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Categories Betting 101

The Best Online Sportsbooks for Beginners

Updated May 1, 2025 | 1:51 pm CDT by Sam Smith
When to Bet Early vs. When to Bet Late: Sharp Betting Strategy

Starting your journey into sports betting can feel overwhelming, but choosing the right online sportsbook can make all the difference. We’ll walk you through the best online sportsbooks for beginners and how to get started on the right foot.

The Best Online Sportsbooks for Beginners

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What to Look for in a Beginner-Friendly Sportsbook

User-Friendly Interface

As a beginner, you’ll want a sportsbook with a clean, intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate odds, markets and promotions. Look for platforms with clearly labeled bet types and helpful tutorials to minimize confusion.

Generous Sign-Up Offers

Many sportsbooks offer sign-up bonuses such as deposit matches, first-bet offers or bonus bets. These promotions can give you an excellent starting bankroll, reducing the risk while you learn the ropes.

Variety of Markets

A good sportsbook for beginners should cover a broad range of sports and bet types, allowing you to experiment and find what suits your interests. Look for platforms that include mainstream options like NFL, NBA and MLB, as well as niche markets.

Competitive Odds

One of the most important pieces of advice we give users is that betting success depends on finding value. Beginners should prioritize sportsbooks offering competitive odds to ensure the best potential returns on their wagers, but you should also sign up with as many sportsbooks as are available to you since that is the best way to ensure you are getting the best odds on each bet.

Low Minimum Bets

When starting, it’s smart to place small bets as you refine your strategy. Choose sportsbooks that allow low minimum wagers, giving you room to experiment without significant financial commitment.

Top Online Sportsbooks for Beginners

Here’s a breakdown of some of the best sportsbooks for beginners:

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings is an excellent choice for beginners thanks to its intuitive design and variety of markets. The platform frequently offers lucrative sign-up bonuses, including deposit matches and bonus bets. With its competitive odds and helpful tools, it’s perfect for getting started.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Known for its beginner-friendly features, FanDuel provides detailed bet descriptions and tutorials. They often feature generous first-bet offers and daily promotions, making it easy to explore different sports and bet types while maximizing value.

BetMGM

BetMGM offers a robust selection of markets and promotions tailored to beginners. Its user-friendly mobile app and regular bonus opportunities, like bet insurance, help new bettors ease into the process.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars combines a simple interface with top-tier promotions, including bonus bets and odds boosts. Their rewards program is another big perk, offering value for beginners who plan to bet consistently over time.


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Using Portfolio EV to Maximize Your Success

One of the key lessons of Portfolio EV is to approach it like investing rather than a risky side hustle. Portfolio EV can help beginners adopt this mindset by identifying the most profitable bets across sportsbooks.

Here’s how to leverage Portfolio EV:

Compare Odds Across Sportsbooks: Portfolio EV highlights market inefficiencies, showing where one sportsbook offers better odds than another. By line shopping, beginners can consistently find +EV (positive expected value) opportunities.

Diversify Your Bets: Spread your action across multiple sportsbooks to take advantage of promotions and maximize value.

Track Your Results: Use Portfolio EV results features to monitor your performance, learn from mistakes and refine your strategy over time.

Final Advice for Beginner Bettors

Start Small

Limit your initial bets to a small portion of your bankroll. This minimizes risk and allows you to learn without significant financial pressure.

Avoid Parlays

While they might seem tempting, parlays often have poor expected value. Focus on straight bets with clear +EV potential instead.

Take Advantage of Promos

Use OddsShopper’s Bonus Bet Converter to maximize the value of sign-up offers and bonus bets, turning them into real returns.

Be Patient

Success in sports betting takes time. By starting with the right sportsbooks and using Portfolio EV, you can lay the foundation for a profitable and enjoyable sports betting journey. Take it slow, stay informed and remember that the smartest bettors are always learning.

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Author

Sam Smith

Sam Smith is a writer and editor with Stokastic and OddsShopper. He has been immersed in the world of professional sports data since 2015 while also writing extensively on the NFL for a multitude of blogs and websites. With OddsShopper, Sam looks to blend his sports and editorial expertise with OddsShopper's data to bring you the best betting information possible.

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