What to look for in a bookmaker review
There are probably hundreds of sports betting websites out there making reviews of everything from the top bookmakers in the industry to new betting sites that have just popped up.
However, a lot of these can be sloppy, dishonest, or just thinly-veiled attempts at marketing. So how can you identify a proper betting site review from a poor one? Keep reading to find out.
For starters, an honest bookie review has to look at the full range of a provider’s service. It needs to provide a detailed report on what their offer is like. So, what are the most important features of an online bookmaker?
- Licencing and safety
- Odds and markets
- Payment methods
- Live betting and streaming
- Bookmaker bonus and promotions
- Customer service
- Mobile betting
- Special features and other services
Bear in mind that these items are not ranked in order of importance. Also, they’re not everything – just the bare minimum. If a review seems to be avoiding looking at a certain aspect of a bookmaker’s offer, or simply glosses over it, it might indicate that something’s not quite right. A review that’s trying to help its reader decide will devote enough attention to these important topics.
Proper Argumentation
An expert reviewer who knows what they’re talking about will not make claims about a site “just because.” If the review presents something as either positive or negative, it should also get into why this feature is good or bad. Blanket statements and unsupported claims are common markers of a bad review.
Furthermore, someone who writes bookmaker reviews should already be very familiar with what betting sites have to offer these days. Remember, a bookie is only as good as it can beat the competition. A proper review should compare bookmakers to one another. These bookmakers comparison are most reliable when presented as cold, hard numbers: odds, bookmaker margins, payouts. All of these are very easy to compare against the competition, precisely because they are numbers.
If a review fails to mention how the gambling operator matches up against its strongest competitors, it might be an indication that it’s not truly an objective, honest review. No bookmaker exists in a vacuum, and neither should reviews.
Balanced Opinions
While yes, the quality even the best online bookies can vary greatly – nothing is ever black and white. No betting site is perfect, and there are always some flaws to point out (read this – bookies news). Also, some bookies simply specialise in different things than others, and you need to be aware of this. Some are better for live betting, some are better at certain sports than others… You get the picture.
Conversely, it’s quite rare that a bookie is completely terrible in all aspects of their service. There are usually at least one or two redeeming qualities. A good review should read like constructive criticism that points out where there’s room for improvement – not a damning verdict.
If a review has nothing but blind praise for the bookie, it might as well be a poorly disguised advertisement. On the other hand, outright slamming a bookie can also be disingenuous.
On a final note, the responsibility of being an informed customer lies with you a much as the review you’re reading. Remember, in the end, a review is just someone’s personal opinion. Just use your head, think critically, and finding the right online bookmaker for your needs shouldn’t be too hard.
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