected to big banks.
