So you have been following your favorite sport for a while and also have thought about using an online sportsbook to bet on several of the games. You probably went online and did some searches and found a whole lot of sportsbooks, each claiming to be the best, and after that become confused and overwhelmed at the sheer range of choices out there. You looked at the positives and negatives of each one, and after that you probably started getting second thoughts because you have heard that there are some companies online that are less than reputable. And also you would be right. The final thing you want is to bet money with some company that won’t pay you if you win.

So what steps can one take to choose a legitimate online sportsbook?

The very first thing is to ensure the company covers the sport(s) you want to bet on. Not everyone offers every sport. This probably sounds obvious, but it’s worth mentioning.

The other thing you want to do is make sure the site you are considering is financially stable. Think about it like this; with all the money which is being transferred into and out of this sort of organization, you want to make sure they have enough assets to stay in business. Consider it like a bank. Would you get an account at a bank that was running out of cash? In the event the company is public you can check their books. Whenever they aren’t public, you may still try and see how long they have been in business and talk to people and see whenever they are honest and prompt with their payouts.

Number three: check their reputation online. In case you are reading this article then you’re probably already comfortable using the web. Find some active sports betting forums and see what people there have to say. Pay attention to who the reviews are from and attempt to screen click for info fake reviews (some companies put up fake positive reviews to try and make themselves look great).

Lastly, start small. You might be used to making big bets, but when you’re dealing with a whole new sportsbook for the first time, it’s better to use a small amount just in the event that something goes wrong. As soon as you feel comfortable dealing with them you can start betting more if you want.

Keep in mind that betting on sports should only be done with money you may afford to lose, and if you feel like you may have a problem, there are actually organizations that can help.