The last few years have been a whirlwind time for the online betting industry. In the United States, sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings went to battle with local and state governments for approval, leaving potential bettors in limbo, waiting for the opportunity to bet on their favorite sports team from the comfort of their smartphones. But everyone with a pulse understood that the potential tax revenue would be too much for politicians to ignore, so the green light was given and it’s been off to the races ever since. The New York Times headline on February 22, 2022, read: “Online Sports Betting’s N.Y. Debut: $2.4 Billion in Wagers in 5 Weeks.” With such staggering numbers, online betting is here to stay.
With new sites opening up all the time, it can be tricky to determine which might be best. Should you go for the first site on Google’s landing page? Are you a fan of a particular Golden Tiger Casino login? How often will you bet? We’ve come up with some tips to help you navigate things.
Are they licensed and regulated?
This may be one of the most important factors when considering an online casino. The internet is vast with global reach and while that is mostly a positive, it also attracts scam artists. You want to make sure that you are trusting your money with a reputable outfit that has been vetted, licensed and regulated by the government.
Do they offer both desktop and mobile apps?
The availability of real-time information has transformed the industry. You have to be able to access your favorite betting site 24/7 from anywhere in the world, and this means that you must have the ability to bet via your smartphone. It is no longer about placing a bet prior to a sporting event and waiting for the outcome; you can now bet in real time on who will hit a home run in a baseball game, or who will win the third round in an MMA fight, so having real-time mobile access is crucial.
What are their security protocols?
Like just about everything on the web, you will be required to provide personal information to set up your new account, and seeing as how the internet has become a haven for hackers to sneak in under the radar and grab that personal information, you must make sure that it is secure. Have they been hacked in the past? Do they offer two-factor authentication? What is their customer policy in the event of a hacking?
Variety of games available
If you’re like me, you need variety. When looking into a new betting site, what types of games are they offering? Are you a blackjack person or do you prefer roulette? Maybe poker is your thing but do you enjoy the occasional game of baccarat? Make sure that you can access the type of game you want, when you want it.
Banking
What are your options when looking for a reputable bank transfer casino? Can you use credit cards, debit cards or payment services such as PayPal or Venmo? Are there fees on each transaction? How quickly does your money arrive? What is the turnaround time for your winnings to make their way back to your bank account in the event that you’d like to make a withdrawal?
Customer support
It seems that customer support has really been a breaking point for many websites. Back in the day, when you had an issue with something, you could go into your bank or department store and speak to someone in person, but with the nature of the internet, everything is handled in an impersonal manner by someone in another state or country. Does the site you’re interested in have customer representatives available via phone and/or chat, 24/7, or is it one of those annoying “bots”, equipped with generic answers to FAQ’s? If you are betting large sums of money and an issue arises, you want to be able to get answers ASAP.
Navigation
How easy is it to navigate your way around the site? Are the pages cluttered or laid out cleanly with links that are easy to access, and take you exactly where you want to go with a single click?
Promotions
With the influx of online betting sites all clamoring for your business, promotions are the key to attracting new customers, which has led to some very enticing offers. Just how attractive are the perks? Is the offer enough to get you in the door? And will the site itself be enough to keep you there?
Final thoughts
Navigating through the ever-growing number of betting websites hawking their wares can be a challenging proposition, to be sure. But if you keep these simple tips in mind, you will find the right fit and you’ll be betting to your heart’s content in no time flat.
