So you’ve got decided to start betting online – or perhaps you just want to locate a new trustworthy sportsbook – what do you need to check for?

Well I am in a position to talk from some experience – I did at one time hold accounts with about sixty bookmakers in Europe, UK, Australia and offshore – the second catering mainly to the united states market. I have had at least three online sportsbooks go broke on me – luckily my losses were kept to a few thousand dollars – that could sound a great online casino soccer – this – deal but it could happen to be a lot worse.

It is not that easy finding a reputable sportsbook – partly because the web is populated by website owners who shall sing the praises of a sportsbook or casino mainly because they earn revenue from signing up customers via an affiliate program. Often these website owners know nothing about betting, do not hold accounts with the sportsbooks they are advertising and have not researched the businesses they can be involved with.

You are keeping your money within an account online. Therefore you should think of the sportsbook you are considering as a bank – a place that you intend to keep funds long term.

Read press articles compared to reviews – reviews are usually authored by the sportsbook’s marketing team.

Test run the software by joining and playing for free – most sportsbooks offer this facility.

Find out if your funds are insured or separated in ESCROW accounts in order that in the event the sportsbook company goes under – your funds remain safe.

Find out if the sportsbook is independently audited.

How long has the operation been online – three to 4 years is frequently a great marker as a minimum.

Test out the customer services to find out should they meet your standards or perhaps the standards they promise you.

If you are aware about betting already, then check several of their odds and lines – are they in keeping with what you should expect? Some less scrupulous sportsbooks offer very attractive prices to lure unsuspecting bettors.

Find out if the sportsbook is part of a larger group of companies. Sometimes this means added solidity.

What will be the deposit and withdrawal options as well as the associated charges. These vary quite a bit from book to book. Options should be available that can be ‘free’ or where the sportsbook absorbs the charges. But ask yourself ; “how easy is it to get access to my money and the way much does it cost?”

Not all of the above are critical – but help towards finding a safe and secure book.

Should you have already have an account with a sportsbook watch out for lapses in customer service and slowness of payment – these can be signs that the company might be in trouble.