Boxing first appeared centuries ago in Ancient Greece, and as time went by, it expanded all across the globe. Nowadays, it is incredibly popular in almost all areas of the world, including Britain. Fans are particularly drawn to the adrenaline that comes from thrilling boxing matches, and many of them add even more excitement to the whole experience by wagering on their favourites. And thanks to the emergence of online sportsbooks, more and more enthusiasts bet on boxing. If you would also like to get started but you’re not sure how to find trustworthy betting sites for boxing fans in Britain, this article is perfect for you.
Ways to Find Reliable Bookies
The selection of online sportsbooks available to British punters has never been greater, so it’s not always easy to differentiate reputable operators from fraudulent ones. That is why we prepared the following list of steps that will help you find a reliable bookie with ease:
Look for Licensing Information
In order to be a legal service provider, an online betting operator needs to hold a proper license. When it comes to betting sites available in the UK, they should be licensed and approved by the UK Gambling Commission. As a matter of fact, the UKGC is one of the most respected authoritative bodies in the world. Therefore, knowing that this organization controls the operator you’re about to sign up with should give you peace of mind. The UKGC pays special attention to personal data protection, doing everything it can to prevent money laundering and similar crimes. Moreover, in order to obtain this particular license, bookies need to follow a strict code of practice when it comes to responsible gambling measures as well as game fairness. If an operator breaks any UKGC regulations, it can have its license revoked, which means it will no more be allowed to operate in the country.
Read Online Reviews
Even though licensing is a clear sign that an operator is trustworthy, you should dive deeper into the details of the platform’s actual reputation. Reading unbiased online reviews is the best way to find reputable online sports betting sites that provide their users with superb wagering experiences. Learning about other people’s interactions with the operator helps you form a realistic image of the provider’s true advantages and disadvantages. For instance, if you’ve come across a truly reliable sportsbook, you should have no trouble finding positive reviews that mention all sorts of features that can either make or break your sports betting experience. On the other hand, if the bookie has some huge flaws that you simply cannot and should not bear, you should know about them before you sign up and share your personal data with it.
Pay Attention to Security Measures
The best sports betting sites know how important it is to keep your personal and financial information safe, and they will employ all the key security measures in order to do so. The core component of every sportsbook’s security system is the use of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. SSL places an encrypted link between the browser and the server, which means that all the information that gets inputted or transferred stays private. Therefore, the system blocks third-party access that could lead to malicious actions. One way to learn about an operator’s safety measures is to read their security policy, which should be listed on the website. Such documents list the measures that the business employs in order to protect its members. Next, you can check the site’s certificate and security by looking for the padlock symbol, which is a sign of a safe online gambling site. Finally, check out the platform’s web address, which should begin with https instead of http.
Go Over the Payment Methods
Another important point you should consider before you register with a sports betting site is its list of available payment options. If the platform offers only one or two transaction methods and those happen to be something you’re not comfortable with, you can’t really get started on such a platform. On top of that, it is probably another red flag that you should stay away from. On the other hand, seeing that an operator is involved with several trustworthy payment providers is one more sign that you’ve found a reputable bookie. The best sportsbooks support the use of various options, including wire transfers, credit and debit cards, e-wallets like Paypal and Skrill, prepaid cards, and even cryptocurrencies. Once you spot a bookie with a decent selection of payment methods, also look into the expected translation times for both deposits and withdrawals, as well as any fees that might be involved.
Explore the Variety of Sports
Even though the leading bookies include all sorts of sports categories in their listings, if the platform that you like does not offer any options for boxing, you will not find it useful. That is why you should always go over the selection of sports to make sure you’ll be able to bet on your favourite one. However, if now you’re only attracted to wagering on boxing, you should go for a bookie that also features fun betting options for football, basketball, tennis, cricket, golf, and many other popular disciplines. That way, if you decide to try something new, you won’t have to go through the process of searching for an entirely new bookie again. The most complete platforms even cover traditional British markets such as greyhound racing.
Focus on Bonuses and Promotions
Nowadays, many online sportsbooks treat their members with attractive rewards that help them get the attention of new users, while also keeping the existing ones engaged. As a new player, look for operators that will allow you to claim valuable freebies such as welcome packages, no deposit bonuses, and free bets. On top of that, you can also find platforms that maintain loyalty programs and VIP clubs for their regular customers. By joining those, you will get access to exclusive rewards that add much more value to your betting experience. However, always read the terms and conditions behind each promotion before you claim the reward.
Main Types of Bets in Boxing
Let’s go over some of the key bet types you will encounter while wagering on boxing matches:
Moneyline Bets
Moneylines are surely among the most basic types of bets, and they are the easiest ones to understand. With moneylines, you are basically trying to predict the winner or loser of a given match. For example, the odds you’ll find may look something like this: Fighter A -135, Fighter B +110. In this scenario, the boxer with the + odds is the underdog, i.e. the one who is least expected to win. Wagering on the underdog can end up with a higher payout, but keep in mind that such bets come with much lower odds.
Three Way Moneyline
Seeing three-way moneylines may seem confusing at first, but using them is actually fairly simple. Basically, the bookie comes up with a third payout option in case the match ends in a tie. Even though this is a rare occasion in boxing, it is an exciting opportunity for punters to get involved with a high-risk bet with a potentially high reward.
Over/Under Betting (Round Betting)
With this type of wager, you are literally taking the well-known over/under betting principles and you’re applying them to boxing rounds. So if you count each round that is either won or lost as one point, you can see how this category actually works. For example, if you’re betting on a match where Fighter A is expected to win more rounds than Fighter B, and the number is at least nine and a half, this is what the over/under would look like:
Fighter A: O 5.5 (-155)
Fighter B: U 5.5 (+130)
In this example, you are wagering on the chance that the fighter will last longer than five and a half rounds. But if the fighter remains standing until the end of the fifth round but gets knocked out right at the beginning of round six, your bet will be cancelled.
Boxing Props
Prop betting is a pretty exciting type of wagering where you get to predict in-game events that do not really have an impact on the final result of the match. Some of the most commonly used examples of prop bets in boxing are the ideas that Fighter A wins in the fourth round, or that Fighter B wins by decision. As you can see, prop bets are not about who wins the match, but how they do it, or what else they manage to do during the match itself.
Sports betting is a fun pastime to pursue, and if you’re a big fan of boxing, wagering on the outcomes of your favourite matches is definitely something to try. Now that you know how to spot trustworthy betting sites for boxing in Britain, you can start planning your first wagers and hoping they’ll be a success.