Sports betting in Las Vegas is incredible. Whether you're heading out for March Madness, the Super Bowl, a random NFL Sunday or any other weekend, there's always a sporting event to bet on in Sin City.
While there are few things I enjoy more than spending a day in the sportsbook, many bettors have yet to take advantage of sports betting apps offered by major casinos/sportsbooks in Las Vegas.
In fact, I was on a recent vacation in Vegas and decided to test out sports betting apps for the first time. Overall, I came away as a huge fan of the new sports betting technology and decided to detail a few of the key advantages and disadvantages of using them.
For the purposes of this article, I used two sports betting apps on my trip: playMGM and Westgate.
Las Vegas Sports Betting App Advantages
You don't need to be in a casino to bet
While the idea of sitting in a sportsbook 24/7 seems fun, it's not realistic. Especially for those traveling with friends and family who aren't avid sports bettors or if you simply want to experience other things in Vegas during your trip.
So as long as you're anywhere inside the state of Nevada, you can immediately place wagers through apps even if you're not inside a casino at the time.
Don't need to visit casinos to cash tickets
After a day of gambling, adult beverages and exploring the Las Vegas strip, you'll often need to return to different casinos to cash those winning wagers. In the past, I'd often pop back and forth between multiple sportsbooks to take advantage of the best betting odds available, but then have to spend large portions of the next day returning to those casinos to cash tickets.
With funded sports betting apps, all winners simply get added to your balance, so there's no cashing at brick-and-mortar locations needed.
And this also leads us directly into the third advantage …
Very easy to shop for the best lines
Ensuring you're getting the best available odds is crucial in maximizing sports betting line value. Once you've nailed down the game(s) you want to bet, apps make it incredibly easy to shop for whichever sportsbook is offering the best price to bet.
In fact, failing to shop for the best line is one of the common mistakes all sports bettors should avoid.
Avoid long lines at the counter
Lines to physically place wagers at sports betting counters can be brutally long, especially during major events like March Madness. While others spend too much time standing around for the opportunity to bet, apps allow you to instantly place your wagers.
Sports Betting App Disadvantages
Being at the mercy of battery life
Betting on sportsbook apps is all fun and games until your phone battery dies. Make sure your device is fully charged before heading out each morning, and if you plan on using it a lot, bring a portable battery charger with you.
No drink tickets
Part of the fun of betting on sports in Las Vegas is scoring free drink tickets for your wagers. But if you're betting from an app and not visiting the counter, you'll lose out on those free drinks.
Don't worry though, we've got a handful of ways to bettors can drink on the cheap in Las Vegas without the need for drink tickets.
Lack of robust bet tracking
While sports betting apps allow you to track wins and losses, it's difficult to track the status of all your action with so many games going at once.
Be sure to download The Action Network's mobile app, enter your wagers and you'll be able to instantly track how you're doing at every moment with live win probabilities for each active bet.
If you're ready to give sports betting apps a shot, here's how to get setup:
- Download the app from your device's app store.
- Sign up for the casino's players club. On my trip, I was not aware of this step and had to leave the sportsbook to grab a players club card.
- Visit the sportsbook counter with the app downloaded, your players club card and the amount of money you'd like to load onto the app.
- Visit the sportsbook to withdraw when you're ready to cash out. And be sure to know your sportsbook's hours. If you're like me and have an early flight when you head home, you'll need to withdraw the day before.
