Are online sports bets safe and reputable?

Since there are more and more online sports betting and gambling providers, it is of course necessary to check in each individual case how reputable and secure the respective providers are. Since some providers are very different from each other, but others are very similar, it is not always easy to compare or check them. Therefore, a good comparison of online providers can be very helpful.

In case you want to take a closer look at the individual providers yourself, which we can definitely recommend, you should consider some criteria. In addition to good customer service, an EU gambling licence and transparency in all areas are good indicators of a reputable provider of sports betting on the internet.

You should also rely on your own research and not too much on the individual opinions of other bettors. These can be very negative due to losses at a provider that these bettors themselves have caused, or very positive due to large winnings that are perhaps only based on luck.

A brief summary of the most important facts:

• there are not only reputable and safe sports betting providers on the internet
• reputable sports betting providers are usually easy to recognise
• Observance of criteria is very important
• Opinions of other bettors rarely correspond to reality

Sports betting providers on the internet need a valid gambling licence in order to be able to operate seriously and, above all, legally. This is issued by an authority. This authority regulates, checks and controls the providers before issuing the licence and regularly for compliance with requirements and conditions.

These include, for example, security, seriousness, data protection and fairness. It is not advisable to play at bookmakers without a licence, as they are most likely not reputable and definitely not regulated. However, an EU licence is not compulsory, you should only know which licence is subject to which conditions and checks.

There are also certificates, seals and awards with which some providers advertise. If you are not familiar with these, it is advisable to check them and see what exactly is behind them. The most well-known and important certifications are the following:

• Certificate from TÜV
• Certificate from eCOGRA
• Encryption certificates from thawte or GoDaddy
• Awards and distinctions from independent bodies

Secure payment methods also play a big role when dealing with reputable sports betting providers. You should definitely not trust providers who use dubious or completely unknown payment methods. The payment methods of the providers can usually be found directly on the website, even before you actually deposit. Not all providers support all secure payment methods, but even some of these are enough to trust the provider as long as the other factors are right. Therefore, you should look at these and only register with safe and known methods for depositing. These include the following payment methods:

• Bank transfer
• Quick transfers (e.g. Sofortüberweisung)
• Credit cards
• Prepaid cards (e.g. ukash or Paysafecard)
• E-wallets (e.g. PayPal or Neteller)

The most important service of a reputable bookmaker is a good customer service. This should be able to answer quickly and competently. The language should at least be English, although many reputable and well-known providers naturally also provide answers in German. In addition, the customer service should be free of charge, i.e. at best it should be accessible via e-mail or a contact field as well as a chat field.

Good special offers and bonuses also make for good providers, as long as they are transparent and clearly defined. There should be an easily understandable explanation for any special offers as well as terms and conditions and regulations. However, if the conditions for these promotions are opaque or sound dubious, you should leave the respective provider alone.

Many online sports betting providers have become very serious, reliable and have a good reputation. As a result, hardly anyone questions the seriousness of many providers any more. With the help of licences and certificates, secure payment methods, special promotions and bonuses and a good overall impression, more and more sports betting providers are now scoring points on the internet. Of course, there are still dubious providers whose tricks you should not fall for. However, if you consider the factors mentioned and look at comparisons, there should be one or more reputable providers on the market for everyone.

Security and reliability are always very important on the internet, which is why these factors should not be underestimated when it comes to sports betting. Therefore, first inform and check, then deposit and play.