American Express Sports Betting Deposits
- Best credit card rewards/miles programs in the business
- High UIGEA success rate of 95% – INSTANT DEPOSITS
- Total transaction fees are just 5-9% for most AmEx members
American Express has long been viewed as the most elite of the major credit card brands, and there’s no denying that the company offers its users a ton of perks. Of course, one of the best perks is that you can actually use your AmEx card to legally and safely bet on sports at the top online sportsbooks. Our brief guide to American Express sports betting deposits will show you exactly how and where to wager over the Internet.
All the best AmEx-friendly betting sites have thousands of daily betting opportunities, including live betting lines and odds accessible via mobile so you can bet from anywhere. And though the slogan might be “Don’t Leave Home Without It,” when it comes to legal online sports betting, you don’t actually have to leave home. You can wager on all the players, teams, and leagues you love from the comfort of your own couch, 24/7. American Express: Don’t Stay Home Without It!
Best Legal Online Sportsbooks That Accept American Express
All the following online sportsbooks are gambling sites that accept American Express. Most of them will also accept prepaid cards, debit cards, and gift cards (provided they’re good for international purchases).
For those interested in safe, secure online betting, American Express cardholders have the option to gamble at any of the best sportsbooks in the business. Of course, these sites also take a host of other online sports betting deposit options, too.
| Site Name | Current Bonus | Age | U.S. | Visit Site | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | 50% Max $1,000 | 18+ |  | Visit Site Review |
| 2 |  | 125% Max $3,125 | 18+ | | Visit Site Review |
| 3 |  | 50% Max $250 | 18+ | | Visit Site Review |
| 4 |  | 25% Max $500 | 18+ | | Visit Site Review |
| 5 |  | 50% Max $250 | 18+ | | Visit Site Review |
| 6 |  | 50% Max $1,000 | 21+ | | Visit Site Review |
| 7 |  | 50% Max $200 | 21+ | | Visit Site Review |
Is It Legal To Bet Online At Sportsbooks That Take American Express?
Yes! All the reputable American Express betting sites listed here accept players from the United States (18+), and there are no federal gambling laws that bar US residents from gambling on sports for real money over the Internet. While about one-third of all US states offer domestic sports betting options, even these have no laws barring the use of overseas sportsbooks.
There is a caveat: For AmEx users living in Washington, the state has nominal prohibitions against online gambling, which includes betting on sports over the Internet. These laws are historically unenforced and you’re not likely to ever get in trouble for participating, but we still advise following all local gaming mandates.
How The UIGEA Affects American Express Sports Betting Transactions
The UIGEA is a federal banking regulation that was passed in 2006, with the goal of preventing domestic banks and financial institutions from knowingly processing unregulated domestic and international betting transactions.
Because these entities cannot track every transaction, compliance with the UIGEA is completely automated. For sports bettors, that means your American Express or other card-based deposit (i.e. Visa sports betting deposit, Discover card sports betting deposit, or Mastercard betting deposit) will occasionally be rejected, declined, or delayed.
If this happens, it’s important to understand that you have done nothing wrong, are not in legal trouble, and have not had your American Express card deactivated. Simply wait 10-15 minutes and try again, use a different card, or deposit using an alternative method like Bitcoin or another supported cryptocurrency.
In short, while the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act” has a scary-sounding name, it does not target individual bettors, nor does it criminalize online sports betting in any way. The UIGEA is a nuisance that can delay your deposits and potentially cause you to miss out on a valuable betting line, but that’s about it.
What Sports Can I Bet On Using AmEx?
The real question is what sports can’t you bet on using American Express! All of the best international sportsbooks have thousands of daily odds on every sport you can imagine, with tons of props, futures, specials, parlays, and more. Markets covered include – but are certainly not limited to – the following:
- NFL
- NCAA College Football
- MLB
- NBA
- NHL
- MLS
- International Soccer (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc.)
- Rugby
- Cricket
- Tennis
- Golf
- Boxing
- MMA/UFC
- NASCAR/F1/IndyCar
- Olympics
- eSports
- Sports Sims
- Virtual Sports
- Politics/Elections
- Entertainment
- Current Events
- +More!
Types Of Cards You Can Use For Sportsbook Banking
American Express online banking options run the gamut at the best international sports betting sites, and you can use just about any AmEx card to fund your gambling account.
Whether you use American Express Blue, Gold, Platinum, Black, or any other kind of card – including prepaid cards and gift cards – you can quickly get your betting bankroll topped off.
Please note that all AmEx gambling deposits come with fees that may be instituted by AmEx or your issuing bank. Additionally, you must ensure that your card is good for international purchases, otherwise you will not be able to deposit with any international sports betting site.
American Express Credit Cards
By far the most common kind of AmEx card is the standard credit card (and all its colorful variations). Of course, it doesn’t matter what kind of AmEx credit card you use, as they all work the same way.
The only issue is that the UIGEA will interrupt such transactions about 5% of the time, which can be a headache for bettors who want to wager on a game that’s starting in just a few minutes.
AmEx credit transfers also come with a surcharge of between 3.5-9%, which will be disclosed before you complete your transaction.
American Express Debit Cards
Unlike Visa and Mastercard, American Express doesn’t follow the typical debit card model. AmEx debit cards are technically all prepaid cards, usually in partnerships with local financial institutions, stores, or other commercial service providers.
However, if you have an American Express prepaid debit card, you can still use it at any trusted online sportsbook as long as it’s rated for international purchases.
The same general fees apply with debit cards as with standard AmEx credit cards.
American Express Prepaid Cards
An AmEx prepaid card is the same thing as an American Express secured card, and these are used primarily to help people build their credit. As such, you need to be extra careful to not stretch yourself too thin by depositing and betting more money than you can afford to.
Also, when using a prepaid AmEx, it’s important that you check your prepaid card balance beforehand, as you’ll want to ensure that you have enough cash on it and that your offshore sports betting deposit will not put you over your limit, which will ding your credit score.
American Express Gift Cards
American Express gift cards are popular and widely used, and nearly all the best legal sports betting sites accept them.
Even if gift cards aren’t advertised explicitly on these sites’ Cashier pages, you can usually use them just like normal cards – simply enter your card number, the amount you want to deposit, and submit the form. As long as your AmEx gift card is good for international transactions, it should go through.
Gift cards in general have the highest success rates of any type of credit card, as UIGEA compliance doesn’t seem to flag these as often. For our money, gift cards from AmEx are the best way to load up your betting account ASAP.
Check out the official AmEX website for more information on the types of cards they offer.
American Express Sports Betting Deposit Limits
Different AmEx betting sites have different deposit limits and fees, though regardless of the sportsbook you choose, those limits should be more than adequate. In general, you can expect to be able to deposit money in the following range at all the best online sports betting sites:
- Minimum Deposit: $20-50
- Maximum Deposit: $1500-5000
When it comes to American Express fees for deposits, most books won’t charge anything extra. However, AmEx tends to have higher international transfer fees to be aware of, which may mean that you may be hit with a surcharge of anywhere from 3.5% to 9%.
Please check your American Express account details for more information on international purchases.
American Express Sports Betting Withdrawals
In the past, credit card chargebacks were a common way for legal online sports betting sites to pay their players, but ever since the UIGEA banking regulation became law in 2006, these options have become less reliable.
American Express chargeback rules – like those for other card issuers (i.e. Visa, Mastercard, etc.) – must comply with the automated UIGEA, and this hampered timely withdrawals 5-10% of the time, which was bad for bettors. Thus, you can no longer receive your online sports betting winnings via an American Express chargeback.
Still, you have plenty of other online sports betting payout options after depositing with AmEx, including the following:
- Courier Check
- Money Order
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Player Transfer
- Sportsbook Voucher
All the above payout methods come with fees to be aware of, and processing usually takes 3-5 days before you’ll see your money stateside.
Exceptions to this are Player Transfers and Vouchers, which are fee-free and can be used to claim same-day payouts via popular P2P instant-pay services like PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and others. However, not all online sportsbook sites support Transfers or Vouchers.
All that said, most top sportsbooks will give their members one free check withdrawal every 90 days or so, so if you plan to be paid out relatively infrequently, you can maximize your earnings going this route.
Note: Unfortunately, you cannot claim a Bitcoin payout (or other cryptocurrency payouts via Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Stellar, etc.) if you’ve deposited with American Express, as crypto withdrawals are available exclusively to those players that deposit with crypto.
Sports Betting Bonuses For April 2025
When you make a deposit at any of the best online sportsbooks for US players, you’re going to be offered a sports betting bonus that can boost your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
While these bonuses are completely optional, all the providers we recommend have very favorable rollover requirements, which means that you can easily meet the terms and conditions of any online sports betting promotion.
Naturally, different AmEx sportsbooks will have different bonus options to choose from, but in general, you can expect to find the following at any of the sites listed here:
- Sports Betting Signup Bonus – 50-100% Deposit Match Up To $1000
- Sports Betting Reload Bonus – 40-100% Deposit Match Up To $1000
- Sports Betting Refer-A-Friend Bonus - $100 For Each Referral
Many sportsbooks will also give members special bonuses for making their first mobile sports betting wagers and offer risk-free bets on their first live in-game wagers.
These offers tend to come and go seasonally, but you can usually find them at the start of major sporting seasons at most legal online betting sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: American Express is a third-party payment processor and does not endorse this site or any online sports betting site in any way. This page is for informational purposes only.
