BOOKMAKERS IN THE UK

The Sports Betting Panorama in the UK

The United Kingdom is probably one of the safest countries when it comes to betting online, especially sports betting. Since betting online was a thing, the UK Government has strived to implement strict measures to ensure a legal and safe atmosphere and prosecute any kind of fraud.
Having said that, you can now stop worrying and start having some fun!

The UK Gambling Commission

Who ensures that betting operators meet the requirements? That’s the UK Gambling Commission, also known simply as the Gambling Commission or the UKGC.

If you also bet at online casinos you have probably heard of the UKGC, but in case you don’t, we ‘re going to explain it.
The Gambling Commission is the official authority in charge of supervising all kind of bets that takes places in the country. This obviously includes sports betting of any kind. More specifically, it ensures that all betting operators hold a license and that they offer fair and realistic bonuses and promotions. In addition, the authority manages all disputes and complaints between the bettors and any dishonest operator registered in the UK.

But the UKGC doesn’t work alone anymore. The Commission works, in fact, along with other organization known as Gamstop.

The UKGC & Gamstop

Gamstop is a self-exclusion scheme that was established to help people fight against gambling problems.
But what is it exactly? Gamstop is a free service that allows players to exclude themselves from betting online for 6 months and even for 5 years. Once you register and apply for it, you will be automatically blocked from all betting sites.

How to Start Betting: The Complete Guide for 2020

Basic Rules and Bets
When we talk about bets, there are some factors that we have to know and be familiar with:

• Parties: different teams, or athletes who are involved in the bet.In general, you will find two parties:New York Yankees vs Blue Jays
  Liverpool F.C. vs Chelsea F.C.

  However, in other games and races, such as horse racing or F1 championship odds there are more than 2 parties involved.

• Selection: this is basically what you bet on.Real Madrid F.C. wins
  England -5 vs France +5
  PHI +8.5 vs MIL -8.5

• Stakes: the stake is the amount of money a bettor is going to bet.Let’s say £100.

• Odds: this refers to the amount of cash that bookmakers are likely to pay if bettors win.

• Payout: the exact amount of money that bettors receive if they win. Bettors usually get their original stake (£100) and the winnings.

Common Types of Bets

• Point spread: this is one of the most common bets, specially in sports such as football or basketball. In this case, bookmakers set a line and bettors can choose to bet either on the favourite or the underdog.Let’s see an example:NBA BETS PHI +8.5 vs MIL -8.5
  The favourite comes with (-) while the underdog appears with (+).
  If you bet on the favourite, the team has to win by those points. If not, you will lose your bet.
  If you bet on the underdog, Philadelphia must win (no matter the points) or lose by less than the spread point.Note: If the game ends in “Push” or “Even”, bettors will receive their money. That’s why sometimes the point spread is not a round number.

• Under/Over: this kind of bets are also quite popular.In this case, bookmakers set a number and bettors have to predict if the outcome will be over or under that number.

• Money Line Bets: these bets are very popular in the US, but if you are willing to bet on baseball, American football or in the NBA, you should take a look.In this case, a line is set, and bettors should bet on either the favourite or the underdog. This kind of bet is made on a $100 bet.
  Let’s see an example:
  Los Angeles (+120) vs Nevada (-130)
  How can we translate this? Well, you will get $120 and your original stake of $100 if you bet on Los Angeles; However, if you wage on Nevada you will have to risk $130 to win $100.

Find your Bookmaker

There is a huge variety of online bookmakers out there and you should make some research first, in order to make a good choice.
Have look at different sites and check if they operate legally, what are their conditions regarding register and money withdrawal and if they have any kind of welcome or sign-up offers.

Choose a bookmaker with a nice reputation and that ensures you would be able to take your reward in case that you win. But also, choose a reliable operator where you can bet long-term.

Unfortunately, there have been cases where people are not able to cash out straight away. In return, bettors have to pay a fee to withdraw their winnings, or they have to complete an annoying process and submit an application before being able to take the money back.

How to Place your Bets

• BeginnersBeginners should go for lower bets to learn how it works and increase their stakes progressively. We don’t really suggest starting with very risky bets.
  On the other hand, it is important to be realistic and wage based on your budget.
  Also, it is important to bet on sports that you like and enjoy watching.

• Advance bettorsIf you have a lot of knowledge of sports and how bets work, you can try higher bets and even create a strategy. This way, you would make the game more interesting.
  However, we always advise bettors to wage thoughtfully and to have in mind their set budget.

FAQs

• How much should I bet?

You should always set a realistic budget and bet according to it. However, whether you are a beginner in sports bettings, in general, or you are betting on a new sport for the first time… we suggest starting with low bets.

• Is safe to bet at online bookmakers?

As long as you choose a licensed bookmaker, it is totally safe. However, you must always read through its Terms & Conditions to know what to expect and avoid unpleasant surprises.

• Is it possible to win and not be able to withdraw money?

As we already explained, it is possible to have problems and not to be able to withdraw your money in the following cases: you chose an unlicensed bookmaker, the Terms & Conditions claim a fee before cashing out.

• Can sports bettings be profitable?

Sports betting can be profitable. However, that shouldn’t be the reason why you are willing to bet. Because you are going to lose for sure someday. We suggest to bet for fun and under your budget, and if you win… Enjoy it!