Don't Get Conned Online

The sportsbook and sports betting sites have gained enormous popularity on the net but unfortunately they are not as well regulated as online casinos and this opens up the doors to potential scams. No matter which site you play at, always look for 3rd party certificates that verify the operation is totally clean. Also, read reviews and find out about what´s going on in the world of online gambling.

One particular area of online gambling that players really should watch out for is online sports betting. One recent online scam involved a sports betting website and an unwitting player. The most basic scam that can occur is when the player makes a bet and never gets paid out on it after the player wins. But there are more sophisticated scams going on that you must be aware of.

One industry expert recently described the classic scam:
"The scam goes like this. The operation identifies their target through a free online casino sports pick service. Once the player calls to get his free picks, the supposed pro handicappers, from Vegas, bait the player with a profit-sharing arrangement. The player is promised a 50/50 split on all profits from specific bets placed in a joint account where the sportsbook will front $86,000. The catch is the player has to invest $18k in this joint venture. The con artist convinces the player to deposit some if not all of the $18k into the sportsbook. When the $86k doesn´t show up, the player is told he must deposit more to meet the program requirements. When the player refuses to deposit further and demands a refund, the sportsbook announces that there are no refunds and the deposit is forfeited."

In general, online sports betting is not as heavily regulated as the online casinos. This opens up a greater possibility for con artists and scammers to try to take advantage of unsuspecting players. "You have to do extra research because there are no safety nets and only you are responsible for your funds." says Mr. Dozer. In the end, the victim lost close to $10,000 in this one scam and had this to say: "I feel duped and will do all I can to put these cheats and con men out of business. At the very least, keep this from happening to others."