Forget going down the high street to some smoke filled
shop with no windows, do it all online! There are so many internet bookies out there, so which ONE do
you choose? Well, the answer's simple - don't choose just one!, for reasons we'll explain below.
Check out our comparison of bookies where we rate most popular online
bookies according to value, web site design and user friendliness, and incentives to help you choose
which ones are right for you!
Online Bookies - Which should I choose?
The Internet has opened up the online gaming market so that bookies must now offer the most competitive
odds and deals in order to attract and retain customers. You should think about opening at least two, if not three or
more accounts. This way you'll be able to shop around for odds when you're looking at placing a bet. It's
important to get the best odds in your favour because you'll find that they do vary. Different bookies make their
money by taking risks on some games, and not taking risks on the others. So, one bookie mght not be taking
risks on giving generous odds on Newcastle beating Middlesbrough because they think that Newcastle might stroll
the game, but will give generous odds on Chelsea beating Arsenal because they think Arsenal might be too strong
for Chelsea.
If you only bet with one bookie all the time you'll get the generous, and not so generous odds (long and short odds)
over the long run. So, to always
get the best value, open several accounts and make sure you get the best odds. The difference between one bookie
offering 3/1 and another offering 4/1 on an outcome might seem small, but if you win you're looking at 20% less
returns if you've gone with the bookie offering 3/1! (For example, £10 at 4/1 returns £50, but £10 at 3/1 returns
only £40, 20% less).
Most bookies offer you an inventive to open an account. You'll often get a free bet of anything up to £25 which
you can usually immediately use to your advantage to build up a little pot so you don't waste your own money trying some things out.
Check out our strategy on free bets.
Money and the Internet - Is it safe?
Reputable bookies are as safe as your online banking. They use the same level of encryption on transactions
and are backed by reputable companies that you see on the high street. If you're not sure, check out the
information about the company on the bookie's own website and look for any affiliations with professional
organisations. As with any website where you
are sending confidential information such as bank details, ensure that the URL is https://, not http:// when
submitting transactions. https:// indicates that any data being sent is encrypted, and is not easily decipherable
by anyone intercepting your transaction. Online banks use this same technology.
What information do I have to provide to register?
You'll usually only have to register with a username, password, and email address. You might sometimes have
to give your address so that when you use a card to deposit money your details can be validated,
but you won't receive any correspondence to your home address if you check the 'don't contact me' checkbox
upon registration. There's no approval process, no signatures, just register and you're up and running, it's
that easy!
You can cancel your account at any time, just email customer services and they'll close your account without
any questions, even if you just took the free bets and wanted to leave.
How do deposits and withdrawals work?
Once registered, you don't have to deposit any money until you want to bet. Almost all bookies have
no minimum account balance, however some do have a minimum deposit and withdrawal amount. For example,
when you deposit you may be required to deposit a minimum of £10 due to the charges companies have
to pay a charge for using credit card or Switch.
Deposits are usually performed by Switch, and some bookies accept credit card deposits. This information
such as card numbers is usually provided when you actually want to deposit money, however some bookies
ask for this when you register. There are almost always no charges
for deposits or withdrawals, and withdrawals are simply credited to the card you deposited money with.
