There are millions of people around the world who place bets on sporting events. To serve them, we have hundreds of bookmakers, all waiting with odds on offer, betting markets, offers, and much more to try and entice people to bet with them.
But what makes a great betting site? What should new players look out for when they are choosing where to bet?
There is no site better than the others, betting is very personal so what you will have is sites that suit your own personal needs better than others. This is what you need to look out for when making your decision.
Getting help with this is good, not because the help will tell you where to bet, but because it will highlight the good points of each service so you can work out which appeals to you.
If you are a new gambler looking for your first bookmaker or you are experienced but looking for somewhere new to bet, here are some of the things you should look out for.
The Sports and Betting Markets Available
This is pretty obvious, but the key starting point which will show how betting is personal and why you need to make your own decision.
The reason you need to check up on the sports and betting markets available is to make sure they have the markets on offer that you need.
It doesn’t matter if the bookmaker doesn’t do a particular sport, as long as you don’t need that sport. If you bet on something big such as the PGA Tour golf events, every bookmaker will cover these to some degree.
For those gamblers, this is more about the betting markets they have on offer. These need to be diverse and if you are a bookmaker then you should always ensure you have available what you get from your current bookmaker at the moment.
With the right sports and betting markets available, you should be able to rest easy knowing you can always get a bet on with your chosen bookmaker on your favorite events.
Getting the Best Odds
If you have one bookmaker account then you should understand that you will not always get the best odds. However, what you can do with one account is to go with a bookmaker that offers consistently high odds to get a good deal.
Every time you place a bet and you don’t take the best odds, you are leaving profit behind on the table.
Most punters are in a situation where they are going to leave profit behind, the key is to minimize that.
A simple way of checking odds is to look at an upcoming sporting event that you are likely to bet on and take examples of the odds on offer from a few bookmakers.
If you are currently betting with one, make sure that is included as it is not advisable to move away from a good deal when you already have one.
Set yourself realistic expectations when you are looking at odds, understand you won’t always get the best, and strive for an overall good deal when you are placing your bets.
What Offers Can You Claim?
The betting industry is hugely competitive. For this reason, many bookmakers offer welcome bonuses to their new customers. The free bet offers available at freebets.co.uk are an example of these and how good they can be.
With so many different ones on offer, it is not a case of getting one but more about getting a big one and one that suits your betting. Some will be sport specific offers, look out for these, for example, if you bet on horse racing then you don’t want a football welcome offer.
Something else to look for offers that regular customers can use. These hold real value, even though they are smaller than the welcome offers. This is because you can use them time and time again, in some cases every single day you place a bet.
A good welcome offer from your new bookmaker and a couple of regular offers to use afterward should see you set up well with your betting moving forward.
Mobile Capabilities
The entire world is turning mobile and the good news for punters is that the betting industry is using technological advancements as much as it possibly can to improve the service they have.
One of the key services that bookmakers can offer right now is a mobile app. With this on your phone, you effectively have a bookmaker in your pocket. You can be at home on the sofa, in the office, out with friends, visiting family or even at a sporting event, and you can place your bets.
There is no longer an excuse for missing a bet, thanks to the great phones we have on offer and the high-speed mobile internet connections we have, betting on the go is simple and easy to do.
Even if you don’t intend to bet on your mobile right now, the entire industry is moving towards it so find a good mobile bookmaker.
Special Features
There are many special features that bookmakers offer to their players, not all of these are available with every bookmaker. These are things that enhance your betting, it could be in-play betting, the ability to live steam a game or special betting markets that no one else has.
While some people will not be interested in these, there are many that will be, especially in-play betting.
This is rapidly growing and allows punters the chance to bet during play rather than before the game.
These features are what separate the best bookmakers from the crowd, and they also show that a bookmaker is willing to lead the way and create new features for their customers to use.
This is a strong point for them, and something you should be on the lookout for. If a bookmaker is packed with features, they are likely to keep investing in creating more in the future.
