Choosing a racebook

Tips on Choosing a Racebook

Racebook is another term for a sports book specifically dedicated to horse racing. Until a few years ago, to place a bet in racebook you had to go to a casino or call for the wagers. Today, not only has the scene changed, it has gone online as well as high-tech. The choices are plenty in fact, you are so spoilt for choice that selecting a safe racebook site can be a daunting task.

Your search for the right online racebook would have to start with a visit to various review sites and blogs. Read what your peers have to say regarding specific racebook sites and do not go by reviews or commentaries at one website only. Visit several review sites and blogs so that you can select a clear winner based on the reviews and commentaries that have been written in favor of the racebook site.

Why choose an online racebook?

Let us derive the answer by examining the differences between an online betting venue and a brick-and-mortar venue such as a Casino

The brick-and-mortar Casino
If you were in Las Vegas you would have numerous options since this is the biggest gambling destination on this planet. However, no matter which premier casino site you visit, it will always be crowded and there will be many people lined up in front of the betting windows. A long queue of bettors is not only irritating, it is time consuming and in the case of a last minute bet, you might miss placing the bet altogether.

Some bettors value comfort and printed handouts above all else. At a casino you will have a lot of material at your disposal. You will even have computers that you can use to do any online research and may even have access to an individual or multiple viewing screens at one location. Brick-and-mortar casinos also offer almost all races as well as some exotic wagers like Quarter horses.

While ambience is the undisputed king of brick-and-mortar casinos, it has very little if any, effect on the final outcome of your bet. A lot of casinos offer sports betting because of their need to be seen as a “complete all-round experience casino” but very often, the infrastructure for racebooks is not at par with casinos.

If you bet considerable sums of money at a brick and mortar racebook, you receive special treatment. The professional and seasoned gamblers in horse racing are looking for personal service rather than anything else. Two other undisputed advantages of placing your sports bets at a brick-and-mortar casino is the food and drinks that are offered and the ability to converse with other bettors and in the bargain, maybe even receive a live tip or two.

The Online Racebook

An online racebook offers a wide variety of options to bet on right from the comforts of home. No need to travel to the nearest betting shops or casino to place a wager on your favorite horse. Any online racebook provides full track odds for multiple tracks locally as well as internationally. You could bet on the Kentucky Derby while sitting at far away Manhattan without moving out of your chair. Not only that, all wagering options like win, place and show wagers are available, so also Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta wagers, Parleys and many other kinds of bets are easily placed online.

Online racebooks also have several contests that clients can participate in for fun, something that would not be available at a brick and mortar betting shop. Choosing an online racebook allows you to bet on any racing event any time you want, at your convenience since betting is available 24/7.

Online racebook – money matters!
Online racebooks have slowly and steadily been eating into the clientele of the brick-and-mortar venues by offering unrivaled sign-up bonuses, re-load bonuses and other incentives. Online racebooks know they cannot compete with personalized services that are offered by casinos so instead, online racebooks offer the one thing that really matters to most sports bettors – cash incentives.

When it comes to individual or multiple viewing screens, online racebooks offer live high-speed video streaming which thanks to modern day high-speed internet, is as good as the LCD screens in Casinos.

Online racebooks sites offer the undisputed advantage of enabling your to bet from anywhere anytime. No more queues, no more traveling, no more stomach upset eating bad food or putting up with poor service.

There are a large number of online racebook sites so before you select one, it would be a good idea to look at what is on offer before you sign-up. Remember, you don’t have to sign-up unless you are ready to.

To begin with, most online racebooks offer 100% or more signup bonus. Doubling your initial deposit doubles your gaming experience but be sure to read the fine print because it will have details on how you may use the bonus. Also, before sign-up, check the takeout rates because these can often be quite high.

Also lookout for the rebate programs – these are usually offered at 3% on place, traditional win, and show wagers and upwards of 8% on exotic wagers. Rebates can be quite important and can at times tip the scale between you coming away with no money or some money in your pocket.

Once you’ve selected a particular online racebook you like, download and use the software that is provided. Familiarize yourself with it and see if you like it. It should be user-friendly, easy to understand and use with a lot of tools provided at your fingertips. Also view the quality of the video feed.

Finally, check out the deposits and withdrawal options to ensure they suit your requirements and last but not the least, revisit review sites to check out user experiences on customer service at the online racebook site you have selected. Playing the ponies from your home is today the preferred way as there are fewer distractions and you know you won’t suffer from a stomach upset. Also, between races you are free to attend to whatever takes you fancy – something I just couldn’t do at a racetrack or at a casino.