There's a new and explosive trend on the globe of gambling and sports betting? Internet sports betting where millions of individuals enjoy legal online sports betting wagering many billions of dollars per year. The internet offers many opportunities for offshore sportsbook betting and it has revolutionised the way people bet. With any new type of betting you'll find always dangers and pitfalls that you need to consider. Online sports betting is no exception. Although online sportsbooks have made it easier to bet on all of your favourite sports the net is riddled with unsafe and unlicensed sportsbooks that are only too happy to take your hard earned money and run. It's these cowboys that have made it much harder for the legitimate safe online gambling site, regulated and licensed online sportsbetting industry to use, and they have given the sector as a whole a bad name.

Therefore it is imperative that anyone who could be considering throwing some money at their favourite team or sport, look closely at the internet sports betting site they are betting with. There are many of factors to consider when assessing whether to open an account with an online sportsbook.

Will be the sportsbook licensed by a government licensing authority? Their website should state the country the book is licensed in. If there is absolutely no mention of their licensing information on their web site then it really is highly probable that they may be not licensed by any government agency. Betting through an unlicensed betting outfit is akin to throwing your money away. Also some countries have more stringent regulations, oversee their licensees more closely, and require more funds for them to use, eg. UK.

Internet security - Will be the sportbook using the latest security mechanisms? Most reputable betting outfits have highly advanced security on their own sites to stop personal and banking information being exposed and breached.

Depositing options. The sportsbook must have a number of depositing options and preferably accept 3rd party e-wallets such as Neteller and Moneybookers. Using a 3rd party e-wallet service for example Neteller lessens the need to send personal and financial information to every book you sign up with.

24 hour customer support by smartphone and email. Most of the reputable sportsbooks offer 24 hour support by smart phone, email and online chat.

Incorporates extensive features offering many different betting types and competitive odds. Some provide a multitude of betting types as well as other features for example statistics on all of their betting products. Some may specialise in betting on a particular sport and may offer the top odds for that sport but offer lousy odds on others. Because of this reason many professional bettors shop around and open accounts with a range of reputable sportsbooks to receive the most effective deals.