In a word “yes” and “no.” It is one of the most often asked questions of people considering using an online betting site to wager. If you know the top sportsbooks, then wagering online is very safe. However, if you move away from the most trusted sites to others on the fringe then you may very well be burned and lose some or all of your winnings and original deposit.
Online sportsbooks have become hot among sports fans. Because of their growth in popularity all over the world, there are many sites being opened by scameers and shady businesses that are ready to steal from their winning customers.
Betting Site Scams
The scary part is it is not just money these thieve are after. They are stealing personal information, credit or debit card information as well as other financial information. The harm it can cause you could be long lasting and far more reaching than just the money you lose. Other sites open and accept deposits and never release winnings, they just hope you lose!
The ways in which these rouge sites steal from bettors is nearly limitless. They employ very tech savvy individuals to run their operation that know exactly how to rip off thousands of unassuming bettors.
Legit Betting Sites
Now after having sent shock waves through most readers, it needs to be mentioned that there are dozens and dozens of sites available that are legitimate, pay out promptly, have excellent services and have been in business for years. The sites that have been around for years make sure their clients personal and financial data is safe, encrypted and will not be hacked or given to third parties. Another very very safe option is fantasy football leagues, which really is different than sports betting.
Many sites are also dedicated to tediously checking wagering sites and determining if they are safe to use or just another rouge site looking to take your money. The best advice anyone can give a prospective online bettor is to find a number of sites (like our site!) that rank sportsbooks and compare rankings to find out what sites appear as good, trustworthy sites on a repetitive basis. That will narrow your search down and from there you can look at each individual site to see what is best for you.
Once you have found a legitimate site that appeals to your needs then you will see all that the sites offer. Many offer lines on sports as obscure as Australian Rules football and Rugby. Live betting during a game is now offered. Parlays are becoming one of the most popular forms of online betting. You can even cross over sports and bet on two different sports in the same bet. All of the sportsbooks offer a number of ways to both deposit money and withdraw winnings.
The bottom line is yes some sportsbooks are safe while some are not. Finding the safe sports betting sites is the important factor in enjoying online betting. In my experience Bookmaker is the best and safest option for US gamblers and Bet365 is the best option for non-US bettors.