With the explosion of online sports betting in the USA, the list of online sportsbooks you can gamble with seems to go on forever (kinda like Tom Brady’s NFL career). With ads, offers and promotions everywhere trying to capture your attention, how do you settle on which sportsbook to wager your hard earned cash with?
Choosing the right online sportsbook is almost certain to enhance your overall betting experience and can even increase your winnings. However, choosing a suspicious, unregulated bookmaker could see you not only lose your gambling money, but potentially private personal information as well.
There’s a lot to consider, but thankfully the team here at Bet Basics has put together a list of the top 10 things to look for when finding the perfect fit for your sports betting needs.
LICENSED, REGULATED AND LEGAL SPORTSBOOKS
The perfect place to start when looking for a trusted sportsbook to bet online with in the US is our exclusive Bet Basics list of 100% licensed and regulated legal sportsbooks. These sportsbooks all adhere to the rules when it comes to honouring your bets and are reliable in terms of handling your money. Plus, you’ll find exclusive Bet Basics bonus codes that will give you more bang for your buck.
The obvious top sportsbooks recommended by the team at Bet Basics are BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesars but we have other top sportsbook offers from the likes of 888sport, Bet365 and more.
POSITIVE REVIEWS
Another useful method for helping you select the ideal sportsbook is to read third party reviews of online gambling sites, as well as seeking out the opinions of other sports bettors who use these sites on a daily basis. Positive reviews and feedback from others is usually a good indication that a sportsbook can be trusted and provides a good customer experience.
WELCOME OFFERS
Most online sportsbooks will offer some kind of promotion in order to get you signed up with them initially. These promotions could include things such as first deposit matches and free bets. The sportsbooks are in competition with each other to attract new customers with these types of offers, so be sure to take advantage of them!
ONGOING PROMOTIONS
You don’t want the freebies and goodwill to end once you’ve signed up! In an effort to keep their bettors happy, a lot of sportsbooks will run regular promotions offering things like bonuses, odds boosts, free bets and VIP rewards. If utilized properly, these promotions can really help you cash in with increased profits.
COMPETITIVE ODDS
The best way to get increased value from a sportsbook is to ensure they offer competitive odds for their betting markets. The longer the odds, the bigger the return on your wins. The odds differences between sportsbooks might seem minimal at first glance, but it will add up over time! For a detailed run down on how to read and understand the different types of sports betting odds, click here.
VARIETY OF SPORTS
Before you sign up to a sportsbook, you want to make sure they are offering betting markets on the sports you’re interested in wagering on. Most good sportsbooks will have a plethora of ways to bet on the major US sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC and NCAA sports. However, if you’re after something a little more niche, say for example Australian Rules Football (aka Aerial Ping Pong), then it doesn’t hurt to check the sportsbook has it available as a betting option!
RANGE OF BETTING OPTIONS
On top of having a variety of sports available for you to bet on, you also want to make sure there are plenty of bet types at your disposal for each sport, such as props, parlays, live betting and futures markets. The more bet types available, the more ways you can win! It also helps if the sportsbook has the option to cash out a bet. This way you can guarantee yourself profit when your wager is looking likely to pay out.
A VARIETY OF SAFE AND RELIABLE PAYMENT OPTIONS
Most sportsbooks will offer a variety of payment methods including debit/credit cards, bank transfers, cheques, e-wallets, prepaid cards and even cryptocurrency in some cases. Be sure to look for payment security certificates on the sportsbooks website such as Trustly, MasterCard or Verified by Visa, and make sure they using a secure and encrypted https domain.
EASY WITHDRAWAL
Just as with depositing cash into your online betting account, you want the withdrawal process to be equally straightforward and secure. Most sportsbooks will require some type of identity verification before allowing you to choose from a variety of payout options (with varying fees and transaction times) to withdraw your winnings. Minimum and maximum withdrawal limits are also common, so make sure these are suitable to your personal needs.
10. GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE
Last, but certainly not least, good customer service is paramount to an enjoyable online sports betting experience. A few things to look for include a live chat function, help center and FAQ section on the website, as well as a responsive social media presence that shows the sportsbook cares about its customers.