When you walk into a casino, the first thing that you’ll probably notice is the bright lights, the beautiful people, and the delicious-smelling food. It wouldn’t be a sin to bet that all of that is intended to be luring you in so that the casino owners can fleechecking your bankroll under the table. However, even in legal gambling zones, there are still ways to protect yourself from betting fraud.
If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’re interested in placing a wager on the money line — that is, if you want to put a stake on the outcome of a sporting event without having to make any other sports wagers. If that’s the case, then this article is for you because we’re going to discuss the various ways in which you can minimize the risk of getting scammed while betting on the money line.
Know The Lingo
As we mentioned above, even in a legal gambling zone there is still some chance of getting scammed. One of the main ways this happens is through language barriers. As a non-native English speaker, for example, it’s highly likely that you won’t understand the lingo being thrown around by the bookies (sports books, if you will).
Since sports betting is still a relatively new phenomenon in most parts of the world, there isn’t a whole lot of common language used when talking about it. That being said, some phrases do come up quite often and, if you’re not familiar with them, you might end up in some very sticky situations. One of the phrases that you need to know is “money line.” While this might seem like an obvious choice when gambling on sports, many sports books don’t offer this option to their customers — and for good reason!
If you do happen to be in a country where sports betting is legal, but you’re worried about the possibility of getting scammed, then it’s best to avoid using any widely-known slang or jargon. Instead, stick with the basics –- like “bookie” and “bankroll” –- and try to avoid using more than two words when discussing sports. If you do end up using any slang, then you run the risk of sounding like you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Look At Online Reviews
One of the best ways to find out what kind of experience you’re likely to have when betting on the money line is by looking at online reviews. As we already mentioned, this is a relatively new phenomenon, and there aren’t very many reviews available for betting exchanges (where you place your bets). This being said, all you need to do is enter the website of the exchange you’re thinking about using and click on the “help” link at the top of the page to see reviews. If you search for the exchange name + scam, you’ll find reviews that mention the name of the exchange as well as the word “scam.”
If you have a bad experience with any sports books or exchanges, then it would be best to avoid them. However, if you have a good experience with reliable entities that use safe and proper methods of payment, then it’s time to hit the books and try your luck at the races.
Never Pay In Advance
This point might seem like common sense, but it’s one that’s been proven time and time again. One of the main reasons why many people get scammed while betting on the money line is because they’re too eager to get their hands on the actual money. As a general rule, you should never, ever, pay for something in advance, whether it’s a room at a hotel, or a boat ride, or a concert ticket, or anything else. If the entity you’re dealing with is showing any kind of suspicious behavior, then it’s time to walk away.
One of the most common methods used by scam artists to get money out of their marks is to ask for an advance payment. In the case of the hotel room scenario, the scammer will show up at the door with a key to your room and ask you to “honor” their request by making an advance payment. When you say no, then they might start hounding you –- usually by phone or email –- to come up with the money before the “key” expires. In other situations, the scammer will show up to your house or office building with a cashier’s check or a money order made out to you in the amount of the wager. In this case, too, it’s best to say no and walk away. If that’s too much stress for you, then don’t risk it.
Use Your Phonespeech
Most of the time, online reviews aren’t meant to be taken seriously –- at least not by the general public. However, there are cases where someone might write a review just to let the world know how much of a pain in the butt they have been because of a particular scam artist or company. In these cases, it’s crucial that you take what the review says with a grain of salt and look at it as evidence that this person had a bad experience with this particular brand or company. Even if you end up falling victim to one of these scams yourself, you can use this information to help you guard against it.
Stay Away From Bookies That Aren’t Reputable
The best way to avoid getting scammed while betting on the money line is by keeping away from any sports books or betting exchanges that aren’t reputable. It’s important to keep in mind that not all “bookies” are created equal, and it’s always best to go with the established houses that have been around for a while and are known for keeping their word. As a general rule, it’s always best to go with the “bigger” sports books or exchanges. The more experience they have, the more likely they are to know how to take care of their customers. When in doubt, ask for references. After all, you’re going to be putting your trust in someone else’s hands, and it’s best to make sure that they’re trustworthy.
Check Out Existing Accounts
Another good way to find out what kind of experience you’re likely to have when betting on the money line is to check out existing accounts. This is something that many people forget about when they’re searching for a new sports book or betting exchange to use, but it’s vital that you do this before you make any kind of transaction. You’ll find this option under the “settings” tab on the website of the sports book or betting exchange you’re interested in using. In most cases, you’ll need to create an account before you can do anything else –- however, in some cases, this is optional. If you visit this tab later on, you’ll see a list of all the available bets for the upcoming games. Checking out these existing accounts is a good idea because it gives you an idea of what kinds of results you can expect to see –- as well as how the bookmaker handles returning bets. In most cases, you’ll find that existing accounts are a good representation of what to expect from the service.
Be Careful With The Promotions
We’re always looking for ways to save money, and one of the best ways to do this is by taking advantage of all the promotions that are available. One of the main problems with these promotions is that they’re often so good that they almost seem too good to be true. When you’re getting a bonus just for opening an account or making a wager, it’s easy to be tempted into rolling the dice just to see what happens. The problem with this is that, in most cases, you’ll end up losing money –- even if you do win. It’s always best to be careful about these kinds of promotions because it’s often hard to tell what might be attached to them. One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to avoid getting sucked into the bonus game and just walk away. Sometimes it’s better to keep your money in your wallet.
Do Your Research
It’s important to do your research before you make any kind of bet –- this includes doing some background checks on the sports book or betting exchange as well as reading reviews on the topic. This way, you’ll have an idea of what you’re getting into –- both good and bad. In most cases, it’s best to be skeptical until you can prove that these entities are legitimate and trustworthy. Sometimes it’s best to walk away rather than put your money in jeopardy –- especially if you’re not willing to lose.