How Do We Compare Sites And Are All Sites Equal?

Our sportsbook reviews look at all of the factors and access each bookmaker’s website to get a real client experience. Only by navigating around the website, speaking to customer services and identifying the depth of markets can we give an accurate assessment of the best online betting sites.

Our sportsbook reviews are extremely detailed and cover all of the essential factors that bettors need to know before using a sportsbook. Firstly and most importantly is the legitimacy and security of the bookmaker. There is no use having an account with a bookmaker if they are renowned for withholding funds or undertaking unscrupulous practices, as it doesn’t matter how successful an individual is as a punter if they cannot get their money.

With hundreds of bookmakers out there, it comes as no surprise that all sites are not equal in terms of their offerings. There is a real discrepancy in the quality of services offered by different operators, from the number of markets offered, to the competitiveness of odds to the professionalism of customer services.

Number Of Markets/Sports

A good sportsbook will offer a wide array of sports for customers to bet on (20+ is around standard). Horse racing is a sport that requires constant attention as it is on almost every day and odds move all the time, so typically only the bigger firms will price it up. On top of a good list of sports, it is important to have good depth to the markets – that is, a large number of different bet types for each game.

Generosity Of Odds

Bookmakers can offer concessions, have a huge number of sports to bet on, but it doesn’t matter if their betting books are compiled to criminal percentages. The closer to 100% the better for customers and our sportsbook reviews look at how firms perform in terms of the competitiveness of their odds over a variety of markets.

Payment Methods

There is a new payment provider/service popping up every day, and generally the best online betting sites have been good at incorporating new payment solutions into their websites. We look at the number of different payment types available with each bookmaker, their minimum/maximum deposit amounts, and whether they charge a fee at all.

Customer Services

We look at how accessible and comprehensive customer services are. Can the bookmaker be contacted by e-mail, live chat, and telephone? How many hours per day are the staff on the clock? Obviously, a 24-hour customer services department is desirable, as if there are any queries with bets, customers want them resolved ASAP. The best online betting sites make customer service a priority.

Promotions/Bonuses

The ferocity of competition for new business among the best online betting sites has led to bookmakers offering generous bonuses and concessions when individuals sign up. However, there is a lot of fine print that comes with ‘free bets’ and ‘cash back’ and within our sportsbook reviews, we assess their concessions and scrutinise the terms and conditions to ensure that the advertised bonuses are actually achievable (in terms of being able to obtain the amount stated and easily withdraw the winnings).

Safety Concerns

Customers should always be cautious when visiting an online bookmaker they have not heard of, especially if the website looks low budget. Some of these operators fold and clients lose all of their funds without having a chance to retrieve them. Although there are some reputable companies who are licensed in the Caribbean (Curacao), the majority of rogue bookmakers tend to operate from this region due to the relatively easy licensing laws and low chance of legal action. Firms operating out of Europe are typically easier to contact and there is more likelihood of customers retrieving their money in the case of a dispute. Our sportsbook reviews will help you avoid the worst of the bunch.

Another advantage of choosing an established and reputable betting company with a legitimate website is the fact that there is likely to be a more advanced security encryption, meaning that there is less chance of the site being compromised.