Compare n' Bet™
Compare n' Bet™
A current breakdown of where sports betting is legal, which sportsbooks operate where, and how prediction markets are changing the map.
Legal sports betting in the United States is a relatively recent thing. For decades, Nevada was the only state where you could walk into a sportsbook and place a legal bet on a game. That changed in May 2018, when the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in Murphy v. NCAA. The ruling didn't legalize sports betting nationwide. It just cleared the way for each state to decide for itself.
Since then, the map has changed dramatically. States have moved at wildly different speeds, with some jumping in within months of the ruling and others still debating it today. As of 2026, the majority of US states have some form of legal sports betting, though the specifics vary enormously from place to place.
Sports betting in the US operates at the state level, and there are several distinct models you'll run into.
The most common model. These states allow both in-person betting at physical sportsbooks (typically at casinos or racetracks) and online betting through mobile apps. This is what most bettors think of when they think of legal sports betting. States in this category include New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, Colorado, Illinois, Virginia, and many others.
Some states have legalized sports betting but only at physical locations. Online and mobile betting is not permitted. This model exists in places like Mississippi, Montana (in state-run lottery terminals), and a handful of others. Residents can still use apps if they travel to a state that offers mobile betting, but they can't place bets online from home.
A number of states allow sports betting only on tribal lands, run through Native American gaming compacts. This can include mobile betting within the state (as in Michigan, where tribal and commercial books coexist online) or only in-person tribal casinos (as in California, New Mexico, and others).
As of 2026, a handful of states still prohibit sports betting entirely. This includes Alabama, Alaska, California (outside tribal lands), Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Several of these states have active legalization efforts, but the timeline varies.
A sportsbook being legally allowed in a state is not the same as that sportsbook actually choosing to operate there. Every book has its own roster of states it serves, based on licensing, business strategy, and market size.
The largest books tend to be in the most states. DraftKings and FanDuel lead the pack, each operating in roughly 25 states. BetMGM, Caesars, and Fanatics Sportsbook are close behind. These books cover nearly every legal market in the country.
Some books operate in just a few states. BetRivers is strong in the Northeast and Midwest. Hard Rock Bet focuses heavily on Florida due to its Seminole tribal partnership. Fliff operates as a sweepstakes model that's available in more states than traditional sportsbooks. theScore Bet (formerly ESPN Bet) operates across most legal markets but is being wound down due to the end of the ESPN partnership.
If you live in a state with only three or four legal books, your ability to shop for the best line is limited. A bettor in New Jersey has access to 15+ sportsbooks and can consistently find value by comparing prices. A bettor in a state like Rhode Island, where the legal market is much smaller, has far fewer options.
This is one of the most overlooked aspects of state legalization. The difference between having four and fifteen books available for shopping is the difference between winning and losing money over a year of betting.
Something interesting is happening in the states where traditional sports betting is illegal. Prediction markets are emerging as an alternative legal pathway for betting on sports outcomes.
Prediction markets are exchanges regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) at the federal level, rather than state gaming commissions. Users buy and sell contracts tied to real-world outcomes, and the price fluctuates based on market sentiment. When the event is settled, contract holders on the winning side get paid.
This may sound a lot like betting, and functionally it is. But because these markets are regulated as financial instruments rather than gambling, they've been permitted to operate in states that haven't legalized sports betting in the traditional sense.
Kalshi is the first CFTC-regulated event contract exchange and has been the most aggressive in offering sports-related contracts. As of 2026, Kalshi operates in most US states, including ones where traditional sports betting is illegal. Polymarket operates internationally and has been expanding into US sports markets as well.
Novig operates as a sweepstakes-based sports prediction market, using a different legal structure from Kalshi or Polymarket. Users play with virtual currency that can be converted to cash prizes. This model is available in 39 US states plus DC, but is restricted in some states: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Washington.
Sweepstakes platforms like Novig and Fliff are in a gray area legally. They've been allowed to operate in many states where traditional sports betting isn't legal, but the regulatory landscape is still evolving. Some states have pushed back on the sweepstakes model.
For bettors in states without legalized sports betting, prediction markets have become the primary legal alternative. The experience isn't identical to traditional sportsbook betting (prices work a bit differently, liquidity can be an issue on smaller markets), but it's functional.
The legal status of these markets is likely to be tested more heavily as they grow. Several state gaming commissions have raised concerns. The outcome of these challenges will shape the future of US sports betting in ways that are hard to predict right now.
The minimum age for legal sports betting is 21 in most US states. A few states allow 18-year-olds to bet, including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Wyoming, and Montana. Prediction markets generally require users to be 18 or older, though Novig requires 21+.
Betting on behalf of anyone underage is illegal in every state, regardless of the platform.
One thing that trips up new bettors: you have to be physically located in a state where sports betting is legal to place a bet with a legal book. The sportsbook will verify your location using GPS and IP address. An account registered in one state can often be used in other legal states where the book operates, but you cannot place bets from an illegal state just because you have an account.
This means a bettor who lives in Texas can drive across the border to Louisiana, open up their app, and legally place a bet. As soon as they drive back, they can't. Some bettors do this intentionally when visiting legal states.
Compare n' Bet automatically filters sportsbooks based on the state you select in settings. If a book isn't legal where you are, it won't show up in your odds comparisons. This prevents the confusing situation of seeing a great line only to find out you can't actually bet on it.
If you're in a state where traditional sports betting isn't legal, you can still use the site to browse odds by selecting "Other State / Show All US," which displays every legal US book so you can see the full market. You can then decide whether prediction markets (which are visible in your legal region filter) work for your situation.
If you're traveling to a state with different sportsbooks available, just update your location in settings. Everything re-filters automatically.
Sports betting in the US continues to evolve. California, Texas, and Georgia all represent massive potential markets that aren't yet open. Minnesota has been close to legalization for several years. Alabama and Oklahoma are also actively discussing it. On the prediction market side, expect ongoing legal battles and gradual expansion.
What seems likely is that within five years, the majority of Americans will have some form of legal sports betting available to them, whether through state-regulated sportsbooks, federally-regulated prediction markets, or both. Until then, knowing your state's specific situation matters.
This guide is for informational purposes only and reflects our understanding of laws as of early 2026. Laws change frequently. Compare n' Bet is not a legal service and cannot provide legal advice. Always verify the current legal status of sports betting in your jurisdiction before placing any bets.