Greetings, sports fans! If you’re looking to make a bet but don’t know where to place your money, then you’ve come to the right place. Unfortunately, not all sports betting sites are safe. In fact some can be outright dangerous. Luckily for you, we’re here to help. Our online sports betting experts have compiled a list of the best, and most importantly, safe and legal sites to play on this year. After testing all of the available sites, we selected the ones with the biggest bonuses and fastest payouts. In this article, we’ll help you find the best online betting sites, advise you on which bets to make and which to avoid, and provide you with practical sports betting tips to make sure you come out a winner every time. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
Best Canadian Sports Betting Sites
As of today, there are less than twenty sports bookmakers in Canada. Betting options are limited for such a big country. Unless you live in a city that has a casino in it, that means you’ll have a long way to drive just to place a bet. Thankfully, there are plenty of online sports betting options for Canadians to enjoy on their PC or mobile device.
Available in every province, sports betting sites are attracting more players every day. Some sites and apps are limited to specific areas, but in general, all are widely available across the nation. What’s more, these sites offer betting on all your favorite sports. Not limited to Canadian sports only, you can place wagers on everything from American football and baseball to European football and hockey. The sites listed here offer betting action all around the world!
The online sports betting sites listed below are licensed and legal in Canada and have been thoroughly checked by our experts.
| Sportsbook | Bonus Average Rating |
| BetUS | Up to $2500 9.8/10 |
| MyBookie | Up to $1000 9.2/10 |
| BetNow | Up to $1000 8.9/10 |
| Bovada | Up to $250 8/9/10 |
| BetOnline | Up to $1000 8.6/10 |
New Sports Betting Sites this Year
With dozens of new sports betting sites appearing in Canada every year, you need to know which ones will pay and which won’t. Below is a list of our best new sports betting websites for 2022.
- Power Play – With a $250 free bet and a minimum deposit of $10, this site is sure to up your game.
- Camp Bet – With free betting options and a bonus of $150, a great site for beginners who are new to online sports betting.
- Betway – A bonus of $200 with a minimum deposit of $10, this new site is great for live betting.
- Sports Interaction – With a $125 bonus for new customers, this site is already attracting tons of eager players.
- Royal Panda – Offering $75 dollars in free bets with a minimum $10 deposit, this is a great site for newcomers wanting to give sports betting a try.
- Spin Sports – With a bonus of up to $200 in free bets, it’s a fun site for trying your luck.
Top Tips for Selecting a Site
Before using a new sports betting site for the first time, there are a few things that you should double check first. To make it more convenient for you, we’ve added a quick list you can review before placing a bet on an unknown, potentially dangerous website.
Security
Security is usually a user’s biggest concern when betting online. Is the website safe? Do they use proper security measures and encryption to guarantee your money’s safety? Do they scan for threats and update security measures frequently?
All serious sports betting websites consider their users’ financial security to be the highest priority and they are constantly updating their platforms to prevent cyberthreats. If the site doesn’t have a privacy of information or security guarantee, then it’s not to be trusted.
Kinds of Sports
Before using a new site, one of the first things you’ll want to check is exactly which sports it covers. If you’re placing bets on major league sports, then you can usually expect betting options on almost any site. All the same, you should check to see the types of bets they allow.
Another thing you’ll want to check is which games they offer betting on. Not all sites offer bets on all games and some only offer bets on premier games and finals. Other sites cover all games. Be sure that the site covers the games you want before registering with them.
Kinds of Bets
You should also check to see if the website covers the kinds of bets you want. For example, most sites offer the main betting options like money lines and spreads, but not all cover live gaming. Check out what kinds of bets the site offers before trying to place a bet.
Deposit and Payment Options
How will you make a deposit and how will you get paid when you win? Will this site accept your credit card? What about electronic payment sites like Paypal? These are all good questions to ask yourself before using a new site. When checking out a new site, there are a few money questions you’ll want to keep in mind.
The first is multiple payment options. If your main payment option is rejected, such as a credit card, does the site have other payment options available? If a sports betting site only has one way for you to receive your winnings, then you might want to place your bets elsewhere.
Also check if the service charges a withdrawal fee to claim your winnings. Most online casinos charge some kind of withdrawal fee, but they can differ, from less than one percent to more than five percent. You’ll also want to find out what kind of betting limits are in place. If you’re a beginner, this won’t be a problem for you, but once you start winning big you’ll be able to bet larger sums of money. Knowing the limit will prevent you from having problems with payment and withdrawal later on.
User friendly
Unfortunately, not all sports betting sites are user friendly and can actually be more trouble than they’re worth. If you find it difficult to simply register with a new site, then just move on. The main reason people love betting online is how easy it is. It’s super convenient and you should be able to place bets wherever you are in just a few short moments. If the site is difficult to navigate, then you’re wasting your time and would be better off finding a new one.
Although user friendliness can be rated subjectively, there are universal criteria for what is
convenient and what isn’t, such as ease of navigation. Our experts keep this in mind when recommending which sites to use and which to avoid.
Bonuses
When it comes to casino bonuses, it’s important to remember not to get distracted. A betting site might have an outstanding bonus or promotion, but it also might be a second-rate site overall. You should never choose a site based on bonuses alone. The only situation where bonuses become a factor is when you’re choosing between two great sites that you really like. In this case, let the bigger bonus be the deciding factor.
With regard to the bonuses themselves, all we’re concerned about is money. Free merchandise and coupons are cute, but since we’re in it to win it, if the bonus isn’t free cash or bets, then we’re not interested. Secondly, find out if the bonus is really worth it. If you have to make a minimum deposit greater than the proposed bonus just to play, then you’re being fooled. Finally, the bonus should be easily understood. If it takes you more than a minute to understand how to receive the bonus, then it’s probably too good to be true.
Sports Betting Types
Online sports betting offers lots of betting options and it can be a little confusing to a novice better. Not to worry; in this section we’ll break down all types of sports betting and show you which options are best for you. Let’s get started.
- Money lines – A very popular way to bet, money lines let you choose which side of a wager will win. By far the simplest way to place a bet, the payout amounts change depending on how much one side is favored.
- Point spread – Point spread betting lets you pick one side of a bet and then wager on how much this team or person will win by. The number of points they win by is what is known as the spread.
- Over/Under – Placing a bet on one side of an over/under wager means that you’re betting on the total number of points scored in a game. It’s less about who wins and more about getting your figures right.
- Parlays – A more complicated form of betting that is not for the faint of heart, parlay betting allows you to combine several bets into one. Although the wager is more complex and the chances are slim, you have the chance to win big if your parlay comes through.
- Futures – Betting on futures allows you to place wagers on future sporting events in the
coming days, weeks, and months before it takes place. The further away the game is, the bigger the risk. However, the rewards are much bigger too.
Live Betting
In live betting, you can place a bet after the game has already begun. Live online sports betting is legal in Canada and available to play on a PC or mobile device.
Live bets are active as long as the game is happening. Depending on the site, the odds will change as the game is played. The odds are usually determined by algorithms. For example, if it’s near the end of the game and both teams are tied, the odds will be affected.
Live betting is different from other types of betting because you can place bets and win money while the game is still being played. No other kind of betting allows such instant action and fast rate of play. Now more popular than ever, if you’re a real expert on the sport, you can outwit the bookmakers and win big. Since the odds change as the game is played, there are plenty of chances to win back losses.
There are a few setbacks to live betting though. First, not all sports are available for live betting in Canada. Not all games have the technology to live stream and track bets during play. Also, some mobile gaming apps don’t allow you to make live bets, as opposed to their websites.
Live betting is available for most major league sports. Here are a few of the most popular live betting options for major league sports in Canada.
- Football – You can place live bets on professional and college games. Bet on which team will win or try to beat the spread. You can also bet on individual players, like who will score how many touchdowns or run so many yards.
- Basketball- You can place live bets on professional and college games. Use favored wagers such as point spread and moneyline, or wager on how many points will be scored in that quarter.
- Hockey – A fun sport for live betting, hockey is Canada’s number one live betting sport. The fast pace makes live betting much more exciting and you can wager on anything from who will win to how many points a player will score.
- Tennis – A popular game for live betting, place bets fast to win on the next successful serve or who scores the next point.
Mobile Betting
Mobile betting has fast become the most popular method of online sports betting. Mobile betting’s popularity is only expected to grow in the coming years. These days, all of the top online betting sites have mobile options. Recognizing the market potential of mobile betting, online casinos have adapted their websites to mobile and most have apps you can download to your smartphone.
It’s understandable why mobile betting is so popular. People want to be able to place a bet wherever they are. Whether watching a game at the bar or at a live event, mobile betting lets you place a bet wherever you are.
You might be wondering if betting on a mobile device is much different from betting on a desktop. The answer is, not really. Apart from a few design changes and structural differences, placing a bet on a smartphone is just as simple as placing a bet on your home computer. Just log in, select the sport and game, place your wager, and you’re good to go. It really is just that simple!
This isn’t to say that mobile betting is without its hiccups. For example, with mobile betting, you have to navigate multiple pages to view the odds, but in general, it’s better than desktop betting. The main problem with mobile betting is that you can’t view all of the information you want in one place and navigating tabs can be frustrating. If you prefer to view all games and odds at once, then mobile betting is not for you.
Sites with the Highest Payout Rates in Sports Betting
When it comes to sports betting online, the sum of the odds is best expressed as a payout. The higher the average payout, the better your odds. Below is a table of the sports betting sites with the highest payout rates in Canada.
Sports Betting Site Payout Rate
- 888Sport 94.23%
- Unibet 94.19%
- Betaway 93.75%
- Betition 92.26%
- MansionBet 92.17%
Sports Betting Bonuses
Everyone loves free money, that’s why online casinos offer sports betting bonuses. However, all bonuses are not created equal. Before choosing an online sports betting site, compare their bonuses and special offers to make sure you’re only playing with the best.
By offering big bonuses up front, online casinos lure in new customers. Our team loves to make sports bets and we’ve found many lucrative sports betting bonuses. A dedicated team of gamblers, we’re happy to share our knowledge and experience with like-minded people and new players. In this article, we’ll show you how to find and get the most out of sports betting bonuses. Depending on the site, you could win up to $1,000 in bonuses just by registering. It’s an extremely effective way to attract new customers.
There are three main types of sports betting bonuses: free bet, cash signup, and money back. Each bonus has its own special features, which we’ll now discuss in more detail.
In a free bet bonus, the online sportsbook allows you to place a bet at no cost to you, so there is no financial risk. If you lose the bet, you don’t lose any money. If you win, however, you only win the net winnings from the bet. For example, if you bet $10 at 2 and win, you’ll only receive the $10, not the full $20 as in a normal bet.
In a cash signup bonus, the online sportsbooks offer a promotion, usually a percentage of your first deposit. Depending on the sportsbook, it could vary from 20% to 100% of your first deposit. Each sportsbook has specific conditions for claiming the bonus, usually involving a minimum number of bets on certain odds.
A money back, also known as a win-win, is also a common bonus. Essentially, it allows you to place a bet at an amount determined by the bookmaker, and if you lose, they will return your money.
Be sure to take a close look at the terms and conditions. Many online casinos differ in how long they make you wait until you can withdraw your sports betting bonuses. Usually they require you to play for longer periods of time and won’t allow you to just take your winnings and leave.
What’s more, sports betting bonuses may have expiration dates, which could be from a few hours to a few days. You should only go for bonuses with a longer expiration date, giving you plenty of time to fulfill the requirements stated in the terms and conditions.
Lastly, check the credibility of the online casino before giving them your information. Sometimes a deal is too good to be true, just because they’re offering a big bonus doesn’t mean they’re a legitimate company. Check customer reviews and do a little digging before placing a bet.
For all you big bonus hunters out there, here are the sports betting sites offering the biggest bonuses this year.
- 1xbet
- 22bet
- 888sport
- BetWarrior
- Intertops
- LeoVegas
- Mr Green
- Mr.Play
- Netbet
- PowerPlay
- Spin Sports
- Tiger Gaming
- Unibet
- William Hill
Can I Bet on Sports for Free?
When it comes to sports betting online, some services offer free bets or bonuses. However, most sites require a minimum deposit before offering such bonuses. Some companies offer play for free or free trial options, but in this case you aren’t betting real money.
Here is a quick list of the best free sports betting offers for 2021.
- Leo Vegas – $300 deposit bonus. Matches first deposit to $300. At least 1.8 odds needed to receive a bonus.
- Mr Green – $200 deposit bonus. Get $100 in free bets twice.
- Spin Sports – $200 deposit bonus. Receive a deposit match of $200 at 1.5 odds.
- 888 Sports – $200 deposit bonus. Matches first deposit to $200 with minimum 1.5 odds.
- Rizk – $ 20 free bet. Receive $10 bet risk free with a deposit of $20 or more.
Closing Thoughts
Now that you’ve read our informative article, you’re ready to get out there and try out Canada’s top betting sites. Just remember our key tips for choosing a site and don’t be afraid to take some risks, because you can always win your money back another day. If you try a site and don’t like it, move on. There are plenty of them and your perfect site is waiting for you to find it.
FAQ
Are online casinos fair?
In general, yes. Most online casinos are completely fair and select winners at random, using random number generators. This technology mimics the gameplay of a live or traditional casino.
Are online casinos safe to use?
Yes, most online casinos are safe to use and your money is safe as well. The most popular online casinos, like the ones listed above, are owned by respectable companies which protect your deposits and pay winnings in a timely fashion.
How do I place bets and take money out?
There are multiple ways to deposit and take out money. The most popular options are credit and debit cards, but online payment systems such as Paypal, Zelle, and Payoneer are becoming more widely used as well. Other payment options such as cheques or money orders are also acceptable. Keep in mind that the payment process is different at each casino, so be sure to check beforehand.
How do I sign up and start betting on sports?
In general, it’s easy to join online casinos and start playing. Usually all it requires is your name and email address and you can start playing in just a few minutes.
Do I have to download an app to do sports betting?
For some online casinos, you’ll have to download an app or software before playing on your device. However, most casinos have instant games that can be played immediately online.
Can I play from my smartphone?
Yes. These days, almost all online casinos are compatible with mobile devices and many also offer mobile apps free to download.