What are bookmakers?
At the beginning of a European Championship or World Cup, syndicates are suddenly formed all over the country. Everyone wants to make a prediction for the scheduled games. But why wait for such a big tournament to start? With a bookmaker, you can easily bet money on sports games all year round. That means you can eagerly await each game 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 in Wimbledon, among others. There is also a variety of bets to choose from on each game. The bookmakers create the perfect place for everyone who loves to bet on sports. Do you know enough about football, tennis or horse racing to walk away with a nice amount of money?
The birth of the modern bookmaker
Modern day bookmakers (or bookies as they are also known) originated in Great Britain. Harry Ogden was the first person to establish himself as a bookmaker in 1795. The location of his betting shop was very strategic: Newmarket Heath racecourse in 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.
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 days of the ancient Romans and Harry Ogden, gamblers really had to go out of their homes to make their predictions. However, that has since changed. Nowadays, most people choose to place a bet with an online bookmaker. Online betting has its advantages. For example, you can calmly calculate your bets and deal with the statistics. With the advent of online bookmakers, sports betting has also become much more accessible. As a result, the group of those who occasionally make a bet is steadily growing. Billions of euros are now being invested in online sports betting worldwide. So you are certainly not alone when betting with a bookmaker.
You make your prediction, the bookmaker does the rest
As a bettor, you really only have one job: to make your prediction (and okay, you also need to set your stake). Bookmakers have many more tasks. First, they provide a platform where you can bet on a variety of sporting events. They broker the bets online and ensure that you can wager your money in a safe and secure environment. But of course a good sports bet is nothing without odds. And the bookmakers are also responsible for that. With the help of various statistics and computer models, the betting shops try to estimate the odds. These odds are then converted into odds. The question is: How much is the bet worth? High odds bets give low odds, while low odds are good for a high number. It is up to you as the bettor to filter out the perfect bet.
There is a third job bookmakers do. Namely, they take care of all practical matters related to online betting. When you request a withdrawal, the bookmaker arranges for the money to be in your account within a few days. And if you encounter any problems, 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 day there was only betting on horse racing. Today, however, the range has expanded significantly. You can bet on about twenty to thirty different sports at the average bookmaker. Most attention is paid to football. Betting on the Champions League, the European Championship, the Eredivisie or the Italian Serie A: it’s all possible. Aren’t you such a football connoisseur? Who knows, you might be betting on tennis, darts, boxing or cycling. Also in these sports the bookmakers offer many different games and tournaments. For example, you can bet once on the Tour de France and another time on the Monaco Grand Prix. Most bookmakers offer a wide range, so that every sports fan gets their money’s worth. However, there are also some online bookmakers who prefer to specialize in one sport. Runnerz is a good example of this. This bookmaker focuses exclusively on equestrian sports. For the real fans of horse racing, such a specialized bookmaker has a great advantage. You have an even bigger choice when you want to place a bet.
What are the options when betting with a bookmaker?
With the growing number of players, the demand for different types of bets has also increased. Large sports competitions therefore often have dozens of betting options to choose from. So a 1×2 bet in football can easily be alternated with a handicap bet or a halftime/fulltime bet. And instead of betting on the winner, you can also bet on the tennis player who will win the first set.
The bookmakers have an open ear for the wishes of the players. They therefore strive to make betting as interesting as possible for every sports fan. Would you like to go through the statistics at your leisure and make an informed decision? Then, of course, you decide to place a pre-match bet. Here you bet 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 is: What do I expect from an online bookmaker? Perhaps you are looking for the highest odds, or you prefer a betting shop that specializes in horse racing or Dutch football. Choosing a bookmaker is just very personal. Still, there is one thing you should always be aware of. And that, of course, is the license.
Basically anyone can start a sports betting site. Therefore, as a player, you need to be sure that you have landed at a reputable site. Otherwise you run the risk of not receiving your winnings or your personal information falling into the wrong hands. A license shows that the bookmaker adheres to strict rules. Because the government has set clear guidelines for offering (online) sports betting. Only bookmakers who comply with these and receive approval will get a license from the Dutch Gambling Commission. This applies to Toto and Runnerz, for example. You can easily deposit money and place bets at these legit bookmakers. The Kansspelcommissie always keeps an eye on you. Because in order to keep the coveted license, the bookmakers must constantly comply with strict rules.
How to start betting at a bookmaker?
Betting at an online bookmaker is very simple. 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: creating an account. Online betting shops only accept bets from bettors who are registered with them. So you can’t avoid creating a player account. Fortunately, such an account is created relatively quickly. The registration button on the bookmaker’s website will take you directly to the relevant registration form. The gambling company needs some personal information from you, such as your name, address and account number. You must also indicate that you are 18 years of age or older. It is not without reason that the slogan “Play knowingly 18+” is mandatory for bookmakers with a Dutch license.
Once you have set up a player account, you can start depositing money. All bets you place are paid out through 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 differs from bookmaker to bookmaker. Depositing funds into your account for the first time? Who knows, you might even enjoy a welcome bonus. Some bookmakers double the amount of your first deposit, giving you a nice amount to bet with right away. Just make sure you meet the (often strict) terms and conditions for this welcome bonus. There are also bookmakers that reward you for signing up in other ways. So it may be that you can try out the gambling platform in peace with a free bet.
Once you have completed your registration, deposited funds and redeemed any bonus, you are ready to do what you came to do: turn your sports knowledge into profit.