- Online Betting vs In-Person Betting: The Key Differences
- Online Sports Betting
- Online Casino Betting
- Online Betting Bonuses: Everything You Need to Know Before You Accept
- Betting Websites vs Apps: The Difference
- Payment Methods for Betting Online
- What are the Digital Responsible Gambling Tools?
- The Online Betting Wrap Up: Key Takeaways
- Betting Online FAQs
Online Betting vs In-Person Betting: The Key Differences
First things first, and this is learning the differences between betting online and betting in person. Knowing what features are available when gambling online versus at your local bookie can help you to build a betting experience and help you find the best online betting sites that are streamlined to your preferences
Here’s a general overview of the biggest differences between online and in-person betting:
| Online Sports Betting Websites | In-Person Bookies and Casinos | |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Accessible 24/7 from anywhere with internet access | Limited to bookie/casino operating hours and location |
| Betting Markets | Major, minor, and niche events/games covered | Major and fewer less popular events/games covered |
| Live (In-Play) betting | Yes | Rarely |
| Early Cash Out | Usually, yes | Rarely |
| Bonuses and Promotions | Yes (Welcome, matched deposit, free bets, loyalty, VIP, etc.) | Rarely |
| Payment Methods | Bank, debit, eWallets, cryptocurrencies, etc. | Cash or debit |
| Responsible Gambling Tools | Yes (time limits, loss limits, deposit limits, etc.) | Minimal |
BetMGM Review
Bet365 Review
DraftKings Review
Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is incredibly popular, even for those who are physically at the game itself. You don’t have to get up from your seat to place bets, and you can react to the action going on in front of you in a flash. There’s no time wasted going to the bookie or machine to place your bets, giving you the ability to take advantage of odds that work for you in a second.
You can learn all about betting on sports online in our more in-depth, comprehensive guides. These exist to help you to understand online betting, the tools available to you, and how to craft a responsible gambling strategy that works best for you.
While the specifics will differ slightly from one brand to another, here’s a few of the consistent basics that you need to know when it comes to online betting games.
Markets You Can Bet On
There are so many different markets that you can bet on when you use an online platform. Think major and minor leagues in every country and region. Think niche sports like archery or even chess. Nowadays, there are even virtual sports and eSports that you can bet on, giving everyone a chance to place a bet on their favourite team or player, no matter where in the world they’re located. We have in-depth betting guides for a huge range of sports, events and specific markets too.
Types of Bets You Can Place
When you place wagers online, you’ll typically have every betting option there is at your fingertips. This gives experienced bettors full control over their betting strategy. Don’t worry if you’re a novice or casual player, as there are many tools and resources available to simplify the process. Once you get the hang of things, however, you’ll be able to place so many different kinds of bets, as detailed below.
1. Single Bets
Single bets are bets that you can place once. These types of bets are typically placed on one single game. Single bets will usually have lower odds since you’re only betting on one specific outcome. This is in comparison to combined bets.
Placing a bet on which team or player will win the game.
Betting on the margin of victory (how many points ahead a team will win by)
Bet on whether the combined score is above or under a certain number of your choice.
You wager that a certain event will happen. For example, you bet that a certain player will score first, or how many three-pointers will occur during an NBA game.
You bet on a team winning the league at the start of the season.
2. Combined Bets
Combined bets mean compiling bets into a single bet. This means if you win 2 out of 3 of the bets in a combined bet, you would still lose the overall bet, because you need to win every leg to win that combined bet. These types of bets will have larger odds, since every bet you place lowers the chance of you winning.
With combined bets, it’s important to make sure that you know if and how you can cash out early. Being able to cash out early allows you to secure your current winnings before the game is over. If you think you may lose the full combined bet, you can cash in early. If you can, and how much you cash out, will depend on the bet, the gaming brand, and the game.
The Top-rated Sports Betting Sites in July
- Bonus: Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: Bet $10 Get $150 in Bonus Bets
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Partial Cash Out
- Bonus: New DraftKings Customers: Spend $5+ Get $150 in Bonus Bets *Paid Within 14 Days
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
- VIP Club
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: Bet $1 and get double the winnings up to $25 for your next 10 bets
- Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
Online Casino Betting
Online sports betting isn’t the only way to gamble online. Most betting brands will have a casino section on their site, and some may have even started off as just a casino brand. Regardless, casino betting opens you up to a world of fun online games. While the look and experience may differ to land-based casinos, the offerings you can find from online casinos are very similar. You’ll find luck-based games, strategy games, and more.
Fully Digitised Games
Luck-based games are one of the prime offerings when it comes to online casino betting. Slots are a great example of a digital luck-based game. When placing bets online, you have a massive collection of slot options, which vary based on theme, bonus rules, and more. There are even digitised versions of poker, where you play against a computer, and so on. The benefit of these types of games is that they’re available 24/7, whenever you want to play.
Live Casino Games
The second type of game you’ll find with the top online casinos is live games. In this instance, you’ll be playing a strategy-type game like poker with a real dealer. Live games are unique in that they’re only available at certain times, and there’s usually a video stream. You’ll also be playing against other real players, making it a great choice for those who want a challenge.
Online Betting Bonuses: Everything You Need to Know Before You Accept
One of the biggest reasons to switch from land-based casinos and sports bookies to betting online is the availability of bonuses, promotions, and loyalty programmes. There’s a lot that you need to be aware of with betting bonuses before you accept.
For example, there are wagering requirements. You can’t accept a matched deposit bonus, for example, and then withdraw the money without first wagering the matched deposit according to the stipulated rollover. There are even limitations in terms of what payment methods you can use to claim these bonuses. That’s why going through expert guides to learn about the different types of bonuses found in online casinos or sportsbooks, and how to use them, is so important. Bookmaker sign up bonuses are often different to loyalty promos for example.
Betting Websites vs Apps: The Difference
If you thought that betting online can only be done on a desktop web browser, then think again. There are online betting apps for your computer, tablet, and mobile phone. They’re typically geared towards either sports betting or casino games, but some operators may actually combine both areas into the same dedicated app.
Apps will often offer the same features found in their main online sportsbook or casino, and sometimes add in special in-app perks. Overall, these apps can be a faster, more convenient way to play. This is because apps have all the images, icons, and other visual assets pre downloaded. For example, in sports betting apps, only the odds need to be refreshed, so they can be much faster than their website counterpart.
That said, gambling apps also tend to have far more bugs than their website counterparts. Luckily, most of the time you should also be able to opt for mobile-optimised versions of your main gambling sites, which are just smaller versions of what you normally see and access. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference on whether you prefer the desktop version, mobile browser version, or an app.
The Leading Sports Betting Brands in 2026
| Brand | Bonus | Available In |
|---|---|---|
| Stake.com | Stake.com Bonus | Canada, Nigeria, UK & More |
| bet365 | bet365 Bonus | UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Canada, South Africa & More |
| BC.Game | BC.Game Bonus | Nigeria, Canda, UK & More |
| 22Bet | 22Bet Bonus | Canada, Nigeria, India & More |
| Betway | Betway Bonus | UK, Nigeria, Canada, South Africa & More |
| 20Bet | 20Bet Bonus | Canada |
| N1 Bet | N1 Bet Bonus | Canada & Nigeria |
| GG.Bet | GG.Bet Bonus | Canada & India |
| Parimatch | Parimatch Bonus | UK, Canada, India & More |
| Roobet | Roobet Bonus | Canada, India, New Zealand, Ireland & Nigeria |
Payment Methods for Betting Online
There are many different payment methods for betting online, which you can learn about in greater detail with our online guides. Just be aware that every region has its own unique limitations. In the UK, for example, you can’t fund your betting wallet with a credit card. This isn’t because of the gaming brand’s personal policies, but it’s due to legislation.
That said, in general most bookies will provide a wide selection of payment methods beyond credit cards, including:
- Debit cards
- Bank transfers
- PayPal
- Prepaid credit cards
- eWallets
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Boku
- Paysafecard
- Cryptocurrencies
What are the Digital Responsible Gambling Tools?
Responsible gambling tools are a series of limits that you can set for yourself. If you’re worried that you may get caught up in the heat of a game and wager more than you can afford to, you can set a variety of different restrictions for yourself. This is done in advance and can’t be changed until the limit has expired. Here’s just a quick list of the types of responsible gambling tools that you’ll likely see after you create an online betting account:
- Daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits
- Time restrictions that limit when you can place a bet
- Reality checks to continuously remind you to bet responsibly
- Self-exclusion lists to force a long-term break of your choice
- Cooling-off periods that lock you out of your account for a specific period of time, like 24 hours
- Loss limits that prevent you from betting more if you’ve lost a certain amount in your chosen time period.
You should also be able to see your full wagering history at any time, so you can clearly see how much you’ve bet in total, when you’ve bet, and more. This is useful for understanding how much you’ve cumulatively lost or won, and to track certain behaviours so that you can place bets more responsibly.
The Online Betting Wrap Up: Key Takeaways
Online betting brings with it so many new and innovative features designed to put you right in the driver’s seat when it comes to how you bet, when you bet, and where you bet. You can bet on your favourite teams wherever you are, watch streams, cash out early, and more. You can also play traditional and modern casino games whenever the mood strikes. The best part is that you can set responsible gambling tools so that you always stay within your limits. All that’s left is to find the best betting site for how you want to play and sign up.
Be Sure to Claim the Top Betting Bonuses to Get You Started
Betting Online FAQs
🎰 Are digital slots really random?
Yes, digital slot machine games use a Random Number Generator (RNG) to keep your online bets fair. This is the same system used in physical casinos today, with the exception of truly old machines that are entirely mechanical. This means that your online bets have the same chance at winning as they would in a land-based casino.
🎮 Can I bet on eSports online?
Yes, online sportsbooks now include eSports coverage, so you can bet on competitive gaming tournaments like Fortnite, Dota 2, or League of Legends. You can bet on the overall outcome and other in-play activities the same way as you can with traditional sports.
🤔 Why do I need to verify my identity?
Most countries require gaming companies to “Know Your Customer (KYC). This means that they’re legally required to verify that each player is above the age of majority after they create an online betting account. Gaming companies will also check your identity for safety and financial reasons, for example, checking that you’re the person in charge of your bank account.
💸 Can I gamble online using cryptocurrencies?
Yes, however you’ll need to use a gaming platform that actively accepts cryptocurrencies as payment, like Stake.com or BC Game. Always check in advance, since cryptocurrency support does change from one brand to another. For example, a crypto-friendly platform may only accept a handful of cryptocurrencies, so you’ll need to check that the specific type you have is accepted before signing up.
❓ Can I withdraw my winnings to a different account?
Yes, you can deposit funds from one type of account (for example, debit cards) and withdraw them to another account (like PayPal). You’re not limited to one payment or withdrawal method and can mix and match as you need to.
📱 Can I bet from my phone?
Yes, most online sportsbooks and casinos offer mobile-optimized websites or apps. You can place bets, deposit funds, and withdraw winnings all from your smartphone or tablet.