Consumer trust is such a vital asset for any business because once it is lost, it is incredibly challenging to get customers back on board. In the digital gambling world, the stakes are higher as there is so much competition, and losing trust can often involve you missing out financially. 

The US sportsbook market continues to permeate multiple levels of sports and is beginning to generate colossal interest. More bettors are looking to find sportsbooks that offer a range of high-quality services, including those that offer high-quality customer service, a substantial choice of betting markets to peruse and a stellar reputation. Although a gambling provider doesn’t need all these variables to rank as 10/10 to become a trustworthy sportsbook, a trustworthy operator will be as close to top marks as possible because there is such a wide variety of providers. 

What is the most important component?

Bettors are often divided regarding what makes a top sportsbook company. For many, ample markets for their favorite sports is more than enough. So long as other facets such as customer service, site aesthetics, decent withdrawal and deposit options are present, they’re happy to have that site as their leading choice. 

Some bettors believe that the site with the most secure and convenient ways to deposit your cash and withdraw any winnings is the most important, so they’re using an entirely different set of criteria. You could spend weeks or months exploring the top sportsbooks for US customers due the array of options available, but from our experience, we’d say that the most essential component is the choice of welcome bonuses or promotions that allow you to get the most mileage out of any potential sports bet that you’re looking to place. 

The importance of a welcome bonus or promotion

There’s no shortage of companies online that will offer bonuses or promotions in their bid to attract you to their site. If you know how online sports betting companies operate, you’ll know there’s no shortage of welcome bonuses and promotions online for new customers. Obtaining new customers is the most integral part of any business, especially for gambling companies, who realize how much money is at stake if they can carve out a portion of the market. 

Bonuses and promotions come in all shapes and sizes, from basic no-deposit bonuses to specific game bonuses which offer enhanced odds. Basically, a welcome bonus puts their service in the shop window, so to speak; it brings people to the site by offering a better deal. Although many bettors will simply shop around to get as many free bets as possible, when placing a bet with no bonuses or promotions attached, they will resort back to the site they found best fits their preference. 

Building customer trust

By the time a sports betting company has you placing a bet, you have already gone through several mental checkpoints to determine their reputability and quality. Although it might not seem you have evaluated many factors, there are many subconscious decisions that have occurred. This ranges from the color schemes that websites and mobile apps use to the quality of their welcome bonus and dozens of other underlying factors. 

Customer trust is often built over the course of years, sometimes decades, and it can crumble within a few days, if an incident is severe enough. For example, if a casino is subject to a data breach or a cybersecurity attack that compromises your financial information, it’s unlikely that you would deem them trustworthy, use them again or recommend them to your friends or family. 

Big sportsbooks and branding

Bet365 is a name that has grabbed the attention of sports bettors worldwide. Hailing out of the UK, they’re the gold standard for many when it comes to bonuses, services and available markets. Often rated as the top mobile app for those looking to place a sports bet, cash out or withdraw their funds, Bet365 benefits from having years of reputable service behind them in the industry. 

Unlike other start-up sportsbooks, many people know the name Bet365 and its reputation, even their logo, which is synonymous with millions of bettors stretching across several continents. The importance of a brand is paramount in any digital business and engrains trustworthiness. Bet365 doesn’t have its name muddied with security issues or problems with its customer service or withdrawal and deposit methods. 

In the US market, there’s a growing range of choice for bettors. Despite Bet365 asserting dominance in the UK and European markets, a diverse range of companies are challenging this moniker in the colossal American economy. FanDuel and DraftKings have healthy competition, with each company leaping over the other several times over the last few years. Back in October, DraftKings established themselves as the leading US sportsbook in terms of betting volume and customer numbers, but it goes to show that many bettors won’t stray too far away from the big guns in the market if they have a reputable and trustworthy name, which FanDuel and DraftKings both have in abundance.

How do sportsbooks increase their trustworthiness?

Now that we have established that both bonuses and industry reputation play prominent roles, how do sportsbooks looking to break into this market try and find an alternative way into the industry? For many, this is the million-dollar question. 

As the market grows but is simultaneously saturated, there are advertising and branding departments within sportsbook companies all over the country trying to answer this question as quickly and effectively as possible. There’s no guaranteed formula for a successful brand-tracking strategy, and it’s often a combination of the new and old that helps sportsbooks stay ahead of the competition. Usually, a sportsbook can increase their trustworthiness by sticking to the basics and organically growing their customer base. 

Cutting corners and trying to skip ahead can be an arduous and relatively pointless task for those wishing to establish trustworthiness. Just as no successful marketing strategy will guarantee results, the trustworthiness of a sportsbook usually stems from years of solid practices and guaranteed performance. This is why many of the most trustworthy brands have years of proven service within the industry.

Customer reviews and social media comments

Now that our world is 24/7, and news and technological developments travel quicker than ever before, social media plays a pivotal role in sportsbooks establishing their brand names quickly. When it comes to trust, customer reviews are often another port of call for those looking to shop around and find the most trustworthy operator.

Although customers will use social media and Google to voice their displeasure, the same can be said for those who receive high-quality service. It’s no coincidence that companies that rank high on Google and often enter the conversation as the most trustworthy sportsbooks are the ones that obtain the highest ratings from their customer base. The same applies to companies that are often mentioned on social media. Although social media isn’t always the most accurate tool, and we recommend implementing it alongside other strategies to determine the most trustworthy site, it can be effective. 

As it is much easier for people to take to Twitter, Instagram or TikTok and voice their opinions, we’d recommend not using this as the only variable, but they can be helpful. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some YouTubers or gambling reviewers may have a vested interest or could have paid advertisements in their videos that focus on one specific provider, so this can also bring the legitimacy of their review into question, which is another reason why you should shop around.

Range of sportsbooks

We’ve already touched on a number of these companies today, but DraftKings, Bet365 and FanDuel are three names that carry strong, trustworthy reputations within the gambling sector. Another determining factor is how many sports markets are available for people to explore. While too many might be overwhelming, those three providers have a fantastic selection, but other honorable mentions include Caesar’s and BetMGM.

Instead of simply offering outright markets only, they all dive further into the sports in question, with ample derivative and in-play markets to choose from. This is important when it comes to trustworthiness because it shows that they have an established foothold within that sport and the capability to handle broad markets. A sportsbook that isn’t trustworthy would have more difficulty establishing such deep selections across dozens of sports.

Conclusion

With so many components to consider, including how you personally feel about a brand, trustworthiness can take many forms. Ultimately, you might not see a range of sportsbooks playing as pivotal a role as, say, a provider with no breaches. Likewise, you might prefer a provider who has had a breach, knowing that they have gone above and beyond to ensure it doesn’t happen again. However, by building your knowledge of reputable sportsbooks and what they do well and not so well, you can develop your own criteria and decide for yourself.