While scam sites are usually reported and removed from the market, some time can pass before that happens. If you’re looking for a list of reputable and safe betting sites, this BetZillion guide can help.
Full List of Safe Bookmakers
Below you can see a list of sports gambling sites where you can safely bet with real money. These are all reputable and legit options, so you don’t have to think twice before joining.
The best thing about them is that they have special free bet offers and other promotions that will come in handy for all punters.
Safe Betting Sites Offers
When talking about the safest online sports betting sites, we’re mainly thinking about giants in the industry. These include Coral, William Hill, Bet365, and other sites with impeccable reputations online. These sites are heavily focused on player safety and security. Of course, they also come packed with excellent markets and odds. Among those you’ll find are the Kentucky Derby, major football events, CS: GO tournaments, NBA, NFL, NHL, UFC, and many others.
What makes these sites so great is that they also come packed with bonus offers and promos. From free bet offers for beginners to exclusive VIP promos, safe betting sites can give you plenty of extra cash.
In most cases, the safest online betting sites will start with a welcome offer. The majority of sportsbooks offer a free bet for new punters. It may not be worth hundreds, but even a tenner is a nice way to start your betting journey. Of course, you should never claim a bonus or free bet without reading the terms and requirements first. That’s a big mistake that may lead to forfeited bonus funds, so all your effort will be for nothing.
How We Decide if a Betting Site Is Safe
Just having a proper license doesn’t mean you’ve found a safe online sportsbook. Safety and security consist of several essential features, including SSL certification and the prevention of third-party attacks.
Below you’ll see the factors we always check when on the hunt for the safest bookies in the industry.
Valid Gambling License
A proper license is the first thing we check. Without it, we wouldn’t come close to a sportsbook. We want our readers to bet at reliable sports gambling sites only, so all featured sportsbooks have a valid and legal license.
The safest governing bodies include the MGA, the government of Curacao, the UK Gambling Commission, and the Gibraltar license.
Security Measures
Aside from the ever-important license, the safest sports betting sites should also have a slew of safety measures. These include but are not limited to a firewall and SSL encryption. Both are common for bookmakers these days and will give you peace of mind when you start betting online.
Variety of Games and Wager Types
While it has nothing to do with safety, choosing a secure betting site with plenty of market variety is important. After all, being an impenetrable wall of protection means nothing if the markets or odds are not great.
Fast & Reliable Payouts
When choosing the safest online betting sites, make sure they have fast and reliable payouts. In that way, you should get your winnings at the earliest convenience, regardless of the payment method.
Strong Reputation
The last thing we always check when ranking safe bookies on our list is their website reputation. We read expert and punter bookie reviews that give us an overview of what to expect.
It makes a world of difference when the reviews are overly positive or negative.
How to Stay Safe Online
While a sports betting site is obligated to protect its customers, you need to learn to stay safe. Many punters make mistakes by creating weak usernames and passwords that are not unique in any way. They often use their name as the username and 123456 as the password.
That’s wrong, as most password-breaking tools can go through those like a hot knife through butter. That’s why it’s essential to learn how to stay safe online, even at the safest betting sites.
Use Strong Passwords
When choosing a password, make sure to follow the bookie’s rules. The top safe betting sites will require a password that’s at least 8 characters long and includes a lower and uppercase letter, a number, and a special symbol. Don’t just go for the most used special symbols such as @. Take time and create a strong password that’s impermeable.
In that case, even if the site is under attack, your data should stay hidden from prying eyes.
Make Your Password Unique
As mentioned earlier, the name and a few numbers or special characters are the most commonly used passwords at safe bookies. That’s the wrong combination. As any bookmaker will tell you, it’s best to think of a unique password that no one can guess what is.
If you’re worried, you’ll forget it, write it down, and keep the note offline. With a solid and unique password, you’re 99.9% protected from data leaks and thefts, especially if you bet at the safest bookies.
Use 2-step Verification
Many punters ignore 2FA, believing it’s too much of a hassle. However, it’s worth going for as a 2-step factor authentication is unbeatable. Well, theoretically, someone could steal your phone and break through a bookie’s defenses by using an authenticator, but that’s unrealistic.
Once you activate 2-step verification, you’ll need to use an authenticator app on your phone to log in. You enter the user-mail combo, then the authenticator number that will finish the log-in process.
Don’t Click on Unknown Emails
If you want to stay safe online, don’t click on unknown emails. No matter what the mail promises, you should skip it unless it’s from a known sender.
Monitor Your Accounts
Always monitor your accounts at safe online sports betting sites. Make sure nothing has been moved, and check the deposit/withdrawal section often. If something that doesn’t belong there shows up, change your password immediately and talk to the customer support team.
Some of the Risks Associated with Online Betting
Online betting is fun when you do it at reliable bookies. However, there are still risks associated with it, with identity theft being the most common.
Data leaks can reveal personal data to third parties, and even the safest sites out there have been known to fall through the cracks. If you don’t create a unique username/password combo that’s also strong, even the safest online sportsbook won’t be able to protect you.
Stick to the rules we mentioned above on how to stay safe online. While there’s no bulletproof bookie, they ensure that your data will remain safe.
Benefits of Using Safe Sports Betting Sites
Why use safe betting sites? That’s easy – because of their safety. The online betting market is pretty crowded right now, and scam sites have been known to rip real money players in the UK and USA. If you want to stay safe online, you must use legal bookmakers with safe and secure systems.
Safe Betting Sites Overview
- The key features to look at when searching for safe sports betting sites are license, safety and security measures implemented, secure payment methods, and fast payouts;
- If you want to place safe bets online, you’re best off with industry giants such as Coral, William Hill, Betfair, or Betfred;
- The most popular sports at safe bookies remain football, tennis, basketball, and horse racing;
- Safe bookmakers offer to bet on major events such as the Premier League, Champions League, World Cup, horse racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup, NFL and NHL bets, F1, UFC/MMA, and even politics;
- The most commonly used password online is 123456. If you want to stay secure at the safest online betting sites, choose a unique password.
Responsible Gaming
Besides staying safe when betting online, you should always place bets responsibly. Make sure to keep your bankroll in check by setting limits for yourself. If you believe that you need help, you should get in touch with customer support.
Bottom Line
With so many bookies online these days, it can be hard to pick the safest online sportsbook. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of the best ones in 2022. Choose any of those bookies and stick to the rules of staying safe online, and you won’t have to worry about data leaks or thefts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is it safe to bet on sports online?
You can place safe bets online as long as you choose a reputable bookmaker. Sites such as William Hill are notorious for the safety and security measures they implement. Choosing such a bookmaker will allow you to bet in a safe environment without worrying about your data.
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What is the safest online betting site?
A safe betting site will have a valid license and numerous safety and security measures. It will essentially be a virtual stronghold that hackers can’t break into. Anyway, the safest bookies are Paddy Power, William Hill, Coral, Ladbrokes, etc.
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What are the safest payment options for betting online?
When betting online, the safest payment methods include PayPal, Neteller, Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, and ecoPayz, among others. Bank transfers are the safest of them all, but the slowest too.
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Is it safe to use betting sites that don’t have a gambling license?
No, it’s not. A safe sportsbook will have a legal and valid license that ensures a safe and secure betting experience.