BetDSI or Diamond Sportsbook International celebrated their 12th year in business in 2010 and they look poised continue to do business for many years to come.  BetDSI may be a name you haven’t heard of before, but don’t let that fool you.  This is one of the better online sportsbooks in the industry, they just haven’t been as aggressive in their marketing department as some of the other top books on this site.  They don’t compromise on quality though, we found this to be one of easiest sportsbooks to fund and withdraw from.  It looks like they’ve invested in several payment processing options in lieu of marketing, which is really a plus for their players.

Payout Speed (4.5/5)

This book offers plenty of options to get your money out of your account.  They use many of the standard methods including instant checks person to person transactions.  They types of payouts are available at most books and take around 7-10 business days.  If have an account with MoneyBookers you may be able to get your payout even faster.  It’s nice that they have most of the options that the other books have, plus a quicker option should you want to open and fund an account through MoneyBookers.  Be sure to check their payout methods often (something you should check at ALL sportsbooks!))as some do not accept US customers and the processors may change, as well as fees and turnaround times.

Deposit Options (5/5)

BetDSI gets good points for their deposit options because they have so many.  We do need to note, however, that not all options are available for US customers, so be sure to check to make sure you will be able to fund your account.  For those living in the United States, there are still enough options to get your account funded quickly and securely.

Bonuses (3.5/5)

We weren’t blown away by the bonuses and promotions at BetDSI.  They have a decent loyalty program, but their deposit and reload bonuses are pretty standard throughout the industry.  In other words, you’ll get something, but it’s not going to be much.

Customer Service (4/5)

Overall customers service is good.  They have all of the contact options you like to see, including online chat, e-mail, and phone.  Their frequently asked questions (FAQ) section provides some basic information, but felt incomplete and it appeared some of the information was outdated.

Software (3.5/5)

The betting software and site interface at BetDSI will get the job done, but we didn’t find their site especially easy to navigate and place our wagers.  It’s a little bit different, but different isn’t always better, sometimes it’s just, well, different.  This is definitely an area where DSI could use some improvement.

Reliability (4.5/5)

This is a book with a very good reputation.  They have been in business for over 12 years now, and that’s saying something considering some of the quick open and close shops that go up in this industry.  You’ll find other sterling reviews on them all over the Internet and we feel confident in recommending them for your online betting needs.

The Holidays are finally here and many of the top online sportsbooks are in a giving mood.  That’s good news for us!  Below is a quick run-down of what we found to be the best bonus offers for the holiday season.

All of these offers look great to us, however, be sure you read all of the fine print at the book before signing up for any bonuses to make sure you know exactly what you are getting.  If you are new to betting on sports online, some of the bonus structures can be kind of confusing.  Many of the free plays require a large rollover period before you can withdraw your bonus money, so keep that in mind before making your decision.  Good luck and Happy Holidays!

If you would like to learn more about any these books before making a deposit, be sure to visit our sportsbook reviews season!

BetDSI – Deposit at least $100 and get a 300% bonus (25% Sportsbook, 100% Casino, 175% Poker).

Bodog - Unlimited 10% deposit bonus, plus their college bowl bonanza where you can earn up to $100 in bonuses just for betting on this year’s bowl games!

BetUS – $500 match bonus on new accounts with a deposit of $500 or more.  They’ve also got a ton of huge contests for the rest of the football season.

Sports Interaction - For a limited time you can get a 100% match bonus on your deposit of between $20 and $125.

Bookmaker - Their 300% Holiday Bonus Special gets you any of the following combination of these bonuses:  25% Sportsbook Bonus; 25% Sportsbook Bonus + 100% Casino Bonus; 25% Sportsbook Bonus + 100% Casino Bonus + 175% Poker Bonus.  All you have to do to qualify is open a new account and deposit $100 or more.

According to an article in the New York Post yesterday, there seems to be some support for online gambling legalization.

Representatives Spencer Bachus, Dave Camp and Lamar Smith, all in line to be committee chairmen with oversight of online gambling when Republicans take control of the House in January, said they have learned that the Senate may attach a measure to “must-pass” legislation during the current lame-duck session.

With the government’s continuing financial problems, you can see why legalizing and, more importantly to them, taxing online gambling is very attractive option.  As they see it, they are missing out on estimated billions of dollars in taxable money.

Internet gambling has provoked heated debate in Congress over the past few years. Proponents say regulating online poker and other games would bring billions into federal coffers, while opponents contend that it would encourage Americans to make poor financial choices and could open the market to children.

One of the biggest arguments about legalized gambling throughout the years has been, essentially, that people cannot be trusted to manage their own finances.  As with anything else, this is probably true for some and untrue for others.  The bottom line being that it probably should not be the government’s role to tell citizens what they should or shouldn’t do with their money.

The housing market’s recent bursting bubble is a good example of this.  If lawmakers are going to tell us what is good or bad for us financially, why were hundreds of thousands of people allowed to purchase homes they couldn’t afford?  That’s a topic for another day, however, you can see where the line gets blurry about what is a good way to spend our money and what is bad when elected officials try to impose their own values on the entire nation.

For now this simply sounds like a lot of go-nowhere debate, but I guess it is a step in the right direction?  Legalized online gambling would make the activity lucrative for United States-based businesses, taxable, and able to be regulated.  Right now none of those things are being done.  For now, we’ll just have to stick with our recommended online sportsbooks.

Sports Interaction has shot to the top of our list based on several key criteria.  They have started to offer more aggressive bonus offers, they typically have great lines, and they have recently re-established themselves as one of the more reliable sportsbooks in the industry.  In business since 1997, Sports Interaction was a relatively unknown book to start, but a good marketing campaign, coupled with vast improvements in customer service and payout reliability have catapulted them to a higher status.  Sports Interaction has successfully re-invented their brand, and we are happy to endorse them as one of the top choices for online wagering today.

Payout Speed (4/5)

Payouts with any online sportsbook these days isn’t exactly a streamlined endeavor, however, Sports Interaction makes the process as painless as possible.  They have three primary methods of to make a withdraw, all with varying processing times.  Certified checks are the most popular option, but you’ll have to wait for the mail and processing times will vary based on where you live.  Bank wires are a quicker option, taking approximately 3 days to hit your account, but you will need to provide the neccessary paper work to push it through.  Our favorite option is the eCheck, which requires very little paperwork and has the funds deposited directly into your bank account in about seven days.  It’s not perfect, but you should find that one of these options will work for you.

Deposit Options (4/5)

Sports Interaction has simplified their deposit methods to make funding your account as easy as can be.  Using your Visa or Mastercard credit/debit card is the first option that most customer choose.  Their Cash Transfer option is their most popular one.  Using this method allows you to take advantage of Cash Transfer at local retail outlets or online.  There are no fees for either method.

Bonuses (5/5)

It’s hard not to like the bonuses over at Sports Interaction these days.  Their most popular promotion is their 100% match bonus offer, currently running up to $125.  Just make a deposit of $20-$125 and they will match it 100%, giving you more money to wager with.  This book tends to run different promotions at different times of the year, so keep your eye out here or at their site for their next big bonus offer.

Customer Service (5/5)

Our customer service experience with Sports Interaction has been a good one.  Their online chat makes getting a hold of someone to help you with any problems a breeze.  They also have the option to e-mail or phone their customer service department, but if you have access to your computer you’ll find the quickest and most helpful option is their online chat.

Software (4.5/5)

Sports Interaction features one of our favorite interfaces.  It’s very intuitive, making it easy to get your bets in quickly on any event.  They also feature live betting, letting you place bets while the action is happening.  Whether you are an experience bettor or new to the online betting world, we think you will find this book’s software is above average in the industry.

Reliability (4/5)

We hate to penalize a book for past concerns, but they are worth noting.  Over ten years ago Sports Interaction was not considered one of the most reliable online sportsbooks.  As with any young book in their early stages, they had discrepancies on payouts and had many complaints submitted at other review sites.  That’s old news.  We’re here to tell you that you need not worry about wagering with Sports Interaction.  Any past problems have been resolved and they are now one of the most reliable places to bet online.

In my BetUS sportsbook review I mentioned that one of the best things that BetUS had going for it was their bonus offers.  Now I intend to prove that fact by running down a list of some of the bonuses you get when you sign up for a new account with BetUS.

For your first time deposit you have a few options.  The standard offer is a 55% bonus on your initial deposit.  For example, say you wanted to get started with $100.  Just go ahead and open account, make the deposit, and BetUS will add a $55 to your account, giving you a starting bankroll of $155 for your $100 deposit.  Not bad, huh?

If you can afford to deposit a little more when you open a new account, BetUS is really going to hook you up.  Follow our link to BetUS now and deposit $500 or more and they are going to give you a $500 match bonus!  Let me say that again.  That’s a $500 BONUS to play with for opening a new account and making a deposit of $500 or more.  Just remember to follow one of the links in this post to take advantage!

I would argue that these are two of the best promotions going for initial deposits, but BetUS wouldn’t have the best bonuses in the business if they didn’t take care of their current customers.  Let’s say you go and get a new account, get your bonuses, but still manage to lose what you’ve got in your account.  BetUS is still going to give you a 50% bonus when you reload your account, plus, twice a year, they give out a 10% “gambler’s insurance” bonus, equal to 10% of your wagering losses.  There aren’t many books that take better care of their existing clients than BetUS.

Bodog was established back in 1995, but it wasn’t until fairly recently that they have grown into one of the most popular destinations for online wagering.  Bodog has been expanding their brand into other areas of entertainment, but it all starts with the sportsbook, where they have created one of the better sites in the industry.  It’s user friendly interface and impressive and underdog lines that are tough to beat make it a solid choice for those that are new to sports betting as well as experienced bettors.

Payout Speed (4.5/5)

Getting your payout from Bodog is relatively simple.  The most common way to accomplish this is to use a check by courier (usually FedEx) which typically takes between 4 and 7 business days.  Bank wires are also an option, however, they may take 5-10 business days to process.  Considering that many online sportsbooks are struggling to get payments out within 3-4 weeks, I give Bodog good marks for their payout speed.

Deposit Options (3/5)

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not difficult to get money into your Bodog account using a credit or debit card (for most customers), but they don’t have as many options as some of the other books we feature.  Most people are okay using their credit card, but for those who only want to use alternative methods for deposit, you might want to look elsewhere.

Bonuses (3/5)

Bodog does have some good bonuses from time to time, but I have noticed them becoming less frequent and less enticing.  They’ve got the pretty standard 10% deposit bonus and will sometimes offer a 100% match up to a certain amount, but I think now that they are a more established brand they aren’t as worried about reeling in new customers with great bonus offers.  This is too bad as Bodog used to have one of the most aggressive bonus programs in the business.

Customer Service (4/5)

No real complaints about the customer service.  E-mail turnaround time was about 24 hours (as they stated it would be) and I did not have any problems reaching someone on the phone to answer any questions I had.  There online knowledge base can answer just about any questions you might have, but it would also be nice to see a live online chat option, the lack of which is the only thing keeping me from boosting their rating here.

Software (5/5)

Bodog features one of my favorite user interfaces.  It’s simple, easy to read, looks good, and is intuitive enough that I think just about anyone could create and account and jump right into betting.  A definite bonus for those looking for their first book, but also a refreshing change of pace for experienced bettors who have been struggling with cumbersome and out-dated sites.

Reliability (4/5)

Being one of the biggest sportsbooks out there, Bodog is in great shape and you should feel confident placing your wagers there.  A slight deduction here due to a past dispute over their domain name, which caused the site to temporarily move to another domain.  This appears to have been put behind them, but it was still a major issue when it did happen.

In business since 1998, 5Dimes sportsbook ranks among the favorites for high-dollar players.  They offer extremely competitive lines, including what we’ve found to be the best baseball odds in the business.  This book offers some decent bonuses from time to time, but I am not overly impressed with their overall bonus program.  Much like some of the other older books, they can rely a little more on their reputation, so you won’t find them being very aggressive with targeting new players.  Don’t let that detract you, however, because the money you can make up with better lines (particularly in baseball, where they offer 5 cent overnight lines) is worth as much or more than a good initial bonus.

Payout Speed (4/5)

The payout system at 5Dimes is on par with most online sportsbooks in terms of the options you have at your disposal, but they lose a point from me because they don’t make it especially easy to request your payout.  This is of course an increasing problem in the industry because of stricter regulations on banks, but I would like to see them implement better software for the requests.

Deposit Options (4.5/5)

5Dimes does allow you to deposit with a credit or debit card, which automatically makes them better than a lot of books in the market.  They have a few other ways to fund your account, including sending a bank wire or Fedex-ing a check, but they don’t have quite as many options as some of the other books we’ve reviewed.

Bonuses (3/5)

It isn’t that the bonuses at  5Dimes are bad by any means, they just aren’t anything to get excited about.  They do make up for a lack of “sexy” bonuses in other ways, like better lines and a very strong reputation, but the fact of the matter is that they just don’t stack up that well against some of the other bonus programs out there.

Customer Service (5/5)

Customer service is easy to use and, perhaps most importantly, they are very easy to get in touch with.  They offer live chat, plus phone and e-mail support for any problems that come along.  They’ve been in business long enough to know that strong customer service can set you apart in this industry, and 5Dimes sets themselves apart here with flying colors.

Software (3.5)

Placing bets is easy enough at 5Dimes, but it’s a little cumbersome and it isn’t very pretty.  I’m sure it’s no easy task to overhaul an entire betting software system, but my opinion is that it needs to be done sooner than later.

Reliability (5/5)

5Dimes ranks up near the top of our list of reliable sportsbooks.  This speaks to their longevity and their outstanding payout record throughout the years.  If you’ve been around the block and have been looking for a sportsbook you can feel 100% confident in, move 5Dimes to the top of your list as the next online sportsbook to sign up for.

Bookmaker is one of the leaders in the online sportsbook business.  They’ve been around as long as anyone (established in 1985) and have been consistently one of the most reliable sites in the industry.  My biggest gripe is that they simply don’t do a lot with their bonuses.  You will get a little something for funding your account, and a little something for reloading them, but they’ve certainly never “wowed” me with any of their bonus offers.  You get the feeling that they aren’t too hard up for players, so they aren’t going to bend over backwards just to get you to sign up.  In short, great reliability, but lacking in bonuses.

Payout Speed (5/5)

As far as getting cashed out of your account, Bookmaker is one of the tops in the industry in getting you your money.  Keep in mind that “fast” in terms of cashing out of an online sportsbook is a relative term.  Do not expect your money same-day, but the standard 7-10 business days for a check via Fedex is about as good as it gets unless you fill out the paperwork to request a bank wire.

Deposit Options (5/5)

There isn’t much you can’t use to get money into a Bookmaker account.  They accept most major credit cards, which is getting harder and harder to find, plus have all of the options that any other book has and more.

Bonuses (3/5)

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, bonus offers are the only thing that’s really lacking at Bookmaker.  They’ve had the 20% sign up bonus for a long time, which is nice, but it would be a real incentive if they could boost that percentage every now and again to compete with some of the newer books’ offers.

Customer Service (4/5)

The customer service is fine, but I’m docking them a point because they do spam you on the phone – relentlessly.

Software (4/5)

Bookmaker.com is a very attractive site and fairly easy to navigate, but their odds/wagering software isn’t the most intuitive around.  After a few wagers you’ll breeze through it, but the learning curve is a little more steep than at some other online sportsbooks.

Reliability (5/5)

Nothing but praise for Bookmaker as far as reliability goes.  They’ve been in the business a LONG time and won’t be going anywhere soon.  We have no reports of any difficulties withdrawing funds or bonuses not been added to accounts.  This is where Bookmaker is better than about every other book online.  This comes partly from a straight-forward bonus system (some books have way too many rules about rollover and what you can and can’t bet on), but it works, period.

Sportsbook.com is one of the most recognized names in sports betting on the Internet today.  The biggest complaint about them has been that the payout speed is inconsistent.  They have improved in this aspect over the past couple of years, but it is still their biggest flaw.  Overall the site offers a ton of exotic wagering options on top of the standard ones you see everywhere else.  If you are into prop betting, I would definitely recommend signing up for an account here as they have the most options I have seen so far.

Payout Speed (3/5)

Like I said, we have have reports of some delays here, but nothing too serious.  I definitely understand how frustrating it can be to cash out of a book and have to wait weeks or months before you get your funds, but since this is the exception and not the rule, I’m willing to give them about an average rating here.

Deposit Options (4/5)

Sportsbook.com offers quite a few options to deposit, but I have to ding them here because they only accept Visa as far as credit cards go.  There are still plenty of other options if you don’t have a Visa card, but they take a little more time to set up and many of the options aren’t available to US players.

Bonuses (3.5/5)

The bonuses here aren’t bad, they just aren’t great.  They do get creative with some of their promotions (my favorite is the $13 million perfect bracket contest during March Madness), which can be a lot of fun, but as far as real value here they aren’t much better than the rest of the pack.

Customer Service (4/5)

Customer service is readily available via phone or online chat and I have always found them to be friendly and helpful.  Customer service is always a difficult rating because when people call or write in it is usually when something goes wrong, and they aren’t usually very happy to begin with.  Our personal experience has been rock-solid, but we have had a few people write in explaining that things simply were not explained to them clearly.  Overall, though, I’d say your chances of getting any real problems resolved are pretty good through their customer service.

Software (5/5)

The site is attractive and easy to navigate.  I find it to be one of the easiest to seek out the wager type(s) you are looking for.  They are usually one of the first books to throw up season win/loss odds in the major sports and, as I mentioned before, they offer some very intriguing props throughout each season.

Reliability (5/5)

Sportsbook.com has a massive customer base and have been in business since 1996.  They remain in good financial standing and show no signs of closing up shop or stiffing their players on legitimate winnings.

BetUS is quickly becoming one of the top online sportsbooks in the industry.  What we’ve found is that they offer some of the best initial sign up bonuses in the business.  They offer a wide variety of betting options for their players and, compared to other offshore books, they provide plenty of deposit and withdraw options to make it pretty easy to get your money in and out with minimal hassles.  By and large they’ve had very few complaints and they continue to be in excellent financial standing, meaning they are not going to close up shop or keep your winnings.

Payout Speed (4.5/5)

We’ve found this book’s payout speed to be on par or better than the rest of the sportsbook industry.  It has gotten harder over the past few years for books to get the money to players, but given the limited options they do have to pay you, BetUS delivers well on this aspect.

Deposit Options (5/5)

It is getting more and more difficult to find books that allow you to deposit with a credit/debit card.  You’ll have to fill out some paperwork about your depositing credit card before you make any withdraws from BetUS, but this is standard operating procedure these days, so it’s nothing to be alarmed about.

Bonuses (5/5)

BetUS offers some of the most aggressive bonuses we’ve seen in the industry in years.  The highlight is their $500 match bonus for deposits on $500 or more, but they are constantly updating their incentives to get you to join.

Customer Service (4/5)

There’s phone support and live chat available 24/7, but there have been complaints in the past that some of the customer service representatives weren’t has helpful or knowledgeable as they should have been.

Software (5/5)

The BetUS site is easy to navigate and it’s simple to place wagers or manage your account.  Something I like about this book is that they are always trying to improve the customer experience which has led to some really good site updates lately.

Reliability (4.5/5)

Our staff feels secure betting with BetUS and we have not received any complaints about disrupted payments or anything of the sort.  There are some other sites out there where complaints have been logged, so we don’t want to ignore that fact, but to the best of our knowledge BetUS is as good as any other site as far as honoring your wagers and payout requests.