Betting Online – Your Betting Sites Guide in 2024
Online betting has become more and more popular in the last few years.
Best Online Betting Sites 2024
Online Betting Sites – Where to Bet Online Nowadays?
If you’re an experienced online sports bettor, there are probably 1 or 2 bookmakers where you have an account. However, it is by no means certain that you have an account with a bookmaker that offers the best odds, bonuses and sports betting online promotions these days. That’s why we’ve put together below a selection of bookmakers that we believe offer the best conditions for online betting. Let’s see then which are the best online betting sites we recommend on the market today.
The Best Online Betting Sites in Brief
If you’ve heard of an innovative betting option, 1xBet probably has it. The operator offers a huge range of sports and betting markets. The platform is translated into over 50 languages. 1xBet was one of the first operators to adopt cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals – a highly effective innovation to the world of online betting. 1xBet comes with a great welcome offer! New players can receive a 100% bonus for sports betting up to €/$100 on their first deposit. | |
Strengthening its online sports betting range since 2017, 22Bet is an bookmaker registered in Cyprus owned by TECHSOLUTIONS GROUP LIMITED. As it is considered fresh in the market, relatively little information is available about them. In this article, we’ve tried to provide a gap-filling description of what features, bonuses, and other promotions await their new customers. We hope that at the end of the review you will get an answer to all your questions. | |
MELbet is a relatively new player in the world of online betting, but the company offers a wide range of betting options. Live streaming, Live Betting and Cash out are some of the extras you can get as a MELbet customer. The operator also offers a rich casino section featuring slots, table and live games. MELbet also comes with a good welcome bonus for new players. With the first deposit, the players can enjoy a 100% bonus up to €/$100 for sports betting. |
The Main Criteria for Selecting the Best Online Betting Sites
We only select online sports betting sites that meet our strict criteria in all respects as our recommended online betting providers. This is the only way we can ensure that only operators that are among the best online sports betting sites and/or have a spotless bookmaking record are included in our recommended operators.
First of all, it is important to note that we only recommend bookmakers whose systems have been thoroughly tested by us. When selecting the sports betting sites we recommend, we take several criteria into account. One of these is the licence (operating licence) that all legal sports betting sites must have.
But of course, we also take a number of other aspects into account when selecting and ranking bookmakers, from the quality of customer service, user experience and mobile platform solutions to the banking options available, as well as bonuses and promotions for new and existing customers.
Below, we would like to show you, among other things, the requirements that online betting operators have to meet in order to be recommended to our readers. But first of all, here is a short list of the Top 10 criteria, each of which we will pay due attention to, whether it is a review of a bookmaker with a decades-long history or a sportsbook that has just recently entered the market.
✔ Possession of an Operating Licence | ✔ Odds |
✔ Safety | ✔ Live betting and Live Streaming |
✔ User Experience | ✔ Mobile Platform Solutions |
✔ Bonus Offers | ✔ Deposit and Withdrawal Options |
✔ Available Sports and Market Offer | ✔ Customer Support |
Possession of an Operating License
The online betting world today is characterised by a huge number of companies, not all of which can be said to be reliable. Unfortunately, there are also a number of companies that operate unregulated, at their own discretion, without a license, so that they can do practically whatever they want. That is why one of the most important aspects to check for a bookmaker and/or casino is its license. This is because if it is licensed by one of the official bodies that regulate the industry (MGA, Curacao Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission, etc.), it is a legal betting shop – i.e. it operates within a regulated, legal framework.
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Security in the World of Online Betting
In online betting, security is not only a question of how an operator handles customer data, but also of the level of data encryption (e.g. 128-bit or 256-bit SSL) used for financial transactions and other operations. So, we take this into account in all cases, and we also pay attention the type of SSL certificate the operator uses (e.g. Thawte, GoDaddy, RapidSSL, GeoTrust, Thawte, DigiCert, Symantec, QuoVadis, etc.).
In general, bookmakers and casinos provide some information on their website (if not in the FAQ section) what type of encryption they use to protect customer data and financial transactions. One of the features of the best online betting shops is that they are SSL certified and display the SSL logo (with a working web link) in the footer of their website.
A key criterion for online betting sites is that they do not allow minors (under 18 years old) to register and play. The top online betting sites also cooperate with organisations that aim to actively help those affected by gambling addiction (GamCare, Gambling Therapy, BeGambleAware, GamStop.
However, it is also important that a service provider (especially in the case of online casinos / betting sites) has “tools” available for users to use if they feel they have overdone it in terms of sports betting or, say, slot machines. These types of “tools” can limit, for example, the amount of money that can be deposited, the amount of time that can be spent playing per day, and even allow you to ban yourself from your favourite sports betting site for a certain period of time (self-exclusion).
Another feature of the top-class online betting sites is that they also cooperate with independent organisations with control functions, e.g. EGBA, IBAS, IBIA, eCOGRA, etc. If you see the logo of one (or more) of these organisations on the site of a bookmaker / casino, you can be sure that you are dealing with an operator that is trustworthy to the maximum and offers completely fair gaming conditions.
Online Sports Betting – Bonus Offers
The vast majority of online betting sites offer some form of so-called bonuses to new and old customers, and in addition, they offer a wide variety of online betting promotions for online sports betting fans. Perhaps the best known – and by the way the most popular – of these bonuses is the sign-up / welcome bonus, which is offered by the operator upon registration or after the first top-up.
Welcome bonuses can nowadays exceed €/$100 (100% deposit bonus) for online sports betting products. However, if a sports betting site offers a free bet or risk-free bet as a welcome bonus, it is usually smaller.
In addition to this, there are also other bonuses (e.g. balance reload) and promotions offered by the best sports betting sites, in which you can get various discounts by participating. Many of the sports betting providers also operate a so-called VIP membership scheme, which rewards primarily those players who spend the most on the site. But also common is the loyalty point system, where bettors receive “comp points” etc. in exchange for their real money bets, which they can later use to reduce bonus wagering conditions or other discounts.
There are many other tools in the ‘arsenal’ of companies operating in the online betting world, all of which are designed to keep existing customers. Some operators also have a “gift shop” where loyalty points can be redeemed for valuable technical goods, for example. Others offer more advantageous bonus play-out conditions to earn bonuses above a certain VIP level, or cash back in the live casino, for example, or in connection with a specific sporting event series (e.g. Football League).
▶ Best Sports Betting Offer - 22bet | ▶ Increased Odds - 1xBet |
▶ Easiest Bonus Wagering Conditions - 1xBet | ▶ Best VIP Club / Loyalty Program - bet365 |
▶ Best Cash Back Offer - Unibet | ▶ Free Bet Offers - bet365 |
Available Banking Solutions for Deposits and Withdrawals
Nowadays, it is importat how many different payment methods are provided for users at a given online sportsbook. Therefore, in our articles on bookmakers, we always cover this aspect as well.
It is a fact that nowadays the top bookmakers – the best online betting sites – offer a number of banking solutions that were previously unavailable to sports betting fans. In addition to the most popular e-wallets (PayPal, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz), more and more online betting shops can process payments and deposits using Apple Pay / Google Pay, Revolut, or the most popular cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, Filecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, etc.).
Online Betting on Mobile – Platforms and Apps
The number of mobile sportsbooks is growing day by day, and it is a fact that nowadays the best bookmakers are paying attention to the mobile platform. That’s why, when we reviewing every bookmaker, we take a close look at what they offer their users in terms of mobile solutions.
Bookmakers’ mobile-friendly websites are virtually equivalent to desktop websites, with the only real difference being the smaller size optimised for mobile devices. However, mobile-friendly websites also offer access to other products and various special features of sports betting sites, such as cash out, live betting, bet maker, live streaming and, of course, secure banking.
Native mobile apps are usually available for the best online betting sites’ mobile platform systems – usually in two types: Android & iOS. The former can be downloaded from the bookmaker’s mobile-friendly website in the vast majority of cases. The latter, on the other hand, can usually only be obtained from the Apple App Store, which requires an Apple ID and a suitable mobile device. Android versions of sports betting apps that allow real money betting have been unavailable from the Google Store for some time.
The Best Mobile Betting Apps for Android: | The Best Mobile Betting Apps for iOS: |
1. bet365 2. Unibet 3. 22Bet | 1. bet365 2. bwin 3. 1xBet |
Live Betting on Online Bookmaker Sites
Live betting is now offered by all sports betting sites to their customers. However, it is not irrelevant how many sports a bookmaker offers live betting on, how many markets offer live betting on the most popular team sports, or what the in-play betting odds are. In addition, of course, it is also important to know whether a bookmaker has a Live Stream service available – and if so, what quality it is – which makes it much easier to place live bets on many markets.
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Sports – The Importance of Sport Choices
The most popular team sports are football, basketball, volleyball, baseball and cricket. Therefore, we have taken care when selecting the legal bookmakers we recommend to ensure that these sports are included in the bookmakers’ selection. Nowadays, e-sports have a growing fan base worldwide, which is why a lot of people bet online on CS:GO, Dota2 or even StarCraft.
However, it is also true that there are times when people want to bet on a more specific sport that is not very popular in general. That’s why we’ve put together our bookmaker selection so that the providers we recommend include a wide range of sports to bet on – whether it’s badminton or Celtic football.
Online Betting Markets, Odds, Bet Types
The online sports betting bookmakers offer significantly more betting markets and betting options today. The best betting sites offer a huge arsenal of betting markets for the most popular sports, especially for popular sports such as football, basketball or hockey.
Nowadays, on the website of a reputable bookmaker, you can bet on a match/event in a variety of outcome markets, as well as on a plethora of exact score, handicap, Asian handicap, under/over statistical markets, even on a second division Italian football match. And with the growing number of eSports fans who also like to bet, you can even bet live on a CS:GO match, in a number of markets.
In addition to the “plain” single bet and the various accumulators, there are also a number of system bets that are usually offered by the best betting sites. For example, the popular Goliath 247, Super Heinz, etc., which are worth playing because they offer a guaranteed win even if you don’t get all your picks, whereas if you play a 1-ticket accumulator, all it takes is one bad pick and you can kiss your money goodbye.
Of course, odds are also very important in the world of online betting, as they determine how much you can win by predicting the outcome of a sporting event. The odds are set with great care by the professionals at online sports betting sites, as the odds must reflect the actual calculated odds of the various outcomes occurring. That is, if you see, for example, that you can only bet on the home team to win at a very low odds (e.g. 1.15), it means that on paper the away team has little chance of even scoring.
In addition to sporting events, bookmakers’ also allow you to bet on other types of events (some bookmakers even allow you to bet on the weather the next day in several markets). Among the special betting events, the most popular are political events such as music awards, the Oscars, the Golden Raspberry Awards, etc.
The Customer Service in the World of Online Betting
In the ‘old days’, the only way to reach the customer service of sports betting sites was to phone them if you had a problem or a question. Fortunately for us, the situation has since turned around 180 degrees and there are now quite a few ways to reach the best bookmakers’ customer service (24 hours a day for most operators). Also, you reach the customer support system of most online betting operators via a contact form or e-mail address, as well as several phone numbers.
If you are dealing with a company with a “more serious” reputation / track record, it is also worth “researching” the operator’s website before contacting their customer support, as they are likely to have a FAQ section. And it is very easy to find that there is no need to write to the customer service representatives, as the answer to your question can be found there.
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Some Thoughts on the Future of Online Betting
The online version of betting will become more and more popular all over the world (even in developing countries). Therefore, bookmakers will have to cater for different types of needs at the same time, and will also have to include sports that are almost unknown globally (e.g. kabaddi) but are very popular throughout Asia for example.
The number of e-sports is also growing, which means that over time the bookies will have to bring more to the table in terms of both e-sports and markets. And with the highly competitive nature of the market in this sector, it is also likely that better terms and higher bonuses and promotions will be on the horizon, and the mobile platform is also likely to attract much more attention.
Sports betting innovations have now reached the point where, thanks to technological advances, it is even possible to bet online on your favourite team’s upcoming match with a smart watch. And who knows what smart gadgets will soon be available that will make betting easier, faster, more efficient and independent of our location.
Tips & Tricks from Experienced Players
In the world of online betting, it is extremely important that you only invest enough money to ensure that losing it will not cause you any existential or financial problems. If you are not experienced enough in a particular sport, do not place real money bets on its matches and clashes until you are fully aware of the rules and leagues for that sport, and don’t forget to check the statistics carefully.
In the online world of sports betting, there are quite a few professional sports bettors selling their betting tips for money on various platforms. Using this type of service – especially at first / or for a sport you are not familiar with – is not a bad idea. However, it is important to pay attention to choose a “tipster” (once you pay for his services) who has a very good success / win rate and good reviews.
Once you have gained sufficient experience in online betting, it is better to turn your attention to system bets rather than single bets and accumulators – especially if you want to make a profit over a period of time. As with so many other areas of life, it’s a good idea to start small, with small stakes and a few complex bets with only a few outcomes (e.g. Patent, Trixie), and then move up to the more serious ones (Heinz, Goliath) once you’re up and running.
Conclusion
The world of online betting is a very tempting one, with many companies promising to make you a millionaire in a short time. The truth is, however, that you need to invest the necessary time and energy if you want to be successful. Otherwise, without the necessary knowledge and skills, you are bound to lose all your bankroll (capital) sooner or later. On our website, you will find all the relevant information about online betting that you can use to kick-start your sports betting career.
In addition to bookmaker reviews, you will of course find information on many other topics such as viable sports betting strategies, system type bets, recommended bookmakers for betting on different sports, best bonuses, promotions, special offers and more. In conclusion, the final decision is always in your hands, so act responsibly and prudently to ensure your long-term success.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Safe Are Online Betting Sites?
All of the online betting sites we recommend are secure, use SSL encryption and store/handle user data securely.
What Are the Advantages of Betting Online?
Betting online opens up a whole new world of betting as you can get bonuses, better odds, more market choice and bet live while watching the game, and that's not even mentioning the option to bet on your smartphone.
Which Are the Best Online Betting Sites?
The operators we recommend are all good, so whichever one you choose, you won't be betting on the wrong horse. The important thing is to choose one where the markets, sports and bonuses meets your criteria.
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