Where to place sports bets?

Surely, every sports fan has already entertained the idea of gilding his expertise with one or the other bet. But where can you actually place sports bets and is this legal? We have examined this question in the following guidebook section.

Generally, sports betting is offered by a bookmaker. The history of bookies is well over 100 years old. The first betting providers existed in England. The odds were offered exclusively on the horse races in the first years. Even today, even laymen almost always mention horse racing and bookies in the same breath. This is certainly not wrong, but the craft of the betting providers has developed significantly in recent decades.

In the meantime, bets can be placed on almost all sports and competitions. The portfolio of providers ranges from soccer and tennis to ice hockey and basketball to sailing or chess. But this is by no means the end of the line. Even events from the fields of politics or TV entertainment can be bet on. The top bookmaker Betway, on the other hand, even offers betting odds on lottery numbers as well as on rising and falling stock or currency prices.

Sports betting is distributed in two ways – the stationary business and the online business. Some bookmakers still accept betting tips by telephone, but the Spezi is slowly dying out.

Stationary betting stores in Germany

There are now several betting shops in almost every German city. The customer can place his sports bets directly on the spot. The process is very simple. The player selects his bets from the betting offer and goes to the cashier, where he pays in cash or by credit card.

In return, the customer receives a betting slip on which his picks are displayed. This ticket is not only the receipt for the payment, but is also required for the payout of winnings.

The betting slip must be physically presented at the betting office after the games have been evaluated in order to receive the profits earned. Exactly at this point, of course, there are problems from time to time. If the customer loses his ticket, he cannot prove that he actually placed the bet. However, some of the best bookmakers have already taken precautions at this point – with a customer card. The tips are stored on the chip cards, so that proof of the win is possible even without a betting slip.

Online bookmakers on the Internet

Online bookmakers on the Internet

The question – where can one shoot down sport bets – is answered by the predominant number of the bet fans however in the meantime differently, namely with the Internet. The number of bookmakers on the World Wide Web has grown steadily. Users can choose from countless providers. The competitive pressure has of course improved the quality of the bookies at the same time.

The first online bets were made in 1997. The first bookie on the net at that time was Intertops. The Austrian bookmaking dino Interwetten followed just a few weeks later. Both companies were thus present on the World Wide Web even before the Internet giants Google and Facebook.

At that time, it was certainly a small sensation that you could simply place sports bets on your home PC. In the meantime, however, the technical wheel of time has turned further. The young and modern sports betting customers simply place their bets on the go via smartphone and tablet.

Is sports betting on the Internet legal?

At first glance, the question does not seem quite so clear-cut. In Germany, sports betting is still hugely controversial. There are no rules and laws regulating the online business. However, betting enthusiasts do not have to worry at this point, on the contrary. On a European level, there have long been clear regulations, which have also been properly implemented by countries such as Malta, Gibraltar or Great Britain. Online bookmakers are almost without exception registered and licensed in these countries. Today, the betting business is considered to be extremely reputable and safe.

Betting office vs. Internet provider – advantages and disadvantages

Betting office vs. Internet provider

Surely, readers will now ask themselves where they should best place their sports bets. According to our experience, the trend is clearly towards online providers. The decisive advantage of stationary betting shops can be seen in the social component. The exchange with other betting friends, talking shop and perhaps enjoying sports together in front of the TV are unquestionably highly valued, but all other points speak for the Internet.

Those who bet online do not have to adhere to any opening hours. Bets can be placed around the clock. With live bets, it is possible to react to current game events. Furthermore, the customer has the opportunity to always bet on the best betting odds by comparing the offers of several bookmakers. Another plus point are of course the bonuses and special promotions, with which only the online providers beckon.