Many people make the switch from the traditional brick&mortar sportsbook to the online sportsbooks. Here we will talk about how the online sportsbooks work and look at the overall layout and options presented to the player when they choose to bet online. Because unlike a traditional sportsbook, where you would go to the counter, place your bet, take your slip and if winner – go and get your cash, things are a bit different online.
The Layout of an Online Sportsbook
Every online sportsbook has two main sections – the betting section and the cashier. The cashier section handles all money transactions – deposits, withdrawals, bet grading and bet history. The betting section of an online sportsbook is the place where you would go to actually place your wagers. If you need to fund your player account – you will go to the cashier and initiate the transaction. If you want to place bets – you go to the betting section and drill down to the wager you want to place.
The Process
The process of playing at an online sportsbook is pretty straightforward, yet different from the traditional sportsbook. With the internet sportsbook you have to first and foremost open an account. The account will be forever tied to your personal information – name and address, unlike at a Vegas book, where you don’t need any accounts to place wagers. On the bright side – there is no slip or ticket to keep (and possibly lose), all your bets are tracked to your account and winnings are automatically paid to your player account.
Once you have opened an account with an online sportsbook, the next step will be to fund your account and collect your bonus. All good sportsbooks offer “sign-up” bonus, which is free bets to first-time players. In order to fund your account you will have to go to the cashier section of the sportsbook and use one of the payment methods available. If the bonus requires a bonus code, this is also the place where you would enter it. Some online sportsbooks like Bovada will automatically give you the bonus, no codes needed.
When the money has become available to you, you are free to go to the betting section of the website and choose your bets. Once your bets are placed, if winners, the money will be paid to your account right away. Withdrawing winnings works the same way as depositing money – go to the cashier and request a withdrawal. Keep in mind that for your first withdrawal all online sportsbooks will require documents verifying your identity, often consisting of a copy of your drivers license and a copy of a recent utility bill with your address on it. Depending on the withdrawal method you have chosen, you can receive your money anywhere from 24 hours to 5 days.
As you can see, the online sportsbooks work a bit differently than the Vegas sportsbooks and while they may require a few extra steps at first, are much faster overall. Not to mention that no travel is required.