The United Kingdom has one of the biggest sports betting markets around the world. After all, it’s a country that’s very welcoming to gambling activities – online and offline.

There are no restrictions on gambling activities here like poker, casino, bingo, lotteries, and sports betting. As long as the casino or sportsbook is licensed in the UK, the locals are free to place their bets. With that, UK casino players and punters are left with so many options when it comes to online and in-person gambling.

With so many choices, it’s sometimes hard to determine whether a site is a trusted bookmaker. Well, if this is something you’re still trying to figure out, we got you. We’ll let you know what to look for when shopping for an online betting site in the UK.

Reputation and Reviews

This is quite an easy part since there are plenty of review sites that you can check. However, aside from checking casino and sports betting review sites, you must make it a point to check what actual customers have to say about an operator.

Nothing truly beats knowing real experiences. This way, you know what you can expect from a bookie – good or bad. For this, you may check sites like Trustpilot, Casino Guru, and Sitejabber. Reading threads on Reddit or posting questions on subReddits would also help.

The bottom line is that you need to do a bit of research about a casino or a sportsbook. Having a license can be good enough proof that a site is legit, but you should also know how they run its business.

Banking Options

Many players and punters are turning to online casinos and bookies because of convenience. When it comes to that, the banking options available can make or break your overall experience. That said, always check if a bookie has the most convenient option for you.

Check how you can make a deposit to your gambling account and how you can withdraw your winnings. Speaking of withdrawing your winnings, you should also check how long it takes for a bookie to process payouts.

Generally, if you want to receive the money in your bank account as fast as possible, go for payment solutions like e-wallets (Paypal, Neteller, or Skrill) or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. 

Some gambling operators issue winnings instantly when crypto is involved. Generally, however, payouts can take 1 to 5 business days.

Betting Variety

Bookies don’t offer the same odds and some don’t have odds on sports that other bookies have. So, before you sign up with one, check what sports you can bet on and what types of odds are usually offered.

Not because a gambling site is a known bookie, it already has odds on all sports that you enjoy watching. Not all bookies also offer other gambling services like live betting, virtual sports, Esports betting, horse race betting, and Fantasy sports.

If you’re someone who’s also into playing real money games, you might want to go for sportsbooks that also offer them like Bet365. 

Bonuses & Rewards

Bonuses are commonly seen in online casinos and this is why many sports punters tend to miss out on great offers. Know that there are many bookies with great promos, especially if you’re new to their site.

Sportsbooks also offer welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, and reload bonuses. Sometimes, some bookies would also give out free spins that you can use on the slot games they also offer. 

If you intend to stick to one bookie, the most ideal choice is a site that has a loyalty program. This way, you get rewarded for staying with them. This can be beneficial in the long run. Don’t worry about wagering requirements that much because sports bonuses usually have low requirements. 

Customer Support

Another aspect that could make or break your gambling experience is how a sportsbook will treat you. You can check how well a bookie’s customer support is by also reading customer reviews. 

If you have the time, you can also test this out yourself. Many online bookies have live chat support and if they do, might as well give that a try. See how nice their agents are and how knowledgeable they are on certain concerns.

Ask them questions about the casino and learn about the bonuses available that they recommend. This way, you get a feel of what a gambling site is like and how willing they are to assist you when you need help.


 

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