Choosing Bookmaker

You need bookmakers if you want to bet… and you need the right ones. Here's how to choose them.

Sports betting is big business. It can be hushed and hidden, but still, betting is something fans turn too for a chance to get extra money, or just for the fun of it. Betting is usually managed by bookmakers or "bookies," people who organize and collect bets, as well as distribute prizes to the winners. Choosing the right bookmaker ensures safety as well as reliability in the management of your bets, and assures that you will not be cheated of your money.

American football like many great American sports is bet upon all over the country. The industry is so large that bookmakers are a necessity to manage this market of bets. It's a good idea to choose a bookmaker who is legal; illegal bookmakers have the risks of being raided by police, or may be cheating. Even legal bookmakers may cheat, but this is being regulated by local gambling industry agencies, and they are more than likely to be caught and shut down. Check with local gambling authorities on what outlets are accredited or discredited.

In choosing bookmaker services, remember that their reputations precede them. A bookmaker who is well known among bettors is a preferable one; ask around from bettors who you know. Bookmakers have also appeared on the Internet, which came with the boom in online gambling. Look around on message boards to check for feedback on a particular bookmaker. Choosing bookmaker sites can be done with research and familiarization with the more popular and preferred online bookmakers.

The bookmaker should also be clear with their betting policy, whether they practice point spread or just count hits and misses. This includes their payout policy on winnings. Bookmakers who do not follow their own policies can be avoided or reported.

Another issue is that if they charge an extra fee aside from the bet, they may be up to no good. They may call it a bank fee, withdrawal fee, or tax fee, but there should be no such thing. Your bet is the fee itself. In addition, don't go choosing bookmaker who does not accept singles. They are not trying to be fair to you.

Choose also the bookmaker with the most convenient payment schemes for you. Most bookmakers in person of course would choose cash, but online bookmakers should be able to use available merchants like Paypal or Moneybookers.

Choosing bookmaker services should not be hit and miss. Do your homework, and you may find the right bookmaker that you can bet on.