What do you look for in a Off-Shore Book?

[STEVE TURNER]

Survey Time: I hate surverys but I think this would help Sports Books address our needs. Please respond in the order of importance what you look for in a Book. Add any thing you desire. PLEASE LIST IN THE ORDER OF YOUR PREFERENCE.

1. REDUCE VIG
2. GOOD ON-LINE WAGERING
3. SERVICE DEPT.
4. PROMPT PAY-OUTS
5. GOOD ENLISH SPEAKING OPERATORS
6. SIGN-UP BONUS
7. RE-LOAD BONUS
8. PARLY AND TEASER ODDS
9. 24/7
10.LENGTH OF TIME IN BUSINESS
11.REFERRAL FEES

[Avs]

1) Prompt payouts
2) lenglth of time in business
3) service
4) online
5) any bonuses or reduced vig

[sportshobby]

1) chance of getting paid
2) prompt and convenient payouts (e.g. NETeller)
3) non-clone lines
4) generous limits
5) online - quick site with generous limits that DOES NOT time out and make me log in over and over and over . . .
6)lines posted on a low-cost odds service such as IslandXpress
7)reduced vig, specials, and bonuses

[Vickey]

Well I have to get my thoughts in on this. Though I've been around for many years, I've only recently taken a look at any offshore books and I've signed up at a couple and here is what is important to me (and not necessarily on the list you have):

1. First - how much info do they have about themselves on the site BEFORE I even think about signing up. Including 800 numbers, e-mail addresses and especially mailing addresses. Also, any info on who owns it and the legal jurisdiction it resides in can make a difference.

2. Length of time in business - CRITICAL. I will not patronize a new book. Nothing to think about on that...even though I play small amounts. New books will do well initially and will payout, etc. That wears off when the BM gets beat a few times in some cases and I don't want to have my money there when it happens to the newbies that don't know how to spend their marketing dollars and book their bets properly.

3. Site Appeal - If the site is ugly, I'm not going there! You ask "why?" Simple...if they can't create a good-looking, eye-appealing site that isn't gawdy, they can't possibly have a clue how to run a business!

4. Online System - Must have an easy to use system with easy signup, easy deposits. I don't want to take several hours or days to signup. I want to be online in minutes and in the system doing my thing!

5. Prompt payouts
6. Prompt posting of game results
7. Numerous betting options

Vig, bonuses, all irrelevant to me because of the amounts I play. If I think the price is good on the side I'm playing based on what is out at other locations, I don't care about the take-back.

:cool: