Opening Online Acct

Opening an online account

Opening an account online is easy - the hardest decision you have to make is which site to join. One of the best ways to decide is to choose depending on what offer the company supply for newcomers to their site. Often a site will offer a free bet once you have deposited money into your account. We list all offers for new members here so before you decide have a look for the best offer for you from our list of recommended bookmakers.

If you're going to be looking for the best value in your fixed odds betting, then it is advisable to open several accounts so that you can choose the best price available on an event.

Opening an account
When you have chosen your site(s) go to the bookmaker's home page and look for the link for the 'new accounts' section (this will be called join/register).  Once you find it you will be presented with a form, much like if you were buying something online, where you have to supply your name and address and a few other details such as a username & password so you can login each time you visit. They will also ask you which currency you want to use. With some bookmakers you need to make a deposit to open an account, others let you open the account without putting any money in and then deposit funds at your convenience.

Typically the minimum deposit is £10.  This money is taken from your bank account or credit card and then shows as a positive account balance in your bookmaker account.  No more money is taken from your account so it's easy to limit your losses, and of course you are free to withdraw your money whenever you want much in the same way as you deposited it. Generally bookmakers like to give you winnings back on the same card that you deposited.

And that's about it. It should take 10-15 minutes, most bookmaker websites are user-friendly and incorporate an online demonstration facility, providing a step-by-step guide as to how to place a bet. The process varies slightly from site to site but the principal is generally the same and once you have used one, you will have little trouble using another. There is often a concern when giving your bank details over the internet but remember these firms are big businesses who deal fairly with punters and are closely regulated.

Making a bet
Once you have money in your account you are free to bet up to that amount on any market. There is unusually a minimum bet amount but this is rarely more than £2 and often less. To place the bet simply select the horse (or team or player) you want to bet on and then enter a stake and click on a button to enter your bet. You will then be presented with a confirmation page allowing you to confirm or cancel the bet.