How to Choose a Sportsbook

Trying to determine a sportsbooks financial status is much easier said then done. Financial information can be pretty tough or sometimes impossible to run down.

However, a good starting point is to find how long the book has been in business. If it's a relatively new sportsbook (and it's not owned by a larger one) then I would stay away until it has an established, proven track record.

So look for a sportsbook that's been in business for at least five years. If they're not paying out customers on a regular basis then they're not going to be in business for long.

I would also encourage you to check out the various sports betting forums that are out there. You'll be able to determine right away whether a book is having financial trouble or not, plus gain first hand knowledge from people that actually bet there.

A couple of great ratings sites that will give you a lot of information are Sportsbook Review and Bookmakers Review . These are both quality web sites that do a wonderful job in helping you understand how to choose a sportsbook.

Another important tip that I suggest is to have money on deposit at 4-5 books. I would recommend splitting 55% of your bankroll between the two sportsbooks you think you're going to use most often. The remaining 45% should then be split equally (15% each) amongst the three other books.

This not only allows you to diversify your risk just in case they were to become insolvent but it also allows you to have money on deposit with five different books to take advantage of the best lines.

Financial stability is very important in your process of how to choose a sportsbook. It doesn't matter how great the other criteria are because if you're unable to collect, then everything else is meaningless. Top of Page

Most sportsbooks will allow you to use a trial user name and password so you can actually see what sports they offer action on. It's also good to check out forums and ask others that bet the same sports you're wanting to play. All books aren't created equal but trust me if you're wanting to bet on some obscure European soccer league game, their is a book out there that will offer it.

However don't just go off what it says on there homepage or advertising. They may say they offer soccer or tennis but it might be for only select major tournaments. Remember to always dig deeper to make sure they have the lines you're looking for.

Most of the sportsbooks that I recommend offer just about any sport to bet on that you can imagine. However if not, you won't have any trouble finding a book that does. Even if a book has a lot of sports you don't wager on, I would encourage you to error on the side of caution because you never know when you might pick up on another sport.

As for limits when it comes to figuring out how to choose a sportsbook, make sure to go with the ones that offer what you need no matter how large or small. Check out Sportsbook Review because they will list both min/max limits for all the sportsbooks I recommend along with hundreds of others. If you're a large player then I would encourage you to call the book because most will make exceptions. Top of Page

Normal vig is -110 which means you'll have to win 52.38% of your bets to break even. If you're able to find a sportsbook that offers -107, -105, or even -100 (no vig at all), then that just means you'll pay less vig when you lose plus you can have a lower win percentage while still breaking even.

The change in break even from 52.38% (normal break even for -110 odds) to 52%, to 51%, or to even 50% may not seem like much but compounded over many wagers, it can add up to an extremely large amount of money.

Now some books will only offer lower vig prices at certain times, but it's important to know those times and take advantage of them. It's basically free money they're giving away.

Finding a sportsbook that offers reduced vig is like constantly getting a bonus. It's always nice to get an initial sign up bonus or reload bonus for subsequent deposits, but these are really just one time events. Reduced vig is ongoing and can far outweigh what you would get in a one time bonus.

However, if you find an online sportsbook where the reduced vig looks to good to be true, then it probably is. It doesn't matter what the vig is if the book isn't financially stable. Try to find lowered vig, but you should always have financial stability in the back of your mind when researching how to choose a sportsbook. Top of Page

It's important to realize when learning how to choose a sportsbook that many will pay for transaction fees associated with deposits. However, withdrawing money might be a whole different story.

Some books limit you to a certain amount of withdraws per month while others are unlimited. Be sure to check this beforehand since it's never fun to pay a fee when cashing out.

It really comes to down to knowing all this information in advance of signing up. In understanding how to choose a sportsbook, make sure to know the financial transaction policies of the book so that you know what to expect when depositing and withdrawing money. Top of Page

The most popular are new account bonuses, reload bonuses, referral bonuses, and free plays. Most new account bonuses are in the 20% range. Be a little weary of sportsbooks offering more than a 40% bonus. Although it may be an attempt to just attract new customers, it could also mean financial instability.

A reload bonus is applied when you deposit more money into your account. A typical reload bonus is in the 10% range. Referral bonuses are given when you refer someone to the sportsbook and are usually around 10% of what the referral initially deposits into their account.

Some sportsbooks offer their bonuses in the way of free plays. As opposed to just getting cash added into your account, they'll give you a 10-20% free play based on the amount of your deposit. If you win the free play then that money is yours to keep but if you lose then you just lose the free play money that was an added bonus to your account.

You'll also need to be aware of what is called "roll over". Most sportsbooks will require your deposit to be "rolled over" a certain number of times before your able to withdraw the bonus. A typical "roll over" is around 3-5 times your deposit amount. As opposed to a "roll over" though some books just require that your money be left in the account for a certain period of time.

Be aware of the bonuses when you're understanding how to choose a sportsbook but definitely don't make it the end all be all. Top of Page

Again, check with people in the forums that know from first hand knowledge. From my own experience, I know that the sportsbooks I recommend have very reliable and quality customer service.

You'll want to be able to understand them clearly (language fluency) as well as be knowledgeable towards gambling on sports. In other words you don't want to talk with someone you can barely understand and they have no clue what they're talking about.

The successful books train their representatives to understand sports betting and answer your questions diligently or get you to someone that can answer them. Top of Page

Make sure you're comfortable using the site and it's easy to maneuver around in. You also don't want the site to be down a lot. You can check out more website information for many online sportsbooks at Sportsbook Review .

You want it to be easy to use, convenient, and reliable. If it can meet those three criteria then you should be good to go.

Finding out how to choose a sportsbook shouldn't be an excruciating task. Just put in some time, check out my favorites, talk to people at different forums, and be sure to do your homework.

Best of luck.

Diamond Legendz Sports 5 Dimes Intertops BookMaker

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