Off-Shore Sportsbook Comparison

Disclaimer

While this study attempts to only look at the facts and avoid matters of opinion I should disclose that I have worked as a consultant for and have advertised Pinnacle Sportsbook. I also know Rob Gilespie of Bodog Sportsbook, which also has advertised on this site.

Introduction

This survey endeavors to rank the off-shore sportsbooks according to the competitiveness of their odds. This study was first published on October 29, 2004, and is still a work in progress. There are hundreds of off-shore sportsbooks available so I made an effort to choose 11 of the largest. The purpose of this study is to rank the sportbooks included in the study according to the competitiveness of their odds. Following are the sportsbooks featured and a few words about them. Please verify any bonuses before opening an account. Bonus rules changes frequently and keeping up to date on them is not a priority of mine. These rules were effective in October 2004. I invite listed sportsbooks to contact me if any information is incorrect or outdated.

The player is urged to consider bonuses, transaction fees, and the lines when choosing if and where to bet.

• Bet365. This UK sportsbook also features poker and casino games by Boss Media. I see no mention of any repeat bonuses. A 10% bonus is mentioned for new non-UK customers.
• Cris. This sportsbook also features poker and casino games. I see no mention of an initial deposit bonus. The web site mentions a loyalty program in which each dollar wagered earns a point, which may be redeemed for unspecified prizes and bets.
• Las Palmas: This sports book also features casino games. A new player bonus of 20% and a reload bonus of 10% are offered. The rollover requirement is three times the deposit and reload bonuses are reviewed "on a case by case basis."
• Bet on Sports: This sports book also features casino games by IQ Ludorum. A new player bonus of 20% and a reload bonus of 10% are offered. The rollover requirement on both is five times, plus the funds must be in the account for 30 days. I have noticed that Bet on Sports often has good money lines for betting on favorites. For example the money line on New England for the 2004 Super Bowl was only -240.
• Bet USA. This sportsbook also features casino games. A 5% bonus is offered on all deposits. The rollover requirement for bonuses is two times.
• Bet WWTS. This Antigua sportsbook also features poker and casino games by Playtech. I find no mention of a percentage based bonus but various contests and special offers are mentioned.
• Bovada This sportsbook also features poker and casino games. A 10% bonus is offered for initial and reload deposits. The play requirement is only 1x but the bonus is only eligible for "new money" deposits.
• Olympic. This sportsbook also features poker and casino games. A 10% bonus is offered for initial deposits. The rollover requirement is 4x.
• Pinnacle. This sportsbook also offers casino games by Blue Chip Games. A 10% bonus is offered for initial deposits. The rollover requirement is 3x.
• VIP Sports. This sportsbook also casino games. A 20% initial deposit and 10% reload deposit is offered. However the reload bonus is not allowed if the last transaction was a withdrawal. The rollover requirement is 3x.

NFL

Every sportsbook studied has 20-cent lines against the point spread, except Pinnacle, which has a 10-cent line. Some other casinos have happy hour promotions with smaller spreads.

Where more disparity can be found is on the money lines. The closer together two sets of lines are the lower the house advantage. A good example is what the line on the favorite is when the dog is at +240. The line on the favorites can range from -260 (Pinnacle) to -300 (Bet 365). My methodology in ranking was to start at evenly matched games (-110/-110) and keep going down until I found a line where there was some disparity. For example Bet Las Palmas is ranked second because they have lines of +200/-230, which is closer than their next competitor at +200/-240.

That said I present the following ranking of the best NFL money line odds offshore, from best to worst.

Following the reason that each group is higher than those that follow.

• Pinnacle offers the best money lines beyond any doubt. For example they offer a 10-cent line at least through +175/-185. Up and down Pinnacle's spread is at least twice as narrow as their closest competitor.
• Bet Las Palmas offers lines of +200/-230. The next group is at +200/-240.
• Bet Cris/Oasis (tie) offer lines of +350/-420. The next group is at +350/-450.
• VIP Sports offers lines of +180/-210. The next group is at +180/-220.
• Olympic offers lines of +215/-255. The next group is at +215/-260.
• Bet 365 offers lines of +165/-185. The next group is at +165/-190.
• Bet USA/Bet WWTS offer lines of +300/-360. The next group is at +300/-400.
• Bodog is at +160/-180. The next group is at +160/-190.
• Bet on Sports is last because of their +160/-190 lines.

A table of NFL money lines can be found in my sports betting appendix 9.

MLB

When this study began in early October the playoffs were just beginning in Major League Baseball. With a small number of games available to look at I was unable to do a fine study of money lines. The following table shows the general lines available on money lines, run lines, and totals.

For a similar study on Las Vegas sportsbooks please visit my sports betting appendix 1.

Written by: Michael Shackleford