6.Test out customer services to see if they meet your standards or standards they promise you.

7.If you know about betting already, then check some of their odds and lines – are they in keeping with what you would expect? Some less scrupulous sportsbooks offer very attractive prices to lure unsuspecting bettors.

8.Find out if sportsbook is part of a larger group of companies. Sometimes this means added solidity.

9.What are deposit and withdrawal options and associated charges. These vary quite a bit from book to book. Options should be available that are ‘free’ or where sportsbook absorbs charges. But ask yourself ; “how easy is it to get access to my money and how much does it cost?”

Not all above are critical – but help towards finding a secure book.

If you have already have an account with a sportsbook watch out for lapses in customer service and slowness of payment – these can be signs that company could be in trouble.

The UK has a number of established books including William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, and Victor Chandler. I also like SportingBet (www.SBSportsbook.com) who take US customers and cater for global sports markets.

I would say that US bettors are at most risk since they are generally forced to bet at offshore sportsbooks due to legality issues. The offshore books with whom I work are top grade but it is in offshore environment that problems occasionally occur. It is, therefore, critical that those customers put in research before signing up.

Happy betting!

The Author has been a professional sports bettor and trader for seven years. He runs his own sports betting and trading service at: www.arbitrage.ws as well as helping to advise a number of sportsbooks:

www.vipsportsgroup.com www.sbsportsbook.com www.betonenine.com www.betongameday.com

Point 3 - Hockey has now become a game of Chicken

Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow are playing most expensive game of chicken profesionnal sports has ever seen. Bettman is out to break union, and Goodenow will not go back to table, if offer resembles anything like latest proposal put forth by owners. The problem for Goodenow right now is that his players are starting to talk. While some players are making fairly controversial statements (look up Chelios on this lock-out), players for most part, just want at least semblance of an effort made by their player association. To majority of players making league average or less, only thing they see out of this waiting game is diminishing support capacity for their current lifestyle. Sure, over 200 players have gone to Europe, but that also in not a real option for a lot of players, that have family commitments or other that keep them in North America. They are beginning to realize that in end, outcome of these negotiations will not favor them. Both owners and union admit that salaries will decrease in next collective bargaining agreement. So why should they have to get NO money, when at least SOME money can go to paying their mortgage? A Union is supposed to represent best interests of all its players. Sure, owners did cause this problem. It is not a player's fault if he accepts a 10 million dollar a year deal. Would YOU turn down that kind of money? I think not.a