07/21/2003 - 10:03 PM ET

Playing it Safe: Betting Offshore

Christopher Costigan, Sports911.com

It's that time of year again, the start of a new football season.  Over the next several weeks sports bettors from all over the United States, Canada and elsewhere will begin signing up with various offshore wagering companies.

Betting offshore should not be complicated but quite too often it is.  911 has identified some of the most common pitfalls and ways to prevent mishaps from occurring. 

Credit Cards Unfortunately many issuing banks no longer permit gaming transactions.  This is due to a combination of factors, one of which relates to U.S. government pressure in the wake of 9/11 under the thin veil of "terrorism and money laundering prevention".  Even before 9/11 and government intervention, however, credit card companies were forced to re-evaluate processing policies related to online gambling due to the exorbitant number of associated charge-backs.

Needless-to-say, 911 does not recommend credit cards.  In fact, we have never been big on the idea of players betting with money they really don't have to begin with.  Credit cards are a more nasty vice than gambling can ever claim to be in most instances.  Put the two together and this is just asking for trouble. 

Due to the high security required with use of credit cards, sportsbook operations have no other choice but to require various documentation as proof of the credit card holder identification.  We at 911 receive more complaints related to credit card withdrawals than any other single issue related to offshore betting.  Simple things like changes of address, lost documents, failure to submit proper forms at payout time all contribute to delayed payment when customer's attempt to withdraw monies from their account. 

Western Unions are by far still the most popular deposit and withdrawal method and one that 911 certainly recommends.  NETeller is yet another tried and true method that takes only a few minutes to sign up.  Withdrawing money from one's NETeller account into their personal checking account only takes approximately three minutes to complete.  This is my personal favorite method for sending and receiving funds offshore. 

Bonus Rules Contrary to popular belief, sportsbooks are not banks.  When wagering shops first started offering a signup bonus of between 5% and 10%, individuals would come in, make a deposit, get the free cash, then pull out of the book after taking action on maybe only one game. 

Today's rules were incorporated as a means of preventing such abuse.  You can blame your fellow punters for having to roll over the initial signup 6 times before withdrawing. 

Remember, some books require only a one time rollover (i.e. BoDog Sports).  Others require their customers to keep the bonus money in their accounts and bet with it.  Still others only cut off the amount of bonus (say $500.00 max).  Books like MVP Sportsbook do not cap out bonuses.  Linesmaker.com places cash in a customer's account instantly and does not impose a cap on the bonus either. 

Be sure to read the rules before signing up.  So often their are restrictions and -- just like any other company -- you will find such restrictions within the fine print.  Get out your reading glasses! 

The Scams They are out there...more prevalent than ever.  Scam operations must overcome the competitive obstacles immediately in order to ensure they outwit their legitimate rivals.  The easiest way in which to do this is by offering outrageous signup bonuses.  25% or higher bonuses spells death to a wagering business.  They simply cannot survive giving this amount of money away. 

Our suggestion is to stay with the tried and true...better yet, stick with those sportsbooks endorsed by Sports911.com.  Each of our endorsed books offers something unique for all tastes whether it be a high maximum phone wager, best bonuses, player-to-player betting or whatever else floats your boat.  Check out our endorsed sportsbooks HERE

Compatibility I'm guessing more than half the households in the United States do not yet have DSL or Cable.  Sportsbooks that incorporate tons of graphics on their main page will lose plenty of customers due to the slow downloading of such sites.  For those of you on dial-up, 911 suggests checking out more simple websites.

Keep in mind also that bets should be placed well before crunch time (i.e. at least three hours before a game is set to begin) the first couple of weeks.  Many a sportsbook has had trouble handling the incredible amount of traffic that comes in during these time periods. 

If you do plan on placing wagers just as games are preparing to go off, we suggest signing up with more than one sportsbook.

Here are Some Great Offerings from 911 Endorsed Sportsbooks

BoDog Sports Excellent props, fast deposit and withdrawal via Direct Bank Transfer.  Top bonuses.

Blue Marlin Sports 15% cash and a 3 team parlay worth 5% of your deposit.  5 X rollover to claim it.  For 911 Readers only.  One on one customer service from the third sportsbook established in Costa Rica. 

Legendz Sports 20% signup, 15% reloads.  Well established MVP International parent company.

MVP Sportsbook Player-to-player betting, super high phone limits and lowest online limits as well. 

Gamblers Avenue 20% signup, 10% reload bonuses.  Excellent customer service and many contest offerings. 

Linesmaker.com Bonuses instantly placed in accounts, no caps on bonuses, best book to deposit with credit cards (quickest approval).  Easy to use website interface. 

Sirbet Reduced juice offerings plus bonus.  Fast payouts.  Lots of varying wager types.

Pinnacle Sports Top website interface, reduced juice online plus bonus.

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