Credit card sportsbooks are probably the most sought after segment of the industry for players who are selecting their betting destinations based on banking methods that are convenient, instant, and user friendly. E-wallet services such as Neteller or Skrill may be faster when it comes to funding your online sports betting account, but many people still use traditional credit and debit cards for that purpose. The biggest advantage of using this method is the fact that you won't have to transfer your funds through at third-party service or set up any additional accounts, which might save some time if you aren't planning on using e-commerce sites all that frequently. This was actually a determining factor for me. When I started using my Visa to bet on sports, ewallet options were still available to US players, but my credit card just easier and faster to use.

However, you should keep in mind that making a credit card deposit will require you to provide the sportsbook with your credit card information, including the CVV code, expiration date and the billing address. Not all players are comfortable with this. Those individuals who do a lot of online shopping and bill payments with their credit or debit cards will probably feel right at home using this option. I personally use my Visa to bet on sports several times a week and I have never had any issues with transaction approvals or theft. Because I only participate at online sportsbooks with a very credible security profile in place, I didn't have to worry about the security issues that are present at the more questionable brands, so I didn't mind sharing my credit card information.

Credit card deposits are one of the few payment methods available to US-based bettors who want to join offshore sports betting sites, but unfortunately it isn't exactly 100% reliable when it comes to transaction approvals. Because of the complexity that can sometimes be involved with US credit card sportsbooks, we decided that this wold be a necessary topic to cover in our sportsbook banking guide, and nicely compliment our section dedicated to USA sportsbook deposits. Credit card payments are occasionally blocked because US based credit card companies in some cases will not process any type of gambling related transactions, and have special code recognition in place to reject these transactions. While having your payment blocked is not going to have any legal consequences and won't cost you any money, it will force you to try another card.

Consequently, there are times when making a successful credit card deposit can require assuming a trial and error period before finding the perfect card to use, which can get rather frustrating to players who are eager to begin their betting session. Fortunately, some of the popular credit card brans have a higher acceptance rate than others, so if you'd like to maximize your chances, you should consider consulting the list below which highlights those credit card brands that have proven more reliable for US residents. Please keep in mind that transaction approvals are far more common than the rejections, and many players, such as myself, have never experienced credit card issues when betting at the brands that are recommended on this page.

Visa cards have the highest acceptance rate, which exceeds 75%. As a result, all of the sites that support credit card deposits will have absolutely no qualms about accepting Visa cards. Visa also employs a security protocol called Verified by Visa which provides added protection for cardholders against unauthorized transactions, theft and fraud. This added safety feature provides a sense of security for cardholders who otherwise may feel a little timid about using Visa deposits for online gambling transactions.

MasterCard is the second most reliable card when it comes to funding your online sports betting account – the success rate is reported to be about 50%. MasterCard cards are also widely accepted, but if you have the choice, you should probably go for a Visa deposit instead. MasterCard's enhanced security protocol is called MasterCard SecureCode. It essentially operates the same as Visa's Verified program and protects cardholders from unauthorized transactions, theft and fraud, providing that extra sense of security for players who need a little reassurance to feel comfortable using MasterCard deposits to fund their sportsbook account.

American Express and Delta SkyMiles cards generally have one of the lowest acceptance rates, which has been reported to be close to 30%. Consequently, some sites have stopped accepting American Express deposits over the past few years, but if you'd like to give it a try you shouldn't have any problems with finding a sportsbook that still supports this brand. The top rated sportsbook brands that we recommend in this guide all use premium payment processors, and in most cases they employ multiple payment processors to ensure success. Because of this, your odds of success with your Amex card are improved by using the American Express sports betting sites you find listed in our guide.

Discover cards aren't all that popular with online sports betting sites due to low transaction approval rates, which means that you should probably contact customer support before attempting to make a Discover card sportsbook deposit. However, you should keep in mind that those brands which do allow Discover card deposits are aware of this challenge, and the specific destinations in this guide which do welcome the Discover Card brand are usually the sites that have employed multiple premium payment processors to improve their odds of obtaining transaction approval ratings for their US customers.

Some sports betting sites tend to accept prepaid cards that can be bought at your local store like Walmart or CVS Pharmacy, but you should keep in mind that your card has to be cleared for international transactions in order to give you a shot at making a successful deposit – popular domestic-only cards simply won't work. It is not always easy to locate these types of cards in the US. There are a few sportsbooks in this guide that accept Secure Payment Vouchers, which can act similar to a prepaid card. They allow you to purchase a prepaid voucher using your credit or debit card in order to fund your sports betting account. It does require the extra step of purchasing the voucher, but I have never had an instance fail in which I selected this payment method. Check out our complete section on sportsbooks accepting prepaid cards.

Many European gamblers tend to cover their online gambling expenses using e-commerce or ewallet services, but that doesn't stop UK-facing sites from supporting credit and debit card payments. In fact, UK sportsbook deposit methods always include a nice selection of credit and debit card options for players to consider. Please note that UK-based punters don't have to worry about low acceptance rates, as this issue is pretty much exclusive to the United States. The United Kingdom doesn't have an equivalent to the UIGEA which would prevent the financial institutions from processing sports betting-related transactions, therefore blocked transactions are exceptionally rare. Following are the most widely used credit and debit card brands throughout the UK. For players who are a bit leery about sharing their credit card information with multiple online merchants, UK residents have the option of choosing sportsbooks that accept ewallet deposits, which allow you to use your credit card to fund your electronic wallet account, and then turn around and use your ewallet to fund your betting account. While this is an extra step, the added security of not sharing your credit card information with any third party merchants is worth it to most players.

Visa and MasterCard are the most popular credit card brands in Europe, so it should come as no surprise that all the online sportsbooks that accept UK-based customers have absolutely no qualms about accepting Visa or MasterCard payments. With the enhanced security that comes with both of these major brands, players can rest assured that their financial information is being effectively protected. Visa and MasterCard deposits are processed instantly. You can expect to be required to complete some identification verification on your first credit card deposit at any online sportsbook or gambling sites.

Maestro is a popular debit card service owned by MasterCard and offered to non-USA customers, and has replaced the discontinued Switch and Solo debit card schemes. As such, Maestro is widely accepted by UK-facing sports betting sites, and is not available to US residents. The Maestro card can be used anywhere that MasterCard is accepted, which means that in addition to safely funding your online sports betting, you can also use this card at thousands of online and offline merchants worldwide.

Visa Electron is Visa's reply to MasterCard's Maestro and operates similarly. This debit card service is offered to non-USA customers, and is accepted at any online or offline merchant that displays the Visa logo. Visa Electron deposits are supported by a wide range of UK-friendly sportsbooks, including the top rated brands recommended in this guide. Verified by Visa security features are applicable to the Visa Electron debit card as well, so you get the same added security as you would using your Visa card to fund your account.