When a European Championship or World Cup starts, betting pools suddenly form across the country. Everyone wants to make a prediction for the scheduled matches. But why wait until such a big tournament starts? With a bookmaker, you can simply bet money on sports matches all year round. This means that you can wait eagerly for each match to see what happens. It also doesn’t matter which sport you prefer. You can bet on football, Formula 1, NBA basketball or the final of the tennis tournament at Wimbledon, among others. Plus, there are a variety of bets to choose from on each match. Bookmakers create the perfect place for anyone who loves betting on sports. Do you know enough about football, tennis or horse racing to go home with a nice sum of money?
The Birth of the Modern Bookmaker
Modern bookmakers (or bookies, as they are also called) originated in Great Britain. Harry Ogden was the first person to set up as a bookmaker in 1795. The location of his betting shop was very strategic: the Newmarket Heath racecourse in the county of Suffolk. In a short time, more and more horse racing fans knew how to find Ogden’s office. So it was only logical that more and more bookmakers soon joined in.
Although Harry Ogden took an important step in the development of gambling, his idea was not entirely new. Even the ancient Romans had a place to place bets on major sporting events. In the times of the ancient Romans and Harry Ogden, gamblers actually had to leave their homes to make their predictions. However, that has changed now. Nowadays, most people choose to place a bet with an online bookmaker. Online betting has its advantages. For example, you can calculate your bets at your leisure and look at the statistics. With the advent of online bookmakers, sports betting has also become much more accessible. As a result, the group of those who place an occasional bet is constantly growing. Billions of euros are now invested in online sports betting worldwide, so you are certainly not alone when you bet with a bookmaker.
You make your prediction, the bookmaker does the rest
As a bettor, you really have one job: make your prediction (and okay, you have to set the stake too). Bookmakers have a lot more jobs. First, they provide a platform where you can bet on a variety of sporting events. They facilitate the bets online and ensure that you can place your money in a safe environment. But of course, a good sports bet is nothing without odds. And bookmakers are responsible for that too. Using various statistics and computer models, betting companies try to estimate the odds. These odds are then converted into odds. The question is: how much is the bet worth? Bets with high odds result in low odds, while low odds are good for a high number. It’s up to you as a bettor to filter out the perfect bet.
There is a third task that bookmakers perform. They take care of all the practical matters related to online betting. When you request a withdrawal, the bookmaker will arrange for the money to be in your account within a few days. And if you encounter any problems, the customer service will take care of them. So all you have to do is focus on your bets. The bookmaker will take care of the rest.
Choose from a wide range of bets
In Harry Ogden’s time, there was only betting on horse racing. Today, however, the range has expanded considerably. At an average bookmaker, you can bet on about twenty to thirty different sports. Most of the attention is paid to football. Betting on the Champions League, the European Championship, the Eredivisie or the Italian Serie A: all of this is possible. Are you not such a football connoisseur? Who knows, maybe you bet on tennis, darts, boxing or cycling. Bookmakers also offer many different games and tournaments in these sports. For example, you can bet on the Tour de France one time and the Monaco Grand Prix another time. Most bookmakers offer a wide range of offers so that every sports fan gets their money’s worth. However, there are also some online betting providers who prefer to specialize in one sport. Runnerz is a good example of this. This bookmaker focuses exclusively on horse racing. For real fans of horse racing, such a specialized bookmaker has a big advantage. They have an even greater choice when it comes to placing a bet.
What options are there when betting with a bookmaker?
As the number of players has grown, so has the demand for different types of bets. As a result, major sporting events often have dozens of betting options to choose from. For example, a 1×2 bet in football can easily be alternated with a handicap bet or a half-time/full-time bet. And instead of betting on the winner, you can also bet on the tennis player who will win the first set.
Bookmakers listen to the players’ wishes and try to make betting as interesting as possible for every sports fan. Do you want to take your time to look through the statistics and make an informed decision? Then you naturally opt for a pre-match bet. Here you place money before the game starts. Alternatively, bookmakers are increasingly offering live bets. So today’s bookmakers really offer a lot of options.
Choose a reliable place for your sports betting
When you start looking for a suitable place to place your bets, you need to ask yourself a few questions. The most important one is: what do I expect from an online bookmaker? Maybe you are looking for the highest odds or you prefer a betting shop that focuses particularly on horse racing or Dutch football. Choosing a bookmaker is simply very personal. However, there is one thing you should always pay attention to. And that is, of course, the license.
Basically, anyone can open a sports betting website. That’s why you as a player have to be sure that you’ve landed on a reputable site. Otherwise, you run the risk of not being able to pay out your winnings or your personal data falling into the wrong hands. A license shows that the bookmaker adheres to strict rules. The government has set clear guidelines for offering (online) sports betting. Only bookmakers who meet these guidelines and receive approval receive a license from the Dutch Gaming Commission. This applies to Toto and Runnerz, for example. You can easily deposit money and place bets with these legal bookmakers. The Kansspelcommissie always keeps an eye on you. In order to keep the coveted license, bookmakers must constantly adhere to strict rules.
How do you start betting with a bookmaker?
Betting with an online bookmaker is very easy. But before you can do that, you have to go through a few steps. Once you’ve found the perfect (and reliable!) bookmaker, it’s time for the first step: setting up an account. Online betting companies only accept bets from betting customers who are registered with them. So you can’t avoid creating a player account. Fortunately, such an account is relatively quick to create. The registration button on the bookmaker’s website takes you directly to the relevant registration form. The gambling company requires some personal information from you, such as your name, address and account number. You also have to state that you are 18 years or older. The slogan “Play knowingly 18+” is required for bookmakers with a Dutch license for a reason.
Once you have created a player account, you can start depositing money. All bets you make will be paid out to the digital wallet linked to your account. You can top up this digital wallet by depositing money via iDEAL or your credit card, for example. Exactly which payment methods are available varies from bookmaker to bookmaker. Is this your first time depositing money into your account? Who knows, you might even get a welcome bonus. Some bookmakers will double the amount of your first deposit, so you’ll have a nice amount ready for your bets right away. Just make sure you meet the (often strict) conditions for this welcome bonus. There are also bookmakers that reward you in other ways for signing up. For example, you might be able to try out the gambling platform at your leisure with a free bet.
Once you have completed your registration, deposited funds and claimed any bonus, you are ready to do what you came here to do: make profits with your sports knowledge.