Best Online Betting Sites in Canada 2024

Betting is the wagering of something (often money) on a specific event with an unknown and uncertain outcome. This is done with the intent to win something of value, again, usually money. Betting requires that three factors are present: the amount or object that is wagered, the chance of winning, and the prize.

Sports betting is a form of wagering on who wins a sporting event. The intent of betting on a sport is almost always to win money. The probability of winning in is always, at best, an educated guess. There is always room for an upset, a withdrawal, or a disqualification within the world of sports.

The idea of betting or gambling dates back to at least 3000 B.C. when people used the first 6-sided dice in Mesopotamia. The very first sports bets were placed back in ancient Rome, on gladiator fights and chariot races. Bets could only be placed within the Roman community.

Sports betting as we know it didn't come into play until the 18th century. At that time, horse races started having more than two horses in them, and that's when the idea of betting on one of the horses appeared.

Finally, in the late 1800s, laws were established in the U.S. and Canada, preventing the mob from completely overtaking this industry. After that, very little was done in the betting world to keep the laws updated and established until the internet came into play.

Much of today's betting is done online, either through a desktop computer, mobile phone, or tablet. Another option is to find a local bookie or take a trip to one of the sportsbooks if you live in a state that has legalized betting. Finding an online site is definitely the most convenient option.

The first thing someone must do is find a reputable online betting website, called a sportsbook or bookmaker. We'll talk about how to do this in a bit more detail later. Once a person finds one they feel comfortable with, they'll want to sign up. Most sites will ask for name, email address, phone number, and other personal information pertaining to account setup.

Once an account has been opened, bets can be placed. Here's the general process.

• Choose a bonus and make a deposit. A bonus gives extra cash to spend when a deposit is placed with a website. So, for example, one site may offer a 50% bonus up to $1,000. This means that for any deposit placed with them up to $1,000, they will match 50% of a person's funds.
• Choose your sport. Now that funds have been deposited, a bet can be made. Select one from the list of sports on the website. These will usually be on the left-hand side of the screen.
• View the markets. Check out the games for the day’s market and decide how to place any bets. A person can also see the game view from this page on most sites. There are quite a few different options, so brushing up on terminology can help before placing a bet now.
• Place a bet. Click on the market that is being bet on. A wager slip will appear. Fill in the slip and click ‘review bet.’ A confirmation will pop up, and the bettor can click ‘place bet.’

Most sportsbooks have simplified this process so it can be easily followed. But before placing a bet, let’s look at a few of the details about which betting site is the best.

Sports betting is highly competitive. Because of this, it’s best to understand some of the variables before placing a bet. Let’s take a look.

Understand the sport. For some of them, straight moneyline bets are simple - a person places a bet on the favorite team or the underdog. If they win, they get the payout. But what if there is a draw, such as in soccer? How does your online sports betting site handle those? Sports like horse racing and boxing also work differently than, say, basketball.

Know the different types of bets. Sports betting often goes deeper than just a simple moneyline betting. There are many different types available for each event. The most common include:

• Futures: This allows a person to place a bet on a future event, like the Super Bowl, even though at betting time they have no idea who will be in the event.
• Spread betting: This type lets people bet by focusing on how much a team will win or lose by, instead of focusing on who is going to win.
• Overs/Unders: For this type of bet, a person bets on whether or not there will be a certain number of goals, baskets, or points scored during a game. For example, if that person is betting on a soccer game, the total goals may be four. They would then bet on whether the total number of goals will be over or under that amount.
• Parlay: Parlay involves betting on two or more components in the same bet. For example, a person may bet that two different tennis players are going to win their matches at the US Open. In that case, if both players win, then the bettor wins.
• Live: With live betting, a person can place a bet during the event. This type requires knowledge of the teams playing and a quick reaction time to keep on top of what happens as the event progresses.

Just as there are plenty of sports and players to choose from when you are looking to place a bet, there are also many different sites to choose from. These sites offer lots of different layouts and options for bonuses.

New sportsbooks that have just recently been set up can often have some of the best benefits to the bettor, as they are looking to entice new business in the door.

Some of the benefits that can be offered to a bettor are:

• Bonus offers. The bonus offers on new sites are often less restrictive and have fewer regulations than sports bookies that have been around for a longer time. They also often offer bigger bonuses, sometimes matching 50% of your deposit, up to $2,000 or more. These sites may also offer bonuses more frequently.
• Enhanced accuracy. New sportsbooks take the time to ensure accuracy on their odds. These sites look at all the data in detail before posting the odds, as they are looking to help bettors win some money and keep the best bets coming. This is how they build up their clientele.
• Better layouts. Newer sportsbooks have more modern layouts and are easier to navigate than those that have been around for longer. It’s hard to change an older site because people are familiar with the site. But a new site can offer all the latest technology, making the user experience much more enjoyable.
• Variety. Newer sites often have more of a variety of sports and additional events on which bettors can place their bets. As betting is becoming a hot item in the gambling arena, these sportsbooks are taking time to expand their options and include more than just the basic horse races and football betting.

Cashouts allow bettors to get their money early if they are not confident in the bet they placed. Not all sportsbook sites allow cashouts. If they do, it will show a specified cashout amount on their site.

A bettor can then choose to take that amount of money instead of the full amount they would win if they wait until the end of the event. Likewise, they can cash out early if it seems they are going to lose money on their bet. This means they will not lose the entire amount.

Sportsbook operators often have different rules for cashing out on their specific sites, so bettors should check in advance of placing a bet to see what events and which kinds of wagers have a cashout option attached to them. Some of the cashout options different sites allow include moneyline wagers, parlays, futures bets, and point spread wagers.

Cashout is a unique feature of online sports betting. In the U.S., it’s only available online, even if the online betting website has a land-based outlet at the site of the event. Bettors can cash out using either a desktop or a mobile device.

No two sports betting sites are the same. Each one has different features, betting opportunities, customer service, type and speed of payouts, promotions, and more.

Once a bettor has found some trusted sportsbook online, it’s then up to them to choose which one to use to place their bets. One of the best ways to do this is by talking with others. If a bettor knows someone who has used the site, they can share invaluable information. Otherwise, it’s off to the online reviews.

Positive reviews are a good sign, of course, especially if they are coming from someone actively using the site. Just be a little wary of these reviews, as some sites will pay people to leave positive reviews online.

So what is the best bookmaker to bet with? Legitimate experts will also fairly review different sportsbooks. Reviews from an expert third party are honest and don’t sugarcoat the truth. These reviews share the good and the bad about a bookmaker.

With new sports betting sites popping up all the time, these reviews can be very valuable in helping a bettor choose their site. Third-party reviewers often base these reviews on:

• Accessibility
• Security
• Safety
• Website encryption
• Honoring wagers and payouts timely
• Customer service and support
• Experience they’ve had on the site
• Negative reports on the site
• Additional research done regarding the sportsbook

After looking at the critical items, expert reviewers will also consider factors like ease of use, options for betting, and additional features the sportsbook has to offer. These reviewers look for a wonderful overall user experience while trying to keep people safe and keeping risk to a minimum.

Nothing can completely guarantee that a site will treat a bettor fairly. But if a bettor looks for a site that is licensed, has quality labels, and can provide good reviews both on and off the site, they can be fairly certain that risk will be minimal.