Betting on NFL games online is a lot of fun and nowhere near as complicated as it seems to first time bettors.
In fact, with the huge array of deposit bonuses and betting options offered by most online sports books, there’s a bet that’s right for just about every NFL fan. Once you’ve got the basics down, you’ll probably find that online NFL betting isn’t nearly as complicated as your standard fantasy football league.
Here’s what NFL bettors need to know about online betting.
Finding Reliable Online Sportsbooks
Finding online sportsbooks is pretty easy, but finding reliable online sportsbooks takes a little effort. Websites that look good, and offer big deposit bonuses, may not always have the best reputation for paying customers or handling customer service issues well.
Before depositing money with any online sportsbook, check out their reputation on review sites like Sports Book Review and Bang the Book. Review sites are also the place to go when you need some mediating a dispute with an offshore sportsbook.
Keep in mind that these sites make their money from affiliate marketing programs, so they get paid for every customer they send to an online sports book. This doesn’t mean that their reviews aren’t worth reading, it just means you should shop around before sending off your cash.
How Deposit Bonuses Work
Almost every online gambling and betting site offers some kind of deposit bonus to their customers. And while most of these offers are perfectly legitimate, first time bettors need to really understand how that bonus money works.
Most deposit bonuses come with what’s known as a playthrough requirement. That means you may have to bet several times the amount of the bonus before you can actually collect on it.
This a pretty standard practice in the industry, but reading the fine print on these offers can head off some serious frustration when you’re ready to cash out.
For more info on this subject, check out How Sports Betting Works.
Sports Betting and the Law
Is betting gambling and is online betting legal? That’s a simple question with a complicated answer, especially for US residents. Under US law, placing online sports bets is perfectly. What’s not legal is using any type of financial instrument, including credit cards, to send and receive betting money.
Players have, for the most part, not been subject to legal action by US authorities but the sites they bet with are. Online gambling of any kind involves a small amount of risk. In short, don’t bet with money you can’t afford to lose.
Top Sportsbook Deposit Bonuses
- Bet365 – They’re one of the UK’s most reliable sportsbooks and offer new players up to $200 in deposit bonuses. There’s a 3x rollover requirement, so you’ll need to bet at least $600 to cash in on the $200.
- Bovada.lv – Bovada is another well-established, well-trusted sports betting brand that offers a huge array of wagering options. They’re currently offering a 50% Welcome Bonus of up to $250 with a 3x rollover requirement.
- Wager Web – This site offers a unique sliding scale for both deposit and Re-Deposit bonuses based on how much you’re betting. Just be aware that they do require some pretty high rollover requirements.