International Betting Sites

What is Offshore Betting?

In a nutshell, offshore betting is when you place your bets at international bookmakers licensed and regulated in jurisdictions other than yours. For instance, for an American bettor, an offshore betting site is one operating from outside the US. Similarly, for an Aussie punter, an offshore betting site is a bookie that offers its products from abroad and not from Australia.

So, why is offshore betting such a big deal? First, you hear so much about offshore betting because it is widespread. There are thousands of international betting sites, and it is quite easy to join most of them. Moreover, the best among them boast enticing markets and odds, so it pays well to place your bets there.

However, there is also another reason why offshore betting is getting so much attention. Domestic bookies often feel there is unfair competition when an offshore sportsbook enters their regulated market. So, they urge regulators and authorities to act and stop them.

And if you look at things from domestic bookies' perspective, they might have a point. After all, these are bookmakers within a regulated market that pay licensing fees, provide tax revenue to governments, and incur other concession-related expenses. So, they want to be the only ones allowed to offer online betting products within that market. However, when there is no decent bookie in a regulated market, offshore betting sites are an excellent alternative.

International Betting Scene Explained

The sports betting scene constantly changes and evolves, even when confined to a single market. That's great for bettors as it allows them to check out new betting products and enjoy innovative perks resulting from thatct competition between domestic bookmakers.

Interestingly, that's also what international betting sites have to compete with when they want to penetrate a new market. So, it is fair to say that offshore gambling sites must work extra hard to meet the demands of multiple markets. Once again, bettors are those who benefit.

For instance, international sports betting sites targeting the US, European, and Australian markets have to boast sports events from the NFL, NBA, MLB, the UEFA Champions League, the AFL, and the NRL. And that's just the start. These offshore sportsbooks must also include second-tier competitions, reserve leagues, amateur tournaments, etc. The markets and odds have to be top-notch too.

In short, an international bookie competes with all local sportsbooks at their own game and tries to beat them. It is easy to see how punters are the ones profiting from this bookmaker rivalry.

International Sports Betting Sites – Legal And Regulated Markets

Wonder whether online sports betting is legal where you live? Wonder no more. We tell you which markets are completely regulated and which jurisdictions allow legal betting, but only in some areas and regions.

Completely Regulated Markets

International online betting sites are on the rise, and that's to be expected, considering that there is a worldwide tendency to legalize sports betting. These days, there are more and more countries with completely regulated sports betting markets, and that number is bound to go up. Here's a list of some more prominent and completely regulated betting markets:

• Australia

• Austria

• Canada

• Colombia

• France

• Germany

• Ireland

• Italy

• Spain

• Sweden

• the Netherlands

• the UK

In these countries, it is legal to play at online sports betting sites. However, each market comes with its unique laws. For instance, pregame bets are perfectly legal in Australia, but live betting still isn't. In Canada, on the other hand, only parlay bets were allowed until August 2021. However, now you can place both single and accumulator wagers.

As we mentioned, the list of countries and regions that will legalize betting will only get bigger. For example, Brazil will soon become a completely regulated market. Similarly, the US is taking giant steps towards legalizing gambling in each state, and to the joy of all US bettors, that might happen pretty soon.

Partly Regulated Markets

There are also markets where online sports betting is regulated but not fully or not in all areas and regions. Let's look at some of these countries and explain why online sports betting is only partly regulated in each.

• Argentina

• Nigeria

• Russia

• the Philippines

• the USA

There are two reasons why the status of sports betting is considered partly regulated in these markets. One group of countries, such as the USA, Argentina, and Russia, regulate sports betting but not across their entire territory.

For instance, in the USA, online betting and sportsbooks are legalized in some states, such as New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Colorado. However, in others like California and Florida, it still isn't. Similarly, in Argentina, sports betting is regulated by provinces, while sports wagering in Russia is regulated in only four regions.

The other group of countries with partly regulated markets allows in-person betting but forbids online betting. Nigeria is one such nation. The situation is similar in the Philippines. However, if you visit the Philippines, you will notice another interesting phenomenon - tourists getting special betting privileges not available to locals.

International Sports Betting Sites – Unregulated Markets

Even though the number of regulated sports betting markets is on an upward trajectory, some countries still frown on online gambling and sports betting. However, this list is not written in stone, and chances are some of these markets will have a change of heart soon. So, make sure to come back to Betpack at a later time and check if the situation has changed.

• Bahrain

• China

• Egypt

• India

• Japan

• Qatar

• Saudi Arabia

As you can see, this list is mostly comprised of countries where gambling has always been denounced. However, there are still some exceptions. For instance, in Japan, betting on horse racing is legal. In Egypt and India, on the other hand, in-person betting is forbidden by law, but there are no regulations for online sports betting and online gambling.

How Safe is Sports Betting Online?

Betting online is really safe today, especially when placing your bets at reputable online bookies. Gone are the days when you entered your personal info and then kept your fingers crossed not to get scammed. Customer protection is a top priority for the best offshore betting sites, and they utilize the latest security technology to achieve that. Make sure to check the reviews when choosing.

UK bookmakers full list, including top offshore betting sites, rely on state-of-the-art encryption protocols to ensure the security of your personal and financial information. They encrypt the connection, and the data you enter is so scrambled not even the most persistent hackers can use it.

However, no security technology protects you from being careless. So, you must pick a reliable betting app or site. Also, don't give your valuable info to everyone that asks for it. Entering your financial information before depositing at trusted sites is one thing. Leaving it to a fraudulent foreign scammer is quite another.

You enter the promo code to activate the bonus. This lets the bookie know that you have reacted to a specific promotional campaign, and you get the additional perks associated with it.

Betting Types and Odds

The thing with foreign betting sites is they have to give punters the betting types and odds they are used to. And because they operate in multiple markets, they must have it all.

So, offshore online sportsbooks boast bet types that suit all bettors. For instance, international bookmakers have a fantastic range of point-spread markets so that American punters don't feel left out. Similarly, offshore gambling sites also offer moneyline bet types, totals, handicaps, and a myriad of other markets to please European football fans, Asian cricket aficionados, Australian rugby fanatics, and all other betting-crazed enthusiasts.

The international betting sites also work with the three most popular odds formats, decimal, fractional, and American. That allows them to connect with as many bettors as possible and lets you pick the format you are most familiar with and use it to make the most of your bets.

Popular Sports to Bet on at Offshore Sportsbooks

Best sites tailor their sports offering to meet the needs of punters from different countries. That means that when you join one, you can bet on almost all sports and have a minimum of forty or fifty different options to pick from at any given time. The most popular sports available include:

• Basketball

• Soccer (European football)

• American football

• Tennis

• Rugby

• Cricket

• Boxing

• MMA

• Horse racing

• Hockey

• Etc.

These sports are only the tip of the iceberg at the best offshore betting sites, as punters can also bet on super-obscure sports such as bandy, curling, and pesapallo too.

However, as you can imagine, not all sports are popular with all bettors. As we already mentioned, punters in the US like to bet on the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Bettors in Europe and Asia, on the other hand, tend to go for football (soccer), tennis, and basketball. Australians' favorite sports to bet on are rugby, cricket, and horse racing, while Africans and South Americans are usually football-crazy.

Most Common Betting Markets at International Betting Sites

International betting sites have all the markets you need. In fact, the more popular the sport, the more markets will be available for you. Let's look at the most common betting markets offshore online betting sites have and see if you can find one that will work for you.

Moneyline

Moneyline is the most straightforward market. In it, you bet on the winner of the game. In some sports, such as tennis, this is a 2-way market, whereas in others, like football, there are three possible outcomes, home win, away win, and draw. There are no handicaps and point spreads in this market, and the team that wins the game is the option you want to pick. Moneyline is also the most popular market with most bettors, with the exception of American punters.

Point Spread

Point spread markets are super-popular in the US and are the first pick of American bettors. In these markets, the bookie gives an advantage to one of the teams and handicaps the other thus leveling the playing field. The point spread represents by how much the team you pick needs to win or lose for you to have a winning bet.

Totals

You can find totals markets in all sports. With the Over/Under market, you can predict how many goals, points, or runs will be scored in a game and whether they will be over or under a predetermined threshold. Totals markets are usually the second-most popular bet type in countries around the world.

Outright Bets

Outright or futures bets allow you to bet on outright winners. For instance, you can predict that the Los Angeles Lakers will win the NBA Championship before the season or that Real Madrid will triumph in the Champions League as it has done so many times before. You can also bet on propositions such as the best goal scorer in the English Premier League, the next NBA MVP, the player to win the World Cup Golden Ball award, and so on.

Need-to-Know Betting Tips & Tricks for Offshore Betting

If you want to make the most of offshore betting, approach wagering the right way. First, set aside a sports betting budget and use it only to fund your offshore wagering adventure. This bankroll shouldn't interfere with your everyday expenses, so make sure you spend money you can afford to lose.

Another thing to remember is to find international betting sites that work with payment methods that are popular in your country. An offshore sportsbook can be absolutely top-notch, but it will be of little use to you if you cannot make a withdrawal because the payout options are not available where you live.

Lastly, the best offshore betting sites are famous for the enticing bonuses they offer, so make sure you make the most of that. Read our offshore sportsbook reviews and find online betting sites that are generous and give you bonus funds regularly. That means picking international bookmakers that have enticing welcome bonuses, free bets, reloads, and VIP program perks.