And of course, as is usually the case with everything else, there are good betting sites and not-as-good betting sites. As a player, it’s in your best interest to pick the best of the best betting sites as they specialize in offering the players a top-tier online sports betting experience.
But the problem is that that there are so many betting sites and online sports bookies that it poses somewhat of a challenge to single out the best. And this is where we come into play. Once you read our review, you will get to know the exact things that can make or break any online sports bookie and betting site. Our dedicated experts have performed an in-depth analysis of the subject at hand and all of their results are compiled in the list that you can see above. But let’s get down to the basics, first… what does it mean when we say that one betting site is the best?
Licensing and Regulation
The sad fact of life is that there are scammers everywhere. And this is the case with online sports betting, too. Some sports bookies and websites simply aren’t in it to be fair and they try their best to scam their unwitting customers. In many instances, the customers aren’t even aware that they are being scammed, what they believe instead is that they’re having a genuine and fair online sports betting experience when it’s anything but.
So, how to determine which betting sites are legit and which aren’t? The first thing to look out for is licensing information. If the betting site of your choice does not have a valid license issued by a renowned regulatory authority, then it’s a definite red flag that you should be aware of.
The legit betting sites are licensed by the top regulatory authorities in the field. One such authority that springs to mind and that’s at the top of the iGaming and online sports betting industry is the United Kingdom Gambling Commission or UKGC in short. Of course, there are several other such authorities that regulate the market, such as the Malta Gaming Authority, the Curacao Gaming Authority, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, etc. But the experts in the field agree that the United Kingdom Gambling Commission towers above all the competition and that it’s the highest authority in the field.
The reason why the UKGC has such high esteem and renown is that it imposes vigorous, strict standards on all the betting sites and online casinos that they must meet before they get in the ballpark of getting a UKGC license. This is in stark contrast to the way the Curacao Gaming Authority does business since this authority doesn’t issue nearly as strict impositions to the betting sites and casinos striving to get a license. Long story short: if you see the logo of the UKGC with valid licensing information, then it’s a sure sign that the betting site is legit and safe to use. We’re not saying that MGA or CGA licensed betting sites aren’t legit, far from it being the case. But the standards that the UKGC imposes are the strictest, hence the players will be well protected in the UKGC sports betting sites. All of the betting sites on our list are fully licensed by renowned regulatory authorities.
Regardless of the licensing information, always make sure to implement common-sense knowledge and practice as you place sports bets online. Never share sensitive account information with anyone as
there’s never a good reason to do this. And if anything seems off, regardless if it’s UKGC licensed site or not, you should maintain caution and discontinue using the betting services of the site as soon as possible.
Big Bonuses
Next off, we have one of the favorite subjects of most online sports bettors: the bonuses. If you have never used the services of an online sports betting platform, or of an online casino, then you may not be aware that players are being pampered left and right with generous bonuses. The sports bookies do this to attract more players and the reasoning behind it is obvious. It’s much more likely for anyone to do their first deposit on a betting site if there are bonuses involved.
Now, it’s important to note that different sites offer different bonuses. If you get one type of bonus on one site, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you’ll get the same bonus or a bonus of the same size on another. There are variations and discrepancies and the savvy players need to know all this info to make the best decision as to where to play.
And again, this is where we come to play. Our experts have compiled a list of the best betting sites that feature the biggest, most generous, lavish bonuses that the players can get. Getting a big bonus can have a big influence on your gaming experience, as it can stave off losses from your personal savings, or it can increase your wins altogether.
But the size of the bonus is not the only thing that matters. Savvy players also know that behind all the bombastic announcements of “$1,000 of FREE betting money!!!”, there comes the sometimes harsh reality of the terms and conditions. So, in a sense, if the player jumps at the sight of the promotional banners, without doing additional research on the bonuses, then they may very well be shooting themselves in the foot.
The terms and conditions hide all the important info that you’ll need to determine the quality of the bonus and how you can use it. We use the term “hide” as most players, unfortunately, don’t have the time or effort to spare to read the all-important T&Cs. So, they make their account and do their deposits only to find out down the line that the allotted time for releasing the bonuses has passed and that the bonuses are void.
But worry not, as our experts have done all the research so that you won’t have to. We have scoured through the terms and conditions of all the best betting sites and we’ve determined the number and size of the bonuses, as well as the terms and conditions. You’ll get the best offers in terms of the smallest wagering requirements and allotted time for the biggest potential bonuses by visiting the best betting sites that we have prepared for you on our list.
Betting Markets and Margins
The availability of as many and as varied betting markets as possible is a definite hallmark of the best betting sites. Typically, the best betting sites will feature a big list of available sports that the players can wager bets on, such as:
- American football,
- Baseball,
- Basketball
- European football,
- Boxing/MMA,
- Golf,
- Horse Racing
- Ice Hockey,
- Handball,
- Tennis,
- Volleyball,
And many other sports. What’s more, there will be many events within each sport that the players can place bets on, and the events will be held all over the world. Finally, there may very well be esports as well, such as:
- CS:GO,
- Dota 2,
- League of Legends,
- Fortnite,
and others. It’s also important to note that the betting margins can significantly influence the players’ betting experience on the particular betting site. The lower the betting margins, the bigger the potential profits that the player can make for winning bets. The industry average in terms of the betting margins is set somewhere around 6-8%. So, anything higher than 8% is bad in terms of potential profitability and the player may feel ripped off; 6-8% is the standard, and anything below 6% will increase your potential profits significantly.
All of the best betting sites that we’ve prepared for you in our list not only have a big and varied list of available sports and events to bet on, from all over the world, but they also have highly competitive margins that the players will benefit from. So, there’s another way in which you will benefit by playing on the best betting sites on our list.
Responsive Customer Service
This is a subject that’s not usually talked about as much. This is a shame since customer service has the power to make or break the entire experience for the players. The best betting sites typically offer the following methods in which you can contact customer service:
- Live chat,
- Phone,
- E-mail,
- Discord,
- Social media support,
and others. What you will note though is the majority of sports bookies offer live chat, phone, and e-mail support as the most popular and most widely used customer service contact options.
But the fact that these contact methods may be available to use on a certain betting site doesn’t automatically mean that the bookie provides quality customer service to the players, far from it. It’s just as important for the customer service team to consist of dedicated professionals with years of experience in the field of helping players with whatever issues or questions they may have.
Unfortunately, there are many instances where players have hit a wall with the customer support teams of certain betting sites. Customer service may be slow to respond or not respond in a professional, helpful way. So, if the player has problems, they are encouraged to solve them on their own, effectively.
But this does not happen on the best betting sites. Apart from the fact that you can use several different customer service contact options at the best betting sites, you will also get prompt, high-quality support from the customer service agents. And quality customer service that seeks to answer all the players’ needs is another hallmark of the best betting sites.
Special Features
The core sports betting experience is important, but it’s also important for there to be special features that the players can use as they wager bets. There are several examples of these special features in play, such as:
- Live streaming. The live streaming feature is one of the most popular ones, so much so
that it has become a staple in the best betting sites worldwide. Being able to watch the
events live as the player places live bets is a critical piece of the entire online sports
betting experience. Of course, it’s unreasonable to expect that there will be streaming
options for all the sports and events all around the world, even on the best betting
sites. But the best betting sites should do their best to incorporate a big variety of the
most popular sports and events in their live streaming platforms. - Bet builder. What it gives players is the ability to make numerous bets and get them all
calculated into the final bet equation, with ease. This significantly simplifies things
for players which is why the bet builder is an all-time favorite on the best betting
sites. - Early cashout. The cashout is a vital feature. The players can also do what’s known as
early cashouts on the best betting sites. What this means is that the player now can
withdraw their wagers even before the game ends. This can help you big time in protecting
your bet and cutting your losses as you play.
And there are several other special features that the players can look forward to using in the best betting sites that you can find on our list. The bigger the number of special features that are available on a betting site, the better and more varied the players’ experience will be.
Conclusion – The Best Online Sports Betting Sites
One of the most important things that you can do for yourself if you’re a fan of online sports betting is to single out the best betting sites and only play there. We have done this for you already and you can feel free to consult our list of the best betting sites that our experts have compiled. By visiting these betting sites, you will get the biggest bonuses, most varied betting markets, lowest betting margins, highest quality customer service, and you’ll get all of these things in a safe and controlled environment, regulated by the top online sports betting authorities. Have fun!