Sports betting sites in India
Given the popularity of sporting events in India, it is undeniable that hundreds of bookmakers host events for bettors. Indian gamblers are rapidly growing in number, especially during major events like IPL.
Betting in India is easy, but it comes with several layers. Considering the legal framework, it's even nuanced to some extent. Our team provides a comprehensive guide to betting in India, including the most reliable bookmakers for bettors to use.
Who can bet on sports in India?
Everyone in India can enjoy sports, but not everyone is immediately accepted by betting sites to place their bets. There are criteria that one must qualify for before they're allowed to play:
Compare the best Indian betting sites
Our experts evaluated licensed Indian bookmakers and made a list of only the best ones in the country. We looked into several criteria to ensure we have handpicked platforms that best cater to different bettors. Some sites are ideal for mobile players, while some of the list offers huge welcome bonus packages.
Take a good look at the table below and choose the bookmaker that best meets your standards. They're all legitimate and reliable sites, and we guarantee to keep the list up to date regularly.
How to start betting in India
Every bookmaker has a distinct process for starting to bet on your favorite sports in India. We're providing you with steps that are generally used in most betting platforms. Follow the guide below.
Refer to our list of the top sports betting sites in India, which lets you access the homepage after clicking on its name
Select a registration method and enter the required details, including your email address, phone number, and full name. Complete the verification step
Popular payment methods, such as ecoPayz, PhonePe, and Paytm, are supported by the bookmakers on our list. Consider the minimum limits when depositing
Explore the available sports events and decide on your betting amount. Add it to your betting slip to confirm
Some events are available for live streaming on the bookmaker's website. There are also live score updates you can use to check the game's progress
If your bets win, you can either collect the winnings or withdraw them. Another option is to use the funds to bet on another event
During registration, the bookmaker might also offer welcome bonuses or free bets you can use. You'll most likely activate it after making your first deposit.
How we rate and review sportsbooks
As briefly mentioned earlier, we base our rankings of bookmakers on a set of standards. Among them are the following.
Sports to bet on at India betting sites
While most bookmakers cover all sporting events in India and internationally, there are some popular events and tournaments in the country that you should not miss. See the following list:
CricketIndians love cricket. It's a symbol of unity and national pride. Most bookmakers in the country host several cricket tournaments. They include the Indian Premier League, Guwahati Premier Football League, and Baroda T20 Challenge, to name a few
Field hockeyThe sport has been played in the country for centuries now, so it's popular among sports enthusiasts. The Hockey Pro League, World Series Hockey, and Premier Hockey League are some of the tournaments you will see hosted by Indian bookmakers
FootballThe beautiful game that is football is also a popular sport in India. There's the Indian Super League, Delhi Football League, and National Football League. The games in each tournament are added once the season starts
KabaddiThis is one of the traditional sports played in South Asia, including India. It's played by two teams, each consisting of seven players. The Pro Kabaddi League is a popular tournament in the country
BadmintonThe Premier Badminton League is one of the world's top tournaments. When the season begins, expect betting sites to schedule all the games in their portfolio for betting. This sport is also popular in India
WrestlingThis is one of India's oldest sports and has consistently provided the country with medals in international competitions. Professional wrestling is what you'll mostly see on bookmakers in India. Some are held in the country, while others are overseas
Other betting options in India
Most of the events in the sportsbook section of a betting site are, of course, sporting events. But besides them, there are other betting events you can enjoy at Indian bookmakers:
- Esports. Popular esports events, such as Dota, Call of Duty, and League of Legends, are generally available on most betting sites. Professional gamers usually play them.
- Politics. When it's election time, whether in India or other countries where politics is popular, expect that bookmakers will offer markets on which politicians bettors think will win.
- Awards. Some platforms also allow users to place bets on celebrities and personalities they think will win in a specific category during award shows.
Types of bets available to Indians
We have previously mentioned that bookmakers offer different betting options. This is to satisfy every bettor's needs and expectations. The points listed below are the popular ones.
- Over/under betting. This refers to wagering on whether the total points scored by both teams combined will be over or under a specific number.
- Spreads. Bookmakers set a point spread, especially in events when one team is better than the other.
- Totals. This refers to the total goals, points, or runs scored by both teams or players.
- Moneyline bet. You'll just bet on the team or player you think will win the game. It's among the simplest betting options.
- Winning margin. Bettors must stake on how much a specific team will win. This involves choosing a particular number.
- Parlay bets. This lets you combine multiple stakes in one. For your parlay bets to win, all the single bets must win.
- Quarters/Periods/Innings/Halves. This allows you to wager on specific segments of the game, rather than the entire game.
Is sports betting legal in India?
Sports betting in India can be a bit complex. Some describe Indian gambling legislation as a grey area. However, this does not mean Indians cannot enjoy their favourite sports. Indian bettors can use foreign bookmakers that are licensed to operate sports betting events. One must ensure to check the site's license and certificates first before registering an account and betting on sporting events.
Sports betting by state
We've mentioned how complex the sports betting landscape in India is. It's because the rules vary depending on which state is being referred to. The following list shows some of the specifications of gambling laws in each Indian state.
- Goa, Daman and Diu. Land-based casinos and betting on games of chance and skill are allowed. Although there is no clear law regarding online betting, offshore sites operate in these states.
- Sikkim. The Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008, makes online sports betting and casinos legal. However, these betting operations must be offered within the state's jurisdiction.
- Nagaland. While online betting remains in the grey area, generally gambling and sports betting is allowed if conducted by a licensed operator.
- Tamil Nadu. Online games providers whose central management and control of the service is in Tamil Nadu or whose service that is made available to customers is hosted in Tamil Nadu are allowed.
- Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Online betting in the state is not so popular because some sites are not accessible within the jurisdiction.
- Rajasthan. The state does not have any legal provisions regarding online sports betting. It's also unregulated in any way.
- Kerala. There's no law consistently enforced to ban online sports betting in the state.
- West Bengal. There are no specific state laws imposed on online sports betting, creating a grey area for gamblers.
- Uttarakhand. The state was the first to legalise online gambling and sports betting through the Uttarakhand Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2018.
Responsible gambling and betting in India
All the sports betting platforms we listed in our rankings promote safe gambling practices. Since they're all licensed by certified regulating committees, the operators also adhere to providing programs or services for bettors in case they need help in managing their betting activities.
If it's too much for you to handle your gambling acts, you can turn to some organizations to get help. They include GamCare, BeGambleAware, and the Hope Trust in India. These institutions can guide you in determining whether you have a betting addiction and how to manage it.