A beginner’s guide to online betting

From the betting shop to the internet

In the age of mobile apps it may sound like a tale from ancient times, but only a few years ago every bettor had to visit a brick-and-mortar betting shop to place a bet. There was no online betting, no modern betting websites and no quick drops. The internet changed everything. And sportsbooks did not miss out on its growing popularity either.

As early as the first years of the new millennium, anyone with internet access could open an account with a foreign bookmaker and start betting from the comfort of home. Domestic companies, led by Tipsport and Fortuna, entered the online world in 2009, and in 2017 they took full control of it with the help of politicians. That year, a law came into force requiring gambling companies operating in the Czech Republic to hold the necessary licence from the Czech Ministry of Finance.  

What online betting options do we have

The vast majority of domestic bettors were not affected by the law at all. Punters did not even notice that anything of the sort had come into force. To this day, an account with one of the domestic licensed companies is more than enough for them. Don't get us wrong. We don't blame them at all. On the contrary, we see nothing wrong with that.

But then there are cases like us. We had our reasons for betting with foreign bookmakers even before the aforementioned law was introduced, and we still have them. Domestic companies essentially lost their competition overnight. And bettors used to choosing from the higher odds of international companies such as BET365 suddenly could not log in to their accounts. And because obtaining a licence is still needlessly complicated and the Czech market is not that attractive, a number of major bookmakers left. A small ray of hope entered our betting hearts in 2022, when the originally Greek company Betano obtained a licence. Still, it is just one swallow, and one swallow does not make a summer.

Although some foreign operators have distanced themselves from Czech bettors completely, there are exceptions. There are operators who do not mind Czech clients. Most often, these are companies holding a licence from the island state of Curacao. You can find the brands we have vetted in the article Foreign sportsbooks.  

How to open an account with a sportsbook

Setting up a betting account for online betting is easy. The procedure is always more or less the same; the biggest difference is between registering an account with a Czech licensed operator and a foreign unlicensed one. In the first case, in addition to filling in the registration form, you identify yourself right away — or rather, you have 30 days from registration to verify your identity. You do this either via bank identity verification (the easiest and fastest way) or by visiting one of the brick-and-mortar branches in person.

With most foreign sportsbooks, there is no obligation to verify immediately. Clients are most often asked to do so only when requesting their first withdrawal. Even so, we strongly recommend contacting customer support before your first deposit and arranging identity verification right away. Verification is usually done with one of your personal documents (ID card, driving licence, passport), a statement from the payment method used, or possibly a selfie and some other documents.

Get bonuses

When opening a new account, don't forget about bonuses! Sportsbooks fight for every new client, and you can profit from it. How? Thanks to the bonuses prepared for both new and existing users.

There is a whole range of bonus offers – a free registration bonus, a first deposit bonus, a regular reload bonus, free bets and so on. You can find more detailed information about them in the Bonuses section. Every sportsbook offers something different. You can find out exactly what in the individual reviews.

Only bet what you won't miss

There are piles of tips for beginner bettors on the internet. You can find useful information in them, but also nonsense like “5 guaranteed tips on how sports betting will make you a millionaire”. This time, we will make do with a single piece of advice. Keep your financial situation in mind and only invest as much money in sports betting as you can afford to lose.   

If you are already of legal age and want to start betting, first choose a suitable sportsbook. Then start by registering an account with the chosen company. After successful registration and identity verification, you can top up your account and start betting. On top of that, most sportsbooks will give you an attractive welcome bonus to get started.

2️⃣ What do you need to open an account with a sportsbook?

Once you have chosen which sportsbook you want to bet with, you first have to go through registration. This consists of filling in a registration form where you enter your personal details, such as first name, surname, date of birth, gender, home address, e-mail and phone number. In addition to your personal details, you also choose a username and password. After registering your account, you need to verify your identity and e-mail address. The whole process may vary slightly depending on the specific company.