With an array of hundreds of different betting sites and bookmakers available nowadays, it can be overwhelming and difficult to see what makes a good betting site when trawling through the different markets. Here are things to look out for when deciding which is the best betting site for you to choose from.
An important thing to consider when looking at different betting sites, is which sites have which markets to choose from. Some of the smaller bookies may only have limited or no snooker markets, as opposed to the bigger betting sites that offer an extensive range of different markets. Not all markets are the same on each site, so if you’re tempted by a certain betting market or on a specific tournament, look around the different sites to see what markets are available with the different bookies.
Getting the best odds is vital when it comes to betting – and snooker is no different. The best betting sites are the ones that offer the best odds, giving you more for your money. Each bookmaker can vary on different markets, with some having the same price as others whilst some may be completely different – despite it being the same event. Look out for Price Boosts, Power Prices and other enhanced prices from sites, these may give you better odds than other sites and win you more for your money.
With so many betting sites offering the same odds, markets and more, the welcome offer available may be the deciding factor when choosing which is the right betting site for you. The welcome offer is there to tempt you into joining a betting site. A current welcome bonus by Ladbrokes is the bet £5 to get £20 in free bets offer. All you have to do is sign up, deposit and bet £5 and you’ll earn £20 in free bets after the bet has settled. The free bets cannot be withdrawn from your account but do allow you to use the free bet credits to place more bets for free. There are many different welcome offers from betting sites that you can take advantage of. Some bookies offer free bets, whilst others offer bonuses such as money back if your first bet loses. Have a look on our website to see which one takes your fancy.
The BBC have become synonymous with snooker for their televised coverage of the major tournaments, however, there still may be the odd fixture you want to catch that is not on TV, or maybe you just want to watch it on your phone or device. Many betting sites offer live-streaming services on their apps and sites, meaning you can watch on your device as the action happens. Bet365 are renowned for their impressive range of live sports coverage, but many other sites such as Skybet also offer a huge range of live streaming. On most sites, you can easily see which bookmakers are live streaming a match, with a small play button appearing next to the match in question. When clicked (when the match is live), the play button will prompt a window playing the live contest, allowing you to watch full-screen (depending on device) or in a single window – letting you bet in-play as well as watch.
The mobile and desktop experience when using a betting site is also another important factor to consider. More and more betting sites allow bettors to bet via mobile apps and sites instead of having to travel to a physical shop, but whichever provides the best online experience is up to you. The opportunity for customers to bet online through a sports betting site, via mobile experience on their tablet or phone, is provided by most bookmakers these days, meaning it’s never been easier to sit back and place your bets from the comfort of your own home in a matter of minutes with just a tap. All you need to do is head to the Google Play store or the App Store and type in the bookmaker you are using and download the app. Some bookmakers like SBK offer solely mobile experiences and you cannot use a sports betting site service - it is only through the app. Most of, if not all bookmakers offer a great mobile and desktop experience, with quick and easy to navigate menus, promotion and offer banners and in-play graphics allowing you to easily bet on matches and watch how they pan out, whether it be on the app or on an internet browser. Scroll through the markets on different betting apps and websites to see which one takes your fancy the most.
A handy feature that could help save your snooker bets on some sites is the Acca Insurance feature, allowing you to get your money back as cash or free bets if your accumulator fails. An accumulator as a single bet containing multiple selections, such as Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Allen, Ding Junhui all to win. If one selection of your accumulator lets you down (such as only Allen failed to win), you could be entitled to your stake back with the acca insurance feature. Not all bookmakers have this feature though, and it varies across the different betting sites. For example, Paddy Power offer money back as a free bet if just one leg of you 4+ acca lets you down. Some bookmakers only allow acca insurance on football accumulators whilst others allow you to mix sports accumulators and have legs from different sporting events on an accumulator. Therefore, it’s worth seeing which sort of acca insurance your preferred betting site offers. It’s also worth noting that some betting sites only have Acca Insurance in selections with 4 or 5+ selections, and some may not offer it all. Bet365 for example don’t offer an acca insurance feature, but do offer an extra acca bonus, giving you an extra bonus to your winnings depending on your acca selections and amount of selection.
Another useful tool that is available on most betting sites is the cashout feature, allowing you to cash in on an ongoing bet before the event has ended and take a percentage of the overall returns. For example, if you had an accumulator with Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Allen and Stuart Bingham all to win their matches and three of the four had won with one player yet to start his match, you could cash out for some of your winnings that would be much more than your stake.
This, however, would not be all of your potential winnings, and if you were to cash out the bet would be settled, therefore if the last remaining selection was to win, you wouldn’t receive the full amount. The cashout feature could be used to your advantage if you start to think your bet could lose and cash out early to take some profit instead of none, or you like the look of your cash out winnings and want to cash in on them without needing all your legs to win. The cashout feature is available on most betting apps, such as Bet365, Skybet, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, Coral, William Hill and more. After placing a bet, most apps and sites have a cash out section when displaying your bets where it shows a cash out option.