No longer is online betting limited to pre-game wagers. Gone are the days when you’d wait for the final whistle to see if your wager was a winner. Forget all of that because you can now place a bet on your favorite game as it is happening!

Still a relatively new concept, live betting is driving the popularity of online sports betting through the proverbial roof. The chance to take advantage of ever-changing odds, react to in-game events, and wager even if you’ve missed the start, are all reasons for the growing trend of live betting.

And the thrill of wagering during a game is so widespread that even those with no prior betting experience want to get in on the fun! It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that live betting has completely transformed the way in which we wager on sports today.

Before we discuss the topic in more detail, let's reveal our number one online destination for live betting right now.

Live betting, or, in-play betting, as you may also see it called is at the center of the online betting boom in the US.

The convenience and increased usage of mobile betting apps, not to mention the suitability of US sports, has seen live sports betting revolutionize the industry to the point where bettors want to find the best betting sites for live betting, above any other feature.

According to industry experts, the quality of the in-play experience will soon become the key differentiator between a top betting site and an average one, prompting operators to raise their game in the live betting department.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the best live betting sites operating in the US currently.

Best Live Betting Sites

1. Bet365: Ultimate in-play experience
2. FanDuel: Live streaming for various sports
3. Caesars Sportsbook: Live game tracking & great interface
4. DraftKings: Awesome for soccer live streaming
5. BetMGM: Great live odds
   

Once upon a time sports betting consisted of pre-match wagers only. You'd place your bet before a game and that would be it. Even if your wager looked like being a disaster from the first minute, making another be wasn't possible until the next game started But the introduction of live betting has changed all of that.

Live betting allows you to wager throughout the entire duration of a game

Live betting, or, in-play betting, as some operators call it, works just like regular sports betting in terms of finding a market available for your game, choosing your selection, and placing your stake on a specific event to happen. Except live betting allows you to wager throughout the entire duration of a game.

So even if you've missed the start, the chance to wager is still there. The same if your initial bet has gone awry. In-play betting means you can rip it up and place a new wager based on the action you've seen so far, instead.

Live bets can be found easily in the live betting section of your chosen betting site, which can also be called 'in play betting' or 'live in-game' depending on the operator.

Here, you will find a number of betting markets and a multitude of wagers where the odds will fluctuate in order to reflect the real-time status of the event.

When looking for an in-play betting site, there a number of factors to consider.

Top of your list should be making sure your choice provides all of the latest live betting features.

Live streaming, cash out, and in-game stats, for instance, are three must-have features for the best in-play betting experience.

A betting site with live streaming allows you to watch and bet on live matches at the same time, which is not only convenient but creates another level of engagement for bettors.

While in-game stats and in-game commentary are useful, there's no substitute for actually seeing the action before placing that all-important live bet.

Indicated by a play button icon, the list of sports events you can stream depends on the operator you choose. On the whole, though, you can expect to find a good range of live streaming options at the majority of US betting sites.

Keep in mind that although you won't be charged directly to live stream events, your betting account does need to be in credit, or, you need to have placed a bet in the 24 hours prior to streaming an event.

Which Betting Sites have Live Streaming?

For bettors, live streaming is arguably the most sought-after betting feature. Having said that, not all operators have an option for live streaming. Here are the US betting sites with live streaming.

Betting Sites with Live Streaming

• Bet365 - At Bet365, live streaming is seamless and straightforward and you'll find a range of live streaming options for sports events across the world.
• FanDuel - You can stream NHL games as part of FanDuel's live streaming offering in addition to popular and more niche competitions in soccer and tennis.
• DraftKings - Mobile live streaming is available at DraftKings through a partnership with global sports data provider, Sportradar.

Cash-out allows you to end your wager instantly and walk away with what your bet is worth before the game has ended. The value you decide to 'cash out' will reflect the status of your wager in relation to the live event.

For example, if your bet is going well, you will be able to walk away with an amount close to the amount you'd get if you were to let the bet run to its natural conclusion. Whereas, if your wager is inaccurate, you will be offered a very low amount to cash out.

It's worth noting that there are different variations to the cash-out feature. At Bet365, for instance, Partial Cash Out is available. Here you can choose to cash out part of your bet and still leave some money on the final outcome - the best of both worlds!

Auto Cash Out, meanwhile, sees bets cashed out automatically once they've hit a certain threshold decided by you. This saves those moments of dread when your huge bet value diminishes, when, in hindsight, you would have settled for that amount.

Live statistics give bettors an overview of the action and is a useful feature if you're not watching the action live.

From looking at stats, you can get a good measure idea of how teams and players are performing, helping you to make more informed live bets in the process.

For example, in soccer, it may only be a matter of time before a team with a high shot count scores the next goal. Meanwhile, a player who has made a large number of fouls is a prime candidate to be disciplined and receive a card.

Live betting features are an essential play an important part in choosing a betting site with live betting. But there are other factors that you should also bear in mind.

Speed

As you can imagine, a betting site with live betting must process wagers and adjust odds instantly. The speed at which the betting site posts live bets needs to match what is happening in real-time, thus every second counts. From our experience, Bet365 is by far the quickest live betting site and this isn’t by mistake. The British online bookmaker has worked tirelessly to deliver the fastest live betting experience in the industry by dedicating an entire team to compare the response time of its product against competitors.

Ease of navigation

Is the live betting section easily accessible? How quickly you can find a bet? Is the customer journey simple and convenient? The usability of a betting site plays a key part in determining which live betting sites are best. You want it to be easy to navigate and seamless in how it takes you from A to B back to A in super quick time.

Great variety of live bets

The best live betting sites offer variety across the board. You can choose from a selection of sports and within each sport, there’s a strong choice of markets available. That said, you still tend to find that there are more in-play wagers available for the most popular US sports and less for niche sports but this is constantly being improved.

In-play betting offers

There are ample opportunities to enhance your live betting experience - and boost your betting purse - with the number of offers and promotions rolled out by betting operators. Early payouts, profit boosts, and bonus bets are three typical live betting promos, that you'll find rolled during big sports events in particular.

More wagering opportunities

Bettors are constantly seeking out different opportunities to win, something in-play betting provides plenty of. Essentially, you’re predicting what’s going to happen next, which, in most sports creates endless possibilities to wager. Live betting also provides bettors with greater flexibility. If your wager looks unlikely to win, for instance, you can easily change your mind mid-game.

A more interactive experience for bettors

With live betting the opportunity to bet, win money, and, ultimately, have fun is there throughout the duration of a game, not just before the game begins. And what's more, it's very accessible and easy to do. The addition of live sports betting sites has made betting more engaging for every type of sports bettor.

Every game is enjoyable

We’ve all experienced those one-sided games where the result has effectively been decided before the game has barely started. Prior to in-play betting, a game lacking a competitive nature probably saw you turn off mentally or even turn it off completely. Nowadays, however, every game remains appealing. Live betting ensures that there is still a reason to watch.

Live betting is expected to dominate US online betting in the future. According to a recent estimate by PointsBet, 75% of US online sports betting could come from live betting alone.

One of the main reasons for the anticipated growth is the exponential rise of mobile betting apps. Their increased usage is resulting in more bettors and more bettors engaging with sports betting solely through mobile and using features that are well suited to apps, such as cash out and live streaming.

Talking of suitability, intervals across sports like football and basketball is another reason why, looking ahead, in-play betting is set to soar. Intervals are ingrained into the way US sports are played more so than anywhere else in the world and present bettors with the perfect window to scan in-play bets.

Taking into account the popularity of live betting already and the fact more states (and bettors) will get access to legal sports betting as the US market opens up, it’s fair to assume that in-game betting will be pivotal in where betting companies win or lose business in the US in the future.