What bookmakers offer the best odds is a question we get asked a lot – and the good news is the answer is all of them. By all of them, I mean all bookmakers offer the best odds about some selections in any sporting event, whether it be a horse race, football match, golf tournament, etc.
The follow-on question to that is why don’t bookmakers offer the best odds about all selections? The simple answer to that is if they did then they would go broke. Bookmakers make a book on a sporting event that reflects their opinions. Bookmakers tend to offer the biggest odds about selections they don’t fancy and shorter odds about ones they think have a good chance of winning.
The great news is you don’t have to bet with just one bookmaker, so it’s up to you to make sure you have as many opportunities to get the best odds you can.
How Do I Get The Best Odds On Offer?
The best way to make sure you get the best odds is to open as many bookmaking accounts as possible. This way, when a bookmaker is offering standout odds about a selection you want to back, you can jump in and take them rather than having to settle for smaller odds if you don’t have an account with that bookmaker.
You should also have accounts with popular betting exchanges such as Betfair, Matchbook or Smarkets, as this gives you more sources of where to get the best odds.
How Do I Know I’m Getting The Best Odds?
It’s hard work checking 20 to 30 bookmaker’s websites to compare the best odds on offer but, luckily, there are odds comparison sites that will do it for you. One of the most popular odds comparison sites is Oddschecker – which does as its name suggests it does. You’ll find all the best bookmakers listed, and the odds they’re offering about each horse, football team, golfer, etc, in any event.
Are There Other Reasons Why I Should Bet With Some Bookmakers?
The world of online bookmaking is a competitive industry and many bookmakers are willing to go that extra mile to get your custom.
One of the main reasons why it’s a great idea to open lots of bookmaker accounts is they’ll offer you a welcome offer for doing so. These offers may come in the form of free bets, bonuses, no-lose bets, etc, and you can use them to your advantage to pick up some extra winnings if you’re clever enough.
Many bookmakers also offer some great existing player promotions and concessions to their loyal members, and these are what will often entice you to place a bet with that particular bookmaker if they are also offering the joint-best odds about your selection.
BOG (best odds guaranteed) is a concession that you will find at many online bookmakers and it can make a massive difference to your profits/losses. It’s a term that normally applies to horse racing and it means you’ll get paid out at SP if the SP odds are bigger than the odds you took when placing your bet.
Just imagine you had a £20 bet on a horse at 8/1 and it won at 10/1. If you’d place your bet with a bookmaker not offering BOG, you’d get back £180. But if you did place your bet with a bookmaker offering BOG, you’d get back £220. This can make a massive difference over time. So, if two bookmakers are offering the same best odds, but only one is offering BOG, it’s a no-brainer to bet with the bookmaker offering BOG.
Another popular concession offered by bookmakers is free bets if one of your bets fits the advertised criteria. Some free bets are awarded for picking winners at specified odds or above, for example, 4/1 or bigger. Other free bets are awarded if your horse finishes second in a race behind the favourite or fails to complete for some reason. These are all gimmicks that are worth considering, as they can save you losing money when the odds are the best at several bookmakers.
You’ll also find lots of football concessions, such as money back if a game ends 0-0 or a designated player scores during the match. Also, watch out for enhanced place terms on some races or tournaments, as these can also avoid losses or add extra winnings you wouldn’t have got at some bookmakers.
When’s The Best Time To Take Odds On A Horse Race?
This is a tougher question to answer, as odds can fluctuate for many reasons. If you’re the type of experienced punter that prices races and events up for themselves, you’ll simply bet when you think the odds are bigger than they should be. This is called getting value about your selections.
If you’re a punter that follows a horse racing tipster, it’s normally a good idea to take the best odds as soon as the tipster gives you his tip.
If he’s a popular tipster, the odds about this selection will often contract quickly as the bets flood in. This is especially true at smaller meetings or when no other horses have been tipped up by professional tipsters in the same race.
At bigger meetings or when several horses have been tipped up by opposing tipsters, the market can be quite volatile. Some horses may get backed the night before, while others get backed in the morning. Some even get backed in the ring in the last few minutes before a race starts, and this means the SP will be much shorter than anticipated.
All you can really do is take the best odds at the time you receive your tip, knowing that BOG will cover you if the SP is bigger. Just be aware that some bookmakers do not offer BOG, if you take a price before the day of the race, normally the evening before.
