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A large part of the life of sports fans is betting on major sports like soccer and basketball, some of the most well-known sporting activities. Before the COVID-19 era broke out, the sports betting sector was mostly based offline. But of course, once the pandemic struck, the situation changed. The actual bookies and real counters which were used to place wagers were forced to shut their doors, and bettors were asked to stay inside.
When it became evident that the pandemic had no end in sight, sports bettors were put in an awkward position. People, on the other hand, learned to adjust to pandemics conditions and thus, online sportsbooks were born as a result of this change in the landscape. In fact, it seemed to be just what sports bettors were looking for.
Now that we’re back to normal in most places, there’s a little competition brewing between online sportsbooks and local sportsbooks, so the question is – which is actually better?
Reviewing Online Sportsbooks
There are lots of factors to consider when sifting through the competition between online and local sportsbooks. There are lots of information sources and guides that provide the best online sportsbook reviews to help better understand what makes online sportsbooks so great. To start out with the most obvious, online sportsbooks give punters the opportunity to place bets from anywhere and at any time thanks to their mobile-friendly features. When betting with an online sportsbook you’ll also benefit from a vast range of bonuses within a diverse range of betting markets.
Online VS Local Bookies
It’s time to look at some of the most important factors when it comes to bookies, whether online or a brick and mortar bookie, the majority of what you expect from a sports bookie remains the same.
Betting Options
When it comes to what to bet on, having options is a major benefit. Brick and mortar bookies offer a good amount of betting options. Unfortunately, when compared to the sheer amount of sports available to bet on, as well as the types of bets you can wager, online bookies clearly take the crown.
For the most part, offline sportsbooks only accept straight bets such as your typical spreads, totals, and money lines. That being said some may be open to parlays and teasers. Rarely you may even find bookies that accept futures or prop bets, so keep on looking if you want to go the local approach. You’ll have to venture online to make a range of different kinds of bets.
Every form of bet you can think of is available at online sports bookie. Online sports wagering has a definite edge when it comes to betting types. Live betting is maybe the best example of this competitive edge.
Overall Expenses
When it comes to betting we don’t tend to look at the overall expenses of said hobby, sure we make a budget and try to stick to it but that’s about it.
You may be surprised to learn that betting in a brick-and-mortar establishment really costs more than betting online. To start off with, consider how you’ll need to travel to the casino or racetrack of your choosing. Consider the expenditures if you’re planning a betting trip. If you reside in a state where betting is illegal, transportation expenses are much more pertinent to your means of transportation. Using an Uber can get quite costly over using public transportation but then again think about the cost of time.
On the other hand, online gambling can be done from almost anywhere, so expenses will include the charging of said device that will be used to place wagers be it IOS, Android or laptop.
Convenience
Betting online is all about convenience. Even if you don’t have a computer, you can still make bets via your laptop, mobile device or tablet. Betting may be done anywhere as long as you have a solid internet connection whether you’re travelling on the go or at home.
Let’s not forget about the fact that you can bet at any time you desire. Online betting allows users to gamble at any time and place they wish, be it 3 AM or 8 PM it does not matter. Online bookies are available almost 24/7 365 days a year, of course, there is downtime for website maintenance and upgrades.
Local bookies on the other hand have opening hours that you will need to abide by too. At local bookies, it’s also a game of chance on whether or not it will take 10 minutes or 20 depending on how many people are ahead of you.
Conclusion
It’s possible to state 6 more reasons to drink coffee and even more feasible to mention 6 more reasons why online betting can be much easier than local sports bookies. It’s not to say that old school brick and mortar bookies aren’t great, they’ve been around for centuries and will probably continue to do so, but online bookies clearly have taken the edge after Covid-19.