The kick-off of another college and pro football season means a major surge of activity for proprietors of online gaming sites. Just as accountants have their tax season and retailers have their Christmas season, online gaming sites have football season. Of course, football season lasts much longer than these other events, about 20 glorious weeks spanning September through January.
“During football season we typically see a ten-fold increase in wagering over other times of the year,” says Mike Nickles, director of operations for SportsBook911.com and ParlayBook.com, two leading online gaming sites. “College and pro football games have an enormous appeal to the public from a wagering perspective. I don’t know that anyone has identified the reason for this, but it might have something to do with the fact that because there are so few games in the season, every one is important. Also, the week between games provides an opportunity for bettors to analyze the point spreads and everything that goes with it. It’s almost like a culture.”
Nickels points out that online gaming has become an accepted way of wagering for millions of people.
“This is not your father’s way of betting,” Nickles says. “Before the Internet, people looking to place a bet had to do so illegally with bookmakers. The whole thing had a back-alley, sleazy connotation to it. Today, that’s all changed. People can sit in front of their computers, in the privacy of their own homes, and place bets with reputable web sites run by corporations. “Nickels says consumers should approach online wagering in the same way as they do any other e-commerce transaction.
“People should be careful and try to know who they’re dealing with,” he advises. He suggests consumers ask these questions in determining the legitimacy of a wagering site:
q How long has the company been in operation?
q Are they licensed in their jurisdiction?
q Do they have toll-free lines for customer support?
q Is management available to all players are just high rollers?
q Do they offer the same, if not more, betting options than the Las Vegas sports books?
q Is the site fast and easy to use?@@
“During football season we typically see a ten-fold increase in wagering over other times of the year,” says Mike Nickles, director of operations for SportsBook911.com and ParlayBook.com, two leading online gaming sites. “College and pro football games have an enormous appeal to the public from a wagering perspective. I don’t know that anyone has identified the reason for this, but it might have something to do with the fact that because there are so few games in the season, every one is important. Also, the week between games provides an opportunity for bettors to analyze the point spreads and everything that goes with it. It’s almost like a culture.”
Nickels points out that online gaming has become an accepted way of wagering for millions of people.
“This is not your father’s way of betting,” Nickles says. “Before the Internet, people looking to place a bet had to do so illegally with bookmakers. The whole thing had a back-alley, sleazy connotation to it. Today, that’s all changed. People can sit in front of their computers, in the privacy of their own homes, and place bets with reputable web sites run by corporations. “Nickels says consumers should approach online wagering in the same way as they do any other e-commerce transaction.
“People should be careful and try to know who they’re dealing with,” he advises. He suggests consumers ask these questions in determining the legitimacy of a wagering site:
q How long has the company been in operation?
q Are they licensed in their jurisdiction?
q Do they have toll-free lines for customer support?
q Is management available to all players are just high rollers?
q Do they offer the same, if not more, betting options than the Las Vegas sports books?
q Is the site fast and easy to use?@@
