Online sports betting has been quite the trend lately. Everyone wants to register at these sites as they offer tons of advantages and benefits. If you decide to do so, you need to know that you must make sure to find the best possible platform.
Scam sites are known for roaming the Internet. Veteran sports bettors have an easy time spotting these illegitimate sports betting sites, but that might be a hard thing to do if you’ve just started your online wagering journey. That’s why we wanted to provide you with these key indicators to take note of when doing online sports betting.
They won’t just help you have a good experience, but also make sure that you stay safe in the process.
Site Licence and Credibility
Every online sportsbook needs to have a valid licence. This means that the platform works in line with the laws and that the regulator that issued the licence constantly oversees its activities to ensure that the sportsbook doesn’t break any rules.
You can check the licence by visiting the official website of the sportsbook and scrolling to the bottom. The information on this topic should be provided in the footer. You can also reach out to the support team and ask if they have a licence or not. One good example of a sportsbook that meets this criterion is betfirst.dhnet.be. The platform has all the necessary accreditations and is more than capable of offering a safe experience.
A bonus thing that we ought to mention is to read player reviews on third-party sites. They can provide you with information on personal experiences and what are the potential problems that they face when betting on a particular platform.
Bonus Wagering Requirements
It’s no secret that bonuses and promotions are one of the strongest features of online sportsbooks. A few types of bonuses that you can come across are:
- Boosted odds
- Accumulator boosts
- Welcome bonuses
- Match and reload offers
- Free bets
- Cashback
Each of these promos has terms and conditions that you need to respect. If you don’t, you won’t be able to withdraw potential winnings with the bonus. One of the hardest T&Cs to meet is the wagering requirements.
They tell you how much money you need to stake in an online sportsbook before you can withdraw winnings with it. Here’s how they work.
Let’s say that you want to claim a match bonus. The minimum deposit is $20 and the wagering requirements are x5. To calculate the amount that you need to stake after claiming the bonus, you
multiply your deposit with the requirements. In this particular case, you calculate 20 (your deposit) with 5 (the requirements). As such, you reach a sum of $100.
This sum is the total amount that you must play through before withdrawing bonus winnings. Meanwhile, you need to make sure that you complete the requirements within the bonus validity period. Also, betting with bonus money doesn’t contribute.
Verification Procedures
KYC compliance is a common feature in modern online sportsbooks. This tool requires betting sites to verify the identity of players who register on their platforms. They do that for two reasons. First, they want to make sure that the punter is of legal age and secondly, they ensure that they’re not enrolled in problem gambling groups or self-exclusion programs.
Sometimes, verification also includes sending proof of payment/income. This is how the sportsbook determines your spending power. If the staff notices that you’re spending more than what you can afford, they can flag your account and prevent you from gambling further.
To verify your account, you’ll have to send the following documents:
- Proof of identity (ID, driver’s licence or passport)
- Proof of address (utility bill or bank statement)
- Selfie with your proof of identity document
In most cases, verification teams take about 72 hours to review the information that you send. If you don’t complete verification, you might not have full access to the services of the sportsbook.
Mobile Betting Features
Mobile betting is experiencing massive growth on a global level. Currently, the annual growth rate of the mobile gambling industry is 11.4%. People like to bet on their phones as it gives them flexibility and 24/7 access.
Sportsbooks are well aware of this fact, which is why they’re not afraid to make special incentives for you to place bets via your smartphone. One of the most popular ways to do so is to offer special mobile bonuses.
As the term itself suggests, these are promotions that you can claim only by downloading the sportsbook’s app or by making a deposit via your phone. The bonuses can be deposit or no deposit, depending on the policies of the betting site.
Whatever the case is, it’s worth exploring these features as they can unlock special benefits and give you a more entertaining experience.
