Sportsbook Advice: What You Want Out Of A Sportsbook
By Loot, Sports Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Picking a book isn’t easy. There are seemingly countless books and we can’t know about all of them. For a beginning bettor, it might not even be clear what the top standards even are. It’s not that difficult. At root, there are really only several considerations that should determine if a book is worthy for us to patronize.
Integrity is the key standard. We want to know that we’re dealing with a trustworthy operation. The treachery in this business can get downright ruthless. Go read about the different complaints people have about some online books and it’s easy to see why you want to have your money in the right hands. There is no limit to the pain and frustration that can accompany working with a shoddy bookmaker. You want businesslike individuals who aren’t constantly making mistakes, which you’ll notice with bad books, always seems to favor them.
Getting your hands on your loot quickly and relatively stress-free is a key factor where its importance cannot be overstated. Deal with some low-end bookies for a while and you’ll find your biggest problem isn’t picking the games, but in coaxing the book to give you your scratch. It’s a headache that makes sports betting not even worth it. You should be able to have the confidence to look at that money in your account and truly believe in your core that it is indeed your money.
Deal with a book that allows you to cash out for free, even if it’s on a limited basis (Although this option is drying up). Let’s face it, it will never be quite as cushy as being at a sportsbook in Vegas and being handed your money right after the game. That’s as good as it gets and the nature of the beast in an online setting is that it just isn’t possible to operate that way and we have to resign ourselves to that. So now that we understand the parameters of online sports betting, let’s make the best of it. That means dealing with a book that processes payments in a businesslike timeframe and gets it right. (Such as Bovada Sportsbook)
You want an online book that has a good feel for you and most of the top ones do. But how important are graphics? We’re not kids shopping for a home video game system. If we have to carve our bets onto cave walls, what difference does it make? Still, it’s nice to have a certain comfort level with layout of the sportsbook. Just remember, getting paid and having a book that isn’t constantly screwing up is what it’s really all about. (A good recommendation: Sportbet)
Books will try to lure you with mouthwatering bonuses. It’s a perk for signing up with them. Some books will offer you a free bet. Others will give you extra credit, like if you put in $500, they’ll credit you with $625. A few rules of thumb about bonuses--the more extravagant they are, the more you may be dealing with a fly-by-night outfit. A book that is a scam-operation can offer you anything in regards to a bonus because they know they’ll never have to pay it. There are exceptions to the rule of course. There are many good books like GTBets that offer an awesome 100% bonus, but the max. is $150.
You can still get nice bonuses from a top book. They can get a little complicated. There can be rollover requirements that make that free money not so attractive all of a sudden. If you have a choice of bonuses, it’s a good idea to choose the one that you sense will be less-distracting. When you sign up with a book, count on the actual money you deposited and don’t get all carried away about the bonus money, particularly if there are all sorts of requirements to fulfill before it is indeed yours.
You can get bonuses in the form of reduced juice. Those are good to take advantage of. Instead of chasing bonus money and getting all distracted, you can just get the privilege of betting on a -105 line for football, rather than the customary -110. This can work a in few different ways, but reduced juice is a nice bonus. The best online sportsbook that offers -105 odds on sides and totals is 5Dimes.
Just remember--if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Never be lured by dreamy bonuses that will never come to fruition. Betting at good odds with a reputable book is really what we should be asking for as it pertains to online sports betting. All we’re asking for is a fair shake. We want our bets handled correctly and promptly. We want to get paid if we have the good fortune of winning. And if we can a nice bonus thrown in, that’s great.
Related: Sportsbook Etiquette.
