With all the changing in laws concerning sports betting in recent years, there may be many readers here that are, at the very least, interested to see what is being offered by some of the online sportsbooks waging what must be an expensive marketing campaign in the hope of registering more customers.
But online sports betting had been illegal in most states for years up until a few years ago, so you might not know how to get yourself set up with an account and go betting at sites like Xbet. Read our beginner’s guide to online sports betting, so you know how to make the next move.
Sign Up with a Sportsbook
Let’s start off with the basics, shall we? If you want to bet on sports online you will need to sign up for a customer account with a bookmaker. Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years – or in a state where betting is still illegal – you will have no doubt seen plenty of adverts for these sites.
Make sure you look into which online sportsbook suits your needs though. They may all seem to offer the same kinds of betting options and odds, but there will be subtle differences. Use comparison sites and user reviews to work out which sportsbook is the one you should be registering with.
Claim a Welcome Bonus
Part of the research you should be doing when you are first choosing which sportsbook to sign up with is to check for the welcome bonuses. Nearly all sportsbooks offer some kind of bonus for new customers – and they are a great way to get something for nothing (just about) when you join up.
Different sportsbooks offer different bonuses. But you can expect to be able to claim free bets, deposit matches and other kinds of freebies just for signing up. You should read all the terms and conditions though. All these offers are completely legit – but there will be some requirements to take into account.
Do Your Research
Now that you are all signed up with your chosen sportsbook – and have claimed the welcome bonus – you can get on with the serious business of actually betting on sports. Just like when you were first deciding on which operator to go with, you should be doing your homework at this point.
Never jump into a bet without first studying the form of the players, teams or horses involved. You should try to get as much information as possible to point you in the direction of the right bet. You should also understand the meaning of value, so you know whether it is worth placing a wager or not.
Bet on What You Know
You can do all the research you like into sports events, but the main piece of advice for anyone new to this is to bet on what you know. If you know nothing about baseball, but are more of a soccer fan, bet on the Champions League – not the Yankees or Cubs.
It might be very tempting to place lots of bets and get carried away – especially when you are first starting out. But even the people who bet a lot will only limit themselves to their favorite sports. There are some big events that are the exception to the rule, but generally, you need to go with what you know.
Enjoy Yourself
Our final piece of advice for anyone embarking into the wonderful world of online sports betting is simply to enjoy yourself. This should not be seen as some kind of get rich quick scheme – it should be an enjoyable pastime where you may win a little money if you are lucky.
Don’t let betting get out of hand and only wager what you can afford to lose. Betting responsibly is the only kind of betting you should be doing.
