Is Sports Betting A Scam ?
The online sportsbook industry has a pretty rough reputation in the eyes of many gamblers because the little things can sometimes get people really fired up. Take, for instance, a deposit bonus or a bet guarantee that’s supposed to give players an extra incentive; is it a scam when these places do not give gamblers free money? Some say yes because they did not understand the requirements of a program while others say that the industry is legitimate; who are we to believe?
Scams in our Economy
To be perfectly honest with everybody, there’s nothing I hate more than when my employer asks me to write about scams. To me personally, the petroleum industry is a scam; the fuel coming out of the ground today costs exactly the same amount as it did to process in 1940. The tourism industry is a scam as well; when was the last time you stayed inside the room with the spectacular view that was pictured in the brochure? You name an industry and I’ll point out a scam; that’s how businesses work. They are designed to attract customers that do not necessarily need a product or service.
Online Sportsbook Scams
So what about online sportsbooks; are they a scam? Again, it depends on your definition of what a scam is. On a basic level, these businesses advertise that you can log into their websites, place a wager or two, and they will pay you if you guess correctly on the outcome. Do all of the online sportsbooks do that? They do not even come close because a lot of the websites out there are definitely a scam. In fact, we come across new websites every single week that are designed to look like a casino or a sportsbook in every possible way…except for that betting and payout part. Instead, they just grab your money and run.
Other Sportsbook Scams
Okay, so let’s forget about the criminal online sportsbooks run by some lowlife computer thief for a moment since they are clearly a scam. As far as the rest of the industry goes, many of those websites are a scam as well. Here’s how they work-
You log onto their websites and they say, “Hey, we will give you a 100% match deposit bonus up to $600.” That sounds good and all, but the part you don’t see is down at the bottom of the page in teeny tiny fine print. Once you read it, you’ll find out that because you accepted double your actual money, it can not be withdrawn until you bet it 15 or more times. I’m sorry, but that’s a scam too.
In all honesty, 90% of the online sportsbooks are indeed some form of scam. Even though they are completely legitimate and independently verified by government organizations, their shady marketing tactics often convince honest folks to place wagers that they can not immediately collect on when they win. That’s the same thing as paying $5 for a gallon of milk; marketing geniuses are taking advantage of uninformed consumers. Did the cows form a union or something when we weren’t looking?
Legitimate Online Sportsbooks
Of course, I said that only about 90% of all online sportsbooks were scams. Places like Sports Interaction, BetEd.com, and 5dimes.com run pretty honest organizations; they do not rely on the shady deposit tactics or the other gimmicks that we mentioned earlier. Instead, they take wagers on almost anything and pay their customers when they win, so by definition they are definitely not a scam. In fact, since Sports Interaction has better line odds than any casino in Vegas or Atlantic City right now, I’d say that they are about as legitimate as you can get.
Are Online Sportsbooks a Scam?
So let’s go back to the original question; are online sportsbooks a scam? In most cases they definitely are, but there are also plenty of exceptions to the rule. Always be sure to read the fine print on any website that sells something, know exactly what you’re getting for your money up front, and be sure to verify that the website has legitimate business credentials.
In the world of online sportsbooks, Sports Interaction and BetEd.com are certainly not scams. Use them as a guideline as to what online gambling should be like and then avoid any online casinos that do not meet their standard.
