Welcome to our Sports Betting 101 Series! This article will walk you through step-by-step on how to open an online sportsbook account.
If you don’t already have an online sportsbook account, it can seem like a daunting task. With so many options and the difficulty to trust offshore businesses, especially if you can’t legally walk into a sportsbook at home, it’s hard to feel fully confident in the decision you make. There are a number of websites that rank and review online sportsbooks; however, it’s wise to take this all with a grain of salt.
Any review or recommendation you see online is attached to a referral or commission program. Every sportsbook has a promotion like this to encourage members to recruit new customers. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this, but those review websites may skew you towards the biggest commissions they can make instead of the overall best sportsbook.
I am not here to do that. Yes, my recommendation below earns me a small commission*, but I could easily recommend a less reputable book and make even more by referring you there instead. If you are using my picks though, I do not want to steer you towards a dishonest sportsbook as it wouldn’t benefit either of us. You can trust that this is not my motivation.
*At no cost to you, I receive a small commission for every new account that lists my name as a referral, which helps me pay for running and improving this website. Many sportsbooks pay you a percentage of the amount someone deposits (including future deposits) or even a percentage of how much a referred customer loses. Not only do I find this unethical, but I also wouldn’t make much money if you are using my picks!
With that said, I’ll be showing you how to create an account with my favorite sportsbook – Heritage Sports. I have other accounts so that I can line shop, but Heritage is definitely the best I’ve come across. It consistently ranks at the top of sports betting polls by users, and has some of the highest reviews on many different websites and blogs. It prides itself on quality, fast payouts, and top-notch customer service – which is very evident when using the sportsbook. Heritage also offer plenty of perks and rewards, along with a solid mobile and live betting experience.
I recommend Heritage for three main reasons: an easy to navigate user interface, quick and easy sign-up and deposits, and a fantastic rewards program. I’ll dive into all three in a moment, but I do also want to mention their outstanding customer service. They offer live chat with customer service representatives that are extremely responsive, and have handled any issue I have had (which have been few). Customer service is key for a successful sportsbook, and Heritage definitely does it right.
User Interface
Now, onto the main benefits. Heritage’s design is by far the cleanest, easiest to navigate sportsbook I have come across. The color scheme is sharp and easy on the eyes, the text is legible (which is sadly saying something for sportsbooks), and everything is where you would expect it to be. Let’s compare their main menu to a popular competitor, 5Dimes:
The difference is pretty clear. All the wagering types available can be easily found here on the main menu, which even includes short descriptions for each. To see the ease of using the site and placing a wager, watch this short video made my Sportsbook Review. You’ll see the screen sequence of making a bet and all the different options you have. The video also shows the Online Casino, which uses the same software as many other online sportsbooks, as well as their Live Betting platform.
There are actually two different platforms to use for live betting now, and the option not shown is much better in my opinion. It may look familiar if you have used the Live Betting platform on 5Dimes or other sportsbooks, as it is the same service (see below). This is much cleaner and easier to navigate in my opinion.
The mobile version of the site is also quite smooth. I would love it if they could have an app instead, but navigating the site and placing bets on mobile is pretty straight forward. It differs a bit from the desktop version, but it’s easy to figure out. If needed, I can put together a quick step-by-step guide with screenshots.
Sign-Up Process
The second reason I recommend Heritage Sports is because of the quick and easy sign-up process. It is literally just one page to create an account with three simple steps:
- Enter your email address and create a password.
- Fill in your personal information so they know where to send all the #straightcash you are going to make. Be sure to enter a valid phone number that you can be reached by as you will receive a validation call after clicking Submit.
- Choose your rewards program, Reduced Juice + Cash Back or -105 Low Vig (more on this later).
After accepting their Terms and Conditions, click submit and you now have a new account with Heritage Sports. You will receive a validation call shortly to confirm your account, and then you are all set to make a deposit. Heritage offers the typical funding methods, which can be found here.
Bitcoin is of course the safest and fastest method, but if that is not an option for you, I would highly suggest purchasing a prepaid international card. This is the next best way to protect your identity and prevent any fraudulent charges. Heritage is a highly trusted site, but it’s always best to be as safe as possible. Once you deposit, be sure to speak with customer service via the live chat to claim your 50% new deposit bonus! This key step is buried in their general rules, so be sure to do this immediately because it is not done automatically.
Rewards Program
Lastly, another big reason I suggest using Heritage Sports is because of their amazing rewards program. As I just mentioned, you receive a 50% bonus on your initial deposit (if $300 or more). The maximum bonus is $250, so if you deposit more than $500 you won’t receive anything higher. That is not all, though. All future deposits into your account automatically receive a 10% cash bonus as well. In other words, if you add another $500 to your account, you immediately receive an additional $50. What’s not to love about that?
Furthermore, you can choose between two main reward programs - Reduced Juice + Cash Back, or -105 Low Vig. I'll explain the difference.
With the Reduced Juice + Cash Back option, Heritage offers -108 odds on all football and basketball full game sides, as well as 8 cent progressive baseball lines. The industry standard is -110* for sides and 10 cent baseball lines, so you are getting a great deal automatically every time you bet.
*If you're unsure what -110 (or -108) means, check out this article.
Additionally, Heritage Sports also offers Cash Back rewards with this option. The main details are in the image below. The percentages may not seem like much, but it adds up quickly.
Here’s an example of how much you may earn. Let’s say you average 3 bets a day. For a whole quarter, that’s about 270 bets placed (3 bets/day x 30 days/month x 3 months/quarter). Your first 149 bets receive 0.4% cash back, and the remaining 121 (270 – 149) earn 0.6% cash back. That makes your effective cash back rate 0.49%.
Let’s also assume your average bet size is $25, which means you would have risked $6,750 (270 bets x $25/bet) during the quarter. With this betting history, you would earn an extra $33 in cash back. That may not seem like much, but you just made $33 by doing what you would have done anyways. It’s like you just won an extra $25 bet by betting on a +132 underdog. These are also conservative estimates, so the more you bet and the more often you bet, the more you earn!
With the Low Vig option, it's much simpler and in my opinion, the better choice over the long run if you plan on mainly betting spreads and totals. Instead of the typical -110 odds you see for these bets, you are getting a 50% discount at -105. In other words, you are paying $105 versus $110 to win $100. The commission is cut in half, and thus you risk less. To be profitable betting at -110 odds, you have to win 52.4% of your bets. At -105 odds, this goes down to 51.2%. That is a HUGE difference. This effectively lowers your break-even point, which allows you to win more money.
Open an Online Sportsbook Account Today!
So that’s the why, where and how to open an online sportsbook account, and why I recommend Heritage Sports. Get started by clicking here, and if you have any questions along the way, feel free to email me or send me a message on Twitter.
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All information and picks given out are for informational and entertainment purposes only. This information is not intended for any use which might promote any illegal activity or violate any of your local, state or federal laws. I do not share in any gains, nor am I liable for any losses that may occur as a result of the use of any information, recommendations, opinions, or picks provided. Although I may display past results, past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Some of the hyperlinks within this email may be affiliate links. If you have a gambling problem please visit Gamblers Anonymous.