Going to brick-and-mortar bookies is fun, but sometimes, it can be a hassle. You must drive through traffic, fall in line with other bettors, and perhaps even wait for the staff to take your bets. Overall, it’s just a hassle. Luckily for us, we can bet online now. There are hundreds of online bookies, so choosing one is pretty hard.
However, just like brick-and-mortar bookies, some of them can be scammers. Fortunately, most online bookies you see on the internet are legit. Scummy online bookies themselves are the minority, but that doesn’t mean that you can be complacent when picking your online bookie.
If you don’t want to get scammed out of your winnings and deposits, ensure the online bookie you are frequenting to is legit. But how do we do that? There are signs of a legit bookie that’s pretty easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for, and we’re here to tell you about them. That said, here are some signs that an online bookie is legit.
Bookie License
Whether you want to bet on NFL Super Bowl odds or NBA finals odds, just like any other business out there, a bookie needs to have a license and the right certifications to be able to operate. Any bookie worth their salt has a license and certifications; you can usually see them on their website. Sometimes, you can see it on their front page and the date they got them.
However, they usually have a dedicated page within their website, usually on the About Us page, along with information about the owners. On the other hand, a bookie that has no license and certification has the potential to be predatory, so make sure you find them on your first visit.
Book-to-Book Transfers
A lot of brick-and-mortar bookies don’t allow book-to-book transfers. It’s normal for these bookies and has been that way for a long time. However, it’s different when it comes to online bookies. Most online bookies allow for this feature, and usually, they only allow this kind of connection to online bookies they partner with.
When an online bookie allows this feature, it usually means they have a good reputation in the industry. This is especially true if the online bookie partners with several of the biggest online bookies in the industry. On the other hand, scummy online bookies don’t have this feature because no one would partner with them.
Companies usually keep their distance from companies that might destroy their reputation, which applies to online bookies. So, when you notice that your online bookie isn’t partnered with anyone, you would be right to assume something is wrong.
List of Payment Methods
Regarding online payment methods, online bookies usually have Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Amazon Pay, etc. These are some of the most common payment methods, and it’s usually a good sign. Why? As we mentioned earlier, companies would only partner with a company that has a good reputation.
If your online bookie has a good reputation, they will have these payment methods. On the other hand, if an online bookie doesn’t have these payment methods and instead has obscure ones you haven’t heard of, it might be best just to step away from that online bookie.
Customer Support
Every online bookie has good customer support. It’s essential for them because it’s usually their main avenue of communication with their players. It’s a sign that an online bookie cares about giving their players the best service and ensuring their concern is always heard.
That said, you can usually gauge how helpful their customer support is through feedback websites that talk specifically about their customer support. But usually, a good rule of thumb is that whenever you chat or talk with their customer support on the phone, you’re usually given a chance to talk to a real person instead of a bot. Also, the response shouldn’t take a day.
Age Verification System
Major sports betting websites don’t allow people under 18 to bet on their website. These bookies usually have an age verification system that doesn’t allow underage people to bet on sports. All the major bookies you can see online have this system, and it’s usually a sign that they’re legit. That said, if you see an online bookie that doesn’t have this system, there’s almost a one hundred percent chance that they’re not legit.
Final Words
Sports betting is supposed to be fun and profitable (if you’re lucky enough). However, you can’t do these things if your money is being stolen right under your nose. This is why reliability and safety is the top priority when looking for an online bookie. That said, if you want to ensure that an online bookie is legit, you should look for the signs discussed above. That said, be safe and good luck.
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