Choosing a bookmaker’s office is not an easy and responsible step for every beginner bettor. What are the criteria for checking online sites, what should you look at first?
How to choose a bookmaker for sports betting?
Bookmakers’ offices today are more widespread than ever, and their popularity is only growing. An ordinary sports fan will find it difficult to understand the sea of offers of the domestic and foreign betting market. That is why it is important to know the criteria for choosing a bookmaker’s office. This article contains all the necessary information on the subject, which will be especially relevant to newcomers in betting.
Offshore VS legal bookmakers
The average sports fan is surrounded by a huge amount of all kinds of advertising on the subject of betting. Much of this information flow is designed to lure sports fans to bet. But who will benefit if these establishments are illegal?
Offshore sports betting operators have their perks:
- No need to pay tax on winnings;
- no mandatory verification of identity;
- availability of additional functions: casino, slots, etc.;
- The possibility of opening an account in different currencies.
But illegal bookmaker’s offices have many disadvantages:
- Difficult access – sites are blocked;
- high risk of encountering an unscrupulous institution – such bookmakers limit or block the account if the player blows a big score;
- possible loss of all funds on the gaming account in case of unexpected closure of an online institution;
- Risk of leaking your personal data to third parties;
Advantages of legal betting sites:
- State support in case of a dispute with the administration of the bookmaker;
- information protection;
- free access – without the need to find ways to bypass blocking;
- Cons of legal bookmakers:
- mandatory identification;
- tax on winnings (depends on the country/state);
- Transfer of your personal information to the controlling authorities.
Here we can conclude – give preference to legal bookmakers. Yes, the preponderance of pros over cons is insignificant. But this way you will protect yourself from many unpleasant situations and financial losses in the future.
Everything that relates directly to betting
These are the criteria you should pay attention to in the first place.
Line-up and coverage
It is unlikely that you will be interested in playing in a office that offers bets only on a few sports. The line of a bookmaker must be rich or at least average – with the number of disciplines offered 15-20. It is desirable that there is also a sufficient supply of cybersports disciplines. Good betting operators place in the line not only top events, but also unpopular, regional events.
If you open an event from the line, the bookmaker should offer a good spread. It is desirable that for a soccer event, in addition to the basic outcomes (team win or draw, total, handicap, etc.), the bookmaker’s office offered a number of additional ones. These are Asian and individual totals and handicaps, European handicap, the number of consecutive goals and others.
Live betting
You can bet not only before the match (pre-match), but also during it (live). To make it convenient to bet in Live mode, a number of shops provide video broadcasts. There should be a rich selection of broadcasts.
Ratio sizes
Bookmakers earn from users’ bets by imposing a margin on bets. The lower the margin, the higher the winning multipliers – odds. Consequently, betting on high odds, the player will receive a larger total winnings.
Methods of deposit and withdrawal
The convenience of the game to a large extent also depends on how quickly the money will come to the gaming account, how loyal the commission will be. The same applies to the withdrawal of winnings.
A bookmaker’s office with a wide choice of deposit and withdrawal methods is considered the one that provides the following payment options:
- bank cards;
- electronic wallets;
- online payment systems;
- Internet banking;
- mobile operators;
- bank transfer;
- cash;
- additional electronic payment systems like Apple Pay.
Usually the money is credited instantly. Processing time for withdrawal differs from office to office.
Bookmaker’s website
A bookmaker’s web resource should have a wide range of functions and at the same time work smoothly, without slowdowns. Site design – it is on the player’s taste, but for the most convenient game it is desirable that the design was modern. The structure of the site should be intuitive and not overloaded with unnecessary elements.
Support service
At the top bookmakers you can find a full set of ways to contact a consultant:
- electronic mailbox;
- feedback form;
- online text chat;
- Hot line of technical support;
- chat in messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber, etc.
Of the above methods, the most convenient are online text chat and phone support. In the advanced live chat, you can attach files to messages, save the history of correspondence, turn on and off the sound notification. It is desirable that the support service works around the clock.
Promotions and bonuses
Any decent bookmaker’s office has a tempting sign-up bonus. Most often it is a fixed amount to the bonus account or a percentage of the first deposit amount. The more promotions and bonuses, the better. A big plus if the institution has a loyalty program – you will be able to receive bonuses for showing activity on the site of your favorite betting company.
Availability of apps for PCs and mobile platforms
If the betting company has developed a branded application for your computer, you will be able to bet more conveniently. In this case, the speed of access to the functions of the betting office increases, while the traffic consumption and the load on the system decreases.
The bookmaker’s mobile app will allow you to bet on sports anywhere. In addition, there remain the benefits listed for applications developed for PCs.
Conclusion
Summarizing all the above, it can be said that the ideal betting company is legal, has a rich line and wide coverage, features high odds, can offer a Live section with video broadcasts and no delays in taking live bets, provides a wide range of ways to contact the technical support. Additional advantages of the bookmaker will be a wealth of promotions and bonuses, the availability of branded applications for PC and mobile operating systems.