If you go looking for sportsbooks without any real plan, like I did, you’re going to find out pretty quickly that 9 out of every 10 online gambling sites just aren’t worth your time (that goes for sports betting, online poker, online casino USA sites, online bingo sites, basically any of them!).

Some are out-and-out scams, where they never intended to pay out any money in the first place. Some start with good intentions (more or less) but end up owing more to the players than they can afford. Some are decent enough to play at, but give you such a headache when you try to get basic customer service. And some have elements of all three…

But don’t let that scare you off completely; there are really a number of good sportsbetting sites out there. I’ve collected a short list of sites that have served me and others quite well for some time — sports betting sites that will pay you when you win, that will be there with answers when you call, and that will protect your personal and financial information as if it were their very own.

The only problem is, these sites aren’t for everyone. More specifically, some of them can’t take people who play from the United States, due to our country’s stupid laws (same goes for online slots sites and others). So unfortunately we miss out on three of the best online sportsbooks EVER.

• William Hill – pure class from the UK’s biggest and oldest sports betting shops
• 888 – pure 21st Century excellence in all areas of online gambling, especially sport
• bet365 – pure customer dedication (to and from!). My overseas go-to site for wagering

Luckily, a few quality companies have stepped up to the plate for us Americans. They’re not quite as big as the others, but they provide the same level of security and service, and I personally have been playing at each of them on and off for a few years now with no problems.

• BetUS – these people are truly the best. Great lines, great bonuses, great everything
• Sportsbook.com – the first place to go for the latest updates and unbeatable odds
• Sportsbetting.com – customer-oriented and full of resources