Reasons to bet on sports online |
Why play with a local Bookmaker when you can play online legally?
It was many years ago when I was much younger and had more hair that I met my first bookmaker. His name was Lou and he worked in the same office as me. This was in 1988 and I think my biggest bet was $50. I remember that he had a rule where on totals you you would have to lay 6 to win 5. The office was open only from 6-7:30 PM and on weekends they opened from 11:30 to 1 PM as well. The world has changed since then.
I remember when I opened my first online sports betting account. It was in 1998. What a difference 11 years makes. I couldn't believe what a sucker I had been. It was a whole new world of online sports betting opportunities and offers. The first thing is that I got a bonus with my first deposit. With Lou the best I ever got was a free beer (nothing imported either). The operating hours were different as well. I could wager 24/7 and I could play online in the comfort of my own home.
Almost 11 years later I am still playing with an online sports book and loving it. Let me compare the differences between playing with a licensed offshore bookmaker and a local bookie.
Safety. While my friend Lou was a nice guy, I don't know if I would trust him with a lot of cash. With the advent of licensed online sports betting companies, I no longer worry about getting paid when I win. A simple toll free phone call to customer service gets me paid. Within a couple of days a check will arrive at my door. I no longer have to arrange a time and place to meet my bookie to pay or collect. I know that I can't get into trouble by betting money that I don't have with my online sports book. And if I am a little short on cash, they accept credit cards which are really convenient.
Convenience. The company where I know play at is open all day and night. If I want to check my account at 2 o'clock in the morning I can. Whenever I call in a bet, I never wait on hold. And all my calls are toll free. I like betting online even better than calling. I can bet at work without having to pick up the phone in case my boss is nearby. And I can look at all the lines at once without having to call them out one by one. What amazes me is all of the stuff that you can bet on. Last year I bet on the Oscars.
Variety of Wagers. There was an advertisement a couple of years ago that featured a bookie talking into the phone. He was saying to a customer "Prop bets. Sure I have them. You can bet over or under". That's how it used to be when I was betting with my local out. Now the sky is the limit with the number of wagers available. Sometimes if I don't have an opinion on a game I may take a look at the player vs player match ups that are offered. It's unbelievable the stuff you can bet on. Soccer, Golf, WNBA, NFL betting and more. If you can watch it on television there is a good chance you can bet on it online. Last I bet on the Oscars (winner for best actor). Two years ago I bet on the Westminster Dog Show. (Loser, I don't why they didn't pick the Beagle). At the time of this article I am able to bet on the National Spelling Bee. (I don't have an opinion on this one).
Fair payouts and rules. I don't know if you ever got screwed by your local bookmaker, but I have. It was a Mets game where a home run won the game, but the batter never crossed home plate. I bet the total and was told that the final on TV wasn't his final. What could I do? Besides his famous lay 6 to 5 on totals he had a really interesting teaser rule. On games with a line of a half (6 1/2, 10 1/2. etc.) you would lose the half point. So if you used a 10 1/2 point favorite in a 6 point teaser you would lay 5 points instead of 4 1/2. With my current online sports book I get great rules. I can parlay and and tease up to 10 teams. I can use as many dog's in a parlay as I want to. With my man Lou I could only use one underdog in a parlay. When I asked why, I was told by Lou "Cause that's the rule." Who can argue with logic like that? I also like to play the horses. Now I can bet over 100 tracks and get a rebate on every horse bet. That's right. Whether my horse wins or loses I get cash back on each bet. They pay me what the track pays. They follow the same rules as Las Vegas sports books, so there is never a question as to how a bet is settled.
Poker and casino: I enjoy playing poker, but I don't like having to drive to a casino. Now I can play from my computer at home or the office. My online sports betting account gives me access to a poker room as well as a casino. The casino has every game that you find in your local casino. Blackjack, craps, slots and more are available online. I like that when I play blackjack it's just me against the dealer. I don't have to worry about some moron hitting his 16 when the dealer is showing a 6. I once had a balance of $3 in my account and played some blackjack. I ran the $3 up to $55 in about then minutes. I then used the $55 to enter an online poker tournament. I came in third place and cashed out for over $600. Tournaments are offered all day long at different limits. They also have blackjack tournaments as well.
Loyalty Program: Lou had a very special loyalty program. When you met with him at the bar you received a free drink. Wow, what a great program. Any good online sports betting company has a loyalty program. They work just like frequent flyer programs. Every time you make a wager you receive points. You can then exchange these points for merchandise or free bets. For each $100 that I put into action I receive 100 points. At $10,000 points I get a free $150 wager. That's a really good deal. The way that I bet I get a free wager every couple of weeks. By the end of the year it adds up. My online sportsbook also has other contests and other promotions.
I am glad that I can now bet where and when I want to. I know that I am going to get paid in a timely manner. I don't worry about walking around with a big wad of cash. I get value for my bets and enjoy playing online or by phone. If you haven't tried online sports betting yet you owe it yo yourself to check it out. The experience is much better than dealing with Louie from the Bronx.
