Bookmaker Recommender
Since you’re here checking out our website, it means that you’re at the very least interested in online sports betting. Most likely, you’re a somewhat experienced sports bettor yourself. And, since you’re reading our review, it means that you want to learn how to choose a bookmaker. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will tell you all you need to know about choosing the best bookmakers in the industry.
As you may be aware, there are several parameters in play when it comes to assessing the stature of a bookmaker. And every single parameter holds importance in determining whether the bookmaker is legit. What you’ll get to read below is our list of the most important things regarding choosing a bookmaker. So, if you’re interested in learning more, feel free to read the rest of our review below.
The Promotions and Bonuses
We’ll first start with the rewards that the players can get just by playing on a particular bookie’s website. There are several different types of bonuses at play here, but the most popular one, hands down, is the deposit match bonus. This is usually in the form of a welcome offer which serves to attract the players to come and play. That being said, we’ll also provide you with an example of what you can expect from the welcome deposit match bonus.
On some bookmakers’ websites, the players will be pampered with a handsome promotional offer of 100% up to $500. So, what this means is that the player ought to deposit $500 of their own to be able to get the full $500 deposit. In a sense, nothing is free, since you will need to deposit your own in this case to claim the bonus. However, $500 is still a nice sum of betting money that you can use to wager bets for free.
However, as far as the setup of how the bonuses work, there are also the terms and conditions that you need to be mindful of. For example, there’s the wagering requirement, for starters. Some promotions may require a 10x wagering requirement to be met before you’re allowed to release the bonus. In other instances, the wagering requirement can rise to 50x, and even more.
Also, it’s important to note the time that you’ll get for releasing the bonus. Sometimes, bookmakers are known to throw in backhanded limitations for bonus use. In a hypothetical case, to illustrate the point, you may have gotten $1,000 of bonus money to wager bets with, but you may also get a 50x wagering requirement that you must meet within 7 days. What this means is that you will have to wager through $50,000 in 7 days or less to release the bonus, and not many players are prepared to wager through such a large sum of money to claim any bonus, no matter how large it is.
And this is why it’s important to choose the bookmakers with the biggest available bonuses and that offer fair terms and conditions to the players. In most cases, the terms and conditions aren’t as extreme as in the example above, but there are cases where the bonus is deliberately created to be as difficult as possible to release. Choosing the best bookmaker means that you will get the best of the best in terms of bonuses and promotions.
License and Regulation
We’ve decided to start with the bonuses as a subject that many players are quite fond of, and to set the mood. But what’s even more important when choosing a bookmaker is the license and regulation of the operator. Namely, several long-standing authorities wield high authority in iGaming. These commissions, as they’re known, are some of the following:
- The Malta Gaming Authority,
- The United Kingdom Gambling Commission,
- The Curacao Gaming Authority,
- The Alderney Gambling Control Commission,
And others. It’s important to note that some commissions have a higher standing than others. We’ll take the United Kingdom Gambling Commission as an example of high stature, wielding respect. If you find a bookmaker with the UKGC logo and a valid license issued by this regulator, then this goes a long way to helping you feel secure and safe using that particular bookmaker’s services.
This doesn’t mean that the other authorities aren’t legitimate. On the contrary. Many completely legit operators are licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, for example. The thing to note here is whether the operator has a valid license. You will usually be able to find the respective licensing authority’s logo and the licensing information at the bottom of the bookie’s main page. If everything checks out, then this is a sign that you’ll be safe using the bookmaker’s services.
Customer Service
We’ve decided to add customer service as one of the topmost important parameters that you should be on the lookout for when choosing a bookmaker. Many people won’t agree with us but hear our case. Most people don’t even think of customer service up until the very moment when they need it. So, they do their research and find out that they can contact customer service in one of three main ways:
- Phone,
- Live chat, and
- E-mail,
But what you should be aware of is the fact that there are some major differences in how the customer service teams respond to players in need. Some are fast and highly responsive, offering solid answers to all the questions promptly. Others are anything but. You may need to wait for a few days to even get a reply, and the reply won’t contain all the answers you need.
So, in times of need, you will need to be able to contact a customer service team that will give you all the answers you require as soon as possible. Otherwise, your entire betting experience at the particular bookmaker that you’re using may fall apart.
Available Betting Markets
Since you’re reading this article, it means that you’re interested in one or two things: online sports betting or online esports betting. Sports betting is one of the most popular hobbies that people all around the world have, while esports betting is trailing close behind. So, the players need to be certain that they can find a variety of different sports and esports to bet on, including:
- Football,
- Baseball,
- Tennis,
- Ice Hockey,
- Basketball
- League of Legends,
- Dota 2,
- Hearthstone,
- CS:GO,
and others. The higher the stature of the bookie, the better the chances that you will get to bet on a big variety of different sports and events within regular sports and esports. Note here that some bookmakers specialize in providing sports betting services while others specialize in the same but for esports. There are even cases when one bookie offers both betting and sports betting services, and even an entire casino gambling section, as well.
So, the first thing to do is determine what your own needs are. What do you enjoy most? Is it sports betting? Or esports betting? Only once you answer these questions will you be able to choose a bookmaker that will fit your needs. In all cases, you may end up using the services of a bookmaker that you don’t quite enjoy using.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Another important part of the entire online sports betting experience comes in the form of deposits and withdrawals. The players need to be able to make quick and easy deposits and withdrawals whenever they need to or feel like it. Most reputable bookmakers will give the players several options to choose from when making payments on the platform, including:
- MasterCard,
- Neteller,
- Visa,
- Skrill,
- Bitcoin,
- Bank Wire Transfer,
and others. The individual players will undoubtedly have their own needs and preferences when it comes to using different payment methods.
The two things that you need to consider most when using either payment method are the speed of transactions and the size of the fees, or lack thereof, that you may need to pay. You will come to see that the most popular payment methods are usually fast and, best of all, free of charge. When choosing a bookmaker that you intend to use, be sure that there are sufficient payment options that you can use and that will fit your preferences.
Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming is yet another important parameter that you need to have in mind when choosing a bookmaker. There are many players that much rather prefer to use their smartphones and other types of mobile devices to wager bets online as it can be a lot more convenient to do so in this way. So, the bookmaker needs to have a dedicated app for iOS, Android, and Windows devices to cover a big portion of the market of online sports bettors.
If you find that a particular bookmaker has an app, then, after making sure that your device is compatible, you will only need to quickly download the app and install it on your device to use it.
The other option is that the bookmaker may not have a mobile app, but there may be a mobile website. This simplifies things even more so, since using the bookmaker’s website won’t require you to even download or install any apps whatsoever. The mobile websites are usually well-optimized with HTML5 technology, which gives the player a fully optimized mobile gaming experience on the website.
When choosing a bookmaker, always make sure that the website offers a solid mobile sports betting experience, especially if you prefer to use your mobile device to wager bets. Our lists contain only bookmakers that are known for the quality of the mobile sports betting experience that they offer to the players.
Special and Extra Features
The core experience when betting online is well-important. However, it’s also important for there to be available special features. Note that these features aren’t as “special” as the term suggests because many of them are so widely and frequently used by sports bettors, that their use is commonplace and hence “not special”. Regardless of semantics and linguistics, it still holds true that bookmakers need to invest as much as possible in developing the extra features.
The first of the features that comes to mind is the live streaming feature, closely tied in with the live betting feature. If this feature is available, it means that the player can start placing bets on live events and watch the events unfold in real-time. This is one of the most widely and most frequently used features in bookmakers’ arsenals. It’s easy to see how it enhances the online sports betting experience and makes it more thrilling and exciting for players. A good bookmaker will cover many events across many sports from all around the world with the live streaming feature so that the players can watch the events that they bet on.
Another very popular feature that comes to mind is the early cash-out feature. What early cash-out means is that the players will be able to pull back their wagers even before the event has concluded. This gives you additional freedom to manage your wagers at the bookmaker of your choice and it can save you a lot of money down the line that you would have otherwise lost.
The special features enhance the sports betting experience and this is the main reason why you’d want to consider them when choosing a bookmaker.
Conclusion – A Sound Choice
If you follow all the rules above, then you will have it easy when choosing a bookmaker. However, another thing to note is that it may not be as easy to compare bookmakers with one another, especially if you aren’t armed with the proper tools and information. So, in this regard, feel free to use all the resources that are available to you on our website. They will help you make the right choice and start placing bets on the best online bookmaker that will fit your needs.