Finding A Local Bookie Vs. Online Bookie

One of the more popular pages that we’ve posted on Safest Betting Sites has been our page about local bookies. The facts are clear that betting at online betting sites offers more advantages than betting local bookie, but having a reliable local, in addition, to betting online, can pay dividends for a sports bettor. In the above article, we mention how bettors can find local bookies in their area. In this post, we’re going to expand a bit more on that topic, including a more in-depth look what to look for when finding a local and where to meet them and provide an alternative in using online bookie.

Refer-a-friend Method

Online betting sites offer a refer-a-friend program for players who refer friends or family members to a betting and make a deposit. Usually, the player is given a generous signup bonus, for referring a new account in the form of free play. Most locals don’t offer players a bonus for referring a friend like they do online, but having a friend that has bet with a reliable bookie for a while is the best way to find an out locally.

Of course, you need to be sure that your friend is telling the truth about the bookie. You also need to be aware of the amount that your friend is betting and confirm the bookie has paid him after large wins. This is far and away the best way to find a bookie.

Bars & Casinos Method

I’m from Pittsburgh. There are no legalized sports betting anywhere close by, so if you want to bet locally, you need to find a bookie. Some bars in the city are known as “bookie bars.” These exist in every city. If you think someone is a bookie but don’t want to awkwardly walk up to them, just talk about betting sports around them. Most of the time, they will try and recruit you as a customer.

Casinos, racetracks, and other gaming venues are also excellent places to find bookies. In many areas, such as the major cities, bookies aren’t exactly the number one priority for law enforcement. In fact, they may not be a priority at all. Some are brazen and openly about their profession. They often talk loudly over the phone about taking wagers and don’t seem care who knows that they are booking bets. This is unwise, but many have operated shops locally their entire lives.

Sports Betting Forums Method

This isn’t my favorite route because it lends itself to scammers who might say they are bookies but are in fact just “freerolling” bettors. Which means they have no intention of paying them if they win, but will collect on any losses. However, if you’re in an area where you’re having trouble finding a bookie, such as a smaller town – it’s one avenue you can take. Covers.com Forum is one place I’ve seen that allows posters (or at least doesn’t’ delete them) to ask for local bookie contacts in their area.

What to Look for in a Local

I hate to be stereotypical, but finding an old Italian guy is probably a good bet for a bookie. An older gentleman, in general, is going to be more trustworthy than a 20-something bookie. Older people have more money than younger people (again, generally) and chances are they have been doing it awhile. If they have been doing it awhile – they likely have an extensive client base – so they probably pay their customers.

Of course, anyone can be trusted if the situation seems right. One of the tips that I’ve found to be a good trick to see if a guy is legit is ask him what day he collects and where. Meet up with him while he’s sitting around doing collections for the week or just drive by to see if he’s at that location with a wad of cash. If he does it somewhere publicly that is around your neighborhood – this shouldn’t be too much trouble.

Local Bookie Vs. Online Bookie For Sports Betting

Even thou, SBS reviews sports betting sites and by default one could say that we might be biased towards online bookies as stated above the combination of both option is the most beneficial to a sports bettor. However, in a case where you cannot locate a reliable local bookie or the one you have used isn’t living up to your standards we highly recommend to consider moving your sports betting to an online bookie.  You can read about our favorite online bookies in our top 5 ranking further keep in mind that generous signup or referral bonuses, ability to use different payment deposit and withdrawal options, the speed of payouts and the confidence of getting your winnings back is what really differentiates an online bookie from a local one.

SportsBetting.ag is one of our top rated online sportsbooks. It offers new players a 50% Bonus up to $1,000 on their first deposit. It accepts a variety of cashier methods, including several cryptocurrencies. These are processed for free when making a deposit or requesting a withdrawal. It has some of the highest limits for betting on sports when it comes to offshore sites.

About the Author

Joseph Falchetti

Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert

Joe is the author of the majority of sports betting pages on SBS and he serves as a gambling consultant to our content team. He's been mentioned on Forbes.com as a gaming analyst, and his articles have been linked by larger publications, such as the New York Times.

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