As you know, sports betting differs from other forms of gambling because there are no set formulas or systems that you can apply blindly. This is not a substitute for knowledge about the sport and a thorough understanding of the rules and odds for your particular bet. You have to know how to apply the spread to the particular conditions of the game. You can place sports bets over the phone, in a casino, or at one of the many online sportsbooks and has a dazzling array of bets ranging from simple money line bets to complicated parlays and teasers. We recommend online sports books for the following reasons:
1. You can bet from the comfort of your home sitting in front of your own computer.
2. Online sportsbooks are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and you can bet whenever and wherever you choose.
3. Usually tends to get better odds and benefits from earlier posting of odds.
4. You can place a wide variety of bets on a large number of sports in different countries.
5. The minimum bet is normally one dollar and even the maximum bets are usually suited to highflyers.
Be careful in your selection of online sportsbooks because a lot of them will just give you trouble and take your money. Go through at least two or three reviews and make a common sense judgement. Familiarize yourself with the rules and make sure the one you select fits your budget and betting style.
Protect yourself against fraud. With the proliferation of online gambling and large sums of money changing hands, criminals are not far behind. Use the following common sense precautions to protect yourself against fraud:
6. Only bet with sportsbooks that have an impeccable track record and reputation.
7. Never reply to emails that claim to be from your sportsbook or bookmaker. The object of this phishing is to extract your username and password and then disappear with your money.
8. Beware of sportsbooks that offer favorable odds and big bonuses and then make a series of excuses when it comes to paying. Fraud books are known to manipulate the odds, so investigate any unusual betting losses.
Some important things to know about online betting:
9. Online sportsbooks will accept customers without any questions. If you put money in the wrong sportsbook and it disappears, there is very little you can do to get it back.
10. The legal position on US residents gambling on books online is not entirely clear on the key question of legality. The Illegal Internet Gambling Enforcement Act targets banks and the transfer of money to finance gambling deposits. This is why many credit card issuers and online payment services like PayPal do not allow online sportsbook payments. However, you should be aware that this alone does not make online gambling illegal. You should see future developments in this space.
11. Just because you are an avid sports fan who has in-depth knowledge of the sport, you will not necessarily be successful at betting. In fact, you may be too emotional to make a reasoned judgement. Develop the ability to research your stats detachedly and make your decisions accordingly, regardless of what your heart tells you.