Betting is fun and can be very lucrative. There are several top-quality online bookmakers on the web, but there are also dubious or fake website where you can end up losing a great deal of money.
Whilst many betting sites focus on sports, you may be looking for alternatives that may not be offered by every company.
These include casino race books, lottery, poker rooms, and minor sports betting such as chess and table tennis. Here are some tips to help you pick the best betting site before you make a commitment.
What do you want to bet on?
Even if you know some reputable betting site, you still need to choose the one that suits you best, since there is no ‘one size fits all’ option.
Some sports are not catered for universally, such as tennis, NASCAR, golf, rugby, cricket, eSports and other non-sports options including Oscars, political betting and more.
Not all betting sites offer punters more risky markets such as quarter lines, half-time lines or teasers on events.
In addition, only a few sites provide you with futures on sporting events or unique betting props where a bet is made regarding the possibility of an event during a game that does not directly affect the game’s final outcome.
Research
Check out reviews for the bookmakers online. Find out as much as you can before placing a bet.
Reading website reviews will confirm for you that the betting site abides by the regulations, pays out winners and have fair and friendly customer service staff. If they miss any of these essentials, bettors are forced to contact management to resolve the issue.
Doing your own research is the hardest way to choose a sports betting site but it is necessary. You can make this easier by searching for the best online betting sites that will have already done much of the homework.
They will have found information that you might struggle to find, and you can check the thoroughness of their checks for your own security.
Check the company’s website works well at peak times. Checking that all links work can offer some guarantee that there are no technical difficulties with the site.
Payment methods
Betting sites are offering an increasing number of payment methods to clients. Major European firms accept debit cards, e-wallets, prepaid cards, bank transfers, cheques and much more.
In some countries, due to restrictions, you may only be able to use cryptocurrencies that provide some anonymity. This will limit the number of betting sites you are able to use.
Also, check that the betting websites have payment security certificates like Skrill or Trustly and that they are using a secure and encrypted https domain.
Competitiveness
You want a betting site that offers competitive odds. It is important you look for a betting site that works to small margins.
You also want to check that the site will lay a decent bet at the odds advertised, since some offer great odds, but when the punter tries to place a bet on those odds, they do not receive them.
Test the betting site with a small bet first.
Check welcome bonuses
Competition is fierce between betting sites fighting for your custom. There can be good bonuses, free bets and concessions to new account holders, but they vary significantly between sites.
Be careful not to fall for the highest welcome bonus trick without first checking what the offer really means. Often times the bookies are sneaky and the higher the amount of welcome bonus, the bigger the rollover requirements that come with it.
Yet, acquiring bonuses can provide a powerful boost to punters winnings, especially when it comes to those betting for the first time.
Just check that the small operators are not just set up to scam you.
Minimum deposits can be high
Decide how much you are prepared to invest in your initial deposit with the company.
Companies will require a deposit to open an account, but this can vary from USD20 to USD100 or even more. Be wary of higher minimums on phone bets.
You may have a minimum bet of USD10 online, but this can be as much as USD100 by phone.