The Complete Guide to Selecting a Sportsbook: Everything to Know

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Did you know that one out of every five adults in the US has bet money on sports in the past year?

As more states legalize the practice, it’s become easier to access ethical websites and resources, but how can you be sure the one you’re using is the best option? Luckily, we’re here to help you out.

Read on to learn the most important things to consider when selecting a sportsbook.

Know What You’re Searching For

To start your search, you need to know what you’re looking for in the first place. There are a lot of options to choose from when you begin betting on sports, but it can get overwhelming. Here are a few factors that can help narrow down your search:

  • Types of betting
  • The sport you’d like to bet on
  • How you plan on funding your bets

You also want to be sure that the site you’re exploring is licensed and offers excellent customer support.

Check on Location Availability

Yes, you need to be sure you know your picks for each game (https://www.oddstrader.com/ncaa-college-basketball/picks/ย is an excellent resource for the latest NCAA picks), but you also want to ensure you’re in the right location.

For example, if you’re in Florida, you want to be sure you’re picking the best Florida sportsbook you can.

Looking at websites that don’t extend offers to your region won’t make much sense, as you won’t be able to place bets with them. Taking your location into account will help ensure there won’t be any hindrances when you finally decide to place your first bet with the right sportsbook.

Customer Service Options

What do their customer service communication options look like?

For example, email-only books are best left alone. If you’re facing a particularly bothersome issue, you don’t want to be stuck not having it addressed immediately or on the same day.

Most books will offer phone support, but chat is often the crowd favorite. Consider which you like the most, and then choose from there.

Reputation

The reputation of a potential sportsbook is essential to consider. You can find more out byย reading online reviews, and by searching out the best or most trusted books in your area.

Often, when you’re just starting out, opting for trusted names is the safest and easiest bet. As you become more familiar with different betting sites, it’ll be easier to tell which ones are worth your time and which are best to skip.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

This is where things can get begin getting tricky. Depending on deposit and withdrawal methods, it can either make or break your decision when choosing a reliable sportsbook.

Fees and speed are the first thing to consider, followed by whether or not they accept credit cards and their minimums.

Cards Accepted

Remember, to look into thisย before you decide on a sportsbook. Not all books are going to accept certain credit cards, and you don’t want to find a site you love only to find that you can’t use it.

American Express is known for charging merchants higher fees than other credit cards, so it’s often not an option when it comes to deposits.

Payment Gateway Fees

You’ll also want to know about payment gateways that are offered. Some sportsbooks will offer multiple options, and it’s important to consider them all, as they can have a serious impact on the overall amount you end up making.

Are There Welcome Bonuses?

Welcome bonuses might sound great, but it’s important to read the fine print before you get excited.

A lot of the time, these bonuses require a rollover anywhere between five and 50 times your initial deposit,ย plus the bonus. When you’re first starting out, you’ll ideally want to choose the lower rollovers and then move from book to book.

So, to get the best deal out of this, it’s best to start at a low rollover book and then Moneyline your group of favorites. This is an easy way to “insure” your deposit, and then after you complete your rollover requirements, you can withdraw your initial deposit plus a portion of your winnings.

From there, take your initial deposit and repeat the entire process with a different book.

Obviously, this doesn’t guarantee you’ll hit each Moneyline parlay, so keep that in mind when deciding on the size of your wagers.

Minimum and Maximum Bets

This isn’t the most important thing to consider, but the minimum and maximum bet amount at a specific book will probably play into your final decision. This is especially true if you make larger or smaller bets.

This isn’t a huge problem that people run into, but you don’t want your bankroll to begin growing only to find that a certain book you enjoy and trust has a maximum that doesn’t meet what you’re wanting to bet. If you’re forced to spread your wagers out, you could run into profit problems due to fees.

Minimum bets face the same problem but in a different way. Some people enjoy betting only a few cents or $1, especially when they’re first starting out, because you can sell points in some cases, and the final amount can lookย really nice once multipliers are factored in.

Don’t Take Selecting a Sportsbook Lightly

It’s easy to choose the first site you see when selecting a sportsbook, but you’d be making a mistake. Take the time to ensure the people you’re choosing to do business with are reputable and worth your time so you don’t end up in a predicament you can’t get out of. Most of all, though, remember to have fun.

For more on the latest in cyber security and sports betting, check out the rest of our website.

Jeff Campbell
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