With the increased popularity of online gambling infiltrating Canada in recent years, a significant proportion of punters are turning away from provincial lottery betting and instead signing up to online betting sites that accept Canadian players.
Sportsbooks and casino sites provide more options, flexibility, and value for gamblers. Higher odds are available on a number of sports, plus live betting solutions, the ability to access odds on your mobile phone, and the opportunity to take advantage of the best betting offers for Canadians.
Even though more than half of adults in Canada partake in gambling as per Statista, many natives may not know what they need in order to get started with online betting, or might not even be aware that they can wager at some of the best betting sites that are located overseas.
Setting up a new account and beginning your online betting tenure is very straightforward and takes only a short time. Below are some of the main things you should know about as you get started.
Select a reliable payment method
In order to place bets with an online sportsbook in Canada, you need to fund your account with one of the accepted payment methods. PayPal betting sites are sadly no longer permitted, but there are similar eWallet alternatives such as ecoPayz and MuchBetter, both of which are now being seen more often on betting sites in Canada.
Visa and MasterCard debit and credit cards can be used for transactions with bookmakers in Canada, but some banks may block this. Interac is generally an easier card to use, but only a handful of bookmakers allow this as a payment method.
iDebit and Instadebit are options on many sportsbooks, whilst Citadel, eCheck, EntroPay and Paysafecard can be found on a range of betting sites too. Even Bitcoin is making its way into the sports betting sphere.
Claim a welcome bonus and set a bankroll
The majority of online betting sites offer a welcome bonus to Canadian players, and they are usually either a matched first deposit or free bet(s). You should only deposit what you can afford, even if the bookie offers you a 100% matched deposit up to a large figure such as $200, as is the case with Bet365.
If $50 is the amount you feel comfortable with depositing, then stick with that, and you can still grab an extra $50 with a sign up offer, which takes your total to $100. Bonus money is usually subject to wagering requirements, so you need to bet that money a certain number of times before it can be withdrawn.
It is recommended that you keep your stakes for each bet somewhere between 1-5% of your bankroll.
Be willing to provide personal details
You will need to give betting sites your real name, email address and phone number so that your account can be verified. Your physical address will also need to be provided.
Check that the sportsbook or casino you are registering with is fully legit and regulated. If you are unsure which bookmakers are safe and which ones aren’t, MyBettingsites Canada is a great resource and also has in-depth reviews of each site to help you choose which one(s) to join.
Gather knowledge and shop around
Your bets should be placed on sports you know plenty about or have researched in great detail. On top of that, you should try to understand where value can be found and what the best markets are to bet on.
Be sure to look around various betting sites and find the best odds and lines, so that you are giving yourself the best chance to make profit over time. It is best to be signed up with multiple sportsbooks in Canada so that you can pull this off.
Verdict: Give online betting sites in Canada a try!
If you are interested in sports and/or gambling, there are so many sportsbooks that accept Canadian players now, and with a fair amount of variation between them, you should be able to find one that suits your needs.
Some people simply want the highest payout percentage possible, whereas others want odds boosts and lots of promotions. Figure out what you want to get out of betting and how you want to approach it, and then give it a shot if and when you’re ready.
