Using Multiple Sports Betting Sites
It is hard, if not impossible, to find an online bookmaker that is perfect in every respect. The top sites are very good, but even the best of them have one or two shortcomings. Although these shortcomings may not particularly affect you, depending on your own personal betting requirements, it can be frustrating if your favorite site doesn't quite give you everything you need.
A solution to this problem is to use more than one online bookmaker. This is something that a lot of bettors are reluctant to do, particularly if they've found a site they know and trust, but it does offer a few benefits. It's certainly something worth considering if you're serious about making money from your betting, because it can actually help you get better value.
In this article we've explained the main advantages of using multiple sites, and offered our advice on whether it's something you should do.
Different Sites for Different Needs
As we've already mentioned, no online bookmaker is completely flawless. The leading sites generally perform well in all the essential areas, and they provide an excellent all around experience, but it's not at all uncommon for them to be lacking in one or two areas.
For example, some sites focus very heavily on specific sports. This is fine if you bet mostly on those sports, but not so great if you also like to bet on sports that they don't cover so well. In this scenario it would be a real advantage to use one site for betting on some sports, and some different ones for betting on other sports.
This is one of the reasons why we rank the top betting sites in a variety of different categories, including the best for specific sports. We recognize that a lot of bettors like to bet on a variety of sports, and so we assess which sites are best for each one.
Using multiple sites can also be an advantage if you enjoy live betting, or betting from a mobile device. You might have a favorite site that's ideal for you in almost every way, but it has a poor live betting platform compared to other sites and isn't compatible with your smartphone. It would therefore make sense to use an alternative when you want to place wagers during an event, or while you are out and about.
We've recommended the best sites for live betting and mobile betting too.
Get The Best Odds & Lines
One way to maximize your chances of winning money from betting is to make sure that you always take the best odds and lines you can find. By having accounts with multiple bookmakers, you can easily see which one is offering the best deal for any specific wager you wish to place. This can be a time consuming process if you're placing a lot of wagers, but it can really pay off.
Below are the odds available on a randomly selected upcoming soccer match, from three different sites. The odds are for the home team to win, the draw, and the away team to win. As you can see, there are differences between all three. Although not particularly big, these small differences can make a significant impact on your overall returns over time.
It's not just the odds that can differ at sites either; point spread and totals lines can also vary. Below are two examples of the lines available on an NFL match. The differences can be bigger than you see here but, again, even small differences can have a noticeable effect in the long run.
Increased Bonuses & Rewards
One of the biggest benefits of betting online is all the extra money you can earn via bonuses and rewards. These are available to new and existing customers, and are generally based on either deposits or your betting activity. By using multiple sites you can potentially increase the bonuses and rewards you are entitled to.
Most sites offer a sign up bonus as a bare minimum, which you can claim when you join a site as a new customer. These can be in the form of either free bets or bonus funds added to your account, usually at the point you make your first deposit. They are good incentives for trying new sites out and it's well worth taking advantage of them. Many sites offer additional reload bonuses for subsequent deposits too.
Rewards for existing customers come in a variety of guises, typically related to how much you are betting. Some places offer rebates or cashback based on losses, and some offer cash bonuses based on how much you have wagered. Even if you don't bet particularly frequently, these rewards can provide a welcome boost to your bankroll.
It's worth noting that using multiple sites isn't always the best way to maximize the potential value of bonuses and rewards. Many sites have loyalty schemes or VIP clubs, where they provide their regular customers with additional benefits. If you bet very frequently or for high stakes (or both), you might get some very special treatment if you stick to using just one site. This may work out better for you than spreading your activity across several places.
Our Advice on Using Multiple Sites
It's hard to provide definitive advice on whether it's a good idea to use multiple sports betting sites or not, as there are several factors to consider. If you only bet on one sport, for example, and your favorite site provides extensive coverage of that sport with consistently competitive odds and lines, then it may be the only one you need.
If, however, you bet on a lot of different sports and place a lot of wagers, then it may be much better to have accounts at several different places. If your main site is pretty much perfect for you, but no good for live betting, then the best approach may be to use just one other site for when you want to bet in-play.
The bottom line is that there's no right or wrong in terms of how many sites you use. It's really about what's best for you. Most people probably will benefit from at least trying a few out and seeing what they have to offer, but some will be comfortable with using just one.
One thing that's very important is to make sure that you stick to reputable and trustworthy sites, no matter how many you choose to use. We mentioned earlier that we recommend the best places to bet online in a variety of different categories, and we can assure you that every single one of our recommendations is completely safe to use.
The Best Places To Bet Online
Ranked & Reviewed By Experts Recommended Sports Betting SitesArticle Details
Author: Brad Johnson
Updated: March 2015
Related Sports Betting Articles
Latest News
- Russia Regulators Mull Opening Sixth Gaming Zone
- Trump Waits to Take Stance on US Gambling
- Nevada Sees Legislation Proposing Lower Gambling Age
- Icahn Looks to Offload Trump’s Taj Mahal
- Vietnam Lifts Football Betting Ban with Pilot Program