Types of Offshore Betting Sites Explained
Offshore betting sites are those made available to Americans, and sometimes to Canadians and other gamblers around the world.
With domestic gambling sites, you would be limited to gambling within state lines.
In this article, we’ll explore the types of offshore betting sites available to United States, Canada, and worldwide players. From casino-only to sports-only, fantasy sportsbooks, casino/sportsbook duos, and more, there’s a lot to choose from. Each type of gambling operator has a unique set of markets and/or games to take part in.
Top Types of Offshore Betting Sites
So, let’s get into the different types and even explore some of the top sites on the market right now.
P2P Betting Sites
First off, let’s explore P2P betting sites – also known as Player vs. Player betting or Peer to Peer betting. As opposed to traditional sports betting sites, where you’d play against the house, P2Ps let you play other gamblers.
Match your bets Player vs. Player at the Matchbets sportsbook
SUMMARY
Matchbets Review - Enjoy placing your wagers against other players as a Match bet or let it ride on the regular sportsbook. You have the choice at Matchbets and there's a deposit match up to $500 bonus for all new players.
One of the advantages of P2P betting is that you don’t have to worry about the oddsmakers or juice. In other words, the sportsbook isn’t going to pocket a big commission if you win. You and another player can wager against each other on a sports event. If you lose, you owe your peer, and if they lose, they owe you.
There are two terms you should know with P2P wagering:
- Back bets (refers to the team you’re backing to win, similar to a straight wager)
- Lay bets (refers to the team you’re betting will lose)
Ultimately, one peer backs a team, and the other peer “lays” that same team (for and against, respectively).
One downside to P2P wagering is that you have to be willing to wait for another player. You can’t bet against a peer until one is matched to you and betting on the opposite result. Another valid concern for players is not getting access to the rewards, like bonuses and promos, of traditional betting sites.
Sportsbook Only
Next, we have sportsbook-only betting sites. These are what most people think of when they imagine online sports betting.
Top Sportsbook site MyBookie
SUMMARY
Enjoy a VIP online betting experience when you choose the MyBookie.ag sportsbook for your bets. 24/7 Support, Fast Payouts, Bitcoin banking.
At sportsbooks, there is an oddsmaker who sets the lines, which you bet on. These oddsmakers typically make money off of your wins, which is a common drawback.
However, the obvious advantages of these betting sites include:
- Bonuses (welcome offers, risk-free bets, etc.)
- Promotions (referral promotions, betting insurance, free bets, etc.)
- Rewards systems
- Loyalty programs
- VIP memberships
- Exclusive offers
- Pools
- Prize contests
- Special features like bet slips and bet generators
Sportsbook-only betting sites also feature customer support, security measures, as well as some mobile betting options.
Depending on the site you sign up for, you’ll have a different variety of wagering options and odds.
Banking methods also vary from site to site, with cards and cryptocurrencies being the most common at offshore sites.
Casino Only
Casino-only gambling sites are basically the counterpart of sportsbooks. Rather than having all sports betting markets, players have all virtual and live dealer casino games, slots, jackpots, etc.
They also feature exciting table games, including varieties of craps, blackjack, baccarat, poker, roulette, and more.
This is an ideal option if you know you want to gamble online but aren’t interested in sports betting at all.
Top Casino only site
SUMMARY
No Deposit free spins, 900 + games. $2,500 in Free Casino Chips for you to play in the PC, Tablet or Mobile Casino!
Online casino operators also feature some bonuses and promotions, just as sportsbooks would. But the similarities don’t stop there. Online casinos also cater to virtual deposits and withdrawals, customer support, security measures, and some mobile gambling options.
Opportunities to get free spins, exclusive entries into contests, and more are what make these sites so enticing. Some opportunities even have cash prizes going into the millions.
Although these sites present convenient opportunities to play with a lot of variety, there are some drawbacks. For example, at certain offshore sites, casinos use random number generators on their games, which gives the house an edge.
At the end of the day, though, people flock to these operators because the convenience outweighs that of brick-and-mortar establishments.
Sportsbook and Casino
Next up, we have the double-whammy. Sportsbook/casino websites feature a combination of sports betting markets and casino table games, slots, keno, etc.
For example, when you sign up and deposit, you might get a free bet and free spins.
SUMMARY
Bovada sportsbook is equipped with the experience and skill to quickly become the industry's powerhouse brand and the most relied on, most fun location to wager on sports.
And you’ll find that sportsbook/casino sites have a decent variety of both sports to bet on:
- Hockey
- Football
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Darts
- Snooker
- Water polo
- Soccer
- Horse racing
- Esports
- Handball
- Olympic Games
- Fighting
- Boxing
- Cycling, etc.
and games, including:
- Slots
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Poker
- Keno
- Jackpots
- Baccarat
- Live dealer games, etc.
Many seasoned online gamblers prefer these providers because you theoretically get the best of both worlds. But you have to be careful with your bankroll at these sites, considering the plethora of spending opportunities.
Fantasy Sportsbooks
Fantasy sportsbooks are similar to online sports betting providers. You have regular fantasy sports betting and daily fantasy sports betting (DFS). Fantasy sports tend to promote cash prizes, as opposed to traditional sports wagers.
DFS pertains to a specific selection of games, rather than the entire season, which you’d find with sportsbooks. Daily fantasy sports betting is contest-driven with cherry-picked players, and regular fantasy sports betting pertains to your roster of players.
It’s preferable due to its variety of options, such as multipliers, head-to-heads, showdowns, DPPs, and many more. However, it is somewhat limited in terms of sports, with popular leagues like NFL and NBA dominating the list.
One other key difference between fantasy and regular sports betting is that fantasy is peer to peer, which we touched on earlier. You may be competing against just one other player, or you might be involved in a large pool of players.
Many gamblers like fantasy sports for the focus on athlete performance (instead of the team), fixed prices, and big potential winnings.
Exchange Sportsbooks (coming soon)
Finally, there will soon be more opportunities to take part in exchange sportsbooks. This is a special kind of sports betting that US residents can’t get domestically. This is mainly due to the Federal Wire Act of ‘61.
This legislation essentially limits the profitability of exchange betting in the US, so it’s not a US option yet. That’s why offshore sites are the place to look for these markets.
Exchange wagers are similar to peer-to-peer wagers, where players wager against each other and benefit from lower prices. You’re not worrying so much about the odds line or oddsmakers having a house edge on you.
Another advantage of exchange sportsbooks is that many bettors find the odds are easier to read, as they’re in percentages.
Are there any offshore betting exchange sites in the US?
As previously mentioned, US gamblers don’t have domestic betting exchange sites to use. However, there are a few select offshore betting exchange sites that are anticipated to be available to US players soon.
These include:
- Matchbook
- Betfair
- Smarkets
- Ladbrokes
- BetDaq
Top Offshore Betting Sites
As for offshore betting available to US, Canadian, and other overseas players, we’re reviewing the top 10 offshore betting sites options.
Xbet
Xbet has become somewhat of a popular name in the offshore betting world. It’s a sportsbook-casino combination site that features some exciting welcome bonus offers. An added benefit of this site is the facebook selection for horse racing wagers.
Players at Xbet can avail of live betting, esports betting, special event betting, and more. However, you’ll have to compromise on a small variety of banking options. Overall, this is a widely trusted betting operator that even offers some mobile betting opportunities.
BetOnline.ag
Another popular betting site is BetOnline. Its extensive lineup as a sportsbook-casino combo includes horse racing, esports betting, sports wagering, live wagering, casino games, and more. Players also have exclusive access to contests and promotions like boosts on crypto payments, risk-free props, and referral offers.
BetOnline also features plenty of SSL-secured banking options to suit different needs, including crypto, credit cards, and money transfer. Customer support includes convenient live chat, a help center, and other perks.
MyBookie
Next, we want to highlight MyBookie, which is ripe with markets for pro sports leagues including NHL, NFL, NBA, and MMA. This site even features halftime odds on certain sports events for more excitement. MyBookie is a casino-sportsbook combo that also has a racebook for horse racing players. And of course, you have many opportunities to wager on live events.
Highlighted features of the casino at MyBookie include the sign-up deposit bonus worth up to $750 and free blackjack tournaments. The operator is also SSL-encrypted and has great customer reviews from past and current bettors.
BetUS
Like its predecessors, BetUS features live wagers, casino games, a sportsbook, and a racebook. This versatile betting site has been going strong for over a quarter-century and is dubbed “America’s Favorite Sportsbook”. New customers can avail of a 200% crypto bonus that extends to both casino and sportsbook rewards.
With a variety of blackjack games, table games, slots, and contests, you have endless options at your fingertips. You might even be eligible to join their VIP loyalty program.
Bovada
Bovada is great for fans of online poker, horse race betting, sports betting, live dealer games, and casino games. The site features weekly promotions on sports events, exciting poker tournaments, sports betting advice, and other specialties.
Players also get a decent selection of deposit options, like crypto, Zelle, card, vouchers, and MatchPay. Bovada makes it easy to bet and play online, and they keep your money and information secure.
Other Offshore Betting Sites
This list is just the tip of the iceberg, though. There are tons of other offshore sites with casinos and sportsbooks that are worth checking out, such as:
Final Thoughts
For US gamblers, it can be difficult to find betting sites that feature special wagers, like exchanges and P2P options. Luckily, though, there are plenty of offshore betting sites that American players can join to access these opportunities. From casinos to sportsbooks, casino-sportsbooks, P2P sites, and exchanges, we hope our rundown has simplified things for you.
Sites like Xbet, Bovada, and MyBookie feature casino games, live dealers, sports markets, racebooks, and more. Their benefits and features are unparalleled when it comes to offshore sites, so you should definitely check them out.
