Best offshore sportsbooks for online betting?

Mark Kelly said:I'm trying to figure out which specific card I need to sign up for an online sportsbook.

I'm using my PayPal linked to a Chase Visa account through Expekt.

The NHL is rolling out online betting soon—which means we’re seeing some legislative shifts coming down the pipeline too.

Joseph Lee9 said:I have a Silicon Valley account at Chase

Do I actually need a steady job just to get that card?

Edit: I just read through the fine print and apparently I don't need one; having a standard checking account at the bank should be enough. But, I have another question. Is there really a difference between a regular Visa and a Visa Electron? I'm planning on picking up an NFL Game Pass to watch the NBA, but it specifies I need a Visa, not a Visa Electron. I assume they're basically the same thing, but maybe someone could confirm if that's true?

Hey, so I grabbed that 24h pass a few months back and scored that bonus for BetMGM.

I was messing around with some bets using it, and today I finally hit a couple of small ones—made about 7 bucks, and now I’m sitting at 12 total... 😁 👍👍

Now I'm wondering, how do I actually get this cash out? Like, is there a minimum balance I need in my account before they'll even bother processing a payout?

Thanks.

I think you need at least $100 sitting in there if you want them to actually wire it to your account...

So, I decided to shoot them an email—basically asking, "Hey, can I just get my winnings sent straight to my Visa card?"—and this was the response I got...

Any amounts over $100 can be paid out via Visa card, provided that
you’ve already used that exact same card to make a deposit first.

ruggedotter26 said:If you want them to wire it straight to your account, I think you need at least 100 bucks...

So, I actually shot them an email asking, "Hey, can I just withdraw my winnings to my Microsoft card?" and this was the reply I got...

Amounts over 100 dollars can be withdrawn to a Microsoft card, provided that
you’ve already used that exact same card to make a deposit first.

Aha, gotcha. Thanks. I was under the impression I could pull my cash out once I hit about 50 bucks.

Anyway, if anyone here has actually pulled this off—like, successfully gotten a payout that way—give me a shout...🙏😁😁

Visa and Microsoft aren't the same thing—Visa is a credit card

Joseph Lee9 said:Visa and Visa Electron aren't actually the same thing; Visa is just a standard credit card

I guess I should ask, is it possible to place bets using a Visa card?

I have a question. I just called my bank and they told me that this card can only be picked up by showing an ID, and I need to deposit $33 onto it first. It says the label for this card is Visa/Mastercard, but I want to place some bets on DraftKings where it only lists Mastercard. Does that mean I won't be able to use this card there?😕

Looking at the comments above, I have to say...

I’ve had my own share of issues where a deposit didn't show up for a week, but once I reached out, they sorted everything out—the staff is actually quite polite...
One time I went to log in only to find my account had been closed. They sent me an email asking for a copy of my ID; I sent it over, and they reopened it without any drama. By the way, if you actually bother to read the terms and conditions, you'll see they reserve the right to freeze anyone's account until they verify their identity...

It seems silly to complain about them not replying to emails immediately. Just be patient and remember that it's the weekend; it can take a few days to get a response, but they always do get back to you. It wouldn't make any sense for them to go out of their way to mess with $100 just to damage the company's reputation...

All things considered, this sportsbook is excellent and the people are professional. The only downside is that payouts take a little longer than I'd like, but honestly, I don't mind waiting...

Just a quick question...

Has anyone actually managed to deposit funds at a sportsbook using a Raiffeisen Microsoft foreign currency account?

I checked with them directly and they all insisted it should work—so I moved the money over, sent my ID scan, and submitted everything to FanDuel, where it shows up perfectly in my payment profile...

But for some reason, it just won't go through. Anyone have any ideas?

Maybe try using PayPal; they usually take any live card, and the fee is about 1.90%. So, I guess you'd just load the money onto PayPal first and then move it over to FanDuel.

Joseph Lee9 said:Visa and Visa Electron aren't quite the same thing—Visa is more like a standard credit card.

Hmm, I guess maybe you could tell me... if I'm getting this right, is the difference that you can only use Visa Electron to deposit money, like into a sportsbook, but then you'd need a regular Visa to actually withdraw it? Like, maybe those withdrawals just won't work with Visa Electron?

I finally managed to get some clarity regarding my questions about the Federal Reserve cards—here’s the breakdown:

1. At the Federal Reserve branch in Des Moines, the tellers are basically just clowns who don't have a clue—they seem to hire pretty girls just for show. Great.

2. The Federal Reserve foreign currency debit card (Visa) is essentially a useless product.

3. Online payments at the Federal Reserve apparently require you to use their net-banking system first.

4. I've wasted two weeks of waiting and arguing, and now I actually have to head over to JP Morgan Chase to pick up a new foreign currency card—then wait another week or two, who knows...

So, the official word from the Federal Reserve call center was this:

"Yes, it's true that our Visa cards carry all the necessary data and markings for online shopping, and we were told the service would be enabled, but it appears that it isn't quite ready yet. As for when it will be, we honestly don't know."

Quite a situation, right? Anyway, thanks for the advice, everyone—heading over to JP Morgan Chase today...

Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase....

Ethan Edwards3 said:So, let me get this straight—if I’m following the logic here, the main catch is that you can only use a Microsoft card to dump money into the site, like just hitting that "deposit" button at the sportsbook, right? But then, when you actually want to pull your winnings back out, you're stuck because you need a standard Visa for the withdrawal? Like, you can't just run that transaction through the Microsoft card? Is that the deal?

It’s dead simple: You can basically do whatever you want with a Microsoft debit card from JP Morgan Chase—I mean, seriously, whether you're looking to pull cash out or toss money in, it's all doable. And get this: you don't even need to have your paycheck landing in that bank to make it happen. All you gotta do is go ahead and open an account for that card, which costs about... $17 Just one year and that's a wrap. Done and dusted.

Look, if you’re asking me which online sportsbook is actually worth your time—and I mean *actually* worth it, not just some bottom-tier app that crashes the second you try to place a parlay—you gotta look at the big players. Honestly, there isn't one single "perfect" spot because everyone's looking for something different, right? Some guys just want the best lines, others want crazy promos, and some just want an app that doesn't feel like it was coded in 1995. But if you want my two cents on where the action is, you really have to weigh the options between the heavy hitters like DraftKings or FanDuel. It’s all about what fits your vibe.If you're looking to get into live betting, listen up—because doing it wrong is the fastest way to empty your bank account before halftime even hits. It’s a total rush, sure, but it's also a complete minefield if you don't have a plan. You can't just sit there clicking buttons like a maniac every time a player makes a move; you've gotta actually watch the game, feel the momentum, and wait for that one perfect moment where the odds are skewed in your favor. It’s all about reading the flow, man. If you go in blind, you're basically just handing your money over to DraftKings and praying for a miracle. Don't be that guy. Hell yeah, absolutely. Bet365 Honestly, Bet365 is hands down the king of this game—they have way more live matches available every single day than anyone else, and the way they’ve built out their live betting options is just top-tier. Plus, if you actually want to watch what's happening, they’ve got the best selection of live streams by a mile. Following them, I'd say DraftKings and BetMGM are pretty much neck and neck. It's a toss-up, really—BetMGM gets a slight edge because their live betting interface feels a bit more polished, but then again, DraftKings wins out if you care about having a better variety of live streams to watch while you bet.

If you’re looking to get your bets in before kickoff, I’m telling you right now—FanDuel is my absolute go-to, closely followed by BetMGM. Their prop markets and game breakdowns are just on another level; you can find basically anything you want tucked away inside a single match—like those juicy little underdog odds or specific player props that everyone else misses. Honestly, they've got everything. If I had to rank them, DraftKings would be sitting way down in third place, and don't even get me started on Bet365—when it comes to deep game coverage, they are hands down the worst of the bunch.
Look, I’ve been grinding with these four online sportsbooks for over six months now—so don't even get me started on anyone else—which is exactly why I'm only bothering to write reviews for them.

Look, regarding this whole legal thing—I’m pretty sure they’re talking about something else entirely. I mean, think about it: you can walk into any local sportsbook in the States and place a bet on Italian Lotto, Spanish Lotto, whatever... it's all over the place! Plus, honestly, I haven't heard of a single person actually getting busted or thrown under the bus for betting online. It just doesn't add up.

Thanks for the heads-up, Tyler Ross86! 👍

By the way, I should probably mention Betfair. I don't think anyone has suggested it yet, but it isn't really your typical sportsbook. It’s actually an exchange, so you can act as both the bettor and the bookie. You can basically bet on an outcome or against it (Betting) without worrying about the house limiting your action if you win too much, since you're just trading against other people. I used to have accounts with FanDuel and Bet365, but I guess for the last year, maybe 99% of my online action has been on Betfair. I'd definitely recommend checking it out!

Zachary Booth said:1. At the local Federal Reserve branch in Des Moines, you've got nothing but clowns and total amateurs behind the counters—plus a bunch of pretty girls hired strictly because they look good. Just great.

Man, I wish that mess was limited to just the Federal Reserve in Des Moines... 🙄

Between JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup, you've also got Goldman Sachs acting like complete jokers. 😛

Does anyone actually know what happens to this ridiculous law once we join the European Union? By any logical standard, online betting at foreign bookmakers should be permitted then.

Damn, this law is truly idiotic. Only Americans could come up with something like this.🤣
I've been betting online for about two years now and I'm up roughly 600%. Basically, I'm bringing dollars into the US and I want to spend them here, yet the law forbids it. Meanwhile, they claim to encourage exports, which would also bring dollars into the US. Something doesn't add up, though maybe I'm just missing something...😁

For those of you trading on Betfair, what’s your take on the premium charge? If I understand correctly, if you make more than a 20% profit on your turnover annually, they hit you with a 20% tax? Am I right about that?

My recommendation for an online sportsbook is Pinnacle. They are phenomenal. I've never had a single issue with them, nor have I ever heard anyone else mention one, despite how much I read on various betting forums.

There’s actually zero tax on online betting here, just on the physical bookies... if you're looking for singles, Betfair is hands down the king, followed closely by FanDuel.

When it comes to cards, just grab a JP Morgan Chase Visa. It works perfectly for online betting, plus they have a solid partnership with PayPal. (We used to use Goldman Sachs, but they cut that off because their business wasn't cutting it). Honestly, even the folks over at JP Morgan Chase aren't exactly geniuses... they rake in massive profits but clearly don't spend a dime on training their staff.