There aren’t many better states out there for sports than New York. The Giants, the Jets, the Mets, the Rangers… there are some pretty awesome, famous New York sports teams.
This felt like a good place to go, therefore, to find out some of the best betting locations, both online and in-person. New York has a whole lot of both, so I knew I was in for a treat. I could see it would take some time to get to the bottom of this one, but I was up for the challenge!
So, that was that. My mind was set, and I was on my way to the Big Apple to learn how they do things. Stay with me as I show you everything I learned during this awesome trip.
New York Sports Betting Sites
- BetWhale: Top choice overall (Up to $1,250 bonus)
- BetUS: Excellent soccer odds
- Betonline: Great for mobile betting
- Sportsbetting.ag: Best for esports
- BetAnySports: Awesome bonuses
What I Did in New York City
Luckily, it wasn’t a long flight for me to make my way over to JFK. I took a flight at the crack of dawn and got there before midday. So, after drinking quite a few coffees in various cafes around the city, I got to check into my hotel in the afternoon.
The little time before I got to do this allowed me to scope out the different betting locations I was going to check out on my trip. I was aware that some sports stadiums are set to allow players to place bets in the near future, but for the time being, I’ll have to make do with the handful of retail sports betting locations around the state.
Most of the retail betting locations in the state of New York are upstate. It was lucky I’d decided to pre-book a rental car! Nonetheless, I was up for the trip, as I’d never been upstate before. So, here are the places I decided to go to:
- Caesars Sportsbook at Point Place Casino
- Sticks Sports Book & Grill at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino
- The Sports Lounge at Seneca Casinos, Buffalo
- FanDuel Sportsbook at Tioga Downs Casino Resort
Of course, it would only make sense for me to check out a few online betting sites while I was there as well. I decided that I’d speak to some New York sports bettors on my travels for recommendations, and as you’re about to find out, that decision paid dividends.
NY Sports Betting Sites That I Tried
The annoying thing about the upstate location of the New York retail sports betting locations is that they’re a little tricky to get to. I had to drive pretty far from New York City, so if you’re based somewhere else in the U.S., you’re going to have an even longer journey on your hands.
Don’t worry, though. You can still have the full experience of sports betting in New York by signing up for one of the popular online sports betting sites that players use there. Most NY sports betting takes place online these days anyway. So, here are the best places to get involved with it.
BetWhale
The site that I heard about the most out of all New York sportsbooks was BetWhale. I was surprised by this, considering that I quickly found out it was only launched less than a year ago. But it appears to have brought a lot of players through the door quite quickly, and the welcome bonus seems to have been a big part of that.
The offer for new players here is a 150% deposit boost. Sports bettors can claim a 125% match up to $1,250, while the rest goes to casino games. That’s a higher percentage and a larger amount of bonus cash than just about any other online sports betting site in New York (or any other state I’ve tested, for that matter).
There isn’t an online sports betting market that you won’t find odds for here as well. I really tried to put BetWhale to the test to find something that I couldn’t bet on. But it came through with something every time, whether major sports, niche sports, or even eSports.
BetUS
I’ve come across BetUS as a bookie a few times over the years. After all, it’s been around for a heck of a lot longer than BetWhale. It was formed as a site back in 1994, and that makes it one of the oldest sports betting sites in New York.
So, of course, I wanted to find out how it has managed to stay in the game for such a long time, especially with all that impressive competition going on. And it looks as if the key reasons for that are all the bonuses and free bets it has to offer.
For a start, a lot is going on for new players here. The welcome offer is a 100% up to $2,500 deposit with the code JOIN125. That’s a lot of cash! Plus, there’s a 25% top-up of up to $625 thrown in for casino games. I didn’t use that myself, but you can if you want to. There’s also 10% cashback with 10CASH, a 200% crypto re-up bonus with FIRST200, and then up to 50% reload bonuses for infinity after this. Not bad.
I found BetUS to be a great place to bet on soccer as well. So, if you want to bet on New York FC or New York Red Bulls, you’ll find very strong odds and a whole lot of markets. The same can be said for club soccer matches from all around the world, as well as international competitions such as the FIFA World Cup.
BetOnline
If mobile sports wagering is your thing, BetOnline is worth checking out. BetOnline has really encapsulated the NY mobile sports betting experience, with some of the best mobile graphics I’ve seen. It really does look the part, and it’s highly functional as well.
The mobile site has all the great features that the desktop site does. The bet builder tool is particularly useful and easy to use, and the live betting tools are very smooth. I had a great time using them, even on my old brick of a phone.
The fact I was able to get up to $250 in free bets plus 100 free spins for the casino slots with no rollover was pretty awesome as well. Being able to cash out winnings without having to mess around with playthroughs is a lot more fun, believe me!
Just like the Florida sportsbooks I tried, it’s quick to get paid out here as well, as the processing time can be instant. You’ll get the fastest payouts with the 10+ cryptocurrencies on offer, but I also found a lot of e-wallets, cards, and more.
Sportsbetting.ag
NYC sports betting is often better enjoyed live, and that’s where Sportsbetting.ag comes in. I found this to be the best place to bet online live. I actually tried this site out a few years back on a different trip and wasn’t crazy about it, but since then, it’s undergone a massive makeover.
The design is much better now, and that makes it much more enjoyable to use. The live betting tools have been upgraded tenfold, and now, they’re super quick and responsive with their odds. I found many highly detailed live graphics for many sports teams out here, like the New York Knicks and just about every New York college team.
On that note, there really are a lot of markets. I didn’t find quite as many non-sports markets as one or two of the other sports betting sites that were recommended to me, but when it comes to real-world sports and eSports, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained.
Another cool thing about Sportsbetting.ag is that there are more than 20 payment methods. I chose one of the 10+ cryptocurrencies, and this allowed me to get paid out in only around an hour.
BetAnySports
My top pick for NY sports gambling for extra offers is BetAnySports. Extra sportsbook promos are really important, as they can keep our bankroll topped up without us having to spend as much deposit cash. And I was really able to do this as a player at BetAnySports.
A few highlights included the chance to pay half on some of your bets, a 25% cash bonus of up to $500, a 10% refer a friend bonus, and a free deposit every time you place six qualifying ones of your own. I haven’t found a sports betting site offering that much promo opportunity before, that’s for sure.
The sports this site appears to specialize in in terms of markets and odds are hockey and basketball. I found it to be a particularly good place to bet on the New York Islanders, for example.
There are loads of prop bets for every NHL and MLB fixture, and you can get futures odds for the end of the season early on. Every NY sports betting market for football can be found here, too. And the odds are as competitive as my favorite Tennessee sports betting sites.
Retail Sports Betting Shops I Visited in New York
Now, let’s go back to my actual trip to New York. Let me show you how I got on at the retail betting locations I tried out while I was there.
First Sportsbook I Tried – Caesars Sportsbook at Point Place Casino
Caesars just seems to be everywhere I go! They’ve got their proverbial fingers in a lot of gambling pies. So, I had to take the four-hour drive upstate to Bridgeport’s Point Place Casino in order to find out what they were offering in the way of retail sports betting.
The Location
Of course, Bridgeport is quite a drive for those looking to stay in New York City, so I’d probably recommend staying in a hotel a lot closer if you want to bet here.
Just down the road is the beautiful Syracuse, which I stopped by on the way home. This is a great city to stay in if you want to base yourself near this particular sportsbook.
The Experience
The Caesars Sportsbook can be found in the sports bar of Point Place Casino, and it’s actually a pretty cool place to be. They have 30 massive LED TV screens that I was able to watch a couple of games on at the same time… and some pretty good burgers.
The Markets
If you want to bet on real-world sports like football and basketball, there are a lot of options at Caesars. I didn’t have any problems finding the bets that I wanted to place. I didn’t see any coverage of eSports though.
Caesars is the official sports betting partner of the Mets, the Knicks, and the Rangers as well. Luckily, they’ve backed this with a lot of markets for these teams, and pretty good odds to boot.
The Odds
Those odds are pretty strong across the board, actually. Caesars is highly competitive when it comes to odds for most of its markets. I checked all of the odds I got against those of other retail betting locations and Caesars came out on top or at least equal most of the time. The odds are still not quite as strong as they are online though.
Second Bookie I Tested – The Sports Lounge at Seneca Casinos, Buffalo
Next, I headed a little further out West to one of my favorite cities in New York, Buffalo. I wanted to catch a Bills game while I was out there, but sadly, the stars didn’t align. Maybe next time. Nonetheless, I did get the chance to check out The Sports Lounge at Seneca Casinos. This is one of three locations for sports betting from Seneca Casinos.
The Location
Buffalo is a great city in its own right. It’s a long way to go from New York City, but that’s not really a problem. There’s enough to keep you entertained in Buffalo alone. It’s a bigger city than people seem to realize. Just beware of the climate here, as it seems to get horrendously cold over the winter in this one spot!
The Experience
Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino is definitely one of the fancier gambling establishments I’ve been to in the state of New York. And it’s a super fun place to play casino games as well, with more than 1100 slot machines and a whole lot of tables to get involved with, if you so wish.
The Markets
Because of the location of the Sports Lounge at Seneca Casinos’ location in Buffalo, it’s a great place to bet on two teams: the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres. If you’re a hockey or football fan, this is a great location to bet at.
While I was there, I also put down a couple of tennis bets and was pleased to see that there were a lot of prop bets within these games.
The Odds
The odds for the Buffalo Sabres and the Bills are strong at The Sports Lounge at Seneca Casinos in the same way that the markets are plentiful. In fact, the NHL and NFL odds seem to be pretty strong – although not as great as what you’ll find at South Carolina sportsbooks.
I put a few bets on other games and wasn’t let down after I conducted my odds comparison tests.
Third Sportsbook On My List – Sticks Sports Book & Grill at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino
The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino is one of the most famous Native American gambling enterprises in all of the U.S. And that’s really saying something! So, I had to go check out the sports betting there at Sticks Sports Book & Grill.
The Location
The one major downside to Sticks Sports Book & Grill at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino is that it’s about as far away as it could possibly be from New York City.
This casino and sportsbook are located right up at the top of New York state, and it took me five hours to get there even from Buffalo. It’d probably take at least six hours to get there from NYC. But it’s worth it, as it’s an amazing place to be.
I spent a little time playing at the casino here and was not let down. It’s massive! They have over 1150 slot machines alone, which is pretty wild. So, there’s plenty of entertainment waiting for you after your drive.
The Experience
The actual Sticks Sports Book & Grill is a lot of fun. They have a massive video wall with plenty of games to watch at any one time. Plus, the sound is pretty loud, which I’ve always enjoyed.
I found the food to be pretty good value as well. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever eaten, but it was definitely enough to keep me going while I caught a couple of fixtures.
The Markets
I didn’t find quite as much to bet on in terms of prop bets at Sticks Sports Book & Grill. There are plenty of moneyline markets covering events from all around the world, but I couldn’t bet on quite as many things within them. Still, for a casual betting experience, there’s enough to keep most players entertained.
The Odds
All of the odds I bet on for football and basketball were very strong. I have no complaints about the odds for major U.S. sports at Sticks Sports Book & Grill.
I found the odds for a couple of the soccer matches that I wanted to bet on to not be as good though. They’re not far off the pace, but not quite as good value.
My Last Stop – FanDuel Sportsbook at Tioga Downs Casino Resort
Everybody knows about FanDuel. It’s one of the most famous online betting sites and fantasy sports sites licensed in the US. But what many people don’t know is that it also has a handful of physical betting locations around the country.
As a regular user of the online site, I felt like it would definitely be worth checking out the retail betting shop.
The Location
It was another three hours or so drive from Buffalo to get out to Tioga Downs, which is located… kind of in the middle of nowhere. This isn’t a mega drive to get to from New York City either. According to Google Maps, it’s going to be around there and a half hours.
The Experience
The Tioga Downs Casino Resort building feels a little modern and soulless but I liked the experience when I walked through the doors. The modern feel of the casino as a whole means that the casino games feel a little nicer to play, and that makes them more engaging.
The Markets
If you’re a fan of the New York Yankees, FanDuel is going to be a good option for you as it is actually the official betting partner of that team. As such, there are loads of markets to bet on them, and for the MLB in general. Plus, you’ll get highly competitive odds for a lot of these markets as well, according to my research.
The Odds
The baseball odds also appeared pretty good for this FanDuel sportsbook. I put a couple of bets down to verify this, but I’m not a massive baseball fan, so I didn’t spend too much of my time or money on doing this.
When I was out there, the PGA Championship was on, so I put down some golf bets. I got strong odds for Rory McIlroy to win, even though he was one of the favorites. So, that bodes well for the odds of the sportsbook as a whole.
Things I Learned on My New York Trip
Taking a trip to New York to find out about sports betting taught me quite a lot more than I expected to learn, on top of what the best sports betting sites and retail betting locations are. Here are some tips I’ve learned from players out there that you can use in your own betting.
Don’t Sleep on Welcome Offers
I love a good bonus, and I found a whole lot of good ones at the various sports betting sites in New York. Pretty much all of the online bookies that were recommended to me had a welcome offer, and a lot of them had ongoing offers like reload bonuses, which I really enjoyed.
Go Online for the Best Odds
Retail sportsbooks can be fun places to go, but if you’re planning on betting a lot, I recommend doing so online. There are a few reasons for this, but perhaps the most important one is that the odds tend to be better online. The online sports betting marketplace is more competitive, and bookies aim to get to the top by offering the best value for money.
Allow Time for Travel
New York is a massive state, so if you’re planning on visiting a few retail betting stores, make sure to factor in the time it’s going to take to get to them when you put your trip itinerary together. You might even want to think about staying somewhere upstate in the first place. After all, the big city is a very expensive place to get a hotel, take it from me…
Look for the Live Graphics
I’ve been live betting for a few years now, and I was really impressed with the live betting setup of many of the bookies in New York. They offer loads of detail in their live graphics and stats, and we can use these as players to get a better idea of how a match or race is unfolding. This can, hopefully, lead us to win some more bets.
Be Safe with Gambling
No matter whether you’re planning on betting in-store or online, you must consider responsible gambling practices. In particular, set deposit limits.
Keeping to your bankroll is the most important piece of advice I can give, as it’s fundamental that you never attempt to chase your losses.
Takeaway from My Trip to New York
There are a lot of great NY sportsbooks available online to discover out there, but I’m pretty confident that my recommendations are the best ones. I took a lot of time ranking these sites, and BetWhale seems like the place to be overall.
And if you ever fancy the trip over to the Empire State yourself, I can recommend all of the four sports betting New York locations I visited. Perhaps I’ll have to come back again in the future and check out a few more of them.
A final piece of advice for those planning to make the trip: make sure to rent a car if you’re planning on staying in the big city. It’s a big old state!
New York Sports Betting – FAQs
A few readers have been asking me questions about the process of New York state sports betting, and I can understand why. It’s pretty confusing how things operate there. I’m setting the record straight by answering some of the most commonly asked questions below.
Can You Sports Bet in New York?
Yes, it’s perfectly possible to bet on sports in New York. You can do so in person or online. There are a lot more online options though.
Are New York Sports Betting Sites Safe?
Most New York online sports betting sites are safe. I made sure that all of my recommendations were by checking reviews and licensing.
Make sure to do the same thing if you go for another betting site in the state though. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
How Can I Place a Sports Betting Deposit in New York?
The payment methods for sports betting in New York vary between sites. You’ll usually be able to bank with cards, e-wallets, and crypto.
What’s the Best Time of Year to Visit New York for Sports Betting?
It really doesn’t matter what time of year you visit New York unless you hate the cold. In which case, don’t go during the winter! Also, go during the season for whichever sport you like to bet on the most.
Gambling is risky. 21+ only. Please call 1-800-GAMBLER or seek help at gamblersanonymous.org if you have a gambling problem.
