Choosing the right betting site is arguably the most important job for every sports bettor. Here’s why. You need a legit, safe bookmaker. You deserve competitive odds, quality bonuses, quick payouts, and a smooth betting experience.
You could be a skilled punter. But if you use the wrong betting site, you might not make as much money as you should. In light of that information, this article shows you how to find the best betting site for you.
Check Recommendations from Review Sites
Short on time but still want to find a good betting website? Head to sports betting review sites. Look for a platform that reviews bookmakers from your country.
If you live in South Africa, find online sports betting sites from a review site focused on the country. If you live in the UK, find the best review platform in Britain.
Keep in mind you need to check out recommendations from a trustworthy platform. This way, you can be certain the site did in-depth research and is recommending a reputable betting site.
Ideally, pick a handful of betting sites and compare them a little bit more. Look at their payment options, fees, and limits. Which site has the best policies? Then compare bonuses, payout speed, and odds.
List Must-Have Features and Deal Breakers
When you think of your ideal betting website, what comes to mind? Perhaps you want a bookmaker with lots of football coverage. Maybe you’re more focused on bonuses and free bets.
Take note of 5-10 important features you want to see in a betting website. Then hunt for a good sportsbook based on these features. This will make it easy to identify the right bookmaker for you.
While at it, create a list of deal-breakers. What do you not want to see in a betting website? Maybe it lacks mobile support. Or it has a reputation of slow payouts. Use deal breakers to further reduce the field of potential sportsbooks you can join.
Covers Your Favorite Sports and Tournaments
Let’s face it. A bookie isn’t good enough for you unless it covers your favorite sports and leagues. Nowadays, betting companies strive to cover hundreds of sports and tournaments.
However, they don’t always cover the same competitions. Or they might not prioritize your favorite leagues, thereby, providing only a small number of betting markets.
In many countries outside of North America, football is the most popular sport for betting. You’ll find it on nearly every betting platform. As mentioned, though, don’t settle for a betting site without your ideal sports.
Keep in mind you can wager on just about any sport: tennis, hockey, baseball, Australian Rules, eSports, cricket, basketball, boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts.
Friendly Payment Policies
We’ll admit—everyone loves a betting site with their favorite payment options. So, make it your priority to find a PayPal, Visa, or Bitcoin sportsbook depending on your preference.
As we mentioned earlier, don’t stop at the payment providers. Learn about the limits. What’s the minimum you can deposit? How much does the bookie charge for withdrawal fees?
Importantly, learn more about a site’s withdrawal speed and terms. This is an issue hat could make or break your betting experience. Choose a site with quick payouts regardless of your chosen payment option. Of course, the fees need to be low while the limits should be convenient.
To expound more, find a betting site that that lets you cash out up to $100,000, especially if you’re a high roller. Otherwise, a $20,000 limit is ideal for most people.
Provides the Best Odds
There’s a reason everyone insists on betting on a site with great odds. And it’s because odds determine your profits. Look at this example. Bookie A has 1.15 odds for Manchester United to defeat Aston Villa (5.00).
On the flip side, Bookie B has 1.5 odds for the red devils to beat Villa (5.6) at home. The difference in odds is significant, and so is the difference in potential profits.
That being said, you can also join more than one sportsbook for the benefits of good odds. You see, bookies compete to provide the best odds daily. As such, one site could have better odds for the English Premier League. Another site could have better odds for Laliga matches.
Against that backdrop, you can bet where you’ll find the best odds for EPL games. Then you could create a second account to benefit from good LaLiga odds.
Sweet Free Bets and Bonuses
For some people, bonuses are the best part about betting on sports. They add excitement to the betting experience. More importantly, they help you increase your potential profits.
Now, bonuses aren’t the same as free money. Bookies give out free bets for many reasons, say creating awareness or promoting loyalty. Sportsbooks also understand they can make losses by giving out too many bonuses.
To cushion losses, every sportsbook has a set of bonus policies. Some sites give you a free bet to wager on a specific match. Others let you keep your bonus profits but not the original stake.
The bottom line: treat every bonus differently. Read the fine print to understand what’s involved. Also, look for multiple rewards, from cash backs to bonus boosters. You’ll need them.
A Good Reputation
The easiest way to find a good website is to look for reputable companies. Sportsbooks can hide a lot of things from you. But they can’t hide their reputation.
If a bookie is unreliable, chances are people will call it out. If it’s a good site, you’ll find lots of positive reviews about it. With that in mind, learn about a site’s reputation from actual users and from the experts.
Importantly, find out what exactly people love or hate about a betting site. Find sites loved because they’re easy to use, offer good odds and bonuses. If there are negative comments, ensure they’re not in your list of deal breakers.
Also, look for unique features. If a sportsbook lacks live betting, mobile support and live chatting, it’s probably not a good match for you.
