As of 2018, it has been legal to place a sports wager in some US states. It is important to point out that this is only the case in some states because the changes in the legislation back in 2018, handed over control of gambling to governors of each state. Therefore, it is now possible to enjoy legal sports betting in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, among others. The question is, why should you choose a legal US sportsbook?

Perhaps the most obvious answer to this question is trust. For example, are you more likely to buy a brand name television from a trusted superstore, that comes with a guarantee or buy a television from a brand you have never heard of before at a pop up street stall? While there may be nothing wrong with the television from the pop up street stall, what happens if you return home, plug it in and it does not work? You take it back to the stall to find the person is not there anymore and you are left with a television that does not work and less money. No need for a shady VPN when staking your hard-earned money with a reputable operator.

The same principle applies when choosing an online sportsbook. DraftKings is a trusted name and where it is legal to use DraftKings, such as Colorado, you know you are in good hands should anything go wrong while you are betting. Their customer service team is available to contact 24/7 and you can complete their online form or send an email. They also have a strong online social media presence and that is reassuring.

If you are unsure regarding the legality of a sportsbook in your state, scroll to the bottom of the sportsbook website where you will find details of the licensing agreement. If there is nothing present and you cannot easily find it anywhere else on the website, there is a good chance this brand is not legal.

Now, imagine you choose to use an offshore sportsbook that does not have a license to operate in the United States. It could even be a big name in the world of online sports betting and you can access the website despite the fact it is not legally available in your state. You may feel comfortable knowing you have heard of the brand before but what happens if something goes wrong?

Perhaps you deposited funds but it has not appeared in your account? Or you placed a winning bet only for the funds yet to appear in your account. You can try and contact the support team but if you have no luck, what do you do next? Due to the fact the sportsbook does not hold a valid license to operate in your state, there is nothing the government or law enforcement can do about your problem. Is this something you want to be constantly worried about when betting on sport?

The whole idea of gambling is that it is supposed to be fun and that is why you should choose a legal US sportsbook.