How to Bet on Sports in California

by Bob Duff

Updated: May 21, 2026

If you’re wondering how to bet on sports in California, the first thing to understand is that California has not legalized state-regulated online sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, or BetMGM. That means Californians cannot legally place sports bets through the same licensed sportsbooks available in many other U.S. states. For a broader overview of California betting laws and options, visit our California betting hub.

However, California residents still have several sports-related betting products and alternative platforms available, including California horse betting, daily fantasy sports, prediction markets, and offshore sportsbooks that accept California players. Each option works differently, comes with different risks, and follows different rules. You can also compare offshore brands in our sportsbook reviews page.

In this guide, we’ll explain what betting options are currently available in California, how sportsbook apps and betting sites work, what beginners should know before creating an account, and why using VPNs to access restricted sportsbooks can create problems for players.

Step 1: know which betting products exist in California

Attempts to legalize sports betting in California have come up empty. You can follow the latest updates on legalization efforts in our California sports betting legality guide. The major U.S. online sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM aren’t legally accessible to California bettors. That leaves offshore books as one of the main alternatives currently available to California players.

That leaves Californians comparing several different product types: offshore sportsbooks, legal horse racing wagering, daily fantasy sports, and federally regulated prediction markets. Each option has a different legal status, risk level, and user experience, so beginners should understand the differences before creating an account.

While they may not be regulated in California, these offshore sportsbook sites are widely used by California bettors that have been operating for many years. The age to bet with offshore sites varies between 18 and 21 years old, depending on each site’s policies. A number of these sites also offer access to online casinos.

Most offshore sportsbooks that accept California players offer moneyline, spread, total, futures, prop, parlay, and live betting on popular sports like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college sports. There’s also wagering on soccer, tennis, golf, MMA, and numerous niche sports. Offshore sportsbooks like Bovada, BetOnline, BetUS, and MyBookie have operated for many years and remain accessible to some California users, although they are not licensed by California regulators.

Similar to offshore sportsbooks, daily fantasy sports in California also operate within a legal grey area. In July 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta declared DFS, including pick’em and draft-style contests, illegal under state sports betting laws. However, all major DFS platforms continue to offer their product to California players. So, while you might not be able to bet on sports at DraftKings or FanDuel, California players can access the DFS platforms provided by each of these online sports betting sites.

Another option available to Californians is prediction markets. These platforms are federally regulated through the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). They offer event contracts where users buy positions tied to the outcome of sporting events and other real-world outcomes.

California betting product comparison

Availability does not always mean the product is licensed or regulated by California. State-regulated online sportsbooks remain unavailable, while offshore sportsbooks are not overseen by California regulators. Horse racing deserves separate treatment because California permits pari-mutuel wagering through licensed racetracks and CHRB-approved advance deposit wagering operators.

Step 2: choose a site or app that fits what you want to do

Once you’ve decided to bet on sports through an online betting site that is available to California players, the next step is determining which site is going to be the right option. You will want to go with the sportsbook that best suits your needs. 

Are you someone who lives life on the go? Well, if that’s the case, finding a site with a sleek, intuitive mobile app is going to be of vital importance. You’ll want to sign up with a site that offers the same depth of markets and quality on its mobile app as you find on its desktop platform.

Every online sports betting site will offer a welcome bonus to encourage new players to sign up with their sportsbook. It’s important to remember that all welcome bonus offers are not built the same. Check the fine print. All sports betting sites will attach wagering requirements to bonus funds. This is how many times you must bet the bonus before it is eligible to be withdrawn from your account. The smaller the wagering requirement, the better it is for you. 

Look to see what types of promotions the site offers beyond the welcome bonus offer. Once they’ve got you as a customer, do they forget about you, or continue to provide offers that make you feel welcome?

Finally, what types of bets you want to make is another important factor. If you like to bet on the NFL, look for a site providing rich markets on the sport. If you like to play parlays, seek out a site that makes it easy to assemble these bets. Many sportsbooks offer parlay calculators. 

If you want to compare which sportsbook brands are available to California players and how their policies differ, see our California sportsbook legality by brand guide.

Step 3: create your account and verify basic requirements

After you’ve chosen the California sports betting site that’s the best one for your needs, you’re going to need to open up an account with that site. While it might seem a bit intimidating to new players, this is actually a relatively easy and painless process. You will likely complete it in a matter of minutes.

To initiate the process, go to the page of your chosen sportsbook. You’ll see a button that will say “join” or “sign up.” Click on that button. This will open up the sign-up page. 

The first step will be to provide your personal information. This will include such items as your home address, your email address, and your cellphone number. To open a new account, another requirement will be the creation of a username and password that is unique to you.

The verification process will follow. You will receive an email or text from the sports betting site, which will include a verification code. To sign up with the site, you’ll have to copy the verification code and insert it into the required location on the site. You’ll be given a specific time limit to complete this process, so don’t let the clock run out on you. Leading online betting sites will also require that they see a copy of a government-issued photo ID to verify that you are of legal age to bet in your state.

The final step in the signup process will be funding your new California sports betting account. All sites will set a minimum first deposit to activate their welcome bonus offer. Ensure that you clear this hurdle and activate the bonus.

Step 4: make your first bet

After funding your sportsbook account, you’re ready to place your first sports bet. Most betting sites follow a similar process whether you’re using desktop or mobile.

1. Choose the sport you want to bet on, such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, or soccer.
2. Select the game or event you want to wager on.
3. Pick your bet type, such as a moneyline, spread, total, prop bet, or parlay.
4. Click the betting odds to add the wager to your bet slip.
5. Enter your wager amount and review the potential payout shown on the screen.
6. Submit the bet and wait for confirmation from the sportsbook.

Moneyline bets are the simplest option because you’re only choosing which team or player will win. Spread betting involves a handicap set by the sportsbook, while totals betting focuses on whether the combined score finishes over or under the listed number.

Before confirming any wager, double-check the odds, stake amount, and potential payout displayed in your bet slip.

Prop bets are wagers on outcomes within the game. There are game, team, and player props, all set as over/under plays. A prop bet could be on how many power-play goals a team will score first in an NHL game. It might be a bet on how many yards rushing a running back gains in an NFL game.

Parlays are a unique betting option in which a bettor can combine several outcomes into one wager. It’s sort of like playing the lottery. There’s a chance that you could win a major amount for a minimal outlay, but the odds are long that you’ll be successful.

Why VPNs are a bad idea

Virtual private networks (VPN) are designed to protect your identity, so you might think that they’d be ideal for working with an offshore sports betting site in the California market. You also might consider trying to sign up with FanDuel or another leading legal and regulated sportsbook in another state by using a VPN to hide the fact that you’re living in California.

However, the reality is that using a VPN with an online betting site is a recipe for disaster.

First of all, the use of a VPN violates the terms of service for most online sports betting sites. Most sportsbooks explicitly prohibit the use of a VPN in their terms and conditions. A VPN directly conflicts with such factors as geo-compliance, anti-money laundering, and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations that these sites are legally required to follow. 

Players who are caught using a VPN can create massive problems for themselves. This could lead to their account being suspended, their winnings forfeited, and their funds frozen. Sports betting sites require players to provide a home address and confirm their identity to open an account. KYC checks mandate that proof of identity and address be provided by a player to make a withdrawal from their online sportsbook account.

Common beginner mistakes in California

If you’re a newcomer to sports betting in California, a word to the wise is that it’s always best to tread carefully at first. Treat sports betting as you would any other investment. Do your homework, never bet more than you can afford to lose, and shop around for the best bets.

• Betting more money than your bankroll can handle
• Chasing losses after losing bets
• Ignoring sportsbook bonus terms and rollover requirements
• Overusing long-shot parlays
• Failing to compare odds across sportsbooks
• Making emotional bets on favorite teams
• Ignoring injuries, lineup news, and weather conditions

Before claiming any sportsbook offer, read our guide to California sports betting promos to understand rollover requirements, bonus restrictions, and common wagering terms.