For sports betting fans around the world, finding a reliable online sportsbook can either be very easy, very costly, or sometimes both! Making the wrong decision on which online sportsbook to invest your money in can not only cost you a ton of money, it can cause you major headaches! I think we can all agree that winning large bets and never getting paid, is neither fun nor exciting!
This is why we have made this article to explain to you what to look for, online sportsbooks that we feel are reliable and those that have their issues.
Sportsbook Review List
Choose the Right Online Sportsbook
Before you sign up for an online sportsbook, you need to ask yourself a few simple questions. What will you be wagering on and does the sportsbook have this type of wager? If you are a football player in the fall/winter and enjoy playing prop plays, find out if your online sportsbook has that type of wager.
Don’t just assume that the sportsbook will have those types of wagers because the reality is that not all sportsbooks hold that type of wager. Therefore you want to make certain that you do your due diligence and find those sportsbooks that take the type of wagers that fit your betting style.
How Long Has the Online Sportsbook Been in Business?
One of the first questions you should want answered when picking an online sportsbook is “How long has the online sportsbook been in business”? Mostly all online sportsbooks will list their information in the ‘About’ section of their website. Some will say it in the ‘About’ section and other websites will say it on the front page footer of the website.
Now, one thing to watch for is online sportsbooks that stretch the truth. Many online sportsbooks will want to embellish the date to make it appear that they have been around longer than they truly have. Some terms to look for are, “We’ve been in the business”, “Our staff has been in the business since” and “We have over 20 years of experience in the business”.
When companies say these types of statements, that doesn’t mean that the actual company has been in business, it simply means that some people that work for that company have been in the business for that amount of time. Use caution with those types of companies and don’t get suckered into believing they are more experienced than they truly are.
What Is Their Reputation in the Online Sportsbook Industry?
Although you shouldn’t rest your head on this, finding out an online sportsbook’s reputation in the industry is fairly important. The old saying, “Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire” is true somewhat in online sports betting. If you do an easy Google search on a company and see complaint after complaint and a majority of the complaints are on the same topic, you should walk the other way…scratch that, you should run the other way!
If you are seeing article after article and they all say the same thing, then chances are the company has issues and should not be trusted. There are a ton of options out there, why risk it with a company that has constant complaints?
Does Your Online Sportsbook Have a Mobile Platform?
This was not as important in the past but nowadays, we all like to wager on our mobile devices. Therefore, you want to ensure that your online sportsbook has a mobile platform that will allow you to wager anywhere, at any time!
Does Your Online Sportsbook Have a Live Betting Option?
Once again, this is something that is rather new as Live betting hasn’t been around very long but it is a great option to have in your betting toolbox. If your online sportsbook doesn’t have a Live Betting option, chances are they are behind the times and I would suggest you avoid them.
Are You Able to Contact Customer Service?
Any reliable company will have the ability to contact Customer Service. It doesn’t matter if it is a simple email or a telephone number, you want to look for companies that make their Customer Service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that when those difficult issues arise, you can get on the phone or a chat window or email and have someone readily respond to your concerns.
What Deposit Options Are Available?
When you are looking for an online sportsbook to sign up with, one of the most important items to consider is how you will make a deposit. You want to make sure you check to make sure that you can make a deposit.
First off, if you do not already have Bitcoin, you should seriously consider starting to purchase Bitcoin. Bitcoin is truly the future of sports wagering as it is a digital currency that is accepted around the world and many of the online sportsbooks. Bitcoin affords you the opportunity to make deposits, as well as get paid from, various online sportsbooks in a complete anonymous manner that is safe, secure and discreet.
Now, if you choose that you don’t want to use Bitcoin, and want to use a major credit card such as Visa or Mastercard, there are a few things to consider. First, many local banks will not allow international charges as a safety measure on your bank account. That does not mean you can’t use a credit card, it simply means you need to double-check with the bank to determine if they will allow international charges that are not native to the United States.
If you find that you can’t use any of your credit cards, one other option is to purchase a prepaid credit card at your local grocery store like Walmart or Target. Using a prepaid credit card will be a little more expensive and is not recommended but it is a last-ditch option if all else fails. Some sportsbooks also provide methods such as person-to-person money transfers, checks, and money order deposits.
Do You Get a Bonus for Signing Up?
No matter if you’ve been in the sports betting industry for a month, a year, or 10 years, we all like getting free money so when you are signing up for a new online sportsbook, you should look for the best options available for bonuses.
A majority of online sportsbooks will offer you some sort of bonus structure as they are trying to earn your business! They all know that they are in a tough, competitive market that relies heavily on giving out bonus money to build their clientele. Don’t leave that extra money on the table. Look around and find what is best for your pocket and get your best bonus.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Withdraw?
One of the best feelings in the world is cashing that big play and double or tripling your money. But with that being said, one of the worst feelings in the world is finding out that it can take you 3 weeks to get the money that you have just won!
Before you join any online sportsbook, find out exactly how long it will take to get your money and get a gauge on their reputation for payout frequency. On a reputable sports betting site such as the majority of ones we list on this page, it shouldn’t take you over a week to cash out your winnings.
