A sportsbook is a company or entity that accepts bets. It can be legal or illegal. DraftKings is a licensed 💶 sportsbook, while Bovada is an offshore sportsbook that's been operating without a license in the U.S. for years. Players who 💶 live in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Nevada will not be able to register and play on the 💶 site. Most sportsbooks accept wagers on most major sporting events, especially college and professional events. Some online bookmakers expand the 💶 kinds of bets they offer to other, non-sporting events, like the results of political elections and/or the Oscars.
In common usage, 💶 a sportsbook typically refers to a company that takes sports bets. A sportsbook is technically the same thing as a 💶 bookmaker or bookie, but these terms usually apply to individuals (or small groups of people) who take bets. People will 💶 sometimes also refer to the place where bets are made as a sportsbook, which can be a building or even 💶 a website.
For many years, the only fully legal sportsbooks in the United States were in Nevada, although they also operated 💶 in limited form in Delaware, Montana, and Oregon. But a 2024 Supreme Court decision changed that. Now, 30 states have 💶 legalized sportsbooks, and some allow these to be accessed online.
Key Takeaways A sportsbook is a company or individual who accepts 💶 bets from individual sports bettors.
Sportsbooks generally accept bets on either side of a sporting event. They can do this because 💶 of the difference between what you wager and what you win.
