Best NFL betting sites in 2026: How to bet on the NFL while out of state
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The 2026 NFL regular season starts September 9, 2026, with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the opening game, while the 49ers and Rams meet in Melbourne the following day.
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FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook and bet365 offer NFL betting in regulated markets, but availability depends on where you are physically located
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If you’re out of state, the only effective way to access your home NFL betting account is to use a VPN to connect securely to a server in your home state.
The 2026 NFL season is almost here, and bettors have a huge choice of markets, from moneylines and point spreads to player props, parlays and Super Bowl futures. The regular season begins on Wednesday, September 9, when the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks host the NFL Kickoff game. The next day, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will make NFL history by playing the league's first regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia.
However, NFL betting access is not the same everywhere. Top licensed operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook dominate North American NFL betting, offering comprehensive markets across 20+ US states and Ontario, Canada. bet365 delivers a similarly expansive NFL suite across the UK, Europe, global markets, Ontario, and select US states like New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Sky Bet caters exclusively to users in the UK and Ireland under a UK Gambling Commission license, specializing in boosted NFL parlay builder odds and player prop markets tailored to European viewers.
If you’re traveling or out of state, you may be able to access your home NFL betting site by using a VPN to route your connection through a server in a jurisdiction where the sportsbook is legally available. Connect to a reliable server in the appropriate location, enable the VPN’s kill switch and DNS leak protection, and make sure your connection is stable before accessing the sportsbook. Always check the sportsbook’s terms of service and local laws to confirm that VPN use is permitted.
How to access NFL preseason betting sites abroad
To access NFL preseason betting sites while abroad, you need to use a VPN to securely route your connection through a server in a region where your sportsbook is licensed and available. Because online gambling laws vary significantly by country, sportsbooks use geo-blocking technology to restrict access based on your current physical location.
- Get a VPN with a wide server network. I recommend NordVPN, with thousands of servers across 224 locations, now available with 75% off.
- Install the VPN app on yur device.
- Connect to a server in the jurisdiction where your NFL sportsbook is licensed. For example, New Jersey for eligible DraftKings or FanDuel users, or Ontario for eligible users of sportsbooks licensed there.
- Open your NFL betting site, compare NFL odds and place your wager.
Quick overview of the 2026 NFL season
| NFL details | Information |
| Event: | 2026 NFL season |
| Preseason: | Aug. 13–29, 2026 |
| Regular season kickoff | Sept. 9–10, 13–14, 2026 |
| Regular-season format | 32 teams; each team plays 17 games over 18 weeks |
| International games | Australia, Brazil and Mexico are among the 2026 international destinations |
| NFL betting sites in the US | DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook |
| NFL betting sites in the UK | bet365, Sky Bet, Betfred, Betway, BetMGM |
| NFL betting sites in the AU | Sportsbet, TAB, bet365 |
| NFL betting sites in the CA | bet365, Sports Interaction, BetVictor, DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel |
| Bet from anywhere: | Use NordVPN (now 75% off) to access your local NFL betting site while abroad. |
The 2026 schedule runs through January, with the AFC and NFC Championship Games scheduled for January 31, followed by Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium on February 14, 2027.
With NFL betting available across major regulated markets, the league remains one of the biggest opportunities for sports bettors. Check your legal sportsbook availability now and compare NFL markets before the season starts.
NFL betting availability: global sportsbook analysis
Most major sportsbooks offer NFL markets, but the important question is whether they are licensed and available in your jurisdiction. The list below combines active sportsbooks with brands whose status has changed, so bettors can distinguish current operators from discontinued or absorbed brands.
| NFL betting site | Is it legal in the US? | Is it legal in the UK? | Is it legal in Canada? | Is it legal in Australia? |
| FanDuel | ✅ Yes, 24 states + Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico | ❌ No standard UK sportsbook | ⚠️ Ontario/Alberta availability varies | ❌ No |
| DraftKings | ✅ Yes, 27 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico | ❌ No standard UK sportsbook | ⚠️ Ontario; Alberta launched July 2026 | ❌ No |
| BetMGM | ✅ Yes, 23 states + DC + Puerto Rico | ✅ Yes | ✅ Ontario; Alberta | ❌ No |
| Caesars Sportsbook | ✅ Yes, multiple regulated US states; verify current state list | ❌ No as Caesars Sportsbook | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ❌ No |
| bet365 | ✅ Yes, 17 states | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Legal/regulated availability varies by province | ✅ Yes |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | ✅ Yes, 23 states + DC | ❌ No standard UK sportsbook | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ❌ No |
| BetRivers | ✅ Yes, 15 states | ❌ No standard UK sportsbook | ⚠️ Ontario/market-dependent | ❌ No |
| Bally Bet | ✅ Yes, 12 states | ❌ No | ❌ No standard regulated sportsbook | ❌ No |
| Hard Rock Bet | ✅ Yes, 10 states | ❌ No | ⚠️ Ontario/market-dependent | ❌ No |
| SuperBook Sports | ✅ Yes, only in Nevada | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| betPARX | ✅ Yes, 5 states | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| William Hill | ❌ US William Hill sportsbook became Caesars | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ⚠️ Market-dependent |
| Ladbrokes | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ✅ Yes |
| Coral | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ❌ No standard Canadian sportsbook | ❌ No standard Australian brand |
| Paddy Power | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Betfair | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ✅ Yes |
| Sky Bet | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| 888sport | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ⚠️ Market-dependent |
| BetVictor | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ⚠️ Market-dependent |
| Unibet | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ✅ Yes |
| Betway | ⚠️ Limited/market-dependent | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ⚠️ Market-dependent |
| 10bet | ❌ No standard US sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ⚠️ Market-dependent |
| BoyleSports | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No standard Australian operation |
| PROLINE+ | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes - Canada/provincial | ❌ No |
| PlayNow | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes - B.C., Manitoba and Saskatchewan | ❌ No |
| Mise-o-jeu+ | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes, Quebec | ❌ No |
| NorthStar Bets | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes, Ontario | ❌ No |
| theScore Bet | ✅ Yes, 21 states | ❌ No | ✅ Yes, Ontario | ❌ No |
| Sportsbet | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Neds | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| TAB | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Palmerbet | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Ladbrokes Australia | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Betano | ❌ No standard U.S. sportsbook | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Market-dependent | ❌ No standard Australian operation |
NFL betting legality by US state
Not every US state allows online NFL betting. As of 2026, around 30 states plus Washington, DC offer legal online sports betting, while several large states still have no legal option. The table below shows where you stand.
| State group | Online NFL betting status | Examples |
| Open, regulated markets | ✅ Legal online | NJ, PA, NY, MI, CO, IL, AZ, OH, VA, IN, IA, TN, MD |
| Online only, no retail | ✅ Legal online | TN, ME, VT |
| Retail only, no statewide online | ⚠️ Limited or none online | MS, WI, ND |
| No legal sports betting | ❌ Not legal | CA, TX, GA, AL, AK, HI, ID, OK, SC, UT, MN |
Bettors in the ❌ states often turn to offshore books, but those carry their own restrictions. For example, Bovada blocks 20 states even though it accepts players in many others. Here is the full Bovada restricted list as of 2026:
Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia.
NFL betting legality by country
The NFL now plays regular-season games across Europe, South America, and Australia, so international fans bet on it too. Rules differ widely by country. The map below shows how the main markets compare.
Here is a country-by-country snapshot:
| Country | NFL betting status | Popular NFL sportsbooks |
| United States | Legal in about 30 states, banned in others | DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Bovada |
| United Kingdom | Fully legal and popular | bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair |
| Ireland | Fully legal | bet365, Paddy Power, BoyleSports |
| Canada | Ontario open market, others use provincial books | DraftKings, FanDuel, PROLINE+, PlayNow, Mise-o-jeu |
| Australia | Legal and regulated | Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Neds, TAB |
| Germany | Legal, licensed operators | bet365, Tipico, Betano |
| Spain | Legal, licensed operators | bet365, bwin, Codere |
| Mexico | Legal | Caliente, Codere, Betano |
How to use a VPN to safely access NFL betting sites: step-by-step guide
You can bet on the NFL from anywhere by using a VPN and connecting to a supported region where your sportsbook operates. This hides your real location and gives you a local IP address. Follow these steps.
Step 1. Choose a reliable sports betting VPN
The main problem is location blocking, so your VPN needs servers in places where NFL betting is legal, such as New Jersey, Colorado, or the UK.
Based on our testing, NordVPN is the best choice for NFL betting because its network includes thousands of servers across 224 locations and offers features such as standard, obfuscated, Double VPN and dedicated-IP options. In our testing, it unblocked NFL betting sites in the US right away.
Step 2. Install the VPN app on your device
Download and install the app on the device you plan to bet with. For the NFL, a smartphone works best because most sportsbooks build their apps for mobile and push live odds fast. NordVPN also runs on Windows, macOS, tablets, and smart TVs.
Step 3. Connect to a server in a supported region
Connecting to a server changes your IP address so the sportsbook sees you in a legal area. Choose a server that matches where your book operates. NordVPN currently advertises servers across 224 locations, while Surfshark lists more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries and Proton VPN lists more than 20,500 servers in 148 countries.
- DraftKings or FanDuel – connect to New Jersey or Pennsylvania
- bet365 or BetRivers – connect to Colorado or Ohio
- Sky Bet or Paddy Power – connect to the UK
The correct region matters because the site checks your IP against its licensed markets. If a site does not load, switch to a different server in the same region and try again.
Step 4. Open your chosen site and start betting on the NFL
Open your sportsbook in a browser or its app, then log in or create an account. If a page still detects your old location, use incognito mode or clear your cookies and cache first, since sportsbooks store location data locally. Once you are in, you can browse NFL odds, place moneyline, spread, and prop bets, and follow live games.
Troubleshooting tips if a site will not load:
- Switch to another server in the same region
- Restart the VPN app
- Clear your browser cache and cookies
- Try a different device
Popular NFL bet types explained
The NFL offers some of the widest betting menus in sports. Knowing the main markets helps you pick the right site and get more from your account.
- Moneyline – a straight bet on which team wins the game
- Point spread – a bet on the margin of victory, the most popular NFL market
- Totals (over/under) – a bet on the combined points scored by both teams
- Player props – bets on individual stats, such as passing yards or touchdowns
- Team props – bets on team results, such as first to score
- Futures – long-term bets, such as the Super Bowl LXI winner or division titles
- Same-game parlays – several NFL bets from one game combined into a single wager
- Live (in-play) betting – bets placed while the game is running, with odds that shift in real time
Books like DraftKings, FanDuel, and bet365 carry all of these markets, while offshore sites such as Bovada and BetOnline focus on spreads, totals, and moneylines with strong prop coverage. Around the Super Bowl, prop menus expand to hundreds of options.
Can you bet on the NFL in restricted regions?
Betting sites follow different legal rules depending on your region, so access changes from state to state and country to country. Below is a look at where you can and cannot place NFL wagers, and how a VPN helps when you travel.
California
California has no legal online sportsbooks, so regulated apps like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM do not operate there. Many fans turn to offshore books, but Bovada is not blocked in California, so it remains one of the few options for NFL wagers in the state. If you already hold an account with a licensed book from another state, a VPN lets you reach it when you travel back home.
Texas
Texas has not legalized online sports betting, which means DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars are all unavailable for NFL games. Offshore sites like Bovada and BetOnline still accept Texas bettors for NFL markets. A VPN is useful if you signed up for a regulated app while visiting a legal state and want to log back into it.
New Jersey
New Jersey is one of the most open betting markets in the US, so DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365 all take NFL bets there. However, Bovada blocks New Jersey because of the state's strict rules on unlicensed operators. If you travel outside New Jersey, a VPN helps you connect back and keep using your regulated account.
Ontario, Canada
Ontario runs a regulated market, so DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, and theScore Bet all accept NFL wagers there. Other provinces rely on government books like PROLINE+, PlayNow, and Mise-o-jeu for NFL betting. If you leave Ontario for another province or country, a VPN lets you reach your usual sportsbook and its NFL lines.
United Kingdom
NFL betting is fully legal and popular in the UK, so bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, William Hill, and Betfair all offer deep NFL markets. US-only books like DraftKings and Bovada do not operate there. If you travel abroad from the UK, a VPN helps you log back into your account and bet on NFL games as usual.
Australia
Australia allows online sports betting, so Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Neds, and TAB all carry NFL odds. US and UK books are not licensed for Australian users. When you travel outside Australia, a VPN lets you reconnect to your local bookmaker and place NFL wagers.
Best VPNs for NFL betting
- NordVPN - best overall VPN for NFL betting privacy. NordVPN is the strongest all-around choice if your priority is fast, secure browsing around NFL betting websites. Its network currently covers 224 locations, with regular, obfuscated, Double VPN and dedicated-IP options, giving users extensive choices for ordinary privacy and connection troubleshooting.
- Surfshark - budget-friendly VPN for NFL betting. Surfshark is a strong budget alternative with 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, RAM-only infrastructure and support for WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN. It is particularly useful for bettors who want to protect several devices while watching or researching the NFL.
- Proton VPN - best privacy-focused NFL VPN. Proton VPN is a good choice for NFL fans who put privacy and transparency first. Its current network lists more than 20,500 servers in 148 countries, including Secure Core infrastructure and servers capable of up to 10 Gbps.
Is it legal to bet on the NFL with a VPN?
Using a VPN is not automatically illegal, but using one to circumvent a sportsbook's location controls can breach the sportsbook's Terms of Service and potentially create gambling-law issues.
The distinction matters. FanDuel says it uses GeoComply to verify customers are playing from jurisdictions where its products are legal. DraftKings says it collects geolocation information to establish whether users are eligible to participate. BetMGM's UK terms explicitly classify accessing its services from outside the UK using a VPN as a prohibited practice.
KYC and AML checks can also require identity, location and payment verification. Trying to disguise your location can therefore cause an account to be flagged, suspended or closed and may complicate withdrawals.
Before placing an NFL wager, check the gambling laws applicable to your physical location and read the specific Terms of Service of the bookmaker you intend to use.
Conclusion
The 2026 NFL season opens on September 9th, 2026 and runs through Super Bowl LXI, giving fans months of games to bet on. The catch is location. Regulated books like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365 restrict access to licensed states, and offshore sites like Bovada block 20 US states.
A VPN helps you reach your NFL betting account when you travel or when your usual site is unavailable. Just get a VPN, install it, connect to a server in a supported region, and log in to bet. For speed, reliable access, and strong security, NordVPN is our top recommendation for NFL betting from anywhere.
FAQ
Where can I bet on the NFL online?
You can bet on the NFL at major regulated books such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and bet365 in states where they are licensed. Offshore sites like Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie also take NFL wagers in many US states. In the UK, bet365, Sky Bet, and Paddy Power carry deep NFL markets, while Sportsbet and Ladbrokes serve Australia. Your best option depends on where you live and which sites operate there.
Which NFL betting sites are restricted by location?
Nearly all major NFL sportsbooks restrict access by location. Regulated US books like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM only work in states where they hold a license, so they are unavailable in California, Texas, and Georgia. Offshore books restrict too, and Bovada blocks 20 states, including Arizona, Michigan, and New Jersey. UK and Australian books such as Sky Bet and Sportsbet stay locked to their home markets.
Does a VPN work for NFL betting?
Yes, a VPN can help you reach your NFL betting account by changing your IP address to a supported region. When you connect to a server in a state or country where your book operates, the site sees a local connection. NordVPN works well because it has many US servers and fast speeds for live betting. Keep in mind that using a VPN may still breach a sportsbook's terms of service.
What NFL bets and markets can I place?
Most NFL sportsbooks offer moneyline, point spread, and totals (over/under) bets on every game. You can also place player props, such as passing yards or touchdowns, and team props on scoring. Futures markets let you bet on the Super Bowl winner, division titles, and season awards well in advance. Sites like DraftKings and FanDuel also build same-game parlays that combine several NFL markets into one wager.
Is NFL betting legal in my state?
NFL betting is legal in the roughly 30 US states that offer online sports wagering, but rules vary by state. States like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colorado have open markets with many licensed books. Others, including California, Texas, and Georgia, have no legal online sportsbooks yet. Always check your state's current laws before you sign up with any NFL betting site.
Is it safe to use offshore sites like Bovada for NFL betting?
Offshore sites like Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie are widely used for NFL betting, but they are not regulated by US state authorities. That means you have fewer consumer protections than with licensed books like DraftKings or FanDuel. These sites also block a growing list of states, with Bovada restricted in 20 states as of 2026. Read each site's terms and check your local laws before you deposit.
