Cases of betting accounts getting closed down by bookmakers, these days, are a dime a dozen. Unless you are a greenhorn in the online betting landscape, you must have noticed more and more bettors complaining about getting banned or severely restricted on bookmaking websites.
So what are the reasons behind such practice? Why do bookmakers restrict or close betting accounts? What are the criteria that bookies follow to identify user accounts that are adverse to their business interests? To keep your betting account functional, you must be aware of the activities that can jeopardize your stature with the bookies.
Read on to find out how you could avoid having your account restricted by your bookmaker.
Why Do Bookmakers Restrict or Close Betting Accounts?
Bookmakers want to get as many customers as possible on their books, yet they stipulate in their terms and conditions that they can ban/restrict customer accounts at their sole discretion. When more customers usually translate to more business, then why does this provision bans customers?
Well, there are certain types of bettors that are hard to sustain in the longer run. Bookies are in business to make money – make no mistake about that. If certain bettors have devised a strategy, legitimate or fraudulent, to win more frequently than they lose, then that severely affects the bookmakers’ sustainable business model. The end result – one fine morning the bettors find their accounts getting banned.
Wondering what is behind the crackdown on punters that bookies view as fraudulent or dangerous for their business?
1. Abusing Promotional Offers
Introductory offers, welcome bonuses, and seasonal promotions are the baits bookmakers use to lure potential customers. They want you to get hooked on the addictive nature of betting. Few smart punters may take advantage of such offers to end up on the credit side of the ledger, but most would lose.
And it’s natural for the losing parties to deposit from their own pocket in a bid to draw level. That’s the sole purpose for bookies to introduce such promotional offers.
Having said that, there are bettors who don’t spend a dime from their own pocket and rely only on promotional deals. They hop on from one bookmaker to another and claim the freebies to support their betting activities. Bookmakers view such activities as abusive.
Their goal is to entice you with promotions – letting you make small winnings – only to jerk the rug under your feet when you invest more from your own wallet. If you restrict your activities only to bet on promotions, then the bookies are at a mathematical disadvantage. They are not in a position to let you continue to be a smart aleck, so you will find your betting account getting banned sooner than the latter.
How to Avoid: Make it a point to make small deposits on your own from time to time, especially when you are lucky with promotional offers. That would make the bookmakers feel that you are on the square.
2. Betting Only on Niche Markets
Suppose you are an expert in the game of football and you are leveraging your knowledge to earn handsomely from football betting while staying clear from all other betting options. That would make bookmakers raise more than an eyebrow.
While your good fortune might be due to detailed research and careful analysis, they would feel that you have come up with some mechanism to beat the spirit of gambling. If you win a few consecutive bets on a particular niche, the bookmaker will see the red flags. Win a few more and your account will promptly get restricted.
How to Avoid: You have every right to concentrate on any niche that you specialize in. But don’t make it too obvious. Bookies like punters who play on a hunch, rather than those who rely on statistics and analysis.
So to be on the good book, show occasional interest in variety – it won’t harm to lose a few small bets here and there if you could make up for the losses on your specialized niche betting. You can also spread your betting activities across multiple bookmakers to balance your winnings.
3. Engage in Arbitraging
Arbitraging is the art of making a small riskless profit by placing bets on both sides of a market. Shrewd bettors take advantage of market mispricing or slow movement of odds to arbitrage with one or more bookmakers – allowing them to earn money irrespective of the outcome.
Small money arbitraging usually goes unnoticed, but if the stakes are high, then be aware that you will find yourself banned in a matter of days.
How to Avoid: It’s for you to decide whether the benefit of arbitrage – which is small risk-free money – outweighs the risk of getting banned. If you think the risk isn’t worthwhile, then it’s better not to engage in arbitraging.
4. Instant Withdrawal of Earnings
As long as your winning remains in your betting account, the bookmakers feel safe. They feel confident that you will gamble again and hopefully (for them) tank it the next time. If you win and instantly withdraw all your earnings, it prompts the red flag. Do the same repeatedly and your betting account will no longer remain active.
How to Avoid: Never withdraw every cent that you win from betting. Leave enough to make the bookie feel that you would continue to engage in betting activities. If you manage to win a big bet, withdraw your earnings in installments. This way, you will be able to encash most of your winnings even if you get banned at a later time.
The Final Words
To keep your betting accounts active with leading bookies, you need to make your own investments occasionally. Relying only on promotional offers is a mistake most newbies make and it results in getting their accounts banned.
Don’t try to abuse the system and in turn, your account won’t get abused. Also, avoid betting on niche markets alone. Try to diversify your betting activities so that there are no easily distinguishable patterns.
Engaging in arbitraging can be another costly mistake as losing your betting account can be an irreversible process. Last, but not least, the biggest mistake bettors make is to wipe out all of their earnings in a single shot. Requesting for withdrawal soon after striking gold is an immediate red flag.
Let the winnings remain in your betting account for some time – it won’t harm you any. It’s important to balance your deposit and withdrawal frequencies to avoid unwanted scrutiny. As long as you are a square shooter, there is no reason why bookies should look up to you with an air of suspicion.
