Expert Reviews for Bitcoin Sportsbooks 2018

What Makes a Bitcoin Sportsbook Stand Out?

What makes a good sportsbook?  They all claim to have the best sportsbook offers, but talk is cheap. The best Bitcoin sportsbooks provide a particularly attractive sign-up bonus that can significantly bolster a bettor’s bank account in a short time. Others provide betting on every sport under the sun, so enthusiasts of niche and minor sports can put their knowledge to good use and attempt to win some money. For some, a responsive customer service department that’s fluent in their native tongue is an important factor when choosing which firm to bet with. These are just a few of the considerations that go into the assessment of a Bitcoin sportsbook. Ultimately, there’s no single facet that can make a sportsbook stand out. The bookies need to be very strong in a number of areas and excel in a few to thrive in such a competitive industry.

The best Bitcoin sportsbooks provide a particularly attractive sign-up bonus that can significantly bolster a bettor’s bank account

With so many factors to take into account and analyse, reading Bitcoin sportsbook reviews will help direct you on your way to a reputable bitcoin sportsbook. Below are a few criteria to help you determine whether an online Bitcoin sportsbook stands out and is worth signing up to, or not:

Bonuses and Promotions

For some bettors, the bonuses on offer are a huge attraction when considering which Bitcoin sportsbook to use. Bookmakers that offer generous bonuses with low rollover requirements plus lenient terms and conditions will do well when trying to increase their customer base.

Security and Banking

When one is about to deposit funds into an online Bitcoin sportsbook, they need to know that it’s going to be a safe procedure and that their currency is secure. Furthermore, they’ll want to know that the banking processes are efficient.

VIP Programs

The big bettors are often enticed to a sportsbook by the VIP Programs. These vary from one sportsbook to another, but some offer a very personal service to their top clients and keep the players sweet with tickets to sporting events, preferential odds and much more. Other sportsbooks may just have an automated system that gives VIP clients (clients who have staked a certain amount or lost a certain amount) free bets and promotions from time to time.

Live In-play Betting and Markets Covered

With so many sports on TV, bettors are increasingly betting in-play. A Bitcoin sportsbook requires extensive live betting options to attract customers, plus they need to have deep markets – lots of different bets for customers to place their money on.

Payment Methods

Of course, Bitcoin is the main type of payment in this scenario. However, there are other cryptocurrencies available, with some sportsbooks offering a range of different payment methods. In addition to allowing a range of different cryptocurrencies to fund accounts, good Bitcoin-based sportsbooks will have minimal to no fees for deposits and withdrawals.

Level of Traffic

Bookmakers with more traffic typically have more funds and resources to provide customers with a better service.

Overall, there are a variety of important factors we take into account when considering whether a Bitcoin sportsbook stands out. A fully functional website that is easy to navigate is definitely high-priority – as well as being the first thing a customer will see, it is indicative of the quality of the service on offer. Sportsbooks that offer a range of sports get the thumbs up, as do those with responsive and helpful customer service teams. Live betting is an important factor for casual and professional bettors alike, and requires a sharp trading team to update the odds as the matches/contests unfold.

What is essential to one bettor may appear further down the list of priorities for another. For instance, a seasoned gambler may only be concerned with the betting margins and quality of odds when searching for a Bitcoin sportsbook with which to turn over their funds, while another casual bettor may prioritise welcome bonuses and live chat. Our reviews evaluate all the major aspects of a sportsbook, so whatever it is you’re looking for, we will point you in the right direction – whether this concerns the best sportsbook offers or anything else.

Sportsbooks With Bitcoin

Sportsbooks have most certainly evolved. The increasing competition over the years has meant that bookies have had to innovate, and they have done so by offering more sports, more exotic bets, and deeper markets. With the number of Bitcoin-friendly and Bitcoin-centric sportsbooks on the rise, it’s good to see the firms making an effort with their sportsbooks. Those firms who try and offer a limited number of sports, or don’t get creative with their markets, must really have a selling point such as very low margins or big staking limits, or they simply won’t survive.

The vast majority of online sportsbooks have their staple diet of the five or six most popular sports in the world, and then complement those events with a range of other sports. Those sports can vary on a wide range of factors but are typically dependent on the location of the sportsbook and the market they are targeting. For instance, Scandinavian Bitcoin sportsbooks may cover all the major events, but they may also include popular sports in the area such as floorball, ice hockey and bandy.

The big sports and events that generate the majority of turnover for Bitcoin sportsbooks are soccer, NFL, tennis, NBA and horse racing. The other two main American leagues, the NHL (ice hockey) and MLB (baseball), are also popular with bettors in Asia, Europe and North America. In the UK, Australia and Asia, cricket is a big betting sport. And with the Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor fight in recent memory, there has been an increased interest in betting on MMA and boxing – most Bitcoin sportsbooks, in fact, offer the combat action. Motorsport is popular among pockets around the globe, and perhaps the fastest-growing betting event is on daily fantasy sports and e-sports. Bitcoin sportsbooks failing to list these sports on their site are missing a trick – take a look at our Bitcoin sportsbook reviews to find out which sports the different bookies offer.

Sportsbetting Bonuses

With so many Bitcoin sportsbooks and bookmakers operating online, offering strong customer service and competitive odds is no longer good enough. For the casual bettor especially, the lure of a bonus can make them use one sportsbook over another. Firms that don’t provide a sportsbook bonus are either poorly funded, untrustworthy, or happen to be aiming their service at a high-end clientele.

Although the welcome bonus usually comes in the form of a matched deposit, there are plenty of other bonuses offered by Bitcoin sportsbooks

With bonuses being a big selling point for sportsbooks as they try to retain their current clients and entice new ones, it is important that the marketing teams are original and inventive with the concessions they offer. A variety of standard bonuses such as the welcome bonus, free bet, etc. already exists, but ad hoc promotions and seasonal bets are popular with customers who want an extra little boost on an event that they will be watching anyway.

Our Bitcoin sportsbook reviews really concentrate on the bonuses being provided by each bookie to identify the best sportsbook offers for you. Before we go any further, however, it is important to distinguish the different types of bonuses. There are various ways in which Bitcoin sportsbooks are able to credit their players with bonuses. Some can come through a marketing ploy for new business, whereas others may be given to reward loyal customers. Familiarise yourself with our definitions of the different types of bonuses so you don’t get lost in the jargon when checking out a new site:

Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus is typically the main bonus that sportsbooks offer. The bonus amount will be plastered across the online ad banners that pop up on your browser, and is intended to grab the attention of any potential new clients. Although the welcome bonus usually comes in the form of a matched deposit, there are other bonuses offered by the Bitcoin sportsbooks. Some may state that the first five deposits will be accompanied by a 50% bonus. Other times a welcome bonus may come in the form of a cashback offer if the first bet loses, and so on.

Deposit Match Bonus

As mentioned, this is the most common type of welcome bonus. Bitcoin sportsbooks will get new customers’ attention by stating that the first deposit will be matched with bonus funds (up to a maximum of a certain amount), and this may be marketed as “Get a 100% Welcome Bonus up to 1BTC” at ABC Sportsbook. Deposit match bonuses can often be really generous in terms of the figure offered to prospective players. However, the user always needs to check the terms and conditions to ensure they aren’t tying up their initial funds and bonus on account of draconian rollover requirements.

Free Bets

Apart from the obvious reasons, there are advantages to getting a free bet instead of the other types of concessions. Free bets don’t often carry the same financial size as deposit match or welcome bonuses, but they don’t usually have as many strings attached. Free bets are offered by certain sportsbooks to new customers, and they also serve to keep existing customers happy. There may or may not be a requirement to make a deposit to claim a free bet.

Cashout Bonus

Although not as common, cashout bonuses give bettors the opportunity to claim a bonus when they close their open bet by “cashing out”. The cashout has become increasingly popular since live betting became the norm. For instance, if a bettor struck a wager on Arsenal to win against Crystal Palace and Arsenal went 1-0 up in the first half, then Arsenal’s odds would contract and the player could cash out and lock in some profit. Some sportsbooks are rewarding the cashout by boosting their winnings. The one thing to take into consideration is that the odds the customer receives when cashing out are by and large not the most competitive, so really this bonus is more a case of actually giving bettors what they deserve.

Anything Else?

As mentioned briefly above, sportsbooks often offer ad hoc and seasonal promotions to their customers. These are usually free bets, matched deposits, enhanced odds and percentage bonuses on winnings, and are largely advertised when there is a big sporting event on such as the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics, Royal Ascot or Wimbledon. Casual bettors usually come out of the woodwork when these major competitions take place, and Bitcoin sportsbooks create attractive promotions to ensure these individuals get actively betting again. In addition to bonuses, some sportsbooks offer cash back if one loses a bet – for example, if you bet on a match and the score ends 0-0, then all stakes will be refunded.

Bonuses can be fantastic for bettors, especially the recreational punters who want to boost their betting bank balance. At certain times of the year when there is fierce competition for bettors from the sportsbooks, some of the offers can be particularly enticing. The welcome bonuses and deposit match bonuses are getting bigger and bigger as sportsbooks scramble to increase their client book.

While the big bonuses are of course very appealing, it is perhaps just as important to check out the terms and conditions as it is to pay attention to the size of the bonus being offered. Virtually all bonuses come with strings attached, and those T & Cs and rollover requirements can determine whether the sportsbooks are legitimate and fair to their clients or whether they’re trying to take their money.

It is important to know what types of bonuses are being offered by each Bitcoin sportsbook. Here at BitcoinSportsbooks we provide a comprehensive review of all the major firms, analysing which sportsbooks provide good-value bonuses to customers, and which ones should be avoided.

Finding the Best Odds

To some bettors, they don’t really matter that much. To others, finding the best and more competitive ones is absolutely the cornerstone of their wagering philosophy. We’re talking about the odds. The odds can be defined as the chance of success when converted from a percentage to a fraction or decimal (or another format). The competitiveness of odds from one site to another can vary significantly depending on the size of the sportsbook, the knowledge of the trading team, the company philosophy and mantra, and much more.

The bet types with the best odds are usually those ones with the fewest outcomes

The truth is that all bettors should be concerned with getting the best odds. The difference between a slight difference in the odds time and time again can be the deciding factor in whether a bettor makes a long-term profit or loss. If a bettor wants to know how competitive the odds are, they need to convert all of the odds to percentages and then add them together. If the bookmaker had no inbuilt profit margin, then their book would equate to 100%. The bigger the number is over 100%, then the worse the odds are for bettors. For instance, one Bitcoin sportsbook may price up an English Premier League match to a total book percentage of 102.5% while their rivals may compile it to 106%. There is a big difference here, and it is important for those who wager to understand how everything works.

The best odds can typically be found on football matches, especially those in the top leagues around Europe where infinite information and data pertaining to each team are available, leaving very little unknown. The bet types with the best odds are usually those with the fewest outcomes (such as the Asian handicap or Over/Under Total Goals, as these markets only have two). Odds that are not in favour of the bettors are found in Outright Winner markets as well as in First Goalscorer, etc.

You can find out the best odds by visiting a large number of websites yourself. Or you can of course check out our Bitcoin sportsbook reviews, which will reveal how competitive the odds are. We will give an indication of how each firm’s odds sit in terms of the industry average. Bettors who wager with Bitcoin sportsbooks that offer stingy odds to customers will soon go broke as the house has a significant edge.