So you have been following your favorite sport for a while and 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 very best, and then become confused and overwhelmed at the sheer range of choices around. You looked at the pros and cons of each one, and after that you probably started getting second thoughts because you have heard that you’ll find some companies online that are less than reputable. And also you could be right. The very last 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 first thing is to make certain 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 certain the site you are considering is financially stable. Consider it like this; with all the money which is being transferred into and out of this kind of organization, you want to make certain they have enough assets to stay in business. Think of it like a bank. Will you get an account at a bank that was running out of cash? If the company is public you can check their books. If they are not public, you can still try to see how long they happen to be in business and speak to people and see whenever they are honest and prompt with their payouts.

Number three: check their reputation online. For anybody who is reading this article then you’re probably already comfortable going online. Find some active sports betting forums and find out what people there have to say. Pay attention to who the reviews are from and try to screen for sources fake reviews (some companies put up fake positive reviews in an attempt to make themselves look great).

Finally, start small. You could be used to making big bets, but when you’re dealing with a whole new sportsbook for the first time, it’s better to work with a small amount of money just in case something goes wrong. As soon as you feel comfortable working with them you can start betting more if you want.

Remember that betting on sports should only be done with money you can afford to lose, and if you feel like you might have a problem, you will find organizations that may help.