My Top Sportsbooks
When “sharps” place bets at online sportsbooks, they compare lines to gain an advantage as odds vary from site to site. Sharp sports bettors search for the most advantageous games to bet on, and factor in the prices of all the bets available on those games. This is called “line shopping,” and it goes a long way in improving your return on investment.
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The difference between consistently betting on a -110 line compared to a more advantageous -105 is massive.
If you’re limiting yourself to just a single online sportsbook, you’re undercutting your potential profit. Read on to learn how to maximize your winnings by line shopping at multiple sites.
Is Line Shopping for Small Differences Worth It?
Yes. Any “sharp” will tell you that, no matter how small the edge, every advantage helps in the long-run, as the margins for profitability are razor thin for all sports bettors at all times. Line shopping is one of the time-tested and proven ways to help beat the juice.
Let’s take a cold, hard look at the numbers. At first glance, the difference between -110 and -105 isn’t huge. If you need a refresher on how to interpret these odds, check out our guide to understanding betting odds. As long as you’ve done solid research, and you’re confident you’re picking the right side, that extra $5 is fairly inconsequential, right? Wrong! The difference is significant.
If you bet the same amount on 500 games at -110, you need to win 262 games to break even. However, if you bet 500 games at -105, you only need to win 257 wagers to come out above even. In the long term, this has tremendous implications for your bottom line.
A Real Example of Line Shopping Impact
Say you’re about to bet on the Brooklyn Nets at +7.5 (-110) on Bovada, but +7.5 (-105) is available over at BetOnline.ag. If you place your bet at Bovada, you’re leaving money on the table. In order to win $100 at Bovada, you’d have to wager $110. If you took that $110 to BetOnline.ag, you’d win $104.76.
Sometimes, it’ll be the inverse on lines between Bovada and BetOnline.ag; we don’t mean to pick on these two books. We’re merely trying to illustrate that even the smallest difference in odds can make a staggering difference in the long term.
For the sake of argument, let’s assume that the true odds on Nets +7.5 are 50/50. Half the time they’ll win outright or lose by fewer than seven points, and half the time they’ll lose by more than seven points.
What does this mean for bettors in the long run?
Betting $110 at -110
If you placed 100 bets of $110 at -110 odds, you would win a $100 profit 50 times, for a total profit of $5,000. The other 50 times, you would lose $110, for a combined loss of $5,550. Put those together and you have a net loss of $550. That’s an average of $5 a bet, and 4.5% of your total stake.
Betting $110 at -105
Let’s contrast this to the sharper line available at BetOnline.ag. If you make the same 100 wagers of $110 at -105, you’ll win a $104.76 profit 50 times, for a total profit of $5,238. On the other 50 wagers, you will still lose $5,500 in total. But now your net loss is a mere $238, or just $2.38 for every bet (approximately 2.2% of every wager). Over a long period of time, this makes a tremendous difference.
Point Spread Line Shopping
At times, all sportsbooks will have the same point spreads on football and basketball games. However, there are many times when the point spread will vary across sportsbooks, especially among the books that release the lines the earliest. This is where there opportunities for line shopping.
Of course, different sportsbooks cater to different audiences with different risk profiles. For example, a sportsbook such as Bovada (with a mostly recreational base, as evidenced by their low $1000 maximum bet) and sportsbooks such as Pinnacle (maximum bets range between $10,000-$30,000). Bovada is more likely to shade their lines to make a specific side more expensive than Pinnacle is. Of course, shading the lines means sportsbooks leave themselves more vulnerable to professional bettors placing bets on the less expensive side. In the long run, Bovada will profit if they increase the spread from -6.5 to -7.
Even if we’re just going to use a heuristic, think about how many times you’ve lost, or pushed, from a mere half point on the spread. Finding the most valuable point spread line is undeniably useful in the long run.
Moneyline Line Shopping
The value of the moneyline is very apparent; the more favorable the odds, the more money you’ll win, straight up. It doesn’t have to be any more complex than that.
The moneyline is most likely to be shaded by your sportsbook either in the lead up to a game or on the day of, to encourage equitable betting on both sides of an event. Depending on the betting volume on a particular event, sportsbooks will play around with altering how big the favorite/dog is in regards to a specific game. As an example, the moneyline for the Superbowl is going to fluctuate a lot in the lead-up to it.
Due to the fact the moneyline is often in a consistent state of flux, this gives you, the bettor, the chance to exploit it and find an appealing line. Shopping for the best moneyline is a big boon to your bottom line, even if you only have a few online sportsbooks accounts to peruse.
Avoid Line Aggregators
It’s important to point out then when researching your lines, avoid using sites that claim to be line aggregators. These sites frequently use promotion lines designed to entice bettors, but in fact aren’t available to the majority of the public. The only way to line shop reliably and is to log in to your sportsbooks and compare and contrast the available lines yourself.
Using Reduced Juice Sportsbooks
We cover the best reduced juice sportsbooks here and if you’re looking to get a gauge of what lines have the lowest “juice,” certain sportsbooks have a reputation for offering favorable lines. BetOnline, MyBookie.ag, Pinnacle, Bet 365, and 5Dimes all have a reputation for offering lines that can entice the “sharps.”
However, these sportsbooks will have the fewest promotions, so they may not be as enticing to novice bettors. That said, if you’re just looking to get a handle on what the “sharpest” lines are, regularly examining these sportsbooks is an excellent way to familiarize yourself.
Line shopping isn’t quite as easy as it was when online sportsbooks were still a relatively new phenomenon. Because of the breadth and influence of the internet, it’s easy for sportsbooks to follow each other’s lines closely and even them out. However, just because its a bit harder to shop lines these days, doesn’t mean it isn’t a profitable enterprise.
At the start of every new year, I like to review all my options when it comes to the online gambling sites I choose to use. In this blog post, I’ll provide you with my selections for the top three online sportsbooks for 2020. If you’re on the hunt for a sports betting site to use this year, you’ll want to choose one of these three after checking out why I’m such a huge fan of each of them.
Check out the links below to get a quick preview of the top three online sportsbooks for 2020. Keep scrolling below to read about all my top sports betting site recommendations for this new year.
- Bovada
- BetNow
- MyBookie
- The Runners Up
- Wrap Up
Bovada
The first sports betting site to make my recommendations for the top three online sportsbooks of 2020 is Bovada. If you’ve got any experience with online sports betting, this pick shouldn’t surprise you as Bovada is a major mainstay in the industry.
Sports You Can Bet On
More so than just about any other online sportsbook out there, Bovada has a laundry list of sports you can bet on. At any given time, there are usually 30+ sports to choose from. Some of the rarer sports you’ll find on their platform include numbers game, snooker, and darts. The great thing with this huge of a lineup is most folks should be able to find everything they want to bet on using Bovada’s excellent online sportsbook.
Bonus Potential
As a new customer of Bovada’s sportsbook, you’ll be eligible to receive up to $750 of an initial deposit match. While the standard offer is $250, by choosing to use Bitcoin as your deposit method, you can receive the full $750 of potential. I’d give strong consideration to using Bitcoin to help maximize your bonus earning potential.
And, the bonus possibilities don’t stop once you claim one of the stellar welcome offers. At Bovada, you’ll always find tons of other chances to earn free bets and more bonus cash thanks to excellent promotions for existing players. Be sure to check out their promotions page to view all the latest and greatest offers.
Industry-Leading Customer Support
Finally, the last reason I’m a big supporter of Bovada is because of their quality customer service. Like most of the other online sportsbooks that made my list, Bovada offers clients 24/7 support via multiple contact methods. However, Bovada stands out above the rest, thanks to their extensive FAQ section. There, you can sort by topic to find a wide range of helpful answers and questions. Be sure to check these out first before contacting their support team. Chances are good you’ll be able to find the answers you’re searching for quickly.
Are you looking to read more about everything the Bovada sportsbook has to offer? If so, be sure to read this complete review of Bovada. In this review, you’ll be able to find detailed information about their entire operation, from banking to bonuses.
Note: Players from DE, MD, NV, and NJ are not currently accepted at Bovada.
BetNow
Next up in my list of the top sports betting sites of 2020 is BetNow. Founded in 2016, this online sportsbook has made excellent progress in establishing itself as one of the best of the best in a short amount of time.
Welcome Bonus Options
If you choose to signup with BetNow, you’ll have a choice between two primary welcome bonus offers. What’s nice is both have a maximum bonus amount of $1,000, which is very high within the online sportsbook industry.
While I love the potential bonus opportunity, I love the choice clients have just as much. You see, you can choose the amount of the bonus match percentage. If you’d like a more competitive match, select the 50% bonus offer. However, if you’d prefer a lower rollover requirement, you can choose the 25% match. Instead of an 8x playthrough requirement, the 25% bonus match only has a 3x rollover associated with it.
A Trusted Option
Despite being one of the newer online sportsbooks in the industry, BetNow is one of the operations I trust the most. I’m confident you’ll be safe placing your sports bets online if you decide to use BetNow for your online sports betting. Learn more about their safety and security as well as other highlights of their operation in this BetNow review.
Esports Betting
In case you’ve missed the memo, eSports is one of the hottest trends in online sports betting currently. Luckily, BetNow is ahead of the curve and offering action of eSports while many other online sportsbooks are not. At BetNow, you can bet on popular games, including League of Legends, DOTA 2, and StarCraft 2. If you’re a fan of eSports wagers, you’ll love the lineup of possibilities you’ll find on BetNow’s platform.
Note: Players from AK and NJ are not currently accepted at BetNow.
MyBookie
The final operation to round out my list of the top three online sportsbooks for 2020 is none other than MyBookie. As you’ll read below, this sports betting site also brings lots of goodness to the table for individuals looking to bet online.
Welcome Bonus
The biggest draw of MyBookie coming into the new year is its massive welcome bonus. Currently, clients who are new to their online sportsbook can earn up to $1,000 of bonus cash. This is much higher than the typical few hundred dollars usually found at most other sports betting sites when it comes to welcome promotions.
In conjunction with the first welcome bonus, there’s also a risk-free bet offer. With this, you can make a bet of up to $20 without fear of losing your wager if your pick is wrong. There are also some tremendous additional sportsbook promotions for existing clients, which you can take advantage of if you decide to call MyBookie your online sportsbook home.
The lineup of Sports You Can Bet On
At the time of my early 2020 review, MyBookie provided its clients with access to more than 20 sports. With a lineup this large, it offers more than the average online casino. You’ll even find some harder to find sports on MyBookie, including Aussie Rules and pinball. Thanks to such a quality collection of sports you can bet on, you should be able to do all of your online sports betting in one location.
Quality Customer Service
Lastly, the other main reason I’m a big supporter of MyBookie is due to their excellent customer service. The first thing I enjoy about this is it’s provided 24/7. No matter when you have a question or issue, someone from their team will be there to help you. Also, there are three convenient ways to reach their team using live chat, email, or telephone. Every experience I’ve ever had with their customer service agents was always a top-notch interaction.
On this page, I’ve highlighted the main things I enjoy about MyBookie and why I’ve selected them for a spot in my top three online sportsbooks for 2020 list. However, there’s much more to love about MyBookie, which you can read about in this detailed review of MyBookie.
Note: Players from NJ, NV, and NY are not currently accepted at MyBookie.
The Runners Up
Before closing out this blog, I wanted to make an honorable mention of three online sports betting sites that almost made the cut for the top three slots. Below, you’ll find my picks for the runners up when it comes to the top three online sportsbooks of 2020.
BetOnline
With nearly 20 years in business, BetOnline is one of the older online sportsbooks that’s still in existence. Over their time in operation, BetOnline has built up a reliable sports betting website that’s worth strong consideration if you’re on the hunt.
At BetOnline, you’ll find a stellar lineup of more than 20 sports you can bet on. Alongside mainstays like football and baseball, BetOnline also offers betting action on some more niche sports. Check out their sportsbook if you’re a fan of betting on options like snooker, martial arts, and handball.
Another reason I love BetOnline is thanks to its vast list of banking methods you can choose from. In total, there are 14 various banking options you can use when making deposits or withdrawals from your BetOnline account. With this many choices, they offer more than the average sports betting site. No matter what banking method you’re looking to use, BetOnline probably has you covered. Learn about all of their available banking methods and much more using this quality BetOnline review.
XBet
Up next on the runners up for the top three online sportsbooks of 2020 is Xbet. My favorite part of their operation is the collection of sports you can bet on. On average, there are more than 20 sports to choose from at any given time. If you’re into harder to find options like pinball and cycling, you’ll love Xbet’s sportsbook. You can even wager on entertainment and politics using their platform.
On top of the sports selection, there are also some substantial bonus opportunities at Xbet. Currently, you can receive up to $300 of bonus cash on your initial deposit. Once you’ve claimed that one, you can also earn up to $250 of bonus funds on account reloads
If you’d like a more detailed look at everything Xbet brings to the table, don’t miss this in-depth review of Xbet. Here, you can learn more about their bonuses, banking methods, and so much more.
Note: Players from NJ, NV, and NY are not currently accepted at Xbet.
Top Rated Sportsbooks
Intertops
Finally, the last runner up from my list of the top sportsbooks for 2020 is Intertops. One of the best parts of their operation is the amount of time they’ve been in business. As you can see from this review of Intertops, they’ve been in business since 1996 thanks to their trustworthiness and quality operation.
Based on my experience, Intertops always has a long list of potential bonuses for their sportsbook clients. Currently, new users can enjoy a free bet and up to $200 through an initial bonus match. On top of that, existing clients can also find plentiful opportunities to earn additional perks.
In total, Intertops has over 15 sports you can bet on at any given time. In conjunction with all the sports you’d expect to find, there are also some options you don’t see too often from other online sportsbooks. Those options include biathlon, ski jumping, and stock market wagers.
Note: Players from MD, NJ, NY, KY, WA, LA, and MO are not currently accepted at Intertops.
Best Sportsbooks
Wrap Up
Top Sportsbooks In Vegas
Hopefully, you’ve found an online sports betting site that’s perfect for you based on my recommendations above. If you’re new to using online sportsbooks, check out this online sports betting beginner’s guide. There, you’ll find tons of helpful information to get you up to speed quickly. You may also want to visit this sports betting essentials page to make sure you understand all the essentials. Thanks for stopping by to check out my blog, and best of luck with all of your future sports bets!