Planning a road trip or flying cross-country? Sports betting has become more accessible than ever. As more states legalize it, placing a wager on your favorite team or event is just a state line away. The good news is, even if your home state doesn’t allow it, you can still bet while you’re in a legal state—and yes, you can cash out even after you’ve left.
Let’s explore the essentials of how to bet on sports online and highlight what you need to know while traveling.
Betting Is Open for All—No Residency Required
You don’t need to be a full-time resident of a state to place a legal bet. As long as you’re 21 and physically present in a state where sports betting is allowed, you’re good to go. Your phone or device will automatically verify your location, making sure you’re inside state borders before allowing you to place a bet.
For example, you could be a California resident visiting Arizona for a weekend, and as long as you’re in Arizona, you can bet online with no problem. Just remember, your actual address is required for verification, so don’t try using a hotel or Airbnb address—it’ll likely cause complications when verifying your account.
Some States Require In-Person Registration—Others Don’t
Legal betting states fall into different categories regarding how and where you can bet. In some, you can register and bet online without ever stepping foot in a casino. In others, you may need to register in person before you can bet online.
Here’s how the stats break down:
- Full Online Betting: States like Colorado, New Jersey, and New York allow you to register and bet online with no strings attached. This makes it easy to access various sportsbooks, compare lines, and place bets even if you’re just passing through.
- Limited Online Betting: In states like Connecticut or New Hampshire, you can still bet online, but the number of available sportsbooks is limited.
- In-Person Betting Only: For states like Mississippi and Delaware, you’ll need to visit a physical location to place your bets.
This means if you’re driving through Indiana or Louisiana, you could easily place a bet from your phone while on the road. On the other hand, states like Nevada still require you to visit a casino to sign up before betting online.
Withdrawing Funds Is Simple, Even After Leaving the State
You don’t need to worry about your winnings being stuck just because you’ve left the state where you placed your bet. You can still withdraw funds from your account even if you’re no longer in that state. For instance, if you place a bet in Michigan on Saturday and leave for Ohio on Sunday, you can still cash out your winnings from the comfort of your home in Ohio.
The only thing you can’t do after leaving the state is place additional bets. So, while you’re in a legal betting state, make sure to place your bets—then you can monitor, deposit, or withdraw as needed afterward.
Always Use Your Real Address for Account Verification
It’s crucial to use your real, permanent address when registering for an online sportsbook account, even if you’re traveling. This ensures that sportsbooks can verify your identity, especially when you go to withdraw funds. Trying to use a temporary or “borrowed” address will only lead to delays or problems, especially during busy times like holidays.
Sportsbooks typically ask for the last four digits of your social security number to confirm your identity, so using accurate details is essential.
How Do They Know You’re in a Legal State?
Sportsbooks rely on geolocation services to confirm that you’re within the legal borders of a betting state. Your phone’s built-in location services will make this process seamless, especially on mobile devices. If you’re on a computer, you may need to use an additional service like GeoComply to verify your location, which can sometimes cause minor hiccups but is generally straightforward.
Remember, attempting to bypass these restrictions, such as using a VPN, is a no-go—sportsbooks have strict measures in place to catch and prevent such workarounds.