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Betting Site Advice For New Customers and Players

Sports bettors and casino players in India have never had such a wide choice of sites to choose from.

At CricketPrediction.com, read honest reviews of trusted partners that we bet with ourselves.

But online searches for betting sites in India will often lead to forums and review sites full of negative experiences betting online.

This article aims to give you advice for a smoother and more enjoyable online betting experience, with steps to take to ensure you bet happy and bet safely.

Sign-up with trusted betting sites using the correct details

Betting sites can freeze funds and close accounts if you enter incorrect information.

No bookmaker will accept players that are under 18 years old, and you must enter basic information such as your legal name, registered address, date of birth, and a valid email (and sometimes) telephone number.

When creating your account, it's so important to register these details correctly. An accidental typo with your date of birth or name can easily cause issues later.

Similarly, never use a friend or a family member's details to create an account - even with their permission!

All betting sites limit customers to one account and use things like IP tracking and verification processes to ensure the account is being used by the person who registered.

People often complain their accounts have been restricted or closed. In many cases, this is because customers have opened a second account for reasons such as claiming bonuses again.

Always remember to sign-up with a trustworthy brand. All the betting sites here we can vouch for - they are licensed, and your data and payment details are safe.

Unscrupulous sites may offer incredible offers, but you risk being scammed with no recourse if something goes wrong.

It's also critical that the payment methods you use are yours. This is another big reason people have issues.

If you have a winning bet, but you deposited with a payment method in someone else's name, you are breaching the terms and conditions of the site. You could get your funds frozen and account closed.

Be prepared to verify your identity

Betting sites are under so much pressure from governments and regulators to prevent fraud and criminality that they have introduced quite cumbersome processes.

The biggest betting companies open to Indian players hold licences in Europe, where they must abide by strict Know Your Customer (KYC) rules, money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, and other legislation.

This bureaucracy can be frustrating. Bookmakers are often obliged to verify the identity of new players, and in some cases ask for proof of funds you have deposited.

Understand that these processes exist for everyone, no matter where in the world. Indian players are in no way targeted, and all sites have similar procedures. If you find a betting site that doesn't, it's probably a fake operator!

We've already highlighted how vital signing up with the correct details is. If you don't, you will have no way of validating your account.

Typically, betting sites ask for proof of identity and address. New rules often ask for a selfie holding the identity document so they can be sure it is you, and that you haven't 'borrowed' an identity. Once you have uploaded this, any restrictions should be lifted quickly.

Usually, when it comes to proof of funds, this only affects players who are regularly depositing large amounts.

If you are asked to demonstrate proof of funds, then ordinarily a payslip, bank statement or similar is enough.

Unfortunately, these measures are just part of the betting landscape now - there's no point getting annoyed about it.

Understand how welcome bonuses work

How do wagering requirements work for bonuses?

Often complaints against betting sites concern promotions. Nearly every site offers some welcome bonus or new player offer.

All bonuses have strict terms and conditions, and we recommend you read them thoroughly to understand how they work, and how you can withdraw winnings won from bonuses.

First things first - make sure you are entering the correct bonus code if one is required. Many sites have specific codes which ensure that you get the right bonus when you deposit.

If you deposit and forget to enter the bonus code or use the wrong one, you could lose the opportunity of claiming the bonus!

Standard bonuses include 100% matched deposit bonuses. For example, deposit ₹10,000 and the betting site gives you ₹10,000 extra to play with - so you have a balance of ₹20,000.

You cannot just withdraw the extra ₹10,000 - everyone would sign-up, claim a bonus, and withdraw free cash!

Bonuses are a chance to try new betting markets or casino games with no risk - they are not free money.

All bonuses have wagering requirements before you can withdraw them. Sports bonuses are typically lower than casino ones - five to 10 times.

If you get a ₹10,000 sports bonus that has a 10X requirement, you will need to place ₹100,000 worth of bets before the bonus cash is converted to withdrawable cash.

Minimum odds apply to bets as well, to stop people completing the wagering requirements on long odds-on shots.

Casino bonuses have bigger wagering requirements as it's easier to meet low requirements with so many games on offer.

These are typically 35-50X. Many games are excluded from the process or count towards only a small percentage of the conditions.

For example, smart players could wager on just red or black in roulette and easily end up completing the requirements and win a lot of money.

Casinos have significant issues with so-called 'bonus abusers' - players signing up, claiming bonuses, withdrawing any winnings, and never betting again.

Most casinos will also have max amounts that people can win from bonuses - another thing to be aware of.

Welcome bonuses have expiry dates - usually up to 90 days for you to complete any wagering requirements and turn it to real cash.

Think of welcome offers and deposit bonuses as opportunities to discover new games, try betting on different sports, give new strategies a go, and to play for fun, for longer.

Don't think of bonuses as giveaways that will make you rich!

Don't miss out on bonuses by depositing with ineligible methods

Why don't betting sites let you claim bonuses with Skrill?

Government opposition to gambling in India means many payment providers do not offer services to Indian residents for processing deposits and withdrawals to or from betting sites.

Many Indian banks also block online gambling transfers. This affects not only online bank transfers, but credit and debit cards issued by some banks.

The good news is, many payment methods are still available, with various e-wallets a reliable and secure choice.

Be aware, though, that many companies exclude deposits from e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller from their welcome offers and bonuses.

Why is this? Firstly, while e-wallets allow free transfers for players, they charge high fees to operators. Secondly, it's easy to set up e-wallets without verifying your identity or using someone else's account.

As we mentioned above, betting sites must prevent fraud and money laundering - both easier and more anonymous if e-wallets are used.

Finally, because e-wallet deposits and withdrawals are so fast, companies take measures to avoid being victims of unscrupulous players - namely bonus abusers or those creating accounts in other people's names - who can withdraw funds quickly before the betting site realises it has been scammed.

Note, this doesn't mean e-wallets are unsafe to use (they are one of the best choices for Indian players). Just try and claim your welcome offers with an approved method and speak with customer support if you are having issues.

Use support centres and live chat for help

Get your betting questions answered by reading frequently asked questions or chatting live with a real person.

Betting sites have support centres and frequently asked questions portals. They don't want to spend all their time resolving queries when the better option is to explain the most common issues customers may come across.

If you have a question, try these support centres first. All are broken up into sections and have search filters to make this easy. In our experience, 90% of issues can be resolved here.

The best betting sites offer live chat too. You can message online in real-time with a customer service agent to find a solution.

Did you place a bet on the wrong market by accident? It may be possible to get it cancelled. Do you have a question about a Free Bet bonus? They will help.

Live chat is far superior to email. The response time of emails is naturally much longer, and it can be irritating being in a long chain of emails.

Chat has revolutionised customer service, and online betting is no different. If in doubt, hit up live chat and speak to a real person, trained to deal with betting and casino enquiries.

Our live chat tests with betting sites have produced excellent results - problems were dealt with by friendly, professional people, with short waiting times. Some sites even have Hindi language options!

Ready to open your free betting account?

Check out welcome offers and read reviews from the biggest and best betting and casino brands open to Indian players.

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