A sports bettor rarely encounters a shortage of offers from bookmakers. Quite the contrary: advertisements for various bookmakers persistently creep in everywhere, from street billboards to YouTube videos while watching movies.
But experts advise against rushing to place bets with the bookmaker whose advertisement you saw last, or which advertises particularly aggressively. This in itself doesn’t guarantee its reliability.
Moreover, it is not uncommon for a one-day bookmaker to be willing, upon entering the market, to spend a certain amount of money on aggressive advertising in order to quickly attract players, collect money from them, and successfully (for itself) complete its life cycle.
That’s why, if you’ve decided to bet on sports, it’s best to spend some time choosing the right bookmaker for you.
Well, we will discuss now how to do this.
We look carefully at the license
BC in Russia,unlike online casinos, may have a full license issued by the Russian regulator. This is very convenient for players, as they receive a number of guarantees. For example, in the event of non-payment of winnings, they can file a complaint with the regulator or file a claim with a Russian court, whose decision is binding on the bookmaker.
Not to mention that support works in Russian, and in most cases it will be enough to call the Moscow number.
Overall, the situation is much more favorable for the player than if the company is registered in India and its head office is in Mumbai.
It would seem much simpler: you need to play only in those bookmakers that are registered in Russia and connected toCUPIS(Interactive Betting Transfer Accounting Center). But in practice, many Russian players prefer foreign bookmakers that are available online. Unfortunately for Russian bookmakers, these “foreigners” can often offer more favorable terms for players—for example, higher odds. This leads many players to “overlook their patriotism” and place a bet with the bookmaker that simply pays more, regardless of its “nationality.”
This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that Russian laws, like those in Kazakhstan, for example, impose a large number of taxes on bookmakers, making them less competitive.
That’s why players go to foreign establishments.
In general, experts recommend carefully examining the country in which a bookmaker is registered and the regulator that issued its license. Naturally, a large country (such as a European one) is more likely to be trusted.
However, having a license is crucial in itself. Only then will you be able to appeal to the regulator if any difficulties arise while working with the bookmaker.
And, by the way, the website of a company with a Russian license won’t be blocked by Roskomnadzor. However, the same can’t be said for an offshore bookmaker.
Checking the feature set
Each bookmaker offers its own set, which includes line width, painting and odds.
These words may seem complicated to a beginner player, but in reality, everything is elementary:
- A line is the range of matches a bookmaker offers to bet on. Typically, a “line” refers to a list of competitions in a specific sport—for example, only golf.
- A lineup is a list of possible bets offered for a specific match. For example, a specific team will win, a specific score, or a goal will be scored in the first or last five minutes of a half.
- Odds are the most important factor in sports betting. They represent the ratio of the bet to the potential winnings. High odds are typically offered for unlikely outcomes.
For example, today some bookmakers accept bets on the fact thatcoronavirus pandemicThe bet will end before July 1, 2020, and the odds will be 4.00 (bet 100 rubles and get 400 if the bet wins). If this doesn’t happen, the odds are 1.25 (bet 100 rubles and get 125).
At first glance it may seem that the moreline width and painting, the better for the player. But in practice, this is the same as a travel agency offering packages to every city in the world. It sounds good, but typically each individual tourist only needs one or two options. Therefore, it’s not so important how many thousands of matches a bookmaker accepts bets on, but whether they offer the competitions you’d like to bet on.
As for the odds, it’s the same: some bet only on the outcome of the match, and that’s all they need. Other players are accustomed to betting on the so-called “total,” that is, on a specific point total.
When the World Cup is underway, almost all bookmakers will be happy to offer all types of bets on all matches. But if, say, Mumbai hosts a cricket match, you’ll have to search long and hard to find a bookmaker that will accept totals or even include the event in their lineup.
Online betting or land-based betting shops?
Needless to say, a betting shop has its own atmosphere. People often come there not only to place bets, but also to relax, socialize with like-minded people, and watch a long-awaited match not from the comfort of their couch, but in such a special place.
Additional advantages of PPS:
- Unambiguous legality. Opening a land-based establishment without a license is nearly impossible.
- Possibility of cash withdrawal of winnings.
- Many of these establishments have “betting machines” that can accept money from a player and give it to him if the bet wins.
However, PPS also has its share of disadvantages:
- Often they are located far from where the player lives.
- PPS almost never work around the clock.
- During major competitions there may not be enough space for everyone, because the area of such points is usually very small.
If we talk aboutBookmaker in online format, they allow betting 24/7 and from anywhere, including the stadium. That’s why their popularity is rapidly growing.
Especially recently, when most PPS around the world are closed due to the coronavirus.
We study all the conditions
Not all bookmakers have their terms and conditions compiled in one place on their website and laid out in clear language. Sometimes it takes time to find and read everything. But this is a very important task.
So, what should you pay attention to?
1. Deposit and withdrawal methods, fees, and terms. This section is often overemphasized. Yes, all of this is important, but most bookmakers offer roughly the same deposit and withdrawal methods, and fees, too.
Sometimes players start criticizing companies that take up to a week to process withdrawals immediately. But if you think about it, there’s usually no problem with waiting.
2. The bookmaker’s length of service. It’s ideal if it’s five years or more. Companies that have managed to overcome this “five-year barrier” are usually quite reliable. However, experienced bettors advise against trusting “dynamically developing companies” that only appeared yesterday.
3. Availability of a mobile version of the site. This is very important for those who would like to playlive games, placing bets directly from the stadium.
Today, virtually every bookmaker allows access to its website via smartphone. However, players prefer those that offer a user-friendly betting app that simplifies the process as much as possible.
How important are bonuses?
Players have very polarized attitudes towards bonuses.
- Some people believe that a large bonus is the most important sign of a good bookmaker.
- Others, on the contrary, see bonus programs as nothing more than a bookmaker’s advertising campaign, and consider the programs themselves to be useless.
Indeed, if you analyze bookmakers’ advertising messages, they often boil down to “you’ll get a 1,000 ruble bonus for registering, another 3,000 rubles for your first deposit, and then you’ll get the same amount as a bonus for betting 5,000 rubles.” How should you respond to such promises?
Experienced players agree that, first and foremost, you need to carefully read everything written in the bookmaker’s bonus program, including the fine print and the asterisks.
We often encounter bonuses offered under completely inhumane conditions. For example:
- When you register with the bookmaker, you will indeed receive a 1,000 ruble bonus, HOWEVER, you cannot use it until you receive a 3,000 ruble bonus for replenishment (you need to deposit this amount) and spend 5,000 rubles on bets (therefore, you will need to add at least another 2,000 rubles).
- Once you have collected all 9,000 rubles of bonus money (in total), you can place them on a single event “in one piece”; that is, you cannot split them.
And it’s good if the bookmaker doesn’t add that in case of a win you will receive it minus those same 9,000 rubles, kindly provided to you in the form ofbonus.
As we can see, the “generous” bonus ultimately becomes nothing. Not only are most players unwilling to immediately deposit such money, but they also won’t be able to use the bonus funds at their own discretion.
If a bookmaker offers to top up your account with 1,000 rubles and immediately receive a second thousand, which can be spent on bets, this sounds much more attractive.
And most importantly, it’s simpler.
It’s also highly recommended to read reviews of this bookmaker on independent websites. This will help you spot even those nuances you might not have noticed when first getting to know the company.
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