If you are thinking of betting online then you need to first find yourself a betting site. This is the most important part of your life as a gambler, you want to find the best possible bookmaker to suit your needs. It is important that you view betting as something personal to you, for example, if your friend tells you the betting site, he uses are the best, you are not guaranteed to feel the same way.
People bet in very different ways and because of that, each bookmaker has a varied service that they try to use to capture as many customers as possible. However, inside that varied service, they will put specific focus and attention on a number of different areas, and this is where you will find differences. Get a bookmaker who specifically focuses on what you need and you are in for a great time, find one that focuses on the things you don’t use and your experience won’t be as good.
If you asked 10 of your friends and family this question, then you would probably get at least five or six different answers. The simple answer is that there isn’t one betting site that stands out as being the best betting site.
What sites do have is a strong focus on specific areas, which makes them particularly strong in those areas and one of the best. For example, some bookmakers will be known for having fantastic odds, so if you are looking for the best prices then these are the ones to go to. Others will have a huge range of betting markets you can use, some will specialise in live betting, some will have state-of-the-art mobile apps and others will have something else in their favour.
All of this may paint quite a clouded picture for newcomers to sports betting, but it shouldn’t do. With bookmakers having different strong points to each other, instead of seeing that as a negative and confusing, see it as a way to sort out the best based on you and what you want.
If you want the best odds, look at bookies that offer them, if you want choice when it comes to betting markets, look at those who excel with these, if you want in-play betting then go and find the best in-play platforms. Do this and you are well on your way to finding the best possible betting site to suit your own personal needs.
We take an overall look at the quality of service on offer for players. This means we look at the licenses they have in place to ensure they are legal and fair. Then we look at betting odds, betting markets and in-play betting to see the type of service each bookmaker has and how good it is for punters. Then we look at the additional features the top betting sites all have such as a mobile app or mobile website, the payment methods, an efficient deposit method is always needed and currencies they accept, the customer service team that is in place, live chat, telephone and much more. Lastly, we look at the offers that are in place, both in terms of size and flexibility to find the best out there.
This can all then be used by punters like you who are looking to find a new betting site, and without rankings and opinion, you can find the best one to suit your needs.
The first thing you need to do if you want to find the best betting site is to first work out what type of gambler you are, and exactly what you want from your bookmaker. Are you one that looks for promo codes, sports and league variety, payment options, casino site and casino bonus along with the sports bookmaker. The user experience differs from bookmaker to bookmaker.
This may sound simple, but it is vital that you check if your new bookmaker offers the sports and betting markets that you use. For most who bet on big sports such as football, this won’t be a problem, but if you like a smaller sport such as ice hockey then you may be restricted in the bookmakers you can use. The sport events are a higher factor that we rank for.
It is not just about the top sports and league though, you also need to check the markets inside each sport, especially if you bet on something that isn’t related to the game score, such as total goals. Make sure these markets are available, when you change bookmaker you should not be forced into changing how you bet.
If you are a new punter looking for a first betting site then think of what you are going to bet on and look at the options they have. The key for new punters is to have plenty of choice available, so you can eventually find out which betting markets suit you and your needs the best.
This is something that many people take for granted. Not all bookmakers are as quick at getting new betting markets available for the upcoming games. If you are in a position due to work or family commitments where you need to bet early then make sure your potential new betting site has the markets available for you at that time.
For example, if you have spare time to place your bets on Thursday for the weekend’s football, and you struggle for time on Friday or Saturday, you need your bookmaker to have their full betting list out on Thursday. If this is not out then you are going to either rush into a bet and potentially make mistakes or bad picks, or you will have to miss out on some games.
A large number of punters are turning to in-play betting, some to go alongside their pre-match bets and some instead of placing pre-match bets. If you bet in-play at all then it is vital you take a look at the in-play section of the betting operators, you are considering joining.
With so many punters betting in play, almost every bookmaker has some kind of in-play betting available, but there is a big difference between the best and worst. When you are betting in-play it is all about two things, speed and choice.
You need to find a website that is very slick and one that you can use to place bets quickly. You also want choice when it comes to betting markets. You will not know how you are feeling about the game until the moment to bet arrives, at that point, you have a split-second decision to make about the type of bet you are going to place. At this moment, you want as much choice in front of you as possible.
When internet betting first began, it was far more convenient for punters to open up their computer at home instead of heading to their local betting shop. Now we have taken that a step further forward, and it is far more convenient for players to pick up their phone instead of open up the computer or laptop. The vast majority of people have a smartphone and access to the internet on it, and that is all you need to be able to place bets through your mobile phone. If you want the ultimate in terms of convenience then you need to find a bookmaker that has a strong mobile service.
These come in two different ways:
Most bookmakers offer an app to their players. This is something you can download and keep on your phone, then when you want to place a bet you simply open the app up and make your selections. This is perfect for those who wish to bet on their mobile regularly, the app is just a couple of clicks away and they are known to be lightning-fast so you can be placing your bets within seconds.
Betting sites apps are usually designed in a very similar style to the main website that the bookmaker has, so if you’ve placed bets through that before then you are likely to quickly find your way around the app.
Those that don’t offer an app offer this way to bet, while some of the bigger betting sites will offer both options to their players. You don’t need to download anything to bet on a mobile optimised site, just simply point your browser to the web page you want and you will be able to log on and place bets.
Just like the app, mobile optimised betting sites are similar to the main website, the difference with this being that it is optimised to look great and work ultra-fast on small mobile devices. With no download needed, this is perfect for those who don’t intend to bet on a regular basis using their mobile. Instead of having something on your phone that you won’t use too often, you can just go to the mobile site when you want to bet.
For bookmakers that don’t have a mobile app, this will be the only way you can place bets on your mobile phone. It is important to think about this when comparing sports betting sites if you want to bet a lot on your phone then do you need an app to make your betting life easier, or can you bet fine using a mobile optimised site?
When you sign up with most of the betting sites that are out there, you will be able to take advantage of their new customer offer. This is some kind of free online bet, it may be a straight free bet to use, money back as a free bet, bonus funds or something else. The key is to make sure you get one of these, and when you do you need to combine finding the biggest with the one that suits your betting style.
There are some really great bonuses out there, and some of them are very big to get you off to a great start with your new bookmaker. The big ones will always get the headlines but check on their suitability before you sign up, just to make sure that the free bet offer is the right one for you. There are betting sites covering a range of different bonuses and free bets, so if one you found isn’t the most appealing, find the one that is!
With many different types of betting sites offers out there, punters are in a great position when it comes to choosing one that suits them the best. For example, if you like to place a lot of small bets then bonus funds are likely to be the best for you as you can usually place these how you like. If a bookmaker is offering a free bet that needs to be spent as a whole amount, then this isn’t going to suit your betting style, even if it is the biggest offer you can find.
In this instance, £40 in bonus funds is likely to be more use to you than £50 as one single free bet, even though the free bet is for a bigger amount. This is what you need to work out yourself, something that is based around your own personal needs and betting style. Always remember to check when the bonus expires, some betting sites can be quite strict in this respect.
When you sign up with a new bookmaker and you take advantage of their welcome bonus, make sure it is the best possible one for you. This requires a little research, but not too much as you should be able to easily compare the offers to your betting style and requirements, which should form the reasoning for you making the choice you do. TCs apply on bonus so be wary of them.
One of the reasons why many people move around and open up new betting accounts is so they can take advantage of welcome offers from other betting sites. These are great offers and worth taking advantage of, but if you choose the right bookmaker you should be able to find one that gives you the chance to take advantage of regular offers for existing customers.
These are not as big as welcome offers but include things such as bonuses on winnings, money back offers and free bets. With the right bookmaker, you will have these offers available to you and these can make you a far more profitable punter if used correctly.
Again, just like with new customer betting sites offers, you need to shop around to find the best deal that suits your gambling style. For example, a popular existing customer offer is a bonus on winning accumulators. If you place these bets then make sure you find a bookmaker offering this to players, but if you don’t place accumulators then this is an offer you will never take advantage of.
More often than not, you will find that money back offers are limited to a specific sport, bet type or event occurring so these will either be extremely useful or worthless to you. For example, money back if your football accumulator loses by one leg is a great offer for a football accumulator punter. However, for a horse racing betting punter, it is worthless and those people should be looking for horse racing money back offers such as money back if beaten by the favourite on selected races.
Existing customer offers only have a value if you are placing the bet types that qualify for them. If you are then these can become important tools and can help you be a far better gambler, so make sure you lookout for the ones that can help your betting the most.
Whenever something involves money online, one of the first things that many people question is whether the website can be trusted. It is a fair question to ask, and this is especially the case with betting sites, who you may be spending a lot of money with and holding a large sum of money in an account with.
A mixture of common sense and looking out for which betting sites hold which license will see you through here. For example, if you are betting online in the UK and you find a bookmaker that doesn’t accept British currency and doesn’t hold a UK license from the Gambling Commission, then this is a betting site you need to stay away from.
What you should be looking for is a reputable betting sites name, someone you have heard of before. That could be in an advertisement online, a TV ad, sponsorship or something else. If the bookmaker is trying to get their name out there in the market where you are based then that is always a good sign, because it shows they want to attract players and that they are legally allowed to attract players from your area.
This isn’t to say that smaller or newer betting sites that you haven’t heard of before aren’t worth trying out, because some of them are. Of course, you should tread more carefully with these, but look out for the licenses they hold, any celebrities they have on board as ambassadors to try and promote themselves and anything else that shows they are committed to growing their business and turning into a bigger bookmaker.
You should always look for an online bookmaker you hold no fears over and one that you trust 100%. Not only is it obviously important for your money, but it will also allow you to focus on your betting and enjoy it as much as possible. If you bet with betting sites you don’t trust you will spend most of your time worrying about your funds and wondering if they are safe. If you are with someone you do trust then you can sit back and enjoy your betting without worry, which is what everyone should be aiming for.
Like any other part of the internet, there are scams and untrustworthy bookmakers out there that you need to avoid. These companies will not hold licenses, or if they do then they are unlikely to hold any big licenses such as the one given out by the UK Gambling Commission.
The rule that many people use on the internet is that if something looks wrong, or feels as though it is too good to be true then it probably is. This isn’t something to take strongly with gambling, as there are some great offers out there but you need to look where these are coming from.
A huge betting sites company can afford to give out big offers, but a new betting sites company probably wouldn’t be able to, so think about that when you see small companies you have never heard of offering out huge free bets.
You should always look to avoid companies who do one of these two things:
This is something that should put you off joining a bookmaker. If the betting sites don’t accept your home currency then it is a sign that they are not big in your country, and not actively looking for new players from it. For example, if you were a bookmaker and wanted to expand in the UK, you would make sure you accepted UK currency, wouldn’t you?
There is also the problem of having to convert your funds before sending them if the bookmaker doesn’t accept your currency. Not only is this an additional task you have to complete, but could also result in you being charged for doing this, so it could cost you money.
For these reasons, avoid betting sites that doesn’t accept your home currency.
If a bookmaker has a license to operate in your country they are bound by rules and regulations. If they don’t then they can pretty much do whatever they want to, with no one there to hold them accountable for their actions. It is for this reason that it is vital you find a bookmaker that holds a license in your home country.
If you do this then you have some kind of procedure in place that you can use if you are not happy with the service you are receiving. You also have the peace of mind knowing that someone is regulating the bookmakers and making sure they comply with the right rules based on the license they have.
Yes, betting sites can, unfortunately. This may be due to money laundering, possible cheating or by simply being too good and winning too much money. This doesn’t apply to the majority of punters, and money laundering and cheating won’t apply to those who are above board, so this is not something to worry yourself over.
This is something else that all comes down to licensing. If a bookmaker is regulated they have to show they are doing something to prevent money laundering and they have to show they can handle wrongdoings from players.
Banning players for winning too much money is something that is solely down to the discretion of the betting sites. This usually means that stakes will be limited rather than an outright ban put in place, but they can do this if you are one of the lucky few who is successful enough to be in this position.
The first thing you need to do before placing a bet is to find a bookmaker. Read through our guide to see how we rank the betting sites on this site, as well as what specific things to look out for that will help you find the one best suited to your needs. You can in fact register with numerous betting sites, you do not have to just sign up to the one.
When you sign up with betting sites you will be able to take advantage of the welcome bonus they have in place. This will give you a free bet, bonus funds or another kind of offer such as a money-back offer that you can use to make betting in the early stages easier and potentially more profitable.
You will see the welcome bonus listed by the betting sites before you sign up with them. However, it is important to remember that the biggest betting sites offer isn’t always the best. Look for one that suits your betting style the best, even if that means taking a slightly smaller bonus to get the flexibility you need.
The simple answer here is no. Their betting website may also be the best one for you, but that is not guaranteed. Betting is very personal, and you should always look to find the best match to suit the needs you have, this may not always be the same betting sites as anyone else you know. Go for the best betting sites suited for the sports you want to bet on, for example if it is football, check out the best football betting sites.
These are key because if the betting sites hold a license for your area it means that someone local is regulating them and making sure they fulfil the requirements set out in their license. Betting sites with licenses have demonstrated the ability to pass tests regarding safety, security and funding. They also promote responsible gambling.
