The most successful sports bettors share two things in common: They know how to pick a winning team. And they know how to choose a safe sportsbook. Learning how to stake your money on the winner consistently takes time.
But guess what? It takes a few tips to learn how to bet safely. Your safety is important because it helps protect your money, your data and time. Once you know how to bet safely, you can work on perfecting your sports prediction skills.
Without further ado, below are our top tips for betting on sports online safely.
Choose a Safe and Trustworthy Betting Site
Betting sites have become safe in 2022. But they are not created equal. Due to this, you need to assess every sportsbook you come across before you link your credit card or create an account.
To find a safe betting site, look for a license from a respected regulator like the UKGC, Malta’s MGA, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Curacao. A license confirms that a betting site is genuine and not a scam.
In addition to a license, look at a site’s security measures. Does it use SSL to secure your data? Does it allow you to secure your account through a password and Two-Factor Authentication?
Also, consider a sportsbook’s reputation. Choose a tried and tested betting site over a poorly-rated site. Reputable bookmakers like Unibet attract good reviews because they offer quality sports betting services. They provide competitive odds, generous bonuses and fast banking.
Secure your Devices and Accounts
By law, every betting site needs to protect your data and money. However, there’s no law that says you must update your computer’s Operating Systems or use unique passwords for your emails and betting sites.
It is up to you to keep your PC software updated. It is also your duty to use strong passwords for all your online accounts. In doing so, you are less likely to have your accounts hacked compare to someone who’s complacent about Internet security.
If you are concerned about having to deal with multiple accounts and password, find a password manager. A password manager can help you create unique passwords for your social media accounts, emails, digital wallets and sportsbooks hassle-free.
Choose a Reliable Payment Method
Choosing a reliable payment method can protect both your data and money as a sports bettor. Think about it. If you ever send money to a scam sportsbook, you can ask for a chargeback from your banking provider.
On the other hand, some payment methods secure your data and keep it out of reach from betting companies. PayPal is a good example. The digital wallet has a service known as OneTouch, which lets you give PayPal control over your personal information.
PayPal keeps all your data secured and it does not share this information with betting sites. Instead, it helps you deposit and withdraw from these sportsbooks without revealing your personal information.
Although you want a safe payment method, look at other features like limits, fees, reputation, user interface, payment speed, mobile support and language support. You don’t want to work with a payment app that takes weeks to process a payment. Or, a company that charges you a lot of money in fees.
Create a Budget and Staking Plan
When many people think about betting safely, they visualize hackers and scam sportsbooks. But have you ever thought about betting safety from the angle of controlling your money?
You see, sports betting costs money. And if you’re not careful, you can spend more money than you should. To stay in control of your finances, create a betting budget.
It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. Budget for all your essential expenditures like food, bills, clothes and emergency savings. Then set aside some of your entertainment money for betting.
In many cases, your budget needs to last until the next paycheck. To ensure it lasts for the entire period, draft a staking plan. A staking plan will help you know how much money to spend in every bet.
After you’ve created your budget and staking plan, ensure you stick to the plan. It is easy to get tempted to spend more money on teams you love. But you need to stick your budget for long-term success in betting.
Learn How Bonuses Work
One of the reasons people think online betting is unsafe is due to bonus scams. Far too many betting sites market their brands by giving out betting bonuses. Now, betting promotions are good.
They allow you to bet on sports without putting a dent to your account balance. You can also use bonuses to maximize your profits. However, this only works when you have a fair bonus from a respected sportsbook.
How do you spot a good betting bonus? Read through its terms and conditions. Learn about the games you can use it for. Look at the maximum you can withdraw, the validity period and the reputation of the sportsbook it comes from.
Reading bonus terms helps you decide whether it is worth your time or not. Let’s say a bonus is worth $500. This is a decent amount. But maybe the terms say you need to deposit $1000 or earn it. In that case, this might not be the right bonus for you.
Avoid Betting Scams
The Internet is jam-packed with people who claim to have sure odds. They might ask you to pay a small fee in exchange of 100% correct football betting predictions. In nearly all cases, these are scams.
To be clear, scammers are different from genuine paid tipsters. Respectable betting experts don’t promise sure results. They show you their records to confirm they have a winning past. But they don’t promise correct results every time.
Besides people who sell fake predictions, beware of bonus scams. Some people will email you messages about betting bonuses. But once you click through their links, you’re led to sites that add malware to your devices.
Your Turn
Successful sports betting starts by protecting your data and money. You can achieve this this choosing a secure sportsbook, budgeting your money and securing your accounts.
