Read on - we'll bring you all the scoop on how to identify the best sportsbook. While Grande Vegas players enjoy their no deposit bonus codes and the best games available at an online casino, sports betting has been getting an overhaul. Let's see how you can make the most of the new situation.
Three years after sports betting was given the green light in the United States, the sports betting industry is growing rapidly. Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia have passed law that legalize sports betting in their jurisdictions and another nine state legislatures have bills pending that would legalize sports betting in their jurisdictions as well.
Multiple sports leagues and teams, including the NFL, the NHL, the NBA and MLB have partnered with sports betting operators. The partnerships allow the operators to receive access to league logos, access to official data for use in sports betting operations and access to enhanced statistics and minute-by-minute-play data which draws in more customers. In return, the leagues, teams and stadiums will allow a gambling company’s branding to appear on tickets, digital boards and other promotional materials.
Disparity
The Supreme Court ruled, in 2018, that states could legislate sports betting in their own jurisdictions. Not only do the states’ legislators or voter referendums decide whether or not bettors in their state can place wagers on sporting events but they also decide how those bets will take place.
Some states have banned sports betting all-together. Other states allow people to bet on sports but only at an existing retail casino site. In an increasing number of states, sports betting is available both at retail casinos and online. In Tennessee, sports betting is operational only through online operators.
Currently, sports betting enthusiasts have access to wagering on sporting events in almost 50% of American states and the number will likely grow by the year’s end.
If you are in a sports betting state and you want to find the best sportsbook in which to place your bets, do your research and choose wisely.
Choosing a Sportsbook
Before you select a sportsbook, it’s important to remember that your decision isn’t binding. You can always move from one sportsbook to another. HOWEVER, there are advantages to sticking with one sportsbook.
First of all, it’s simply easier to get used to a platform, especially if you’re making live bets (which means that you have to place your wagers within seconds). In addition, sportsbook bonuses accrue over the course of time, so by sticking with one sportsbook you’ll be able to accumulate the bonuses that make it more profitable to make your bets.
Therefore, it’s best to choose your sportsbook wisely because you might be with it for years to come.
Overview
The first step to choosing a sportsbook should be to decide what you want out of your sports betting activity. Is sports betting going to be a hobby or a full-time source of income. Do you plan to wager on one specific sport or on a variety of games?
Will you be wagering on other types of bets – politics, entertainment events, etc? You need to make sure that the sportsbook that you fit is the right fit for the kinds of activities that you want to accomplish.
Specifics
You need to decide whether you want to adapt to what the sportsbook offers or have the sportsbook deliver what you want. For instance, if you’re OK with a sportsbook that has a limited offering, that’s one thing. But if you know, in advance, that you’ll be watching and betting on college sports or foreign games, you’ll want to check to find a sportsbook that features those types of events.
Payment Options
Today, all sportsbooks, including online and mobile sportsbooks, accept epayments from ewallets, prepaid voucher cards, credit and debit cards and cybercurrency. But within those parameters, there’s a large disparity in WHICH payment options the sportsbook supports.
Again, if you’re willing to open an ebanking account that fits the sportsbook’s ebanking options, there’s no problem. But if you want to continue to conduct your wagering deposits and withdrawals with a specific ebanking institution, you’ll need to check the sportsbook’s eanking page to make sure that the sportsbook interfaces with your preferred method of ebanking.
Betting Options
Find out if the casino offers the kind of bets that meet your individual needs and expectations. For example, if you find betting on props to be fun and entertaining, don’t choose a sportsbook that doesn’t accept prop bets. Or one that prioritizes sporting events that are of no interest to you. Once again, a little bit of time spent researching at the beginning will ensure that you enjoy better sports betting entertainment further down the road.
Data
You should be able to get the information that you need in a timely manner in order to place the most informed bets possible. For that reason, watch and see when the sportsbook puts out their lines. If the lines aren’t put out until too close to the event, the sportsbook is no good. Find a sportsbook that puts out the lines as early as possible.
Mobile
Mobile betting is probably one of the most controversial subjects when it comes to betting on sports. Even if you’re, basically, a fan of land-based sportsbooks, if your state allows it, you’ll want the option to place a bet from home. Check out your retail sportsbook and try to find one that delivers online betting options as well. Or, if you prefer, just find a mobile site (again, this is only available in states that have legislated for online betting) and do your betting on mobile.
Live Betting
Live betting is a new casino option that allows bettors to make their wager in the middle of an event. That means that you can make a bet after you see that the game is going a different way than it might have been going originally, or after you see that a specific player is having an especially good day.
Keep in mind that, while you can make instant bets, the odds will change as well so you need to keep your eye on the odds as you make your betting choices.
Cashout Options
The cashout options are where sportsbooks differ. This is something that you want to check carefully because, while some sportsbooks have liberal cashout options that allow you to take your winnings whenever you’re ready to leave, there are sportsbooks that require that you have minimum cash-out – sometimes $1000 or more!
You need to be aware of such manipulations and make sure that you don’t get caught up in a sportsbook that will keep you separated from your payouts.
Bonuses
As mentioned, sportsbook encourage their customers to stick with them through bonuses, loyalty points, VIP programs, rewards and other give-aways. As tempting as it may seem to make your decision based on the bonus promotions – don’t! The bonus gifts should only be one of multiple aspects of the decision-making process, not THE MAIN decision-maker.
Do, by all means, consider the bonuses but factor them in with the rest of the sportsbook’s amenities. Remember, when all is said and done, the objective is to have fun and see how well you can assess an event. Placing high bets in order to get an additional $10 or so isn’t going to be very rewarding on any level.
Finally, remember that no type of gambling is ever a sure thing. Don’t ever bet more than you have set aside for your wagering entertainment regardless of winning streaks, betting strategies, sure-fire methods to recover losses or any other reason.
