Sports betting is entertaining; million of people does it every day. It’s just too good to pass on it. You can have fun and earn a few bucks in the process. It also brings people close, who have the same interests. But it’s not all shiny days and roses. While you can meet great people and earn plenty of cash in a matter of hours or even minutes, there’s always the other side of things. You also have sportsbooks that are not running their business the right way. You have those that are late with payouts, poor solvency, and even those whose sole aim is to take advantage of players.
Because of what we said above, you need to be careful when selecting your bookmaker. Playing online is one of the most popular ways of doing things, and many players now choose this way. But, you can never be too careful. You can lose not only money but your data to the people you don’t want to. So, now you must be wondering what can you do to protect yourself? Can you tell the difference between good & bad sportsbooks? There are too many questions, but luckily we can help you and provide the answers. Continue reading our article and we’ll tell you how to recognize sportsbooks you should avoid at all costs.
Check Their License
Having a license is essential, and it’s easy to check if sportsbooks have one. It’s not like you’re checking on James Bond and his license to kill. Sportsbooks that want to attract players by doing business the right way will have their license to operate published on their website in plain sight where all of those who visit their site can see it. If a license is not easy to spot on the website of your choosing, there’s something fishy going around. If they’re even trying to hide it within their terms & conditions, you should turn away and go.
Reputable bookies pay a lot of attention to make themselves presentable to players. This is why they’re going to put their license for you to see it. After all, they have attained it by being deemed legal, solvent, and trustworthy by authorities. If you see sportsbooks without a license at all you should avoid deposit money in their account. You can never be too sure about the websites you’re visiting to lay down your bet on sports, so be sure to pick those that come with high recommendations such as betenemy.
Don’t Trust Bonuses That Are Too Good to Be True
A golden rule. If something is too good to be true it probably isn’t. Or to say it as Emil Mazey once said it: when I see a bird that quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, has feathers and webbed feet, and associates with ducks—I’m certainly going to assume that he IS a duck. The same can be said of sportsbooks bonuses. Many of these places will try to attract new players by offering bonuses you can’t find anywhere else. But, if these bonuses are out of this world, and you find it hard to believe that they exist, stay away from them. No sportsbooks will go against common sense to please players. Yes, you can receive bonuses in most places, but if they’re set in the manner to work against the house, they’re probably there to mislead you.
Funky Website Design
These days anyone can make a website. You have platforms such as WordPress that can even help amateurs launch websites that look passable. But, for a company that wants to deal with sports bets and have thousands of visitors each hour, things to be done professionally. A website that belongs to reputable sportsbooks needs to be fast, functional, and professional. Furthermore, it needs to be compatible with all devices out there including desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. This is just how things are in today’s world. If you aren’t covering all sides, there’s no place for you on the market. Of course, if you visit a website that is slow, unresponsive, and it’s not covering the basics, you should run away. Second-rate websites aren’t made to last long, and the short goal must be a fraud. In this case, you can judge a book by its cover.
Establish Communication
Technology advanced so much that today it’s possible to communicate with people via video calls regardless of location. The Internet changed the world as we knew it, and today, if you don’t answer a text message in a matter of seconds people assume something went wrong. The days of Nokia 3310 being the strongest and best phone around is in the distant past and today we have no excuse for not immediately answering a message or a call. So, when you are cooperating with a sports betting website the communication needs to be instant.
If you find yourself in a situation where they do not answer your calls, messages, or e-mail, you can tell that something is wrong and that you are probably trying to reach someone who is not willing to answer. This is a clear sign they’re running a shady business and you shouldn’t be a part of that or you’ll get into trouble, lose money, and probably a time in the process.
Bottom Line
There are many more signs that you are working with a shady sportsbook, but we won’t go into all of them. By looking at the four points we laid out for you above, you should be able to recognize who you’re dealing with. It’s not hard to tell the difference between bad and good sportsbooks and now after reading our article you should be able to do it on your own. It is essential to learn this, as it could save you a lot of trouble and money of course. In the end, you’re here to earn money, not to lose it to fraudsters.