Sports Betting

Written by: Kyle Scott | Last Updated: September 3, 2024

Sports betting is live and legal in Pennsylvania and most of its surrounding states, such as New Jersey, West Virginia and New York. Pennsylvania launched online sports betting in 2019 after PASPA was overturned in 2018, one of the first states to do so.

Crossing Broad is your one-stop shop for news on the betting industry, reviews of legal US sportsbooks, and betting breakdowns and analysis from Crossing Broad’s team of experienced writers, and, more importantly, online sports bettors.

Table of Contents

Which Sportsbooks Stand Above the Rest?

Not all sportsbooks are created equal, folks. Some of the top names in the industry offer a fantastic user experience with operations in multiple states while others are just getting started. On top of that, some welcome offers offer more value than others, so if value is at the top of your list there’s a lot of research to be done.

You can find our list of the top sportsbooks available in the state of Pennsylvania below:

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings Sportsbook has been one of the undisputed leaders in legal online sports betting so far. They led the charge in New Jersey and have offered continuously inventive forms of action, including cash-out options, pools, bracket challenges and even AAF betting.

For those looking to start out with a new sportsbook, it’ll be hard to beat DraftKings. The sportsbook giant has just a $5 minimum deposit that matches with its bonus offer well (Bet $5, Get $250 + 1 Month NFL+ Premium). It also has a strong and easy to understand user interface that leads the way to any line you want to bet without drama.

Into niche sports? DraftKings and FanDuel are the 2 top sites when it comes to those kinds of betting markets. DraftKings has all the big sports such as football, baseball and basketball while also boasting options for Darts, Water Polo, Aussie Rules football and many more.

Read our full DraftKings Sportsbook review.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel is a daily fantasy leader and was an obvious entrant into sports betting. And since its beginnings as a DFS app FanDuel has become synonymous with sports betting in America, with the most downloaded sports betting app among all competitors.

FanDuel’s user interface is the best on this list and boasts a wide variety of betting markets, similar to DraftKings. It doesn’t quite have the in-app promos that DraftKings has, but there are still plenty of weekly and daily options on that front for any sports bettors out there looking to raise the stakes.

Among other things, FanDuel has strong live streaming options and numerous ways to withdraw and deposit money for a seamless sports betting experience.

Read our FanDuel Sportsbook review.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars sportsbook promo code BROAD1000 unlocks a First Bet Back Bonus worth up to $1K. Simply make a wager after signing up and have that wager returned to your account in the form of bonus bets should it lose, with the original wager capped at $1K.

Caesars sportsbook is best known for its fantastic rewards program and a slew of profit and odds boost options each and every day. Pound for pound, Caesars is probably the best for daily boosts of any book on this list.

The app can be a little confusing the navigate at times, but the madness all makes sense after a while. Caesars was the first app to offer live streaming options for the NFL and the customer service is top-notch. However, compared to other sportsbooks on this list, Caesars’ odds leave a lot to be desired. The sportsbook is often last to the party when posting both game and future odds.

Read our full Caesars review.

BetMGM

BetMGM Sportsbook recently revamped its sports betting brand with an all-new platform and a renewed focus on its online app. The changes were absolutely for the better and have made the app a true contender among the best in the country.

BetMGM’s boosts rival Caesars and the site has strong lines that are updated often. Unfortunately, the most frustrating part about BetMGM is navigation around the site, which can take much longer than some of the other options on this list. Still, the improvements made in this arena are noticeable and despite some rough navigation in the early going, the app runs smoothly and looks great, as you can see below.

Above all, BetMGM’s rewards program is neck and neck with Caesars for the best in the country.

Read our full BetMGM review.

BetRivers Sportsbook

Formerly SugarHouse Sportsbook, BetRivers offers a strong $500 2nd Chance Bet, which means you can make any initial wager up to $500 and receive it back in bonus bets should that wager fail. This is the most straightforward and user-friendly bonus in the industry.

BetRivers is not the best looking sports betting app (that goes to FanDuel). But once you get past the pedestrian look and feel, you find a robust set of action, blazing-fast in-game odds, and straightforward and player-friendly promos and bonuses.

The site also features a shared wallet with BetRivers casino, which offers slots and table games. Read more about online casinos in PA.

Read our BetRivers Sportsbook review.

Betway Sportsbook

Betway launched its online sportsbook in 2021 in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania and it has continued to be a strong option in both states to this day. Betway offers some of the best customer support in the industry, as well as a favorable user experience.

Overall Mobile Betting App Ratings

Every sports betting app you see above is available on both the Apple App Store as well as the Google Play store. Here are the average ratings across both app stores for the sportsbooks as of August 2024, including some other options in PA such as Fanatics and ESPN BET.

Sportsbook	App Store	Google Play/Android
FanDuel	4.9	4.6
DraftKings	4.7	4.6
Caesars	4.6	4.2
BetMGM	4.8	4.1
Fanatics Sportsbook	4.7	4.5
BetRivers	4.4	3.6
BetWay	4.4	4.2
ESPN BET	4.8	4.3

Betting on Philadelphia Sports

Philadelphia is one of the top sports towns in America. The Eagles, 76ers, Phillies and Flyers all boast a passionate fanbase that is always engaged.

And while there’s not really a college football team in Philadelphia to speak of, Philly is one of the top college basketball cities in the country, boasting the Big Five (Six?) of Villanova, Penn, Temple, La Salle and Saint Josephs. Drexel was included starting in the 2023-24 season.

Here’s a look at some future odds for Philidelphia’s top teams of interest, as of August 2024:

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are a pair of seasons removed from their trip to the Super Bowl in 2022, and there’s plenty of reason for optimism heading into 2024-25. The Eagles are set to be a top 10 team this upcoming season.

Here’s a look at some notable odds for the Eagles:

Quinyon Mitchell DROY: +1200
Jalen Hurts MVP: +1500
Saquon Barkley OPOY: +1600
Eagles SB Victory: +1500 (5th best odds)

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are one of the hottest teams in baseball at the moment and a real threat to win the National League should they hold this trajectory now a quarter into the season.

Here are the latest odds for the Phillies:

Phillies to win World Series: +500 (2nd best odds)
Phillies to win NL Pennant: +250 (2nd best odds)
Phillies to win NL East: -350 (Best odds)
Bryce Harper to win NL MVP: +750
Alec Bohm to win NL MVP: +10000

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers failed to reach the playoffs for a 4th straight season. However, Philly is moving in the right direction and finished the season above .500 as we enter Year 3 of John Tortorella.

Philadelphia 76ers

There are no current odds for the 76ers, who are set to enter the offseason following another season of underwhelming expectations.

Choosing The Right Sportsbook App

There are over 10 sportsbooks available for use in Pennsylvania, and many more in surrounding areas that aren’t quite live in the Keystone State. So, how do you choose the right sportsbook for you?

First off, define what is most important to you. Do you want a strong welcome offer to maximize value, or do you prefer user experience and an easy-to-use app? What type of betting are you going to be doing? Finally, will you be regularly betting on sports or just on-and-off?

There’s no answer we can give you, but we Crossing Broad can keep you prepared so you know which sportsbook caters best to your style. Here are a few superlatives, in our eyes:

Best PA Sportsbook App for Beginners: DraftKings
Best Welcome Offer/Promotions: Caesars
Best PA Sportsbook Rewards Program: BetMGM
Best User Interface/Navigation: FanDuel
Best Variety/Odds: DraftKings

How to Bet on Sports: Ways to Wager, Deposit Methods

In case you’re new to sports betting, here’s a quick run through the types of bets you can make before you dive into your sports betting experience.

Spread

While you’re just picking the winner on moneyline bets, Spread bets require you to pick against a predetermined point spread by the sportsbook itself. It’s meant to take into account how much better one team is than the other.

Say the Eagles open as -10 favorites over the Giants. You’d have to bet on the Eagles to win by 10+ or the Giants to win or lose by less than 10.

Moneyline

Moneyline bets are the most typical type of bets and the easiest to understand. For any specific contest, a moneyline bet simply requires you to pick the winner. Favored teams are given (-) odds while underdogs are given (+) odds.

If the Phillies were facing the Mets and Philadelphia was favored -150, you’d have to wager $150 to win $100. Of course, that same proportion works for a $5 wager or a $500 wager.

Over/Under

The over/under asks players to bet on the style of game, defensive or offensive. The total will be set as the sum of the final score.

If 2 good offensive basketball teams played each other, the total would hover near 210 or 220. If 2 defensive teams faced each other that total would be more around 180-190. More than anything, the Over/Under total asks you to study the matchup style itself, as well as any outside factors such as weather or injury.

Parlay

A parlay is not a specific type of bet, but a way to bet. It entices users to add multiple “legs” to a single wager. If all these legs hit, you receive big winnings. However, all legs of a specific parlay have to hit for the bet to be successful.

Prop Bets

A prop bet is on a specific player or event in a game, such as a specific player to hit a certain amount of 3-pointers in a game or for a safety to be recorded in a football game.

Prop bets are most popular in tandem with parlays. Common prop bets include points, receptions for receivers, goals in hockey and so on.

Sportsbook Deposit Methods

There are a variety of ways to deposit funds into your sportsbook account once you’ve signed up. All sportsbooks on this list make it a priority for transactions to be made safely, so there’s no worry when using these methods.

Online banking (typically the preferred method)
Credit or debit card
PayPal
Prepaid cards
Pay with cash at designated stores
Cash at cage
Wire transfers

The easiest method for both sports bettors and sportsbooks would be online banking or credit/debit card. The options above are all used as withdrawal methods as well, with online baking being the preferred method.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Pennsylvania?

Yes! Pennsylvania was one of the first states to legalize online sports betting and boasts over 10 online sportsbooks.

What is the Best Sports Betting App?

That answer is subjective, but Crossing Broad's opinion is that DraftKings is the best sportsbook in the industry today.

What is the Legal Betting Age?

In Pennsylvania all sports bettors must be 21+

What Sports Can I Bet On in PA?

Different sportsbooks have different sports betting markets, but popular options are Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey and college sports. Certain sites have niche options such as Darts, Table Tennis, Racing and more.