As a punter, you have no doubt come to realize that your bookmaker’s website is like a tool of the trade with your bookmaker being a facilitator. Your relationship with them is important because you are counting on them to provide you with the opportunity to wager on sports and horses at your convenience. You are also counting on them to be honest and forthright with your bankroll, which includes filling your withdrawal requests without hassle.
Given the importance of this relationship, it is incumbent on you as the punter to make sure you find an online bookmaker that is capable of meeting your expectations. That raises the question: “How should you go about choosing a bookmaker?”
The Criteria
While some components of the selection process involve your personal preferences, there are still certain things that you should consider before making a choice. To keep things simple, this list of criteria will be restricted to the four most important things you need to consider.
- Reputation – Some of the larger international online bookmakers have a larger than life profile that has become public knowledge. You are usually safe selecting sites operated by publicly owned organizations such as William Hill. For some of the smaller bookmakers, you would be well-advised to do some research and check out some of the top “watchdog” sites that disclose customer issues and offer up overall ratings. If a site will cheat once, they will have no issue cheating again.
- Content – An online bookmaker that offers a restricted menu of sports events and betting options will suffer in comparison to one that offer sports events and horse racing venues from all over the world. You know full well what sports you enjoy wagering on, and you would surely be best-served to find a bookmaker that offers exactly what you want.
- Licensing – Regulatory commissions are set up all over the world for the purpose of collecting taxes and making sure that punters, who are residents of that particular region, are treated fairly. It would be a huge mistake for you to settle on a bookmaker that doesn’t have the proper licensing from one of the top gaming jurisdictions. You should stick with the bookmakers licensed with the following commissions: the Malta Gaming Authority, e-Gaming Curacao, the Government of Gibraltar, the Government in the Northern Territory of Australia and the U.K. Gambling Commission. If you live in other parts of the world where online gaming is legal, check with local authorities to learn more about the region’s regulatory bodies.
- Bonuses and Promotions – With literally hundreds of bookmakers operating online, the industry has become ultra competitive, bordering on cutthroat. The only way for them to beat the competition for new customers is through the use of bonus offers. If you have identified several bookmakers that score high in the three areas listed above, you owe it to yourself to let a site’s bonuses and promotions become the deciding factor. You should note there are two things to consider when evaluating a bonus or promotion, the monetary value and the terms and conditions. A lucrative offer can be rendered worthless if the terms and conditions are so restrictive that actually winning money becomes near impossible. You should focus on bookmaker sites that offer plenty of decent promotions with reasonable terms and conditions. An online bookmaker like ComeOn Casino has the kinds of promos you should put under consideration.
Unfortunately, the online gaming industry is full of unscrupulous bookmakers that won’t hesitate to take your money and run. It is incumbent on you to do the proper due-diligence in order to avoid hassles and make sure you have a great punting experience.