Players from United States accepted
Licensed online sportsbooks in Costa Rica can only offer their services to the international market. Bettors in the country are usually restricted from using such platforms, so the best alternatives are offshore bookmakers.
As experts, we recognize how easy it is to browse the many sites to select a quality one. So, we’ve made things easier for you by rating the best bookmakers that support locals. You’ll find them on our top list and details on why we rank them.
Full List of Costa Rica Betting Sites
We have asked for the help of our team of experts with BetZillion's genuine expertise to create a list of the best and most popular Costa Rican sportsbooks. All listed bookies offer terrific betting odds, solid promotions, and bonuses and provide a high-quality gambling experience.
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4.2
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Rakeboost bonus
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4.1
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100% up to $500 on 1st deposit and 50% up to $250 on 2nd deposit
T&Cs Apply
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4.1
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3+1 in Free Bets
T&Cs Apply
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4.4
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100% up to $500
T&Cs Apply
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4.2
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4.2
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50% up to $1000
T&Cs Apply
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4.0
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T&Cs Apply
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4.2
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100% up to $500
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4.2
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100% up to $1000
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4.4
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100% up to u₿50000
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Easy to use
History of Sports Betting in Costa Rica
Costa Rican sports gambling is somewhat complicated. While betting shops (brick-and-mortar) are prohibited, online sports betting has been legal since 1999, when the government established regulations for such sites to run legally.
Interestingly, online betting sites did not need to pay taxes before 2012, which ushered in a considerable influx of online bookies in the first 13 years of legal online wagering in Costa Rica. As a result, there are several hundred online bookies currently operating in the country.
Top Betting Bonuses for Costa Rican Bettors
A good bookmaker needs to have great odds and enough market depth, providing solid betting bonuses and offers. The promotions often come in free bets, the most popular and helpful betting rewards that add the most value to your gambling.
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4.2
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Rakeboost bonus
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Rakeback is a withdrawable bonus that is accrued for each bet and depends on your current Rank. Please bet responsibly, begambleaware.org. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. | |
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4.1
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100% up to $500 on 1st deposit and 50% up to $250 on 2nd deposit
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Kick off your new GTbets.ag account with our top-rated CASH sign up bonus. Make your first deposit to receive a 100% cash bonus up to $500, and then 50% up to $250 on your second deposit. Full T&Cs apply. | |
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4.1
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3+1 in Free Bets
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Place 3 consecutive bets and get the 4th bet as a free bet! Full T&Cs apply | |
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4.4
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100% up to $500
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New customers only! Please bet responsibly, begambleaware.org. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. | |
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4.2
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4.2
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50% up to $1000
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Earn a 50% Welcome Bonus up to $1,000 on your first-ever deposit at Jazz Sports. Use Promo Code JAZZ50 and your extra 50% will be added to your sports betting balance. Full T&Cs apply |
Some sportsbooks will offer odds boosts and bonus payouts on parlays, whereas betting sites with casino games might award you free spins on your favourite slots. So, no matter which online sportsbook in Costa Rica you visit, you can rest assured it will have some bonuses ready; the trick is to find the bookmaker with the best offers.
Costa Rica Sports Betting Market Overview
| ⚖️ Is betting legal: | Yes |
| 📅 Sports Betting Legal Since: | 1886 |
| 🏢 Regulatory Body: | Junta de Potección de Social |
| 🧾 Taxation: | Not taxable |
| ⚽ Favorite Sports to Bet on: | Football, volleyball, Olympics, golf |
| 🎰 Other Popular Gambling Markets: | Casinos, lottery, bingo, poker |
| ⭐ Most Popular Sportsbooks: | Ivibet, 22Bet, FreshBet |
| 🔞 Legal gambling age: | 18 |
Bet of the Day for Costa Rica
Regarding the popularity of sports, soccer is the most-watched sport in Costa Rica, and to no one surprise, soccer is also the most popular sport among bettors. Not only do punters like to bet on Costa Rica's domestic soccer league, but major soccer leagues, such as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A, are big hits on the gambling sites.
WHAT IS THE BEST BET FOR TODAY?
But no matter which Costa Rica sports betting website you visit, you can be sure that it won't only focus on soccer, allowing Costa Rican bettors to wager on everything they wish – from basketball and soccer to tennis and more.
Bet on Sport
Soccer is the most popular sport to bet on in Costa Rica, but it's by no means the only sport people like to wager on. Cycling and volleyball, amongst others, have a large following of fans who don't shy away from gambling on their favourite sport.
So, if you're worried about the possibility of visiting a Costa Rica betting site and being met with a limited wagering offer – you shouldn't be. Your favourite sports will be there, no matter which bookmaker you choose for your sports betting needs.
Bet on Competitions
As a country located very close to the United States, Costa Rican sportsbook will offer excellent coverage of all US major sports leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, MLS, and MLB. And besides that, you can expect enough betting markets on Costa Rican domestic leagues, such as the Fútbol de Primera División (Liga FPD) and surfing competitions such as Circuito Nacional Kolbi.
Domestic competitions in Costa Rica might not be as popular in the betting world. You would be fortunate to find those wagering markets on a Singapore bookie or any bookmaker located out of Costa Rica. Still, you can be sure the odds will be readily available on any Costa Rican sportsbooks.
So if you want to bet on Costa Rican domestic soccer league, all you need to do is visit any of the bookies in the country, navigate to the betting markets and start wagering. You won't have to do any digging to find the odds you're looking for, even if you're using offshore bookies to place your bets.
Bet on Teams
Like you can wager on Costa Rican competitions, and you can also bet on Costa Rican teams. Admittedly, there aren't as many world-renowned sports teams in Costa Rica as you would find in the United States, Italy, or Spain, but that doesn't mean there aren't betting opportunities available for you.
Those opportunities will become even bigger with international tournaments in which Costa Rican national teams participate. That mainly includes soccer and volleyball contests, in which Costa Rica has achieved immense success.
Betting on your home country to win every tournament isn't the smartest choice, especially if they're not one of the top teams in the event. But that's hardly an issue knowing that Costa Rican sportsbooks offer a long list of teams you can bet on and an even longer list of wagering markets you can explore.
So while options are there, remember to do enough research on the teams to find winning bets.
Bet on Players
Costa Rica might be a small country, but it is the home of many global sports superstars. The long list of former and current sports athletes includes Keylor Navas, Hanna Gabriels, and arguably 2 of Costa Rica's most prominent sporting icons, Sylvia and Claudia Poll.
All these big names are trendy in Costa Rica, and as you might have guessed, they're also popular among sports bettors who like to explore the individual player markets.
Betting on individual players is a niche wagering market that focuses on how a player will perform in a given match rather than his team's success. But regardless, online player betting is widespread across the world.
If you want to bet on individual markets, you don't have to look far to find the odds. Although still a niche market, all bookies will offer special player wagers, which might be worth exploring if you want to spice up your betting experience.
New Betting Sites in Costa Rica
The sports betting industry is bigger than ever. And thanks to the increasing popularity of online gambling, there are more sportsbooks to choose from than ever before, with new names popping up weekly, giving bettors even more selection.
And let's not forget that more sports betting sites mean more generous offers and promotions to take advantage of!
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4.2
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First Deposit Bonus 125% up to $1000
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4.1
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100% up to €30000
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3.6
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So while most punters in Costa Rica will want to stick with the known names such as Unibet, sport888, and Bet365, signing up for a new bookmaker has its advantages. Most new bookies work tirelessly to gain as much attention in the betting world and attract as many bettors as possible, and they all use the same strategy – wagering bonuses.
It's not too uncommon to see a new sportsbook pop up with promotions and bonuses that trump even some of the biggest names in the industry. Some new bookies even enter the market with new features you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere, providing you with just one more reason to test them out.
How to Choose the Best Bookmakers in Costa Rica
Like you would before you start online betting in Nigeria, Australia, Canada or any other country, you need to find a bookmaker that will provide you with all the features you discover. That is not a simple process, and it will take some time investment, but picking the right bookmaker for you is worth it in the long run.
So before you start looking through the large selection of sports betting sites in Costa Rica, you should know what to look out for. Here are 6 things to keep an eye on:
- The sportsbooks must be licensed, regulated, and legal to ensure the safety of your personal information and money will be safe.
- Remember that regulated bookmakers are usually a much safer choice than offshore bookies.
- Compare the quality of the odds and the market depth between sportsbooks before you make your choice – bookies will have various odds and different availability of the betting markets.
- Check whether the bookie has bonuses and promotions, and consider picking the site with the best offer.
- Features like live betting markets and the availability of live streams are important.
- Ensure that the bookie has a solid banking department with enough deposit and withdrawal options.
If you find a bookmaker that checks all the marks – offers quality odds, enough market depth on your favourite sports, solid bonuses, and has live betting, you have found a great sports wagering site. And if you find more than one Costa Rican bookmaker with all these features, you should consider registering for more accounts.
Deposit Methods at Costa Rican Sportsbook
Before placing your first bet, you need to fund your gambling account. On most sportsbooks, you can do so by navigating to “My Account” and clicking on “Deposit” or “Banking.”
Know that the deposit options will vary from sportsbook to sportsbook, but there are a few methods that you can find everywhere. That includes wire transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, and other E-wallets. But while those are the most common deposit methods, Costa Rican sportsbooks will usually offer a few more options to fund your account.
Nowadays, it's not uncommon to find a bookie that will also accept deposits with cryptocurrencies, which have become an accepted payment method on sports betting sites and online stores. Although not a feature that a bookie needs to have, assuming you aren't someone who bets exclusively with crypto, it always helps to have more options.
But no matter how many different deposit options a sportsbook has, you should always pick between those that include functions that suit your needs.
Withdrawal Methods at Costa Rican Sportsbooks
Just like it's important to pick a sportsbook with enough deposit methods to make it easier for you to fund your betting account, it helps to play on a bookie with a large enough selection of withdrawal methods. Like it's the case with deposit options, the ways you can withdraw your winnings will vary from sportsbook to sportsbook.
Still, a few methods are available on all bookies, including E-wallets, wire transfers, and checks. On some bookies, you can withdraw your winnings in person at any bookie's land-based casinos or betting shops.
While picking the bookie with the best withdrawal options, you should choose a sportsbook that offers withdrawal ways that make transferring money easy for you. So whether you want to withdraw your winnings in crypto, via a check, on Skrill, or on PayPal, you should pick a bookie with those options.
Best Mobile Betting Sites & Betting Apps in Costa Rica
Most online betting in Costa Rica is done via mobile devices, mainly because mobile gambling can be done anytime, anywhere, allowing you to place your bets whenever and wherever you please. And since mobile betting is extremely popular, every bookie has a mobile website, and many will also have dedicated mobile wagering apps.
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100% up to u₿50000
T&Cs Apply
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4.8
Bet £10 get £30 in free bets
T&Cs Apply
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So while some bettors prefer betting from their PCs, most will want to have the option to place wagers via tier mobile devices, which is why it's wise to register on a Costa Rica sportsbook with a mobile betting app available. But when picking a bookie that will allow you to stake via your phone, you first check the quality of the mobile betting app.
Most importantly, the app needs to be stable and have all the features you need, and if you're an in-play bettor, the app must be fast. The best way to check the quality is by testing the app yourself, reading through reviews on Google Play and App Store, or checking our list of the top Costa Rican gambling sites with the best mobile betting apps.
Which Costa Rican Bookmaker Has the Best Odds?
Picking a bookie that can offer you the best odds on the sport you want to bet on is one of the most important things you can do before creating your wagering account. Higher odds mean higher potential payouts, and if you're betting to make a profit, that's precisely what you should be looking for.
To find the bookie that can provide you with the best quality odds, you will need to do some price shopping, i.e., visiting several bookies and comparing their offers. It can't be overstated how important good odds are, and their quality should be the primary driving fact for you when picking the bookmaker to bet with.
Luckily, most Costa Rican sportsbooks offer very competitive odds, so finding a betting site with quality prices won't be hard. But to make the process easier, you can always check our list of the top Costa Rican betting sites with the best odds.
Costa Rican Live Betting & Streaming
Live betting is one of the most exciting ways you can approach wagering on sports, and it's readily available on most online sportsbooks. In addition, in-play betting can be highly profitable since it generally offers far more value than pre-match gambling.
That also explains why live betting is so prevalent in Costa Rica and the global sports betting world. Admittedly, in-play wagering requires more knowledge of the game and the sports betting markets. Still, anyone can do it, as long as you find a Costa Rica betting site with in-play betting available and, most importantly, offers live streaming of the games.
Here is our list of the top Costa Rican gambling sites with live betting and live streaming options.
The Legal Situation of Sports Betting in Costa Rica
Online betting in Costa Rica has been legal since 1999, when the government established the required regulatory environment to allow online betting sites to start offering their services. Unfortunately, brick-and-mortar bookies are unavailable, so while you can't wager in person, online betting is readily available via your computer or mobile device.
Interestingly, Costa Rican betting sites did not need to pay taxes for the first 13 years. Still, things changed in 2012 when the country imposed stricter regulations and asked all operators to pay taxes directly to the government. The laws that introduced taxes in 2012 were also the last significant change in the country's government approach to sports gambling.
The Costa Rican government has a very hands-off approach to regulating online sports betting, allowing local sites to operate freely as long as they pay taxes. Interestingly, international bookies receive the same treatment without contributing to the government. But the hands-off approach has its pros and cons.
Most notably, it welcomes many new bookies to enter the Costa Rican market, explaining why over 400 online betting sites are available and operating in the country. However, on a more negative side, when it comes to security, it's solely on the patrons to take the needed measures to ensure they're safe.
Costa Rica does not have a regulatory body that will protect you from theft and other forms of fraud. And that's why you should be careful when picking a trustworthy sportsbook. But if you have read our guide, you should know which sports betting sites in Costa Rica you should look at.
The lack of a regulatory body might make it scary to pick an offshore sportsbook, but while you should generally avoid them, that doesn't mean there are no solid options. The biggest offshore sportsbook in Costa Rica is MyBookie, closely followed by BetUS. Still, while they are offshore sports betting sites, they receive a thumbs up from us because they're reliable, secure, and offer a quality betting experience.
You should know that while the Costa Rican government has a very hands-off approach to regulating sports betting in the country, you still need to be at least 18 years old to gamble in the country legally. And remember – there are no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in the country, but with over 400 betting operators available as of 2022, that's hardly an issue.
Responsible Gambling Organisations in Costa Rica
If you are struggling with gambling problems in Costa Rica, there are a few global corporations and organizations that can potentially offer aid and support.
- GambleAware
- GamCare
- Gambling Therapy
- Gamblers Anonymous
- Net Nanny
- CYBERsitter
- GamBlock
- Cyber Patrol
- Gamban
- Betfilter
How to Open an Account in Costa Rican Sportsbook
Creating an account with a Costa Rican sportsbook is a straightforward process that doesn't differentiate from creating a betting account in any other country. To register for a gambling account, you must follow a few simple steps:
- Find a reputable and legal sportsbook – or you can check our list of the best Costa Rican sports betting sites.
- Navigate to the “Join Now” or “Register” button and start the registration process
- Provide all the required personal information, including full name, date of birth, and email address.
- Complete the registration and verify your betting account with a verification link on your email.
- Make your first deposit and start wagering!
Remember that you need to be at least 18 years old to bet in Costa Rica legally. If you're underage, you won't be able to create a betting account with any sports wagering sites.
Betting Sites in Other Countries
United States 
Fiji 
New Zealand Costa Rica Overview
Even though Costa Rican sports betting is in a weird spot – with soft regulations and no in-person betting – sports gambling is still a huge industry. With over 400 operators to choose from, Costa Rica has one of the largest selections of bookies in the world, providing you with more than enough options to find the right bookmaker for you.
But before you start betting on sports in Costa Rica, you should know a few interesting facts about the country and its gambling industry.
- San José is the capital of Costa Rica, the largest city in the country, and the home of some of the country's strongest sports teams. Other big cities in Costa Rica include Limon, San Francisco, Alajuela, and Liberia.
- Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica and the most widely spoken language throughout the country. Other languages in Costa Rica include English, a wide range of Indian languages, and Creole, spoken in Limon province.
- Costa Rican official currency is Costa Rican colón. Besides colón, bettors also like to use the American dollar, euro, and cryptocurrencies.
- Costa Rican sportsbooks generally have a nice selection of payment methods, including all of the most popular options in wire transfer, crypto, Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal.
- Although over 400 online bookmakers are available, the most famous and legal bookies include BetUS, MyBookie, Bovada, FanDuel, and William Hill.
- The most popular sports in Costa Rica include soccer, surfing, cycling, and volleyball.
- As a country known for its love for soccer, Costa Rica's most popular competitions include French Ligue 1, Premier League, Major League Soccer, Serie A, and Bundesliga. Besides the major soccer leagues, NBA, NHL, MLB, and NFL are also highly popular.
- Some of the most prominent sports clubs in Costa Rica include Deportivo Saprissa, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, and Club Sport Herediano.
- Costa Rica's most popular sports athletes are Paulo Wanchope, Keylor Navas, Nery Brenes, Claudia Poll, Nery Brenes, and Hanna Gabriels.
- While soccer remains the most-watched sport in Costa Rica, the country has hosted major sporting events for other more niche sports, including Costa Rica International Marathon and Ruta de Los Conquistadores Mountain Bike Race.
- Costa Rica is one of the few Central American countries that regularly compete in the Summer and Winter Olympics.
- Costa Rica first participated in the Olympic Games in 1936 and has since won one gold, one silver, and 2 bronze medals.
- Silvia and Claudia Poll won all 4 medals in swimming. Recently, Claudia Poll won 2 bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Bottom Line
Costa Rica is by no means one of the largest sports betting countries in the world, and the current state of online sports wagering is in a somewhat weird spot, with very lenient regulations that provide little security for the patrons. Nevertheless, you can take precautions to make your betting experience enjoyable and safe.
But if you read our guide, you should be well-informed about picking the right betting site and enjoy a safe gambling experience in Costa Rica. So go out there, find the best sportsbook, visit the best betting sites and start wagering!
Need a trusted bookie in Costa Rica?
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there online sports betting in Costa Rica?Online betting in Costa Rica has been legal and available since 1999. Although you can't bet in person at brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, online betting is readily available, with over 400 providers for you to choose from.
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Who is the largest online sportsbook in Costa Rica?There are many online sportsbooks you can choose from for betting in Costa Rica. Yet only a handful deserve a tag as the most popular in the country. Those include MyBookie, BetUs, Bovada, FanDuel, and DraftKings.
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Is it illegal to use an offshore sportsbook in Costa Rica?Costa Rica has a very hands-off approach to online sports betting. Although that has cons, the biggest advantage is that Costa Rican bettors have plenty of bookies to choose from. And since no laws prohibit the use of offshore sportsbooks, you can safely register at any offshore bookie.
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Does VPN work for sportsbooks in Costa Rica?Due to location restrictions, some bookmakers won't be available in Costa Rica. But you can still access them with a VPN service.
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How to set up a Costa Rica sportsbook that accepts crypto?If you wish to bet with crypto in Costa Rica, you should register on a bookie that accepts cryptocurrencies as payment. Admittedly there aren't as many bookies that have incorporated crypto into their baking department, but due to the increased popularity of Bitcoin and Ethereum, most big-brand sportsbooks have decided to start accepting crypto as a payment method.
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