Ireland has a long history of sports betting. In addition to there being a huge number of sports played competitively, it is one of the global homes of horse racing, something that many people follow in person as well as online through sports gambling websites.
This has led to a very competitive sports betting marketplace, with numerous sites trying to gain the attention of potential bettors and get them to sign up for an account. Just like when choosing any other online service, it really pays to take a little bit of time to consider the best option. Who should you be trusting with your money and what makes the top sports betting sites suitable?
What makes a great sports betting site?
Sports betting sites are in a constant race to be the best they can possibly be, and this means providing more and more options for gamblers. The race to be the best has changed, and though there was still a lot of competition when the casino gamblers of the world looked to the high street for their gambling. There were many different ways that players could choose between either the biggest names in gambling or some smaller, independent bookmakers.
Nowadays, the majority of play is online, so the process of finding the best sports betting sites Ireland has to offer is purely a digital one for most, as they scour the internet and review sites looking at which sites are the best. Of course, some of these online casinos have been developed by the old high street brands too. Below, we discuss a number of factors to consider when choosing the best betting site to meet your needs:
The best odds
The same thing that may have driven people to the high street betting shops back in the 1990s will now be one of the most appealing things online. People who want to place bets on sporting events are always looking for the best odds, and they can vary a surprising amount. Some people also choose to have multiple sportsbook gambling site memberships, so they can choose the site that offers better odds to place their bet with.
The top odds on the market change all the time, and odds are constantly evolving based on betting patterns. Some people remember going to the races and seeing people with blackboards scrubbing out the odds and then changing the odds to compete with other bookmakers. The same thing effectively happens now, but in a digital way.
Signup bonuses
Signup bonuses are something that players should always look for. Most of the online betting brands provide some sort of signup bonus to provide players with the option to take advantage of free bets, matched deposits and bet insurance.
Security
Always check that the sites you access have the latest security features, which includes encryption so that the data sent between you and the site is always secure. Sites should have an SSL certificate to encrypt the players’ traffic. In addition, sites should have security policies and documentation players can review. Security is also vital in terms of offering different ways for people to pay and keeping players’ money safe and secure at all points of their gambling experience.
Mobile functionality
Sports betting brands are now embracing mobile functionality more than ever, which makes perfect sense when you consider that the number of people betting on their mobile devices and accessing all sorts of sites from their mobile is growing.
Sites should work just as well on mobile as they do on desktop, and a lot of the gambling brands and sports betting sites on the market also provide players with mobile apps so that they can easily access the site and use it when they are on a mobile device.
Support
It is vital that the betting brand in question offers some level of support for players, which is a way for them to get help if they run into any problems. Support can come in the form of live chat, email and telephone numbers. It is always nice if support is available 24/7 as well.
You may not need support but if you do then you’ll want to know that the gambling site in question has you covered. Nobody wants to wait for ages to hear back and a lot of the sites now offer very fast and effective support.
Coverage of events and markets
Sometimes people want to bet on things beyond just the winner of a race or other event, which means that there are a lot of options out there. For instance, betting on a premier league football match may open up a huge range of different markets and even specials. With some bookmakers, players can bet on things such as who is going to have the most shots on target. Plenty of gamblers like to check out the stats and make their predictions on tackles, shots on target, corners and more.
Exploring some top options
Let’s dive into some of the very top options for online sports betting sites for gamblers who are looking to sign up for new accounts and those who are looking to gamble on sporting events. In addition to the top gambling sites, you may want to explore different tools and information about gambling to try and make the best decisions on which markets to back.
bet365
This is one of the oldest brands when it comes to casino gambling, bet365 has a history of over 20 years of providing customers with great odds and plenty of choices. The site is one of the most trusted, and while based in the UK, it is available to play in a number of locations, including Ireland.
Luckster
Known by many as more of a casino brand, Luckster has expanded into the world of sportsbook gambling and has a huge variety of events that players can bet on. They offer competitive odds and coverage of many of Ireland’s top sports. Luckster has a signup bonus of up to €10 and plenty of other great features helping them to become one of the best options for players in Ireland.
888 Sport
Another of the top brands in the world of gambling is 888 Sport, they offer both casino gambling and sportsbook gambling with a huge number of markets. This is a site that provides a fairly generous set of rewards and signup bonuses too, so players can take advantage of this if they sign up for an account for the first time. Some of the rewards revolve around the casino site, so players may get free spins in return for betting on the sports.
Responsible gambling
It is always crucial that we mention responsible gambling in the context of sports betting sites, and that players should only ever gamble what they can afford to lose. Sports betting sites usually carry warnings to bet responsibly. Many also offer additional ways to support players, such as providing an option to self-exclude or access to help. Always think about your reasons for gambling and avoid betting when angry or frustrated.
