With offshore sportsbooks
opening virtually on a "daily" basis, inventive, slick marketers are
devising new and innovative ways of separating your money from your
wallet while appearing to be completely legitimate. It's almost
impossible to tell if the book you just sent your money to is really
located in Costa Rica or Bill's Pizza Shop just around the corner.
Fancy websites, phony 800 numbers, endless deposit methods and more
mean nothing any more and due diligence on the part of depositor is
well worth the effort!
Look out for the following Sportsbook
Scams:
Unrealistic
Bonuses
First, if the
"sign-up" bonus seems too good to be true, it probably will end up
costing you a bundle. It kind of like the girl that meets you at
a bar and tells you that you are the biggest, best, first and "only"!
She really finds you attractive and wonders where you have been all
her life! She loves you = "hooker"! When comparing
bonuses, "verify" ALL aspects of "how" to fulfill the requirements of
receiving the bonus and ONLY deal with known, well researched
sportsbooks with few or no unresolved complaints!
Remember, ONLY
desperate, less than honest sportsbooks will be giving the house away
for your "deposit".
Don't be fooled by this Number
One Sportsbook Scam!
Many of the
owners/operators of these sportsbooks are ex-telemarketers, ex-felons,
and are used to devising "Special" premiums for you to bite on!
If the sportsbook is offering over a 20-25% CASH sign-on bonus, WATCH
OUT! Bonuses totaling over 20-25% are ok as long as the
additional part of the bonus is for horse racing, casino action, poker
play or other non-sports related bonuses!
Remember, the "hold"
for offshore sportsbooks is around 6%, so giving up 50% as a sign-on
bonus doesn't compute!
The main point here
is that the unscrupulous sportsbook manager WANTS you money at all
cost! They may make things sound super, but underlying it all,
is a greedy shark that will stop at nothing to con you from your
money! Be very careful
Lack of Capital
Some of the new
(newer) sportsbooks have been set up without adequate funding and when
it comes time to pay you for your handicapping abilities, funds will
either be delayed or never arrive at all. Watch out for excuses
for money withdrawals or lack of customer service or contact when
asking for your money. Slow pay is NOT acceptable!
Telemarketers
Watch out for calls
from a sportsbook promoting a sportsbook! Verbal offers are NOT
offers in writing and should be ignored unless you instigated the call
in the first place. Offers should be uniform, available to the
general public and conspicuous on the sportsbooks website or in their
email offerings. These call may be also be a last ditch effort
to get you to send money with promises they have no intention of
keeping. Beware!
Research
The best way to avoid scam
sportsbooks is to do the research.
Check the "review sites", and when
you find the sportsbook you are thinking of signing up with on
numerous sites all being recommeded, you are in good hands. You
may even go to sports or sportsbook message boards to check on
comments concerning payouts, bonuses, and customer service. Our
suggestion is to deposit only what you initially want to gamble with
and then see how you like the sportsbook and their bonuses,
promotions, contests, and customer service. If the "odds" are
good, the site is easy to navigate and all goes ok with the initial
deposit, you have probably found a secure place to wager. Look
for "Publicly Traded" gaming establishments where possible, as they
are under much more scrutiny and require special bonds and licenses to
operate. Complaint resolution is no doubt of high priority.
