Picking a mobile sportsbook can be one of the most important decisions any sports bettor will make. Before we get to the 15 must have features check out why we think FOXBet will be an industry leading app from the outset.
Here are the 15 features you must look for when deciding who to trust with your bets.
1. A Ton of Deposit Options
Being able to choose your preferred deposit method for your mobile sports betting account is more important than it may seem. Many times bettor’s increase their betting activity significantly over the weekend, when they have more time, and the betting opportunities are everywhere. This means it may be Saturday morning when they realise their account balance is low. The last thing they need is a delay on the funds hitting the account.
A good mobile sportsbook will offer options like Paypal, Credit Card, Bank Transfer, Over the Counter or even various crypto currency options. The key is having options that provide instantaneous money in the account. The last thing a sports bettor needs is to see a great value bet only to realise the account balance is low and no way to land some funds in the account.
The truth is, accept nothing less than the best when it comes to deposting. How can a mobile sportsbook be trusted to offer you the best overall experience if they can’t nail the deposit process.
2. Awesome Betting Analysis Tools
Many sports bettors search the net looking for form lines, statistical summaries and match previews before they place a bet. This can be time consuming and painstaking. The best mobile sports betting apps have in-depth analysis for you to access right there on the app as you search the odds. This shows the sportsbook values the client’s time and is sure to have them feeling more informed about their betting.
In depth analysis may not be a deal breaker, but it is a huge tick in the plus column for those sportsbooks that deliver this feature.
3. User Interface That Works
A tell tale sign of a great mobile sportsbook is regular updates to the app, removing bugs and generally improving the overall experience. Mobile sports betting is in the business of entertainment. You should come away feeling satisfied with the experience and willing to come back for more.
The mobile sportsbook you use should be constantly investing some of their profits into improving the user interface of the app. The definition of frustrating is attempting to log on to your betting accounts and having the app slow and unusable. This can and does happen, usually at peak times, when the technology simply becomes overwhelmed.
4. Live Betting Bonanza
If sport is on somewhere in the world, a great mobile sportsbook will offer live odds for in-game wagering. Most books will have some live betting on popular markets like the NFL, MLB and the NBA but a great book will have offerings on a plethora of domestic and international sport.
On domestic sports a great mobile experience means not only are traditional markets like the moneyline, points spread and totals being offered but props galore. There are few things more entertaining than taking live betting action on some obscure last quarter prop bet and riding it home!
To learn more about live betting check out our article revealing all you need to know!
5. International Sports Markets
Broad international horizons are simply a must from your sportsbook. We live in a 24/7 world where we can consume our entertainment when we choose. There is no valid reason for mobile sports bettors to not be afforded the same option. International sports give domestic sports bettors the chance to find exciting and entertaining markets at any time of the day or night.
A great sportsbook should offer plenty of markets, on sports from all over the world regardless day and night., These are large companies underwritten by global entities and 24 hour markets should be a given.
6. Free Expert Picks
This feature seems counterintuitive. Why would a mobile sportsbook offer free expert tips. The answer: they are promoting betting and encouraging bettor’s to wager on markets they may not usually have a go at. The benefit for the bettor is these picks are usually pretty good. The analysis is informative and following these previews can at the very least teach a beginner to spot the signs to look for in a good bet.
Many times books will encourage bettors to go to their social media platforms to access the tips but nonetheless it is a service they provide. The great sportsbooks do it well and often across a wide range of sports. Look out for this feature when choosing a mobile sportsbook.
7. Endless Promotions
Sports betting is tough and there is nothing wrong with grabbing a little help here and there along the way. A great mobile sportsbook values your business and works hard to keep it by providing a truck load of promotions. If your book is not throwing up daily promotions and odds boosts on mainstream sport then it’s time to shop around.
Be on the lookout for promotions that are exclusive to the mobile platform, these come up from time to time and usually involve bonus bets for doing little more than placing a wager. Any chance to boost your bank is worth a shot.
An added feature that separates the good books from the not so good is the ability to split an earned bonus bet up so it can be used on more than one market. Eg turning a $100 bonus into 5 X $20 and loading those into some crazy parlays. Land one of those babies from downtown and watch your account balance skyrocket.
8. Cash Out Feature
This is one of those mobile betting innovations that was truly an advancement in the industry. The chance to just call your bet in and bank your cash was a new experience for the average bettor. The cash out feature is linked entirely to the live betting market. If your book handles itself well in live betting then it’s probably ok at this too.
There are many reasons why a bettor would want or choose to cash out but the main thing is just having the option to do so. A great mobile sportsbook will offer cash out on a wide range of sporting markets, not just the mainstream sports. You may have a killer parlay that has one leg to go but it’s on a sport played abroad and your book simply doesn’t offer a cash out figure. That hurts.
A mobile sportsbook that scores a 10 out of 10 on the cash out feature is one that offers partial cash out. If they let you cash a portion of your wager out and have the rest ride, well, they may just be a keeper.
For a deeper look at how to make the cash out feature work for you check out our article.
9. A Huge Range of Prop Bets
This one almost goes without saying. Prop bets are the entertainment life blood of recreational bettors and the playground of sophisticated bettors. Great mobile sportsbooks will offer prop bets by the hundreds. If there’s a stat being measured in a game they offer a prop bet on it, well almost.
Recreational bettors, particularly avid fans of a sport, love to demonstrate their knowledge by betting on an obscure prop bet and telling their buddies all about it. Sophisticated bettors who make their cash on other markets love a few little side bets on some mysterious prop bet kicks and giggles.
If your mobile sportsbook is light on for prop bets,then I suggest you get out of there, in lets say, over/under 3.5 seconds!
10. Loyalty Rewards Program
Everyone loves loyalty. If you are one of those mobile sports bettors who picks and sticks then it’s only fair that your book shows you a little love in return. Some free bets, maybe some deposit bonuses, tickets to games, even some merchandise. Something to say, we appreciate you the customer.
There are some great loyalty rewards programs on offer from mobile sportsbooks and why wouldn’t there be? Casinos have been offering rewards for repeat customers for longer than anyone can care to remember. The good mobile sportsbooks are onto this and as a sports bettor you need to make sure you are earning those rewards.
The best bit about the rewards programs is that if you are just a break even bettor, the rewards obtained through the program may be the only kick back you get from this sports betting game. Something for free, yes please!
11. Live Streaming
Now this is one of those features that separates the good and the great. Live streaming on mobile sports betting apps is exploding. Ok, at the moment it may be restricted to darts, far flung European soccer leagues and cross country wrestling (Rugby), but hey, its live sport direct to your device. Live streaming of sport by mobile sportsbooks has the potential to grow into a true disruptor of the televised sports industry. Watch this space.
Check out if your sportsbook offers live streaming. You never know, you might find out you’re a fan of English third division village cricket!
12. Compatible Platform
Come on, in this day and age, your sportsbook needs to not only be compatible to your device but preferably optimised for it. The last thing you need as an avid sports bettor is to be fiddling around with a clunky app trying to get a wager on. That wasted time might be the difference between grabbing the extra handicap points, or seizing on those juicy live odds and making bank.
13. Best Odds Guarantee
As a sports bettor you really need to be searching the market for the best odds available. The trouble with this is that it takes so much time and effort for what seems like a relatively small gain. The answer: find a sportsbook who offers great odds.
Some books simply leave more out there for the bettor by reducing their ‘take’ or ‘vig’. The place this is most evident is in coin flip markets like the points spread or totals betting. -110 should be the target. -115 or -120 are starting to take unnecessary liberties.
Look closely at what odds your mobile sportsbook is offering on a day to day basis. If it doesn’t measure up, move on.
14. Betting History
Great mobile sportsbooks offer their clients all the information they would ever need to analyse their betting performance. A full betting history exportable in .xls (or other spreadsheet program) format on request should be a given from your sportsbook. Granted there are times when a bettor’s history may make for some ugly reading, but without that level of analyses it is actually difficult to ascertain what works and what doesn’t.
Make sure your sportsbook can provide an accurate betting history. If they can’t, make them history.
15. Process Your Withdrawal Quickly
A frustration of many a sports bettor comes following a big win, when the mobile sportsbook seems to take an age to process the withdrawal preventing you getting your hands on your winnings. Worse still finding the withdrawal section on the app menu can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. A couple of huge red flags for any mobile sportsbook.
Great mobile sportsbooks will not only process the transaction quickly but they will provide the bettor with a range of options on the method of withdrawal. All this without hiding the withdrawal button deep in the app.
The Game Starts Now!
Picking a quality mobile sportsbook is no easy task. In fact there may not be one that offers the full list of features. The best way to establish who to bet with is to try some. There are no contracts or waiting periods. You can change at anytime and in a matter of minutes. The game starts now.
The pros and cons of using multiple sportsbooks. Check out our article!