You notice a sportsbook betting ad and the idea of getting rich strikes your mind... Sounds familiar? BUT, before being taken to the hospital with a heart attack at the idea of hitting the jackpot, take a deep breath, count to ten and read further on to learn how to find your way in the maze of offshore sportsbooks.

When you start a business you spend time and money on market research. So, before starting to bet, take your time to gather useful information and ideas, and learn how to make a difference between wheat and chaff. So that you do not wake up at the end that you are digging for gold in a coalmine, keep the following guideline in your mind when choosing a sportsbook web site.

Signs that show you to vote for an offshore sportsbook:

Availability

An offshore sportsbook should have no boundaries in time and space: it will be available to accept your bets and answer your questions 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Not having to wait until game time to place a wager can considerably improve your profits. It will also give a bettor the possibility to make a bet online or by phone, without making the bettor spend time and money on travelling (or on a local bookie), it will usually offer betting possibilities and support not only to US residents but also the residents of other countries. Actually, all that you would need to start betting is a PC and Internet connection.

Good Customer Service

An offshore sportsbook should have a speedy customer service, operators with good manners, ready to help and available 24 hours a day. The website should contain valuable information, and many useful tools.

Legality

Since it involves money (your money!) it is important that the sportbook company is licensed, and their activity is legal. You wouldn’t just give your money to strangers, now would you? Be sure to make some inquiries about the company and about their practices and policies before depositing funds anywhere.

Security

It is important that the offshore sportsbook you are wagering on is hacker-safe. With today’s network security, the company can and has to guarantee this security to its clients. Make sure that the web page that requires your credit card details is SSL encrypted, thus your payment will go through more safely over the Internet then your payment at a shopping moll. Do not forget to check if the key/padlock icons are unbroken, because this is the proof of a secure transaction.

Private and Updated Payments

Offshore sportsbook websites are mostly handling payments and accounts electronically. Getting a direct deposit to your bank account secures your privacy. It also offers you more convenience to have your winnings deposited in your account and ready for payout immediately after the game, and not having to wait for weeks. This possibility makes it easier to keep track of your wins and losses.

Promotions

This is the advantage of the great number of offshore sportsbook websites. Since they have to compete to win your heart and keep you playing with them, most companies are more than willing to offer deposit bonuses, reduced Vig or referral programs. Make sure that the one you choose has a good rewards program.

Options and possibilities

An offshore online casino should operate with the newest technology and should be able to offer you a great variety on what you can play from buying points, to halftime lines, to money lines and multi sports teasers. With an offshore sportsbook you will have such benefits as a set bankroll or low wager limits, the possibility to track line moves or print lines from your account. Calculating your potential payouts, quickly and accurately, is just a matter of seconds, and you can do it by phone or online.

Free trial

Some offshore sportsbooks offer the possibility of a free trial period or trials with minimal investment, others also offer a smaller amount of cash start-up so that you are able to test their online systems. Take them on a test!

Signs that show you to vote against an offshore sportsbook:

Location

If the company is located in the Dominican Republic or Grenada may seem dubious. This does not necessarily mean that they are not legal, but that it is time for a check-up. The worst case is when they do not even mention where their location or where they are licensed. If I am not mistaken, a little earlier we agreed not to give our money to strangers... But, you can simply check where the domain name is registered. If they are registered outside the US, again, it is a sign to check them out. If they are located in the US... well, that’s not a guarantee, so check them out too.

Bad Customer Service

Rude and untrained operators may ruin the reputation of a sportsbook. This means that they are not investing enough money and energy in choosing and training their personnel, and implicitly not willing to improve their services. This indirectly shows that they are not interested in keeping you there. I am sure that you know what I mean, so there is no reason for further comments. You simply deserve more.

High sign-up bonuses

Though it is normal for offshore sportsbooks to offer sign-up bonuses to lure you, anything that is over 20% usually means something-is-wrong-with-us.

It is my hope that these guidelines will help you choose a good offshore sportsbook website (one of the so many), and also shorten the time of your research. Remember to study more sportsbooks not just one, to check reviews and take in consideration the reputation and experience of an offshore sportsbook. Do not forget the 3 golden rules: ask, ask, ask.