There are many sports betting sites we rate poorly here at Safest Betting Sites that some players still choose for their betting action. For newer bettors, we highly recommend depositing with a highly rated operator, which has been in the business for a long time. However, those that are dropping down to the middle tier or even low rated sportsbooks aren’t necessarily crazy.
Sure, they’re taking on an added risk, and in some cases, a significant amount more, but there is a method to the madness of depositing at a sportsbook that has a higher probability of ripping someone off.
Sports Bettors Banned Elsewhere
Banning a customer from betting or cutting the limits of a sharp sports bettor is something that is done at just about every sportsbook online. Players who are deemed to be a threat to the long-term profitability of the book will have their limits reduced or told to take their action elsewhere. If you become a successful sports bettor, this will no doubt happen to you. Some sportsbooks have a much larger tolerance for winners than others while other management teams will ban players quickly if they see them doing things they don’t like, like chasing steam.
A portion of the players who are depositing at these sportsbooks aren’t being duped. They’re looking for action because they’ve been banned or limited at other sportsbooks with higher ratings. Yes, these betting sites are riskier than others, but for some of the most sports bettors, they may be running low on “outs.” If they don’t have any reliable local sports bookies in their area, these sites may be their only options to get +EV wagers down with substantial money.
Bonuses and Promo Offers
Smaller sportsbooks don’t have near the reputation that the industry leaders do. Bettors will continue to flock to sites like MyBookie.ag, Bovada, or SportsBetting.ag and others because they’re established and trusted sportsbooks. These bookmakers don’t need to offer extremely large bonuses or other perks to entice players to deposit. Their reputation speaks for themselves. Their service and odds are superior in most cases, but the main reason that bettors deposit at these sportsbooks is that they’re sure that they are going to get paid.
Lesser known sportsbooks will often provide larger bonuses or offer other perks to players, such as the promise of V.I.P treatment or a break in certain markets when it comes to vig. They’re doing this so they can compete with other more established sportsbooks. Look, people want to bet, but most people (not all, of course) will do their research before depositing. What they will uncover will almost certainly push them towards a more established operator. These sites are trying to compete.
There’s another reason why sports bettors who know their way around the industry might deposit at a lower rated sportsbook, for bonuses. A lot of sportsbooks offers reload bonuses, but almost none offer a large deposit bonus after their initial first deposit bonus offer. “Bonus whoring” at online sportsbooks isn’t as profitable as it once was, but it is still a strategy that can be utilized to add some extra money to your bankroll. A lot of these players will simply deposit, roll over the bonus and cash out. That doesn’t always work out perfectly with lower tier sportsbooks, but for some, it’s worth the risk.
Soft Sports Betting Odds
This falls under the bonus and offers category slightly, but anyone who knows their stuff when it comes to sports betting checks out the odds immediately after they sign up at a new sportsbook. Many of these smaller sites offer softer markets, some, possibly intentionally. For bettors that have been limited, as mentioned above or those simply looking to attack soft lines – they’re willing to take the gamble that the sportsbook will pay. There are plenty of times where this doesn’t work out, but plenty of times that it does.
Ultimately, there are those that are willing to take the risk of not being paid to take a shot at beating a sportsbook with soft numbers for a big payday. No one has money to burn, but if you’re doing well at another sportsbook, depositing a small amount at a lower tier shop and hoping to run it up is a viable strategy to employ when dealing with sportsbooks that have a higher chance of not paying.
Sports Bettors Are Ignorant
Yes, the final category (and sadly probably the largest pool of depositors), the sports bettors that don’t know any better. It pains us here at SBS, when bettors, especially those new to sports gambling deposit at a poorly rated or scam sportsbook. It can ruin their entire experience with online betting and sports betting in general. As always, we encourage our readers to research a sportsbook thoroughly before deciding to make a deposit.
Our sports betting sites reviews have just about every US-facing online sportsbook and all of the top international bookmakers. In most cases, it only takes a few minutes of reading to know the viability of a sportsbook. Don’t make the mistake of not doing your research before depositing. It’s your money at stake.
Originally published: Nov 26, 2016
Content updated: Dec 10, 2018
About the Author
Joseph Falchetti
Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert
Joe is the author of the majority of sports betting pages on SBS and he serves as a gambling consultant to our content team. He's been mentioned on Forbes.com as a gaming analyst, and his articles have been linked by larger publications, such as the New York Times.
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