Legal Chess Betting Online
- Chess Championship 2024 Betting Odds Are Live Now
- Online Chess Gambling Is Legal In All 50 States
- Places Bets On PCs, Laptops, Smartphones, And Tablets
Chess is a 500+-year-old strategy game where two opponents face off on a 64-square chessboard. Gambling on sports is mostly centered around professional leagues like the NFL and NBA, but legal chess betting online has been growing in popularity with the spread of sportsbooks across the USA.
This handbook has been put together for online gamblers who are looking for legal opportunities to bet on chess in the United States. There are trustworthy and fast-paying online sportsbooks that will accept your chess bet no matter where you are in the country, so read on to learn how and where to place a legal wager.
Bovada Sportsbook
#1 Online Betting Site
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The Best Legal Online Chess Betting Sites
| Site Name | Current Bonus | Age | U.S. | Visit Site | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | 50% Max $1,000 | 18+ |  | Visit Site Review |
| 2 |  | 100% Max $1,000 | 21+ | | Visit Site Review |
| 3 |  | 50% Max $200 | 21+ | | Visit Site Review |
Is Online Chess Gambling Legal?
Yes. Although chess betting odds can be difficult to find at times due to the game’s overall popularity, there are no laws forbidding the creation of odds or the accepting of wagers on matches and winners.
Most US states regulate at least one type of sportsbook, and locals can legally bet on chess if they meet the minimum gambling age. Legal chess betting online can happen in every US state if you sign up with an offshore sportsbook site.
International sports betting sites adhere to their local gambling laws, which permit them to serve the United States on the web.
How Does Chess Gambling Work?
The most common bet types you’ll find for gambling on chess are match lines and futures for tournament winners.
Chess Betting Lines - A betting line will be offered for each match in a given tournament that includes moneyline odds for each player to win and a spread for wagering on the margin of games the winner wins by. Moneyline odds will payout if you wager on the winner of the match. Spread bets will win if wagers are placed on the correct side of the handicap.
Chess Futures – These are lines that will include all competitors that remain in a tournament, with odds offered on each one of them to win. As each round concludes, eliminated players will also be removed from the futures odds. The moneyline for each player can change at any time, even during their matches. Futures are usually posted before the tournament begins and will usually remain online through the quarterfinals.
Chess Prop Bets – These are not offered often, but they take action on any occurrence that doesn't involve a tournament winner or elements of a betting line. Examples of chess props are the first player to put their opponent in check, or what a player will wear to the match.
Chess Live Betting
Wagers can be placed while games are ongoing at most betting sites. Just look in the live betting section of any of the sites included in our online sportsbook reviews when a match is happening to see if they have the line posted.
The gambling works the same way it does before the game begins, but part or all of the line can be stricken through at any time. These decisions are made by each online sportsbook, so check another site we recommend if the line is removed early.
Betting On Chess World Championships
Since 1886, the Chess World Championships have determined the top player on the planet each year. In 2014, the CWC began competing every two years, with events held on even-numbered years.
There is also a Women's World Chess Championship that occurs bi-annually. World Chess Championship odds will be produced for each match, as well as futures for winners. Odds to win these tournaments are often posted weeks before they begin.
Chess Pieces And How The Game Works
Pawns - The front row is made up of eight pawns. They can move forward one square at a time unless they are taking out an opponent, in which case they can make a diagonal movement. On each pawn’s first move, you have the option of moving them one or two squares.
Rooks - The back row features rooks on either end. Rooks can move an unlimited number of spaces vertically or horizontally as long as a piece of the same color is not in the way.
Knights – Inside of each rook is a knight. Knights are the only pieces that can jump other same-colored pieces. Knights move either one space vertically, then two spaces horizontally, or one space horizontally, and then two vertically.
Bishops – Inside of each knight is a bishop. Bishops can move an unlimited number of squares vertically but cannot jump a same-colored piece.
The Queen – This is the most powerful piece on the board. The queen can move an unlimited number of spaces vertically or horizontally.
The King – This is the piece you must protect to remain active in the game. The King can move one space in any direction and must be moved if placed in check. The game is over if the King cannot make a move that takes them out of check position.
Mobile Chess Betting Apps
Placing a bet on chess using a smartphone or tablet works exactly the same way that it does when using a PC or a laptop. Open a web browser and visit your favorite sportsbook using your Android or Apple-branded device.
iPhones, iPads, Samsungs, and other popular brands will support these mobile outlets for betting on chess as long as they are connected to the Internet. The screens and text are smaller, but the touch-button controls are a nice offset for single-fingered wagering.
Sportsbook Bonuses
Before you make your first deposit at an online sportsbook, have a look at the promo section to see if any bonuses are available. Each of the sportsbook sites we endorse here features welcome bonuses for first-time depositors that match a percentage of the total and is then given to you as a gift.
Sportsbook bonus offers have terms of completion that you can familiarize yourself with in the promotional details at each book. These usually include playthrough conditions that require the bonus money to be bet in the sportsbook a specific number of times before a payout can happen.
The status of your bonus repayment can be tracked in your sportsbook account. This bonus cash can be really beneficial as long as you meet the terms by the deadline.
