One of the most important parts of a successful betting strategy in 2019 is picking the best bookmakers to place your bets.
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With so many options out there and a huge range of different bookies, this can be a difficult task. However, we’ve made this easier by giving you some top tips and things to consider to help you select a new bookmaker in 2019.
There is no such thing as the perfect bookmaker and each platform has its pros and cons. The aim is to select a bookie that performs well across the board and is suitable for your needs.
New bookmakers vs trusted brands?
This is an important question and one that may have a direct impact on the amount of profit you make from your betting in 2019.
Do you stick with well-known, reliable bookmakers or go for a new kid on the block? As with anything, there are pros and cons to each option.
Reliable brands generally come with a great reputation that in many cases has taken years to build up. Furthermore, the betting industry is one of the hardest markets to build a solid reputation due to the general lack of transparency.
Having said that, just because brands such as Moplay and LV Bet don’t have the reputation that a betting company like Smarkets or Coral does, doesn’t mean they aren’t any good. The opposite may be true.
There are benefits to using smaller, less well-known bookmakers as they’re more unlikely to restrict or gub your account than larger bookies.
It’s a well-known fact that the likes of Bet365 and Ladbrokes are much less fond of traders and matched bettors meaning they’re more likely to block your account.
At the end of the day, as I mentioned earlier there are pros and cons to either side. Overall, I suggest you use a mixture of both well-known, existing bookmakers and new companies.
Free bets, promotions and bonuses
One of the key things you’ll want to look out for when it comes to opening a new bookmaker account are the promotions and bonuses on offer.
As you probably know there are hundreds of online bookmakers offering generous free bets and other incentives to both new and existing customers.
The bonus culture has become pretty much standard for bookmakers in 2019 and I’ll be surprised if you find a bookmaker that doesn’t offer some kind of promotion.
There are so many free bets and bonuses available, bettors split them into two categories. Sign up offers and reload offers.
Sign up offers
The first type of promotion you’ll come across is called a sign up offer. These are designed with new customers in mind. The aim is to incentivise as many potential punters as possible.
If you’ve already looked at a number of bookmakers you’ve undoubtedly seen some of the promotions available.
Here’s a good example from Smarkets. They offer new customers a £50 risk-free bet on the Premier League.
In the ultra-competitive betting world of 2019, it’s important the bookmakers offer some kind of incentive to get attention. You could argue that the market has become too saturated but we’re not going to complain…
Reload offers
The second type of promotion called reload offers are available to all customers including the ones that already have an account open.
The marketing department’s job is not finished when they get you to sign up. To avoid inactive accounts and to lower their costs, the bookies offer countless reload offers to keep punters betting.
You’ll often find offers available on all the largest sporting events throughout the year.
Overall, this is another area that you should certainly consider when it comes to opening a new bookmaker account in 2019.
Customer support
Our next tip is to ensure that bookmakers have a great record in terms of customer support. In the age of the Internet, people want everything as quickly as possible.
The same goes for the online betting world. Punters don’t want to be waiting to speak to a representative for very long. They want their issues to be solved as quickly as possible.
In this regard, it’s advisable to look for bookies that put their customers first in terms of support. Whilst you can’t experience this first hand until you’re a customer, you can find out valuable information from betting communities and those who already have accounts open.
Good value odds
Another aspect you should definitely consider when picking a new bookmaker is the quality of their odds.
This is one of the most important aspects of a great bookmaker and this will have a direct impact on the amount of profit you make from your betting in 2019.
Odds are the basis of any betting company so you’d expect them to be good value for the punter.
Whilst odds in the digital age are generally very stable across betting companies, it’s still important to select a bookmaker that offers good value.
Generally speaking, the more established bookmakers will have better odds than smaller, less well-known bookies.
Reliable betting platform
Another important consideration when it comes to opening a new bookmaker is the reliability of the platform.
Similar to customer support, bettors have come to expect high quality, trustworthy platforms that they can rely on.
And it’s fair to say most bookmakers provide this in 2019. Having said that, it’s still something you need to look at before signing up for a new account.
The last thing you want to find out is that your bet wasn’t placed correctly or that the bookies are not willing to pay out all your winnings.
A wide range of markets
Similar to odds, markets are one of the most important aspects of any betting company and it’s something you should consider before opening a new account.
The wider the number of available markets, the more effective your betting strategy will be ultimately meaning you can make more money online.
Once again, the larger more established bookmakers are likely to have the greatest range of markets on offer.
Listen to the betting community
Another awesome tip to make sure you pick the best bookmaker is to listen to the betting community and find out what other people think about certain bookies.
Having said that, you do need to be wary of reading reviews that are written just to promote an affiliate link. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with promoting sites, just be mindful of any biased reviews.
You’ll typically find that the bookmakers that pay the highest amount will be rated the best by a reviewer or company.
Your best option is if you can find a betting forum with active punters.
Picking a new bookmaker
Overall there are many factors that make for a great bookmaker in 2019. Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, the aspects mentioned above are certainly some of the most important when it comes to picking a new bookmaker.
So let’s recap the key things you should look out for:
- Free bets and promotions
- Great customer support
- Good value odds
- Reliable betting platform
- Range of markets
That should certainly get you going on your hunt for a new bookmaker. Our top bookmakers of 2019 is also a great place to start.
What do you think is the most important aspect of a bookmaker in 2019? Let me know by leaving a comment below right now.
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