FAQ

Where can I find lists of sports odds and stats material to help me make my bets?

There are plenty of sports stats sites on the internet, and Best Sportsbooks offers its own odds comparison pages. There are other credible and longstanding sites such as SportsBettingStats.com that offer matchup reports, game previews, trends, injury updates and more on every sport every day. Horse racing fans can find similar tutorial and picks information at trusted horse site TurfnSport.com.

What if I have a problem and can’t get a satisfactory answer?

Contact us at info@BestSportsbooks.com and include any documentation you have to support your side of the argument, such as e-mails and screenshots. We will contact the folks in question on your behalf seeking answers.

What is a teaser?

Teasers allow you to move the line on two or more games to increase your odds of winning. The flipside is that your payout won’t be as high. For example, the Giants may be favored by 3 points against the Redskins — you can tease the line up to 6 points or conversely down to 1 point. You do the same to ‘tease’ the odds for another game and then wait for the results to come in. Still not sure what a teaser is, or want to learn more industry lingo? Click here to read our Sports Betting News section. Sports betting shops such as 5Dimes.com offer teasers in college and NFL football up to 20 points.

Can I play parlays?

Yes, all sportsbooks offer parlay betting and most of our top sportsbooks offer multi-sport parlays. This means you can have a parlay with selections from different leagues. For example, you could take the Pittsburgh Steelers -3 points versus the Dallas Cowboys and combine that with the LA Dodgers -145 moneyline versus the Chicago Cubs in a parlay wager. Parlays are fun ways to produce a bigger return on your wager and in many cases can create better wagering value. Not sure what a parlay is, or you want to learn more of the industry lingo? Click here to read our Sports Betting News section.

How long does it take to get paid after I win?

In most instances, sportsbooks aim to pay within seven days — some are quicker, some take a bit longer. If it takes consistently longer than this, or you are not getting satisfactory answers from your customer service rep, please email us at info@BestSportsbooks.com and we will investigate. If they are having problems, we will downgrade their rating in the pertinent category and post alerts for other players.

How do I know if I will get paid?

When you read our Expert Sportsbook Reviews, you will notice many categories that rate reputation, payment processing, overall stability and the BestSportsbooks.com opinion based on our experiences in working with each sportsbook. If a company has been accused of slow-paying or no-paying its customers in the past, that information — and any resolutions to the complaints — will be noted. In some cases, payment processing failures have resulted in significant delays where players did not get paid for a month or more, even though the sportsbook had the money and tried to pay. Conversely, some books have never missed a payment and have a spotless reputation for payouts (but they may not have the type of bets you want to make). As with any company, come customer complaints are real, others are bogus and some are a point of miscommunication. Don’t judge a sportsbook by a single complaint, but make sure you open your eyes and ensure you patronize a credible, stable and fair operation.

How do I open a betting account?

Funding your account is naturally the most important step, after you have decided which sportsbook you will call home during games. Many sportsbooks offer credit card and bank transfer options, but the methods of depositing and withdrawing vary greatly from company to company. Because these companies are primarily based in jurisdictions beyond North America, payment methods vary and your usual e-wallet — such as Paypal — will not be accepted. Check out the policies of each book and make sure you understand the rules and fees associated with each to avoid confusion, miscommunication or disputes down the road.

Can I bet as much as I want or as little as I want on games?

While some sportsbooks have minimum wagers of $5, some allow you to wager $1 if you want (consider it the equivalent of penny slots in your local casino). 5dimes.com offers $1 bets while sportsbooks known to cater to professional and high-roller clients will book $20,000 per game. Bookmaker.com and TheGreek.com rank among these professional books. Nobody wants any bettor to lose more than they can afford; It’s traumatic for the player and it only generates bad news and publicity for the sportsbook. Keep this in mind when gambling — bet what you can afford to lose if this is one of your preferred forms of entertainment. Reputable sportsbooks don’t want reckless bettors and you should make sure you are not one. If you think you have a problem with gambling, please click here to get some help before it’s too late.

How do I get paid?

Funding your account is naturally the most important step, after you have decided which sportsbook you will call home during games. Many sportsbooks offer credit card and bank transfer options, but the methods of depositing and withdrawing vary greatly from company to company. Because these companies are primarily based in jurisdictions beyond North America, payment methods vary and your usual e-wallet — such as Paypal — will not be accepted. Check out the policies of each book and make sure you understand the rules and fees associated with each to avoid confusion, miscommunication or disputes down the road.

Is it legal to bet on sports online?

While sports betting in the United States has remained legal in bricks and mortar casinos in Nevada (and commencing in September, 2009 in Delaware), betting with a US-based bookmaker is illegal. However, to our knowledge, no online sports bettor has ever been prosecuted in the country as federal law speaks mainly to bookmaking and those in the business of betting, not the casual player. Some states (such as Washington, Indiana, Illinois, Montana) have language expressly forbidding online betting and Washington even made betting $5 in a poker room the felony equivalent of possessing child pornography in its criminal code. What’s worse: the guy downloading and selling kiddy porn or the guy playing $2 Texas Holdem against his buddies? Most online sportsbooks are headquartered in nations where sports betting is legal and licensed and regulated and accepted. Of note, the state of New Jersey commenced a lawsuit in 2009 seeking to overturn a federal ban on sports betting, stating it wants to offer the service to bettors at its casinos. And Betfair.com, the world’s largest sports betting exchange, recently purchased horse racing site TVG.com as its foray into the US market. It anticipates eventual relaxing of gaming law and introduction of legal, regulated online sports betting.So the very long answer to a very short question is this: check in your own jurisdiction because rules vary state by state and country by country. It is estimated that $10 billion is wagered online in the country each year. And by the time you finished reading this answer, the law probably changed in some jurisdiction.

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