A sports bettor has a difficult enough time attempting to beat
the odds without adding extra risk by not researching his
sportsbook or monitoring its business. Just as a racecar driver
will always check his equipment and wear his seatbelt, the sports
bettor should monitor his vehicle to protect himself. Driving in
the fast lane does not mean driving reckless. Along with playing
at only top tier sportsbooks, there are many traffic signs a
player can watch for to avoid the highway pile up.
1. If a Sportsbook that has never offered a bonus over 10%, now
offers a 25% Bonus with a low roll over.
2. If a Sportsbook offers a High Bonus with Reduced Juice - or
other combination of offerings that look too good to be true, it
probably is.
3. A Sportsbook with Obscure or Soft Lines can only mean one of
two things: a lack of volume or that the book itself is gambling
on events.
4. When things are not going so well, a Sportsbook will increase
prices. This alone is not a sign of problems. But if you see this
with any of the other items on this list, the book may be in
trouble.
5. Keep an eye on a Sportsbook's marketing campaigns. Watch for
anything out of the ordinary - new or drastic changes like cold
calling or excessive bonuses can represent a change in target
audience or utter desperation.
6. If a Sportsbook representative posts a message in the forums
that's a too good to be true "just for you" offer - the book may
be getting ready to run for the hills.
7. If there is a sudden stop of all book-to-book transfers -
there's a good chance it is due to at least one book halting
transfers with them first. No one knows more about your house
than your neighbor.
8. When a Sportsbook has frequent changes in management and
shareholders - there is a new risk to the players.
9. When there is a slow/no pay dispute over a large amount of
money from other player(s) - the book may be having financial
troubles and can't pay.
10. If you are given excuses for non payout or your account is
audited after the payout process is initiated the book may be
stalling.
If you know what to look for, you don't need to be paranoid.
Sometimes you smell smoke and there is no fire, and sometimes the
scent leads to a life saving evacuation. In this industry, you
have to sniff extra hard because there is no safety net. It is
completely unregulated (with Australia being our exception) and
only you are responsible for your funds.
Bill Dozer: SBR Writer, Analyst, and 15-year Sportsbook player.
Mr. Dozer helps other players avoid scams and provides advice in dealing with offshore sportsbooks. For a more detailed Special Report called “No-Nonsense Advice on How to Spot a SCAM Sportsbook” visit http://www.SportsBookReview.com.