Online sports betting is hugely popular right across the world. It was already a billion dollar industry but, since regulations in the United States were relaxed in 2018, revenue figures have increased significantly.

A generation of bettors are now coming online and they are finding many hundreds of operators from which to choose. Having so much choice can sometimes be confusing so how do you pick a betting partner in such a crowded industry?

Getting Started

Experienced bettors will all be looking for something a little different from their sportsbook. There are, however, certain qualities that all customers will be aiming for.

Players firstly want to have value and that comes from competitive odds. It’s no use playing with an operator if their pricing is out of step with the rest of the industry. Third party review sites can help, or prospective customers can also undertake a few comparisons of their own.

A range of offers and promotions can boost that value. Free bets, matches on opening deposits and enhanced odds are among the deals that can help. Terms and conditions should always be checked but these promos can be a valuable addition to your sportsbook package.

Signing Up

Registering with an online sports betting company should be quick, safe and hassle free. It’s essential that you supply certain information such as age and contact details, but the entire process should take less than a few minutes.

Customers should also be prepared to provide verification documents. It’s vital that you are of legal age to gamble within your state or country and an operator will need to establish this point. ID documentation may be required in order to complete registration.

Once on board, it’s time to explore what the sportsbook has to offer.

Choose Your Markets

A high-quality online sportsbook should be offering a wide choice of events to bet on. Historically, horse racing has been the most popular sport for bettors and it retains a loyal following in the present day.

All forms of meetings should be covered including flat racing and National Hunt events which take place over the jumps.

On a global basis, soccer is the most popular sport. That may not necessarily be the case in some parts of the world, and this is where a betting company needs to be flexible.

For example, customers on mainland Europe will want to see sports that are not necessarily popular on other continents. Handball and volleyball are good examples. In the United States, all of the major divisions such as MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL will need to have extensive markets attached.

In short, there needs to be a good mix of sports. Fortunately, it’s easy to check on this point as every betting company clearly lists the options they cover. All events can be reviewed by potential customers prior to them signing up.

Assessing the Infrastructure

A wide choice of markets, together with competitive odds should be the backbone of any sportsbook. Beyond those key factors, companies also need to consider the additional points that can make the customer experience a pleasurable one.

A range of different funding methods would be ideal. As a bare minimum, operators will accept bank cards and wire transfers for deposits, and these can be used for any subsequent withdrawals. 

Additional funding sources such as eWallets and cryptocurrency would also be desirable. By being flexible in accepting as many methods as possible, a sportsbook can appeal to a wider customer base.

Help facilities should be effective and easy for account holders to locate. The quickest way to answer queries is via a live chat operator. Ideally this should be available 24/7 so that customers can have their queries answered at any time of the day or night.

Back up facilities including email and a webform will also be useful.

Keeping Players Safe

All sportsbooks should be licensed and regulated by the relevant authorities in order to provide betting facilities in your region. Details of that license can usually be found at the bottom of the operator’s homepage.

Security should also be considered and the best sportsbooks have a separate page relating to how they keep their customers’ details safe when they are online.

Fair play should be ensured at all times and the website should also underline how a Random Number Generator (RNG) means that results on games of chance are not predetermined.

All of this information should be clearly displayed on the website, usually through separate links or via an overall ‘About Us’ page.

There may be hundreds of sportsbooks online, but it should no longer be a confusing choice. With careful research and with the advantage of now knowing what you need to look for, it should be easy to find the perfect betting partner moving forward.