Top Things to Look for When Choosing an Online Betting Platform

If you’re a sports fan and haven’t jumped on the sports betting bandwagon just yet, you’re missing out on a great new way to enjoy the game. When you’ve got wagers going on a variety of matches, players, and lines, you can up the stakes and the investment in every single play. Those dry baseball games with few big plays and the Monday Night NFL Football game with a bad matchup suddenly become something you’re tracking every minute of, hoping that your bet or parlay will hit. But with so many sports betting apps emerging from this incredible boom, which one should you sign up for?

It can be easy to be enticed by celebrity-featured ads or flashy marketing campaigns, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the platform will end up being your cup of tea, nor will it have the features and experience you thought it would. Whether you’re looking to switch platforms or are finally ready to become a sports bettor, the following criteria will help you make a sound decision.

Is it regulated?

Long before the online sports betting revolution, betting was considered a very unregulated activity. There wasn’t a legal framework that protected consumers, and there were unethical practices and issues with financial protection that were hard to get away from. Thanks to the oversight and legalisation efforts today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a popular sports betting platform that doesn’t abide by these standards. However, the first rule of thumb is to check that the platform you’re eyeing is regulated. Legitimate platforms, both apps and websites, will clearly display their licensing number and the regulatory authority that issued it, whether it’s the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, or another body.

What are its security and privacy standards?

Another extremely important consideration is the betting platform’s security and privacy standards. After all, you want to be fully protected whenever you’re placing wagers and using your personal and financial information. That data is sensitive, so you want to be confident that the platform has SSL encryption to protect it and is licensed by an authority that mandates privacy and security standards, like the GDPR. In addition, it might implement secure payment gateways, host regular security audits, offer two-factor authentication, and have responsible gambling features to make sure users get the most out of their experience and have peace of mind at all times.

How’s the user experience?

As you’ll want to place bets as seamlessly as possible, the user experience is an important factor. A well-designed app shouldn’t just offer a clean interface and intuitive navigation but also display your bet slip in an easy-to-understand manner. You don’t want to be scrambling around during a live game or struggling to find the right leagues and betting markets, nor do you want to be waiting around in frustration for pages to load. All these elements tie together your overall betting experience, and each platform will have user interface designs that will convince you to stay or shun you away. It’s also the variation in features that’ll make or break an experience. One platform might have more helpful tools like preset parlays or information about what the wager actually entails, while another might not have such extra frills. 

Does it have the betting markets you want?

Sports betting platforms don’t always necessarily need to have a wide range of betting markets—they just need to have the betting markets you want. For example, if you’re a football, basketball, and baseball fan, platforms that offer that level of sports coverage can be good enough. If you’re someone who’s interested in following and betting on everything, you might say, “The more, the better.” Some platforms offer an extensive range of services, including golf, tennis, cricket, MMA, and even esports. Within those sports, you might want to have a spectrum of betting options, including classic moneyline bets, over/under options, prop bets, live betting options, and even novelty bets to keep things interesting.

Are there bonuses and promotions?

Initial welcome bonuses for new users can be a significant draw and advantage to get you to sign up, but it’s also the bonuses that you get as a loyal user that you should pay attention to. Are a couple of free spins and bet tokens at the start all it’ll ever offer, or does it frequently have incentives to make bets like profit boosts and deposit bonuses? The best place to start your search is a trusted review platform like bonusfinder.ie, which will give you a rundown and comparison of casino sites with the top bonuses. There are other sites like this that focus specifically on sports betting promotions that can potentially also improve your chances of winning, encouraging you to take bigger risks with a safety net.

What are payouts like?

Especially if you happen to hit the jackpot, how easy is it to cash out your winnings? Do you have to jump through hoops to get that money into your bank account, or is the process easy? Fast and easy payouts are a sure sign of a good betting app, as the company has the user experience in mind. When you’re depositing money into your betting account too, you’ll want to make sure the app offers the methods you like, such as bank transfers, credit and debit, e-wallets, and even cryptocurrency if that’s your preference. Although it’s common for some payment methods to incur charges, you’ll want to make sure that’s not the case for every type—or that they’re at least reasonable. 

What’s the customer support like?

If you’re ever in a pickle, does the app or site have agents available to help you out? Consider the methods of contact it offers, whether live chat, phone, email, or other options, and the availability of them. If these options aren’t available 24/7, check that the platform has FAQs available and community forums for extra support.