Sportsbook Review: Sportsbooks

1/19/2012 05:11 PM
Alliance Sportsbook update
Alliance Sportsbook (SBR rating C-) has been added to the SBR ratings guide. On 18 January 2012, SBR initially noted that low-ranked sportsbooks operated on the same web server in the past. SBR has since confirmed that the sportsbook is an independent entity run by a veteran industry manager. Alliance is a new sportsbook that is currently invite-only, headquartered in Costa Rica and using the DGS wagering software. Players with feedback can write to SBR.

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1/17/2012 12:11 PM
PulseBet, SynBet remain off-line with players' funds
A PulseBet (SBR rating F) victim writes in. The player tells SBR that he was scammed out of $2,000; after building his bankroll up, the player took a break from wagering only to return to find the sportsbook off-line. On 17 November 2011, SBR reported that both PulseBet and sister sportsbook SynBet (SBR rating F) remained online, despite a public admission of insolvency. Both websites went off-line shortly thereafter. Many of the scam shops' customers were users from TheRXforum. TheRX introduced the previously unheard of sportsbooks on 16 August 2011, advertising SynBet as a platinum sponsor.

Players are owed a minimum of $21,000, according to sportsbook complaints filed by users of PulseBet and Synbet.

SBR advises readers to exercise extreme caution playing with new bookmakers. The sportsbook ratings guide, as well as the scam sportsbook blacklist, are intended to educate readers on the risks associated with each company.

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1/12/2012 01:51 PM
VIP Sports player never paid balance
On 15 July 2011, SBR reported that VIP Sports (SBR rating B-) would close its doors. The Curacao based bookmaker announced that as of August 1st it would no longer be in business. VIP, along with sister sportsbooks Nine.com and BetGameDay.com instructed players to withdraw their funds by that time. Many seasonal players were taken by surprise when logging on for football season and realizing that the VIP brands were defunct. SBR exhausted all avenues in contacting former VIP personnel and eventually procured a statement that players would be paid. GTBets.com (SBR rating C) surfaced the same week, using the same website skin, web server and telephone number as VIP Sports. SBR interviewed GTBets.com and learned that the sportsbook acquired the VIP software, hardware and retained key management. GTBets.com attempted to solicit VIP's former clients into depositing; an attempt to capitalize on the brand and kickstart its own business venture. GTBets.com later agreed to pay VIP Sportsbook, BetGameday and Nine.com players that did not request their funds prior to the 1 August 2011 deadline. A total of $45,995 was owed to players and reportedly paid. GTBets assured SBR that it had attempted to contact all players that held unpaid balances with the VIP brands.

SBR has received a new complaint from a player that states he was never paid a $1,590 balance. SBR is contacting GTBets management to discuss the player's claim. VIP Sports players in need of assistance should submit a sportsbook complaint form, or write to SBR directly at help@sportsbookreview.com.

UPDATE 26 Jan 2012: The player's deposit ($1,590) was made in November of 2009. The player does not recall wagering with the sportsbook, and has no further information to document that a balance was maintained at VIP. SBR has asked the player to provide more information, and considers this matter closed.

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12/3/2011 02:26 PM
BetOnline247 scams another player
A BetOnline247 (SBR rating F) player tells SBR that he has been waiting for an €800 for four months. BetOnline247 players have reported not being paid more than €50,000. SBR has more than fifty complaints on file from users that were not paid. The sportsbook was included in the April 16th, 2011 report "Online scams, five sportsbooks to avoid".

Operating out of San Pedro, Costa Rica, BetOnline247 claims to be regulated by government of Costa Rica. The claim is not accurate; sportsbooks in Costa Rica are not given gaming licenses nor are their sportsbooks regulated by government officials. BetOnline247 targets European customers. The sportsbook was added to the scam sportsbook blacklist by Sportsbook Review.com on May 14th, 2011.

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11/21/2011 06:09 PM
MyBet sportsbook account dispute
A MyBet (SBR rating D+) player writes to SBR with an account complaint. The player registered to MyBet and made a first-time deposit of €80 before increasing his account to €368.71. The player tells SBR that MyBet refunded his deposit and closed his account after accusing the player of being connected to other account-holders. The player denies the charge.

MyBet is a Malta-based sportsbook. Malta sportsbooks have recently come under fire, as dodgy sportsbook owners gravitate to the country for their lax gaming restrictions. Recent Malta scam sportsbooks include Stryyke (SBR rating F), BetOnBet (SBR rating F), and BetAfterBet (SBR rating F). MyBet is one of the only Malta sportsbooks not on SBR's scam sportsbooks blacklist. MyBet had a rating of D+ initiated by Sportsbook Review on April 7th, 2011.

SBR will update this report.

Sportsbook players with feedback or complaints are asked to submit a sportsbook complaint form, or dial 1-830-255-4677 during normal business hours to speak with a Sportsbook Review dispute analyst.

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11/18/2011 06:14 PM
BetGrizzly player has account disabled after converting free bonus
A BetGrizzly (unrated) player writes in with an account complaint. The player registered for BetGrizzly on November 13th, 2011. He accepted the free $50 no deposit bonus and completed the advertised 6X rollover. After finishing the rollover, the player requested a $250 withdrawal. The player tells SBR that BetGrizzly informed him that he needed to wait a period of 30 days in order to request payment. The player then says that his account was suddenly closed without notice from BetGrizzly. The player states that customer service will not reopen his account. SBR is following up on this BetGrizzly sportsbook complaint.

On July 29th, 2011, SBR reported that BetGrizzly Sportsbook was targeting players promising 100% bonuses. BetGrizzly was being promoted by former WagerWeb (SBR rating D-) employee "Chuck".

Players are advised to use extreme caution when playing with unrated online sportsbooks. High bonuses are typically dangled as carrots to reel in new blood but can spell disaster for the house without proper risk management. SBR publishes a comprehensive list of over 1,000 sportsbook ratings in the SBR Sportsbook ratings guide.

BetGrizzly players with payout complaints are asked to submit a sportsbook complaint form, or dial 1-830-255-4677 during normal business hours to speak with a Sportsbook Review dispute analyst.

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11/11/2011 02:59 PM
Sportsbook scam alert: 105Vig player writes in
A 105Vig (SBR rating D-) player writes in. The player tells SBR that he signed up at the mysterious new sportsbook for their $100 free bet promotion, which he lost. 105Vig offered the player a $500 line of credit - the player accepted and increased his balance to $1,654.11. The player asked for a withdrawal on Tuesday, November 8th. On Wednesday November 9th 105Vig contacted the player and stated while manager "Jerry" was not in the office, the representative believed that the player should not be paid due to making negative posts on SBRforum about the company.

On November 8th, 2011, SBR reported that 105Vig was peddling no-deposit bonuses and credit lines. 105vig.com uses an unencrypted login, offers no customer support email address or phone number, and uses HTML to display its sportsbook lines - not industry-grade betting software. SBRforum members reported that the unheard of website offered a $500 credit line if the no-deposit bonus was lost. 105Vig is currently on the SBR sportsbooks blacklist. SBR advises users to avoid the anonymous outfit.

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11/8/2011 03:55 PM
Sportsbook scam alert: 105Vig peddling no-deposit bonuses and credit lines
Sportsbook scam alert: 105Vig.com (SBR rating D-) is offering bettors a $100 freeplay to try out their website. The sportsbook is hosted on a web-server based in New York and shares the same remote address as a number of
handicapping services.

105Vig.com uses an unencrypted login, offers no customer support email address or phone number, and currently has betting odds on one NFL game this weekend. 105Vig's appears to be powered by basic HTML webpage - not industry-grade betting software. A number of users reported on SBRforum that the unheard of website offered a $500 credit line if the no-deposit bonus was lost. SBR has added 105Vig to the sportsbooks blacklist at D- and advises users to avoid the anonymous outfit.

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11/4/2011 12:49 PM
Sportsbook scam alert - SynBet.com, PulseBet.com steal bettors' funds
SynBet.com (unrated) is unable to pay players. The admission of insolvency was made by a company representative on TheRXforum, a forum that advertised SynBet as a platinum sponsor. On August 16th, 2011, head moderator "Wilheim" publicly introduced the unheard of sportsbook to forum users. SynBet primarily targeted US bettors, while sister outfit PulseBet focused on the European market. The two sportsbooks were hosted on the same server and shared wagering software as well as customer support numbers.

On November 1st, 2011, a SynBet company representative posted that players would not be paid. The 143 word statement, which attributed blame to processors, was the last public appearance from a SynBet representative. Both players and SBR have attempted to contact SynBet and PulseBet by phone and live support - those channels of communication appear to be offline, although both sportsbooks continue to post lines each day.

SynBet and PulseBet players have written the SBR mailbox to detail a range of sportsbook complaints, as well as voiced their complaints directly at TheRX. | Read SynBet & PulseBet complaints

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10/28/2011 03:07 PM
Best online sportsbook poll nearing completion
SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. The online sportsbook poll opened on October 1st, and runs for three more days through October 31st, 2011. Posters are invited to place votes for their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum under the Top Poster's sportsbooks for October 2011. Vote here!

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10/24/2011 06:25 PM
BetAtHome benefiting from fraud attempts
BetAtHome (SBR rating C-) has confiscated a €460 balance (€300 deposit+winnings) from an admitted bonus-abuser. A BetAtHome player confessed to operating multiple accounts to scam the sportsbook out of giving him several first deposit bonuses. The player tells SBR that he created an additional "5 or 6 accounts" to take advantage of a 100% signup bonus that paid up to €33 on each deposit. All extra accounts were eventually emptied - no withdrawals were made on these accounts. While the player is unsure of specific numbers, he claims to be definite that he has been a losing BetAtHome customer overall.

sportsbooks that offer signup bonuses must protect themselves against customer fraud. Bonus abuse and multi-accounting are prevalent in the industry, forcing sportsbooks to spend a great deal of resources on fraud management, in some cases even choosing to not offer bonuses to certain regions or specific deposit methods. In this dispute, though the player was in clear violation of BetAtHome's rules, he did not profit from his attempts to scam the sportsbook - thus, the sportsbook would have no right to confiscate his deposit. The argument could be made that the punishment fit the crime if this player had withdrawn more than he deposited as a result of his multi-accounting scam, but such was not the case in this sportsbook dispute. | BetAtHome recent news

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10/20/2011 07:00 PM
Best Sportsbook Poll underway
SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. The online sportsbook poll opened on October 1st, and runs through October 31st, 2011. Posters are invited to place votes for their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum under the Top Poster's sportsbooks for October 2011. Vote here!

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10/19/2011 11:16 AM
The risk of playing with poorly rated online sportsbooks
Mike just hit a $75,000 football parlay and already had plans on how he would spend the dough. A 50'' flat-screen was first up - then he was finally paying off the auto-loan he put off for so long. Next was a gift to his parents for putting a roof over his head eight years too long, well past most kids' home expiration date.

One problem Mike didn't account for in all of his planning - he would never see a red cent of it.

Mike made an account at Scam Book Xyz.com. After being on the ropes a few times, down to his last $200, Mike threw up a prayer. Except this was no Our Father; it was a Hail Mary, fourteen-team, NFL Sunday parlay. Chasing that ever elusive life-changing score, Mike won every game. That's when the music stopped and reality set in.

"Hi, I'd like to go about withdrawing my funds. What's the fastest possible manner I can do that?"

"Sir, the notes from management are that your account has been locked and is under review. Until the investigation is complete, no withdrawals are possible on the account, sir. May I assist in anything else?"

Mike's heart sunk in his chest. He had heard all the stories of scam sportsbooks but he blew off the advice of his friends and proceeded to part with his cash every second Friday of the month. After all, he was given a small reload bonus on every deposit. He doled out $300 at a time of his hard-earned, minimum wage paycheck and dreamed of that big score; the life-changer.

Mike would soon come to grips with what amounted to a cold shower. He failed to do his research and ended up with a scam sportsbook that had a history of not paying big winners.

________

The above anecdote is fictional, but it highlights a very real risk of playing with shady bookmakers. While online gambling is typically met with negative connotations in most circles, sportsbook players are no different than investors - from recreational players looking to have a good time, to middle of the pack grinders earning a little on the side to the full-blown professionals: A sportsbook deposit is an investment. Before making an investment to any online sportsbook, a player should consider the following:

How long has the sportsbook been in business?

Many sportsbooks pop up on the grid each year. sportsbooks aiming to serve US customers typically surface prior to football season. These sportsbooks are at a disadvantage as they are attempting to drum up business in a tight, highly competitive market. To counter the reluctance players have trying out a new sportsbook, these companies usually promise to give away the farm - reduced juice, big starter bonuses plus reload incentives. The best measuring stick a player can use to gauge the safety of an operation is TIME. Any sportsbook can have a successful quarter or year; but can the sportsbook maintain a high level of service, fast payouts and good customer service season after season, year after year? SBR advises players to stick with online bookmakers that have been in business for a minimum of five years.

Are there any serious outstanding claims against the sportsbook?

The value of the internet is how quickly information spreads. A simple Google search of a company often yields relevant information for the player to consider before making his decision to play with an online sportsbook. SBR also provides an outlet for users to discuss sportsbooks without fear of censorship in the sportsbooks & Industry section at SBR Forum. The SBR sportsbook ratings guide features over 1,000 online bookmakers - from various countries, with different platforms and business models. For a more refined look through bookmakers considered to be among the industry's best, the official sportsbook reviews written by SBR provide thorough operation overviews.

How willing is the sportsbook to discuss disputes with SBR?

A good online sportsbook is no different than any other company in the public eye - they strive to provide good service and to be regarded positively by consumers, knowing that good press leads to more customers, and more customers allow business to grow. One of the aspects that helps shape a sportsbook rating is their communication with SBR. In an industry rife with betting markets, wager types, bonuses and various payout methods, inevitably a dispute will arise where either the player or house is at fault. SBR logs player complaints in its industry news feed and posting forum, giving readers a chance to stay up to date with current online sportsbook news and disputes. sportsbooks rated B+ and higher have historically been active in discussing disputes with SBR.

Players in need of sportsbook assistance are asked to fill out a sportsbook complaint form. Alternatively, players may reach Sportsbook Review by writing to help@sportsbookreview.com or dialing 1-830-255-4677 seven days a week during normal business hours.

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10/14/2011 05:14 PM
Online sportsbooks legal expert Nelson Rose interview: Part 3 SBRtv's Peter Loshak concludes his three-part interview series with renowned online gambling legal expert, Professor Nelson Rose. Parts one and two of the video series can be found in the SBR news archives. In part three, Professor Rose addresses tax scenarios, the politics of online gambling in Washington, and the conventional legal wisdom pertaining to sportsbook freeplay bonuses. | Discuss this video

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10/9/2011 04:53 AM
Best sportsbooks Poll underway
SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers, the online sportsbook poll took place on October 1st. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum under the Top Poster's sportsbooks for October 2011. Vote here!

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10/1/2011 02:10 PM
SBR Forum Posters' poll Open: SBR posters invited to vote for Top sportsbooks
SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum under the Top Poster's sportsbooks for October 2011. Vote here!

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9/24/2011 12:29 PM
Bet770 added to sportsbook ratings guide
Bet770 (SBR rating D+) is a London based online sportsbook and casino. The gaming site has been operating since 2001 under The Group 770, most known for Casino770, and in 2009 has attained a sublicense for its sportsbook in the Netherlands Antilles (Mandarin Gaming NV Curacao). Bet770 players have reported a number of bonus and wagering complaints in the last year. Complaints range from bait-and-switch, or bonus denial, grading time complaints, or poor customer service in situations involving multiple accounts. To Bet770's credit, the bookmaker has kept its lines of communication open with Sportsbook Review and to date has not outright stiffed a bettor. Bet770 has been assessed with an initial rating of D+ by SBR in the sportsbook ratings guide. Like with all lowly rated sportsbooks, bettors are responsible with understanding the inherent risks involved. Bet770's major flaws are its inability to effectively manage its bonus programs to prevent player abuse, and its risk management in identifying suspicious activity. In addition to its sportsbook, Bet770 operates a casino, bingo, poker and arcade games platform. Bet770 players with relevant feedback are asked to write to help@sportsbookreview.com.

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9/9/2011 10:43 AM
Online sportsbooks legal expert Nelson Rose interview: Part 2
SBRtv's Peter Loshak interviews renowned online gambling, and online sportsbook legal expert Nelson Rose. Part one of this three part video series can be found in the SBR archives. In part two, professor Rose addresses the potential impact of various online poker legalization bills, as well as the banking climate. | Discuss this video

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9/8/2011 11:05 AM
WSEX Sportsbook payout complaints update
WSEX (SBR rating D-) players are hopeful that the start of the football season will alow the slow-pay sportsbook to get back in the black. WSEX once held a rating of A+ at SportsbookReview in June of 2006. WSEX lost its status as an A-rated sportsbook in April of 2009, and continued to slide through the sportsbook ratings guide until it eventually found itself on the sportsbook blacklist in March of 2011.

WSEX has been the subject of several payment complaint newswires throughout 2010 and 2011. The formerly high-ranked sportsbook was considered one of the industry's most financially sound sportsbooks, even having a hand in the formulation of popular betting exchange Matchbook (SBR rating B). Matchbook officially severred all business ties with WSEX after coming under new ownership, distancing itself from the failing operation.

Sixty-eight WSEX players report $488,233 in delinquent withdrawals. The outstanding requests date back to October of 2009. The last surge of WSEX payouts was recorded during the beginning of the 2010 football season, when WSEX paid $124,617 to players. | Forum discussion: WSEX disputes

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9/2/2011 07:27 PM
NorthBet added to sportsbook ratings guide
NorthBet.com (SBR rating C-) is an invite-only sportsbook located in San Jose, Costa Rica. SBR confirmed that a number of former BetUS (SBR rating D+) managers are behind the operation. Earlier this year, NorthBet paid $15,000 to a player that allegedly forged a cash-transfer receipt by increasing the amount one zero. NorthBet communicated with SportsbookReview throughout the dispute. The decision to pay the player vice refunding the actual deposit was made to avoid any unwanted press while the sportsbook was in its infancy, and due to the player legitimately increasing the balance credited via his casino play. NorthBet claims to be a stand-alone company that operates a niche business model, with plans to expand its offerings to include fantasy football for customers, as well as a dedicated mobile platform aimed at the latest smart phone browsers. NorthBet's marketing team operates out of Montreal, Canada. NorthBet only accepts US based registrations.

NorthBet players with feedback are asked to write to help@sportsbookreview.com. As with all new online sportsbooks, players are advised to exercise caution. Many sportsbooks run -EV promotions to drum up business and get players to bet on their NFL picks at the start of football season, and could potentially flat-line without adequate risk management precautions.

NorthBet has been added to the SBR sportsbook ratings guide at C-. SBR will update this mini-review page as any relevant player feedback or complaints are submitted.

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9/2/2011 11:40 AM
Live Betting sportsbooks video
SBRtv's Peter Loshak breaks down Sportsbook Review's Live Betting sportsbooks list.

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9/1/2011 07:11 PM
BetGrizzly sportsbook payouts?
A BetGrizzly (unrated) player has filed a sportsbook complaint. The player tells SBR that he deposited to BetGrizzly after being lured in by their attractive bonuses, and because he had prior dealings with "Chuck" (formerly of WagerWeb). The player tells SBR that BetGrizzly gives out 25% in freeplays per day, and that by his estimation he has received nearly $2,000 in freeplays in his short time with the online sportsbook. After having success with his wagers, the player tells Sportsbook Review that his balance was increased to $4,000. He has been trying to withdraw funds for the last week via a cash transfer service, and has to date not received payment, despite BetGrizzly advertising same-day payouts through those methods.

Players are advised to use extreme discretion in choosing which online sportsbook to send their funds to. Unrated sportsbooks just starting out have a high failure rate in this industry. Many of these sportsbooks will promise 100% bonuses or other daily incentives to entice players to play with them over more established sportsbooks. | BetGrizzly sportsbook news

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8/29/2011 05:47 PM
Online gambling expert Nelson Rose interviewed by SBRtv: Part 1
SBRtv's Peter Loshak interviews one of the world's most renowned experts on international gambling law, Professor I. Nelson Rose. In part one of the three part video series, Professor Rose starts off with his general thoughts on the state of online sports betting in the US, and gets a bit into the legalities and mechanics of web domain seizures. Professor Rose also addresses sportsbooks like BetJamaica deciding to closedown. | Discuss this video

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8/29/2011 03:07 PM
SBR's online sportsbook email response test
Sportsbook Review (SBR) has launched a new online sportsbook email response test. The seasonal test is conducted prior to the start of each sports year. The test included five football betting related questions and was sent to ten unsuspecting sportsbooks. SBR rates each sportsbook on the test, monitoring the speed of each response, how thorough each sportsbook representative is, and whether or not all questions are answered. View the sportsbook email test results for August 29th, 2011.

The sportsbook email response test is one of many pages that sports bettors may find helpful when determing which online bookmaker is right for them. Other valuable pages might include the SBR sportsbook reviews section, which features a comprehensive review of the top industry sportsbooks, and the SBR sportsbook ratings guide which rates over 1,000 sportsbooks. Another page worth bookmarking is the SBR sportsbook blacklist, the blacklist includes scam sportsbooks that are unlikely to pay players or have openly justified confiscating funds from winning sports bettors.

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8/26/2011 05:20 PM
VIP Sportsbook players owed $31,153
The SBR mailbag is growing with letters from VIP Sportsbook, Nine.com and BetGameDay players. The sportsbook family went off-line on August 1st, 2011, and has yet to pay all players.

On July 15th, Sportsbook Review reported that the VIP Sportsbook group was preparing to shut its doors. In that report, SBR relayed the message hung on the VIP websites directing players to request their balances prior to August 1st. Many players never saw the message, however, and currently thirty players report not being paid $31,153. The amount seems relatively small considering that the family of sportsbooks has been online more than a decade, and was once considered an industry titan. While the exact amount of outstanding funds is unknown, SBR has received at least one report per day in the last two weeks of unpaid funds. Seasonal sports bettors were left blindsided by the move, many only logging into their accounts near the start of the football year. Players state that no email notices were sent advising them to request their funds, and that follow-up emails to the VIP support line have went unanswered.

SBR is attempting to make contact with "Jay", a former operations manager with VIP Sportsbook who claimed on August 16th that players would receive their final payment shortly. Jay also addressed the emergence of GtBets.com—a website hosted on VIP Sportsbook's server, which shares the same layout, customer service numbers—by acknowledging that former employees are behind the venture. On August 15th, SBR reported that GTbets.com was sending marketing emails to former VIP players containing their VIP log-in information. While GTbets.com has not provided official comment on any connection to the now off-line VIP Sportsbook group, the operation is also headquartered in Curacao.

SBR is hopeful that the disconnect between the VIP Group and its former players is attributable to technical challenges following the sites closure and the termination of support mailboxes. SBR will update this report as any of the reported thirty players confirm receiving their funds, or as more non-payment reports surface.

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8/25/2011 04:36 PM
SBR adds Live Betting sportsbooks list
Sportsbook Review has added a top Live Betting sportsbooks list. The comprehensive list features the best eight online sportsbooks that offer live betting to their customers. The list is ordered by potential monetary benefit and not according to SBR ratings.

Live, in-game betting is one of the most popular new ways to wager with online sportsbooks. Live betting allows you to place wagers on events which have already started, and are in progress. There are many reasons to bet in-game. You can increase your position, or hedge your position out of a match. There are many subtleties to in-game betting that present opportunity to the intelligent bettor. Indeed, there are professional players that specialize only in live betting.

One of the factors to consider when selecting a sportsbook to place in-game wagers with is the 'line set' used. A bookmaker turns a profit by setting a surcharge, or “juice” behind each line set. The lower this charge is, the more attractive to punters. A standard -110 line set is known as a 20-cent line. A bookmaker using a standard -110 line requires a player to risk $110 for the chance to win $100 when the price is Pick’em. The extra $10 is the vigorish. Live betting sportsbooks typically configure their line sets between 20 and 40 cents. A 20-cent line has a house edge of about 4.5%, whereas the player is giving up an average of 8.3% versus a 40-cent line.

In addition to showing the respective bonuses and line sets offered by each sportsbook, the live betting chart includes wagering limits, frequency, sportsbook software and mobile betting support.

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8/22/2011 06:16 PM
MyBet sportsbook dispute
A MyBet sportsbook (SBR rating D+) player tells SportsbookReview that he made a payout request for €6200 on August 16th, 2011 through Moneybookers. The player reports that he was told that there were technical issues within the payouts department that prevented MyBet from willing his withdrawal. The player was told that he would receive his funds by Monday, August 22nd but has not yet been credited.

While only waiting for four business days, the player has grown apprehensive over the state of the D+ rated Mybet, a Malta based operation that has confiscated winnings in the past after alleging account theft. SBR urges bettors to use extreme caution when choosing to deposit with lowly rated sportsbooks with troubled histories. SBR is following up on this player's sportsbook complaint. | Mybet sportsbook news

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8/17/2011 04:11 PM
BetRoyal Sportsbook player's payout attempt
A BetRoyal (SBR rating D-) player tells Sportsbook Review that he is attempting to place a withdrawal for $700 via a cash transfer method. The player has allegedly been waiting five days for the funds to be removed from his online sportsbook wagering account. The player reports that he has called BetRoyal posing as a potential signup and that he was told that withdrawal amounts are removed from accounts within three hours during the normal working day, with payment subsequently made in one day per either of the cash transfer methods. The player tells SBR that he called BetRoyal's bluff and pointed out that he has been waiting longer than what's advertised by the sportsbook. The player's first deposit to BetRoyal was for $25 in January of 2011. He estimates that in his time wagering with the online sportsbook that he has lost in the neighborhood of $1,000. The player reports that this is his first payout request to date. While not yet officially considered a slow-pay, BetRoyal's dodgy service highlights a tactic atypical of a D- rated sportsbook — both failing to honor its listed withdrawal times and not removing funds from a player account until the minute the funds are ready to be dispatched, prompting the bettor to battle the temptation of losing his balance prior to payment.

SBR will update this sportsbook report if this BetRoyal withdrawal attempt turns into a slow-pay situation. SBR generally considers slow payment to be two weeks+ after the quoted time-frame.

The most noteworthy complaint against BetRoyal sportsbook occurred in July of 2008, when a player filed a $500,000 claim against the company. The complaint surrounded a group of players who were invited by BetRoyal management four years prior to trade prices and betting odds at BetRoyal against other online sportsbooks. The player's invested deposits of $86,000 eventually earned a balance of $586,000. In the week preceedeing SBG Global's (SBR rating D-) acquition of BetRoyal, the BetRoyal website was taken off the servers and when it returned -- the $586,000 was removed from the account. After a thorough review of available facts, SBR concluded that BetRoyal erased the winnings in order to take its labilities off the books prior to selling to SBG Global.

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8/13/2011 02:43 PM
VIP Sportsbook players await their final payment
Twelve VIP Sports (SBR rating B-) players report being owed a total of $8,432. The players did not initiate a withdrawal prior to the VIP deadline of August 1st, 2011. Sportsbook Review reported on 7/15 that VIP Sportsbook, along with sister sportsbooks Nine.com and BetGameday would be closing their doors. Management has not provided a time-table on when the players who did not request their balances in the allotted time can expect payment. SBR will update this report as more information becomes available.

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8/8/2011 02:33 PM
VIP Sports, Nine.com, BetGameday payment feedback
On July 15th, Sportsbook Review reported that VIP Sports (SBR rating B+) and its sister sportsbooks would be closing on August 1st, 2011. VIP displayed a note atop its webpage asking players to request a payout prior to August 1st, 2011. SBR has received two letters from players that were not aware that the sportsbooks were headed off-line. These players have not been contacted yet with instructions on how to proceed with requesting their funds. SBR has followed up with VIP support about these inquiries and has specifically asked what will happen to pending future bets in the system. SBR will update this report.

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8/3/2011 12:25 PM
EasyStreet targeting former BetJamaica, Greek, BetEd, VIP customers
EasyStreet (SBR rating D) is sending promo emails to players offering a 35% cash signup bonus. While the email is titled "Attention all Greek and BetJamaica Clients", the opening lines also address former BetEd, Nine.com and VIP Sports players. EasyStreet's promo mailer states that the sportsbook has no intent of leaving the US market.

Prior to each football season, all online sportsbooks begin to pump up their marketing and bonuses in an attempt to retain or reel in customer business for the coming pigskin year. Players are advised to avoid lowly rated sportsbooks with histories of unfairly dealing with players. In addition to the already established sportsbooks, many fly-by night scam attempts are made by rogue operators in possession of industry mailing lists. While EasyStreet Sports is not designated as a blacklisted sportsbook, its poor rating is largely attributed to the theft of $46,000 from a winning casino player accused of robot play. | EasyStreet spams former sportsbook players

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8/1/2011 08:02 PM
Update: QuickSilver Sportsbook headed offline?
A QuickSilver Sports (BetQS) player reports being unable to access his account. The player's balance with BetQS is $7,378.

On July 21st, SBR reported that BetQS was no longer offering live help, telephone or email support. QuickSilver users have reported being owed more than €32,000 for over one year. QuickSilver is currently rated D- by SportsbookReview. sportsbooks rated from D- to F are included in the SBR Sportsbook Blacklist.

QuickSilver players with feedback are asked to write to help@sportsbookreview.com.

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7/31/2011 04:06 PM
Fonbet payment via Moneybookers?
A Fonbet (SBR rating C) player submits an account complaint. The player tells Sportsbook Review that he is unable to withdraw his funds via Moneybookers, despite Fonbet accepting deposits from Moneybookers and listing it as a valid payout option. Instead, the player reports that he has been asked to take an alternative payout method that would involve him incurring a larger fee than with Moneybookers. Normally, sportsbooks are expected to eat a percentage of the fees if forcing a user to accept a payout method other than his point of deposit (unless otherwise noted). SBR is following up on this Fonbet complaint.

Fonbet users with feedback are asked to write to help@sportsbookreview.com.

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7/29/2011 07:08 PM
BetGrizzly sportsbook targeting players with 100% bonuses
BetGrizzly (unrated) is soliciting player deposits advertising 100% signup bonuses. BetGrizzly is being pushed by former WagerHub (SBR rating D-) and WagerWeb (SBR rating D-) employee "Chuck". Chuck's position is listed as customer service advisor in the BetGrizzly homepage. An SBRforum user reports that a telephone sales pitch was made to him by Chuck, and that originally the plan was to bring on players to off-line domain "BetChuck.com". BetChuck has been suspended by its host for nonpayment.

Players are advised to use extreme caution when choosing to play with newly established sportsbooks. High bonuses from unknown sportsbooks can often lead to player headache come withdrawal time. SBR will update this report as more information is learned about BetGrizzly.com.

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7/15/2011 10:37 PM
VIP Sports to close August 1st, 2011
VIP Sports (SBR rating B+) has announced it will close on August 1st, 2011. VIP Sports and sister sportsbooks Nine.com and BetGameday.com each display a note atop their homepage asking players to request a payout within the next two weeks. SBR is following up with VIP to ask what will happen with pending futures bets, and to inquire on who players should contact if their funds are not requested prior to the August 1st closure date.

VIP Sports history
VIP Sports has long been a player favorite, with a reputation of catering to their "VIP" customer base by offering personalized rewards programs. VIP Sports was based in the Dutch Antilles, operated by parent company Stockdale Investment Ltd. VIP Sports was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2005, and continued its prominence by acquiring the MyBookie Group which included Nine.com and Betcom.com. VIP Sports also acquired the English Harbor Casino Group in November of 2005. In the spring of 2006, VIP Sports announced a full year gross profit of more than $80M, citing a 26% growth from 2005. VIP Sports lowered it's profile in the fall of 2006, deciding to no longer accept new player registrations from the United States on the heels of the UIGEA act. VIP Sports continued to operate a well-run sportsbook for the next six years. Its next major announcement came in January of 2011, when the sportsbook announced that its grandfathered Washington State players could no longer maintain accounts with VIP, amidst legal questionmarks surrounding players from that state.

Players with any questions pertaining to their upcoming withdrawals for VIP Sports or any sister sportsbook should write to SBR at help@sportsbookreview.com. SBR may also be reached by phone during normal business hours at 1-830-255-4677.

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7/3/2011 10:16 PM
Posters sportsbook poll results
The June 2011 SBRforum Posters Sportsbook Poll has concluded. Each SBRforum member with 25 posts or more was invited to cash their vote for their top three favorite sportsbooks. Pinnacle Sports ranked in at number one overall, with BetJamaica, 5Dimes, TheGreek, and Bookmaker rounding out the top five.

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6/29/2011 09:06 AM
BetIslands & ABC Islands experiencing website difficulties
UPDATE — All sites are back online.

The Jazz Sports building, which hosts a number of sportsbooks including BetIslands (SBR rating C+), ABC Islands (SBR rating C-), and Jazz Sports (SBR rating C-) is again experiencing technical difficulties. On June 14th, 2011, SBR reported that the building suffered a power outage and all sportsbooks were temporarily off-line. Today, sportsbook players are redirected to backup sites when attempting to access each sportsbook homepage.

SBR will update this report.

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6/27/2011 02:29 PM
PartyGaming improves communication following Bwin merger
Prior to PartyGaming's merge with Bwin, PartyGaming refused to cooperate with SBR citing data protection laws. PartyGaming would provide only cursory background of complaints, unable to share specific evidence with SBR in support of its conclusions. After the PartyGaming/Bwin merger, the consolidated company began to address all sportsbook disputes in a prompt and fair manner.

A common complaint of both PartyGaming and Bwin users has been each sportsbook's identity verification. PartyGaming sportsbooks---like all sportsbooks with a bonus model---enforces KYC (know your customer) requirements. SBR has confirmed multiple instances of forgery carried out by a ring of Ukraine-based scammers who set their sights on the Austrian bookmakers. SBR's biggest concern in the past has been legitimate users being mislabeled as scammers due to their region or incidental details.

Bwin itself is one of the most financially stable sportsbook companies in the world. Legitimate users funds are not considered to be at risk. SBR will continue to advise PartyGaming/Bwin on player handling and sportsbook complaints. Bwin's sportsbook rating has been upgraded to C+.

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6/10/2011 10:34 AM
SBG Global no longer taking players from USA?
SBG Global (SBR rating D-) removed the United States from its registraion page, but is still signing players up over live chat. Recently, several high-profile sportsbooks ceased allowing registrations from US residents amidst legal controversy. SBG Global—perhaps in an effort to lower its profile—released the information that it would no longer accept US players to third-party sites.

SBR used a US-based IP address to pose as a player from California, and had a log-in created over live chat by an SBG Global representative. SBG provided cash transfer payment instructions to an individual in San Jose, Costa Rica. SBG Global has a documented history of deceptive and unfair business practices, and maintains a rating of D- on SBR's sportsbook blacklist.

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6/4/2011 01:21 PM
Oddsmaker robs player of $2,000
Scam sportsbook Oddsmaker has not relented in its campaign of theft. The F rated sportsbook once made a name for itself by entrapping players with convoluted bonus rules, using a variety of reasons to justify confiscating rolled over winnings. Oddsmaker would tell players that making a lone parlay wager out of hundreds of wagers would cause that player to lose his balance.

In September of 2010, Oddsmaker mailed a $100 promo to players prior to the upcoming football season. A player who accepted the offer and rolled over the $100 thirty times had his balance zeroed after making a payout request. The player was guilty of making one lone exotics wager after he was well on his way to completing the playing requirement.

Oddsmaker adds rule to confiscate winnings from "pro" players
Oddsmaker—being a pioneer of scam sportsbook tactics—was the first to justify seizing winnings from players that were too sharp for their liking. The industry standard for recreational player seeking sportsbooks would be to close that player's account and honor his winnings. Oddsmaker has decided though that it makes better business sense to openly steal from players, and to date has confiscated $199,132 from players whose only mistake was beating the house.

Sportsbook Review mediator 'Justin7' met personally with Oddsmaker sportsbook managers in Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend to discuss the growing number of player complaints. Oddsmaker at the time claimed that it was interested in improving its public image and vowed to work with SBR to fairly resolve sportsbook disputes. Following that meeting, Oddsmaker did not honor its promise, instead Oddsmaker continued its assault on their customers.

Oddsmaker banks on the image created by their very elaborate marketing campaigns, fliars, pamphlets, coasters, Oddsmaker spends seven figures annually on financing such endeavors according to former business associates. Oddsmaker's theft is believed to be fueled by nothing more than pure greed, the sportsbook has a large customer base and records substantial growth each year due to their aggresive marketing strategies. | Oddsmaker player robbed of $2,000 speaks out

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6/1/2011 10:27 AM
SBR Forum Posters' poll Open: SBR posters invited to vote for Top sportsbooks
SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum under the Top Poster's sportsbooks for June 2011. Vote here!

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5/28/2011 08:34 AM
BetEd sportsbook players lose their account balances
Letters from BetEd players who lost their account balances when the sportsbook went off-line continue to hit the SBR mailbox. BetEd was a small, recreational sportsbook that had a good financial track record. BetEd had a controversial past however due to "gotcha" rule enforcements in select account disputes.

BetEd reportedly had the largest involvement with a bogus processing company setup by US authorities to entrap online sportsbooks. BetEd allegedly had a number of bank accounts frozen which severed their ability to make payments. BetEd has not responded to SBR inquiries or been able to document the amount of funds withhold, and has to date not written their customer base with an explanation for why sufficient funds were not in reserve in the case of a doomsday scenario.

The other online sportsbooks named in the federal indicment on March 23rd continue to operate as normal under new domains. The US continues to go after .com sportsbook domain names, prompting leading industry sportsbooks to alternate to the .ag and .eu endings, which are presumably beyond the US grasp. | BetEd forum discussion

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5/23/2011 06:03 PM
Bookmaker statement on domain change
Bookmaker (SBR rating A+) has changed their domain name to www.Bmaker.ag. The original domain (Bookmaker.com) was seized along with seven other gambling websites—including industry sportsbooks BetDsi.com, Betmaker, and Beted.com—by US authorities pursuing banking violations.

Bookmaker has provided an official statement on the move which is posted below, as well as on SBRforum.

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5/19/2011 07:11 PM
Online sportsbook bonuses to avoid
SBR suggests that players avoid unproven sportsbooks that promise bonuses which sound too good to be true. Players should consider whether or not a promotion figures to be profitable for the house before parting with their funds.

The sportsbook BetODog.com (unrated) is sending emails advertising a 100% signup bonus for first time deposits. BetODog has the look of a price-per-head shop yet it takes signups as well as gives bettors a phone number to call for wagering and customer service. BetODog is hosted on the same server as RockStarBets.com, which lists the same telephone number. A review into the two domains suggests that BetODog is being marketed ahead of the second brand.

On March 18th, Sportsbook Review reported that Betbanks sportsbook was promoting a 25% signup bonus with no rollover. SBR cautioned players to avoid outfits that offer such irregular bonuses.

For a list of sportsbooks that have scammed players with bonuses and by not paying winnings, check out the SBR scam sportsbook blacklist.

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4/16/2011 04:17 PM
Online Scams, five sportsbooks to avoid
The Sportsbook Review Blacklist includes 1,066 sportsbooks. These online sportsbooks are the worst in the industry. The criterion to be included in this list is to carry a D- or F rating.


#5: BetOnline247 Sportsbook (SBR rating D-)
Operating out of San Pedro, Costa Rica, BetOnline247 claims to be regulated by the government of Costa Rica. The claim is not accurate; sportsbooks in Costa Rica are not subject to government regulation. The dishonest claim is likely an attempt to sway player confidence. BetOnline247's business model targets European clients. SBR has received 40 current payment complaints from BetOnline247 players.

View the rest of the five worst online sportsbooks.

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4/14/2011 11:00 AM
Sportsbook Review now lists over 1,000 sportsbooks
San José, Costa Rica — The Sportsbook Review rating guide now features more than 1,000 sportsbooks and casinos.

sportsbooks can be sorted by rating, parent company, software provider and more in the comprehensive guide. Each sportsbook has a mini-review page which lists location, contact information, a hyperlink to the sportsbooks live chat as well as an index of recent news. | An explanation of sportsbook ratings

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3/31/2011 02:04 PM
TheGreek Sportsbook added to Best MLB Lines page
TheGreek Sportsbook (SBR rating A+) tells SBR that they will be offering a .10 line for players for the entire 2011 MLB season. TheGreek has been added to SBR's Best MLB sportsbooks chart. The page includes MLB offerings from all of the top industry sportsbooks. | TheGreek MLB dimeline discussion

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3/18/2011 03:05 PM
Sportsbook review of Betbanks.com
Betbanks.com (SBR rating D) is making its rounds across messageboards and Twitter, advertising 25% signup bonuses with no rollovers. SBR urges players to be extremely cautious when depositing for bonuses that sound too good to be true. White label turnkeys have a high failure rate with historically little investment.

The Costa-Rica based sportsbook claims to be primarily a credit outfit with 10% of their business driven by post-up clients. SBR interviewed management and requested permission to visit the Betbanks office to conduct a sportsbook photo tour. Betbanks stated that it would need to consult its senior associate prior to allowing SBR into their facility.

Based on available information, SBR has determined that the business model of Betbanks.com is not sustainable long-term, and is potentially a fly-by night attempt at soliciting player deposits. Betbanks can only process Western Union and Moneygram transactions, which is consistent with previous scam sportsbooks such as Houstonbet (SBR rating F). Like Houstonbet, Betbanks states that it is interested in marketing toward the Asian market.

Betbanks players with feedback are asked to write to help@sportsbookreview.com.

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3/6/2011 11:18 PM
Scam sportsbook Parlaymakers still off-line
Parlaymakers (SBR rating F) is the latest sportsbook to collapse without paying their players. The scam sportsbook was downgraded to F by SBR on February 28th after going off-line. Parlaymakers did not provide notice to players that the domain would be taken down, and ceased replying to both players and SBR shortly after the loss of their biggest processor, Gold-Pay.

The niche sportsbook had an unusual business model that allowed players to place teasers and parlays at prices offered by Matchbook (SBR rating B-). On February 20th, SBR published a report advising players to request their funds after communication brokedown from the sportsbook. Parlaymakers "Max" relied on word of mouth to bring in business for the small sportsbook, initially paying players and spamming forums to promote the brand. All future ventures started by Parlaymakers Max and associates will be added to SBR's scam sportsbook blacklist.

Parlaymakers players are asked to submit their details via sportsbook complaint form to SBR. While players are unlikely to be paid in the short-term, SBR has assisted some players in receiving payment from scam sportsbooks that experienced success after rebranding, one such case occurred when Bet33 (SBR rating D-) paid a player who had been stiffed $5,000 following Apex Sportsbook's (SBR rating F) collapse five years prior. | Parlaymakers scam discussion

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3/2/2011 02:42 PM
Oddsmaker Sportsbook scam downgraded to F
Oddsmaker Sportsbook (SBR rating F) scam alert. Oddsmaker's rating has been lowered to F in the SBR sportsbook ratings guide. sportsbooks with ratings of D- or lower are indexed in the SBR Sportsbook Blacklist. Oddsmaker's theft from winning players currently totals $186,132.

Read the full Oddsmaker Sportsbook scam report.

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2/8/2011 06:15 PM
Super Bowl not so super for online sportsbooks, Vegas
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV. The game took place at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and was reported to have eclipsed the highest ever viewing record, averaging more than 111 million viewers.

While the game was kind to football enthusiasts and cheeseheads alike, the betting public made out nicely with several popular combination bets winning. An ESPN report stated Las Vegas sportsbooks cleared under one million dollars in profit on the game. The article goes on to say that the figure was confirmed by Nevada Gaming Control board regulators. | Super Bowl wrapup

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12/26/2010 01:00 PM
Win4Real confiscates $90,000 from player
Update: SBR finds the player likely defrauded Win4Real.

Win4Real (SBR rating C-) confiscates $90,000 from player. The player began playing with Win4Real in the fall of 2009. Over the course of a year, the player made roughly $10,000 in deposits. In October of 2009, the player risked $650 on a seven team parlay, which won and netted him approximately $70,000. The player proceeded to win another $20,000 in the casino. In late 2009, Win4Real suspended the player's balance and locked his account. Win4Real has not provided comment to the player or SBR on why the player's balance was seized. On 5/28/2009, SBR reported that Win4Real and sister sportsbooks Sportsbetting.com (SBR rating C-) and Racebook.com (SBR rating C-) confiscated $20,000 from a winning player with accounts at each outfit.

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11/1/2010 09:44 AM
Xlbet player reports slow-pay
A second Xlbet (unrated) payment complaint has been reported. On October 10th a player asked for a €500 withdrawal via Moneybookers, but has to date not been credited with his funds. The player mentions that Xlbet has not responded to his e-mail inquiries and that their live help is off-line. On 8/15, SBR reported that an Xlbet player was being slow-paid on a €115 payout by Xlbet. Xlbet failed to respond to SBR in that dispute and the player never confirmed receiving payment. Players are advised to use extreme caution when choosing to play at unrated sportsbooks. | View SBR Sportsbook Ratings guide

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10/29/2010 10:25 AM
Scam Alert: Casineto Sportsbook out of money yet continues to operate
Casineto (SBR rating F) has addressed the $10,473 in player debt reported by SBR. Casineto sent an e-mail to SBR stating that the sportsbook was searching for new investors due to financial troubles. Casineto did not provide a time-line on when the 23 players who submitted slow-pay complaints could expect payment, nor why it was continuing to operate if it could no longer pay its players. Casineto has been downgraded to F. | SBR Blacklist of Scam sportsbooks

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10/28/2010 12:09 PM
Betboo payment complaint
BetBoo (unrated) payment complaint. A Betboo player requested a payout of $2099 on September 30th. The player submitted all the required ID documents. Betboo has to date not paid the player. SBR is following up on this complaint.

On October 16th, SBR reported that Betboo voided a wager on a bad line then graded it as a loser the next day. Players should exercise extreme caution when choosing to play with unrated sportsbooks. | SBR Sportsbook Ratings guide

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10/18/2010 05:58 PM
SBR Forum Posters' poll Open: SBR posters invited to vote for Top sportsbooks
SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum under the Top Poster's sportsbooks for October 2010. Vote here!

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10/16/2010 11:51 AM
Betboo voids wager citing bad line, then grades it as a loss the next day
Betboo (unrated) voids a wager citing a bad line, then grades it as a loser after the event. On October 10th, a player wagered €5 on the St. Petersburg vs Spartak Moscow Russian Hockey match at odds of 7.30. A few hours after placing his bet, he received an e-mail stating his wager was voided due to an odds error. After the match was played the following day, his account was debited for a loss on the voided wager. When the player contacted Betboo, they stated the earlier e-mail was sent in error.

On April 6th, SBR reported that Betboo changed a player's winning wager to a losing one. Players should exercise extreme caution when choosing to play with unrated sportsbooks. | SBR Sportsbook Ratings guide

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10/12/2010 11:51 AM
CentreBet honors losing wager on bad line
A CentreBet (SBR rating B+) wagering complaint has been reported. Centrebet put up a home-away line for Primera Liga for all games played from September 21st-23rd. Originally, this wager had a handicap of home team -9 goals for 10 games. On the first day, the home teams outscored the visitors by 8 goals in 3 games. In the remaining 7 games, the home teams had a total handicap of approximately 7 goals. On Wednesday September 22nd, the fair handicap for the Primera Liga would be about -15 goals. The player bet into an obviously bad line of -9 goals (the opening line). Centrebet then claimed this was a "live line", which reflected the goals scored already.

When the player presented the odds of the remaining games which demonstrated the -9 handicap was either a bad line or a past-post, Centrebet stated the following:

Centrebet:
Players are advised not to bet into obviously bad lines or past-post sportsbooks, as this allows the possibility that a sportsbook honors the wager if it loses, or void it if it wins.

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10/9/2010 02:00 PM
Don't be a victim! SBR's guide to sportsbook account security
SBR receives thousands of sportsbook complaints per year. A small percentage of these complaints are from players who say their accounts have been hacked. While some of these claims are proven to be fraudulent, others have shown to be a security breach by a third party. Your sportsbook account should be treated no different than online banking. This involves some simple steps that will greatly reduce your chance at becoming a victim.

Tip #1: Don't use the same password at multiple sportsbooks
A player should have a unique password for every sportsbook that he or she uses. The same rule applies to e-mail passwords, online banking pages, and any other sites the player logs into that could be targeted by an intruder. In nearly all cases where a sportsbook account is accessed without authorization, the player's password was recycled. Using the same password at multiple sites makes identifying the source of an attack infinitely harder. It also creates the possibility that multiple accounts are compromised. Use a different password for each site that you log into.

Read Tips 2-5 for protecting your sportsbook account.

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9/17/2010 02:46 PM
StridePoker update
StridePoker (SBR rating D) was added to the SBR Sportsbook Ratings guide at F on August 7th. Since being initiated, SBR has spoken to StridePoker about their relationship with software provider FutureBet. StridePoker has stated that players funds are handled in-house and that they pay a fee to use the FutureBet software. SBR has upgraded StridePoker to D to reflect a lesser risk to player funds.

sportsbooks and online casinos under the FutureBet umbrella have had a checkered past, with many brands going off-line and stiffing all players. In most cases, FutureBet was the prime controller of player funds; providing a full turnkey solution to sportsbook operators. FutureBet twice renamed itself in an effort to distance itself from the history of the theft, first as iGaming Software in 2008, later as Gametech Solutions in 2010.

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8/5/2010 09:22 AM
VietBet, BetAnySports, ChineseBookie upgraded to A-
VietBet, BetAnySports, and ChineseBookie have been upgraded to A- in the SBR sportsbooks ratings guide. The sportsbooks are entering year two as part of the 5Dimes (SBR rating A+) operation. | Read more 5Dimes Sportsbook Group news.

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7/12/2010 02:44 PM
WSEX refuses to pay $20,000 winning wager
WSEX (SBR rating D) has refused to pay a $20,000 winning wager. A second complaint was filed from a player indicating that his bet on Cleveland in the "Who will sign Lebron?" prop was graded as a loss. SBR initially reported WSEX's stance in settling the market on July 10th. Other sportsbooks used clearer wordage that asked where Lebron James will play in the 2010/11 NBA season. The Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a sign & trade in a deal that sent Lebron James to the Miami Heat. SBR is asking WSEX to reconsider its grading.

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7/10/2010 11:00 AM
WSEX botched prop wager dispute
WSEX (SBR rating D) offered the prop "Who will sign Lebron? (1-Pay)". The Cleveland Cavaliers signed Lebron James, then traded him to the Miami Heat, agreeing to a sign & trade deal. A player who considered this chain of events wrote in to WSEX before placing the wager to inquire — he was told that if these events occurred that Cleveland would be graded the winner.

WSEX player:
WSEX:
WSEX graded the Miami Heat the winner after Cleveland agreed to the sign & trade. WSEX then apologized to the player stating he was misinformed. sportsbooks must use clear and concise prop descriptions to eliminate gray area and potential confusion, in this case, the wordage of the prop suggests that the bet will be paid based on the first team that signs Lebron James to any contract for the 2010/11 NBA season. SBR has suggested that WSEX settle the market accordingly.

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7/9/2010 11:41 AM
Readers discuss BetRevolution (unrated)
SBR readers discuss BetRevolution (unrated). SBR is in the process of gathering information about BetRevolution; a sportsbook that came online in December of 2009. BetRevolution has developed proprietary software for its sportsbook, and is in the process of launching a casino that is licensed from the Cross Media Group. The company was founded in Antigua, and has its servers located in Costa Rica. Players who have used this sportsbook are asked to contact SBR with feedback. As with all new sportsbooks, players are advised to use extreme caution.

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7/2/2010 01:53 PM
Scam sportsbook BetCascade robs another player
BetCascade (SBR rating F) has robbed another player. A player wrote into SBR indicating he has a $1,532 balance with BetCascade and is unable to obtain any information regarding being paid his funds. BetCascade is a deposit-only sportsbook that owes millions of dollars to players. BetCascade is on the worst sportsbooks blacklist. As the NFL football season approaches, BetCascade has continued to attempt to market itself to unsuspecting players that are unaware of the sportsbook's theft. BetCascade should be avoided at all costs.

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6/30/2010 03:28 PM
Gamebookers settes all tennis wagers as losses on two-way market
Gamebookers (SBR rating B-) is again subject of a tennis grading complaint due to its non-standard policy of grading all tennis Exact Score wagers as losses upon a player's retirement. A bettor placed a wager of £63 on an exact set score of 2-0 on the Zvonareva vs Jankovic Wimbledon WTA singles match. After losing the first set, Jankovic retired. Gamebookers graded the player's wager as a loss, however none of the full game exact scores are winners. The industry standard for a multi-way wager is that if there is a losing side, someone wins or pushes.

Other sportsbooks, such as Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+) have clearer rules for this scenario: "If a tennis match is not completed because of a player retirement or disqualification, all Set wagers will be considered void. Such wagers will be cancelled and the monies refunded."

SBR is following up with Gamebookers regarding their decision.

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6/26/2010 11:09 AM
Bet911 player continued to place wagers
A Bet911 (SBR rating F) player who was unaware that the sportsbook announced it could no longer pay winners continued to place wagers up until June 22nd. Bet911 accepted the wagers despite its acknowledgment that the sportsbook would close and look for new ownership to pay player balances via an industry bailout. It was recently reported that BetPhoenix (SBR rating B+) took over at least one player's balance and instituted a 10X rollover as a good faith gesture. Many of Bet911's players already have accounts at most sportsbooks - this has effected their efforts to peddle their players to a larger sportsbook.

Bet911 player:

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6/4/2010 10:02 AM
Jazz/ABC Islands - Three new slow-pays reported for $7500
Jazz Sportsbook (SBR rating C) and ABC Islands (SBR rating C) players have reported three new slow-pay complaints. Both sportsbooks were recently downgraded to C, along with LooseLines Sportsbook (SBR rating C) for failing to offer reasonable eWallet service to players. After losing the ability to offer Neteller, the DPT Sports Group family also began to slow-pay via Moneybookers and bank wire. Jazz management attributes the delays to failed processors and banking restrictions. $7500 is owed in total to the 3 players that wrote to SBR for assistance; this increases the amount owed by Jazz to $16,500 to 5 players. Players in need of assistance with Jazz, LooseLines, and ABC Islands are asked to submit sportsbook complaint forms.

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5/20/2010 03:15 PM
Stryyke management fails to address slow-pays
Stryyke (SBR rating D-) has declined to directly address the slow-pay complaints reported by SBR readers. Stryyke's last communication to SBR was on May 10th and contained a generic message detailing the Malta based sportsbook's intention to allegedly tighten up security measures in verifying accounts. Stryyke has a process it refers to as a "KCY procedure", that can take several months to complete. Although Stryyke will not reveal exactly what the process it is, it appears to be nothing more than verifying whether a drivers license or passport matches the name and details registered to the betting account. This process typically takes one business day for most sportsbooks to complete.

A new Stryyke slow-pay was received today. A player requested €700 on January 30th and has yet to receive his funds. This brings Stryyke debt to 30 players up to €27,449.85. Unpaid withdrawals were requested as far back as 12 months ago.

Stryyke sportsbook:

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5/17/2010 02:06 PM
Las Vegas sportsbooks: ESPN's "The M" video tour
The following ESPN video takes a tour of the M Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada - the first sportsbook to offer live in-game wagering.

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5/14/2010 01:58 PM
Stryyke slow-pay #28 reaches SBR mailbox
Stryyke (SBR rating D-) slow-pay number 28 has reached the SBR mailbox. SBR has published multiple slow-pay complaints against Stryyke that have been submitted by players. In this latest complaint, a Stryyke player requested €675 on March 31st, and €947.35 on May 4th. In an e-mail response to the player touching on the payment delay, Stryyke claimed that they are required to perform a "KYC" procedure - an acronym Stryyke uses to refer to verifying the player's identity. While most sportsbooks are able to match a name from a drivers license to that registered in the player's betting account in as little as one business day, Stryyke has taken upward of several months in multiple cases reported to SBR. Stryyke currently owes 28 players a total of €26,188.65; the earliest payment was requested in May of 2009. | Stryyke forum discussion

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5/3/2010 05:26 PM
BetCascade - scam sportsbook adds another victim
A BetCascade (SBR rating F) no-pay complaint has been received. A bettor that requested $1,532 in March of 2009 detailed his frustration with the scam sportsbook. BetCascade owes millions of dollars to players, and has turned into a no-pay sportsbook on the worst sportsbooks blacklist. An SBR representative phoned BetCascade posing as a player asking to deposit funds and was provided instructions by BetCascade; additionally, the site has been maintained and still markets toward new depositors, while paying no winners.

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5/3/2010 03:27 PM
Skybook moves to BetPhoenix platform
Skybook (SBR rating B-) has moved to the BetPhoenix (SBR rating B+) platform. SBR will reevaluate Skybook after confirming the business relationship between the two sportsbooks.

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5/1/2010 02:07 PM
SBR Forum Posters' poll Open: SBR posters invited to vote for Top sportsbooks
Through the month of May SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum. Vote here!

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4/29/2010 12:32 PM
BetUS excludes wagers from sportsbook bonus rollover
A BetUS (SBR rating C) bonus complaint has been reported. In January of 2010 a player deposited $2000 with BetUS in exchange for a $700 free-play bonus with a 6 time rollover. After thinking he had cleared the rollover, BetUS instead stated that all wagers placed on non-major soccer leagues would not count toward rollover. Following SBR's inquiry, BetUS stated that the policy was outlined under their free-play wagering rules page. SBR examined the page and found that the only rollover provision was regarding MLB wagers. The page lists no rollover exemption for non-major soccer leagues. sportsbooks must explicitly spell out which leagues or bet types will not count toward fulfilling rollover; in this case BetUS has not done so. SBR is asking BetUS to honor all soccer wagers placed and to update its free-play page with specific rollover terms.

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3/3/2010 07:13 AM
Stryyke player reports payment; four new slowpay complaints filed
A Stryyke (SBR rating D) player has reported payment of €550. The player requested his payment on February 8th. Stryyke has been inconsistent in paying some players before others, blaming the lengthy delays both on the size of their staff and the 'KCY' procedure, a process whereby Stryyke verifies the identity of the account holder. Such a process typically takes one to two business days at most sportsbooks.

Four new Stryyke slowpay complaints have been filed which were requested from April 15th to June of 2009. The players requested €1000, €1770.48, €500, and €3788 respectively. The new complaints bring Stryyke's total owed figure to players up to €13,393.13 with the earliest payment request made on April 15th 2009. SBR will update this report as more players report payment or more slowpay reports are received. Players that have not yet done so are invited to write to SBR for assistance by submitting a sportsbook complaint form.

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3/2/2010 08:13 PM
Bet911 cancels soccer bet citing bad line
On February 19th a Bet911 (SBR rating C-) player wagered on a Holland soccer match between Eredivisie Roda JC and Hercales. The player bet on Roda JC at +115. Seven minutes prior to the game beginning, Bet911 canceled the play. SBR has confirmed that other sportsbooks, including BetCris (SBR rating A+) opened at +115 before closing at -110. While the wager was voided before the game and cannot be settled, SBR will still speak to Bet911 on the case as they should not penalize players for their oddsmaker being slow to update their offerings - when the line was posted at Bet911 it was inline with the rest of the market.

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2/26/2010 12:14 PM
GolfAndBet; scam sportsbook still taking bets
GolfAndBet (unrated) displays the following message on its webpage to visitors acknowledging that the sportsbook is insolvent.

GolfAndBet homepage message:
Despite this message, which is signed by managing director Stefan Gladh, stating that new deposits would not be accepted, a player wrote to SBR on 2/24 indicating that he deposited €100 on January 25th, and attempted to withdraw winnings on February 5th.

SBR contacted Stefan Gladh asking him to confirm that no new deposits are being taken. Stefan claimed that deposits were not being processed and that the sportsbook is currently looking for investors. This is a direct contradiction of the information SBR received in its player complaint. SBR asks that players owed from when GolfAndBet first displayed its insolvency message file sportsbook complaint reports. GolfAndBet has been added to the SBR sportsbooks ratings guide at F.

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2/24/2010 12:38 PM
BetSportsWeb player on payment plan
BetSportsWeb (SBR rating D+) pays $300 to a player that requested a $2022 withdrawal on January 27th. SBR advises players to avoid funding sportsbooks that are unable to pay balances wholly.

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2/18/2010 04:21 PM
SBR Best Teaser sportsbooks: Basketball prices updated
SBR has updated its prices on the best sportsbook teasers pages. 5Dimes (SBR rating A+) has revamped several prices for their basketball teasers. View list of best football teasers.

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2/18/2010 08:31 AM
BoyleSports (unrated) declines to discuss sportsbook complaint
On 2/15 SBR reported that BoyleSports (unrated) voided a players winning €20 wager on an Italy Series B soccer match between Gallipoli and Grosseto. SBR followed up on the complaint and inquired to BoyleSports about the wager cancelation. BoyleSports cited data protection as the reason it could not comment on the case, despite the fact that the player authorized SBR to inquire on his behalf. The soccer match between Gallipoli and Grosseto has come under fire in the last week with at least two confirmed sportsbooks, BoyleSports and Interwetten (SBR rating B-) canceling bets on the soccer match due to suspicions of foul play. Top soccer sportsbooks such as Betfair (SBR rating A+) paid all bets as normal in the match.

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2/17/2010 10:33 AM
Interwetten addresses €6300 canceled bet dispute
Interwetten (SBR rating B-) has addressed the €6300 canceled bet dispute from SBR's 2/15 report. Interwetten has cited third party news sources which chronicled a highly irregular number of bets on a 2-2 exact score outcome on an Italy B Series soccer game between Gallipoli and Grosseto. The score was 2-1 at half when a lopsided number of bets streamed in on the exact outcome. SBR has inquired in discussions with Interwetten whether or not all open bets on the game were voided, or only the wagers on the 2-2 outcome. Interwetten stated that its legal department advised them to not answer these questions. Interwetten, along with all other sportsbooks which serve sports where match fixing has been proven to occur have rules on file enabling them to void all bets in such games. The most ethical course of action when canceling bets on matches determined to be fixed is to void all wagers, not to selectively apply which wagers to settle. Betfair (SBR rating A+) graded all markets normally on the wager. | Interwetten cancels winning bet report.

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2/16/2010 01:34 PM
BetSportsWeb slowpay reported
A BetSportsWeb (SBR rating D+) slowpay has been reported. A player states that he requested $2022 on January 27th. BetSportsWeb informed the player he would only be able to withdraw $300 per week due to "processor problems". To date the player has only been paid $150. A second BetSportsWeb slowpay of $2250 has been pending since December 15th. The player has been paid $450 toward his balance within the last two months. Players that are scheduled for payment installments at sportsbooks are advised to cease wagering until their funds are received in full.

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2/15/2010 07:38 AM
New sportsbook from Apex family added to SBR ratings guide
Phoenix Racebook (SBR rating D-) has been added to the SBR ratings guide. The racebook is a member of the Apex sportsbook family, which includes Bet33 (SBR rating D-), CanadasBookie (SBR rating D-), and others. The original Apex Sportsbook maintains a rating of F due to shutting its doors in 2004 while in significant player debt, most of which has remained unpaid. Bet33, along with the new wave of Apex financed sportsbooks have kept clean payment histories to this date. Bet33 has vowed that it would reopen old Apex cases and repay its player debt. SBR remains in discussion with Bet33 on old player cases.

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2/14/2010 12:14 PM
BetFirstClass users advised to request funds
BetFirstClass (SBR rating D) and sister sportsbooks downgraded from C to D amid news that the books owner is in US custody. Those who work with the sportsbook group state that BFC "Mike" was wanted, prior to starting his sportsbook, for tax evasion. Representatives for BetFirstClass say it is "business as usual." Players are sure to test that statement with an influx of withdrawal requests. BetFirstClass is a small sportsbook that became known after advertising on a betting forum. To date, there have not been any payout complaints from BetFirstClass players.

Sister BetFirstClass sportsbooks are: Lines2Bet (SBR rating D), Lay104 (SBR rating D).

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2/4/2010 03:17 PM
Tipico (unrated) player files slowpay complaint
A Tipico (unrated) sportsbook player has filed a slowpay complaint. On January 24th the player requested a €950 bankwire. According to Tipico's website, bankwires normally take between 3 to 7 business days. | View SBR sportsbooks ratings guide

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2/4/2010 07:21 AM
VivaMacau remains offline with player funds
VivaMacau (unrated) remains offline with player funds. SBR has sent multiple inquiries directly to ownership of VivaMacau and has to this point not received a reply. Six complaints have been filed from players that used the lowkey sportsbooks are collectively owed €8315. While VivaMacau ownership has not yet released any official statement regarding the reported six months of downtime, players are still encouraged to file sportsbook complaint forms to log their disputes in the event that VivaMacau surfaces.

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1/27/2010 10:22 AM
Bet Tango added to SBR rating guide at D-
Bet Tango has been added to the SBR sportsbooks Rating Guide at D-. SBR is currently speaking to BetTango's former hosting provider, Metallic Sports, who are willing to address any player balances held when the sportsbook was using its services. Metallic last hosted BetTango on October 22nd. SBR is attempting to speak with the current host provider. Sources tell SBR that the two owner partners claim to have passed the sportsbook on to a new party "who were supposed to take care of all players". SBR has received four player complaints from Bet Tango users that have reported being owed $3400 since as early as November 1st. One player requested $1500 on December 15th and holds a $9348.63 balance with Bet Tango.

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1/20/2010 03:44 PM
Sportsbook book-to-book transfer changes
BetPhoenix (SBR rating B+) and Youwager (SBR rating B) have agreed to begin book-to-book player transfers. BetPhoenix tells SBR they will soon begin transfers with other major sportsbooks but are no longer transferring to or from Matchbook (SBR rating B-).

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1/19/2010 05:38 PM
Slowpay sportsbooks with shared management
BetMonte (SBR rating D+) and BetDos (SBR rating D+) have both accumulated payout complaints this month. The Costa Rica based sportsbooks operate on the same platform. SBR has confirmed that one log-in works at both places. BetMonte has owed a player $7,064 since October 15th. BetDos has recently rejected three payouts totaling $3285 citing that an ownership change is forcing all players to complete a one-time rollover of their funds. SBR asks that players who have payout complaints against either brand file a sportsbook complaint form. | View BetMonte complaint; BetDos complaint.

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1/18/2010 09:09 AM
JupiterSportsbook enters the SBR Rating Guide at D-
JupiterSportsbook (SBR rating D-) is a sister book to Bet33 (SBR rating D-). Although the Bet33 brands have not failed to pay a player since their inception, they maintain low ratings due to the fact they were founded with capital derived from defunct sportsbook Apex Sports (SBR rating F) which closed doors while owing many players. Apex insisted at the time that they were insolvent.

From SBR's 11/19 report on Apex Sportsbook paying a player after five years:

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1/14/2010 08:21 AM
BetMonte stalls player for a $7,064 payout
BetMonte (unrated) has stalled a player for a $7,064 payout since October 15th. As of January 13th, the player has not receive any payment. BetMonte initially claimed that the payout was delayed due to a large amount of funds stolen from the sportsbook. As time progressed, BetMonte continued to claim that a check would be sent soon, setting different deadlines all of which were not honored. The player found BetMonte through the sports handicapping service JrTips.com which promoted BetMonte as a top sportsbook. Players should be advised that such services generally have loose standards as to the quality of sportsbooks promoted. If any other player is also being slow or no-paid by BetMonte, please file a sportsbook complaint form.

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1/13/2010 09:45 AM
Bet911 stands by decision to retroactively change agreed upon bonus terms
On 1/12, SBR reported that Bet911 (SBR rating C-) declined to process the withdrawal request of a player citing that he had not fulfilled his rollover request. Through discussion with the player and Bet911, SBR discovered that the player wagered "six-packs", or daily perks, in his process of completing rollover. At the time the bonus was accepted from then manager Carl, the wagers were counted as eligible play. Bet911 has conceded that it never updated its website after November 1st when it states that the decision was made to discontinue counting the daily perk wagers toward the initial bonus promotion, but feels within its right to do so as the terms of service grant the sportsbook total control to change any offering without prior notice. Many sportsbooks have such rules in-print, yet the application of the rule in this instance is unfair to the player. SBR has asked Bet911 to reconsider its decision and to honor the agreed upon bonus terms.

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1/11/2010 05:42 PM
Enterbet player reports a slow pay
An Enterbet (SBR rating D-) player has filed a slow pay complaint. The player requested $1500 on November 29th, and has not received payment since. SBR will contact Enterbet to inquire as to his payment status. Enterbet is part of the GoToEntertainment family of sportsbooks, which also houses slow-pay sportsbook GoToCasino (SBR rating D-).

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1/10/2010 01:32 AM
SBG Global reverses decision to cancel wager
SBG Global (SBR rating D-) has reversed its decision to cancel a Formula 1 racing future. The decision was initially outlined in SBR's April 22nd report. Three players wagered Jenson Button at 70-1 to win the Formula 1 World Championship. At the time the wagers were placed, other sportsbooks offered similar odds. SBG Global voided the bets and offered the players the wager at reduced odds - all but one player, who wagered $200 to win $14,000, accepted the deal. SBG Global has decided to honor the player's wager and agreed to pay the full $14,000. SBR will update this report pending the player's confirmation. The dispute was handled by new customer service manager, Juan Romano. | View original SBG Global report.

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1/8/2010 08:12 AM
LasPalmas, Ehorse, BetCanadian players confirm payment
Players at LasPalmas, eHorse, and BetCanadian have confirmed payment. On 12/27 SBR broke the news that the aforementioned Horizon Twenty brands were acquired by Bookmaker.com (SBR rating A+). SBR readers that had filed complaints last year against the LasPalmas Group and its sister sportsbooks have confirmed over $54,000 in payments since the acquisition. Bookmaker's financial security provides security to the LasPalmas brands. LasPalmas, eHorse, and BetCanadian have been upgraded to the mark of B.

Player:

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12/27/2009 11:57 PM
Bookmaker.com Group Acquires LasPalmas
Bookmaker (SBR rating A+) CEO Mickey Richardson tells SBR that the acquisition of Las Palmas (SBR rating B) and sister sportsbooks has been completed. Las Palmas and its parent company Horizon20 have been a successful brand since 2001 through 2008. At the start of 2009 some players experienced payout delays and SBR readers reported over $120,000 in delinquent payout requests. Those players have already began receiving their funds and are now able to make additional withdrawal requests. Bookmaker also tells SBR that it will keep the brands, which it now fully owns, and bring them to the level of service players expect from a Bookmaker/BetCRIS product. Las Palmas' SBR rating peaked at B in 2008 before its players first reported negative feedback. Bookmaker has acquired many brands that have needed aid over the years. | Full Press Release: Bookmaker announces acquisition of Las Palmas.

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12/20/2009 12:14 AM
Linesmaker (SBR rating C-) website down
Linesmaker (SBR rating C-) has been down for the past 48 hours. Linesmaker staff has attributed the downtime to connectivity issues with its network service provider. Players can contact Linesmaker to attain the address for its mirror site to place bets while the main site is down. Linesmaker.com is a member of the Jazette family of sportsbooks.

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12/17/2009 12:19 PM
BalkanBet rating initiated at C-
Editor's update: BalkanBet is now operating as EFBet.

BalkanBet (SBR rating C-) has been added to the SBR sportsbook rating guide. BalkanBet's sportsbook has been in operation since June 7th of 2008. US, Maltese, and Macedonian residents are not permitted to open an account with BalkanBet. The sportsbook is located in Malta and licensed by the Loterries and Gaming Authority (LGA) of Malta. Players should be advised that multiple high-risk, slow-pay sportsbooks have emerged from Malta in recent years, such as the now defunct BetOnBet (SBR rating F), BetChance (SBR rating F), and slow pay sportsbook BetAfterBet (SBR rating D-).

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12/8/2009 06:48 PM
BetSportsWeb slow-pay reports
BetsSportsWeb (SBR rating D+) has three slow-pay complaints which have been filed with SBR. Three players are owed a total of $26,435. The oldest payment request was made in August. BetSportsWeb has stated that it would attempt to pay players in installments, but for the past three weeks has not done so. BetSportsWeb initially pinned the blame on processor problems, but now appears to be insolvent - BetSportsWeb is unable to do book to book transfers with other sportsbooks based in Costa Rica.

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11/19/2009 11:06 AM
Apex Sportsbook (SBR rating F) Pays Player After Five years
The owner of defunct sportsbook Apex Sports (SBR rating F) has paid over $3,000 to a player owed since 2004. Five years ago the player and the sportsbook owner agreed to a payment plan. The second payment of $250 was never sent. Since Apex Sports' demise, one of the owner's of Apex Sports has opened up a new operation with its main brand being Bet33 (SBR rating D-). Bet33 has never failed to pay a player but has maintained a low rating and position on the SBR Blacklist due to the fact it was built using Apex Sports' player balances. Apex ownership was adamant at the time it closed its doors that they were not solvent. Bet33 management assures SBR that Bet33 and sister sportsbooks are well funded and it will repay players who had Apex Sportsbook balances at the time the sportsbook flat-lined. Apex victims are asked to write to Help@SportsbookReview.com so we may help in arranging payment. Bet33 will remain under review through this process.

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11/10/2009 02:05 PM
BetAfterBet refuses to discuss 47 slow-pays
BetAfterBet (SBR Rating D-) declines to discuss the 47 cases of slow-pay which have been reported to SBR. BetAfterBet has asked that players launch complaints with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta (LGA), a tactic that has been employed in the past by sportsbooks with diminishing resources. SBR has asked BetAfterBet to reconsider their decision. This report will be updated as soon as more news comes in. | BetAfterBet forum discussion

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10/22/2009 10:52 AM
LasPalmas slowpays update
LasPalmas (SBR rating D) owes 8 players $110,400 according to complaints filed with SBR. The amounts requested range back to January of 2009. LasPalmas payments have been erratic, players that have what are considered to be manageable balances are paid ahead of those who have waited for months longer.

An SBRforum reader reported last week that LasPalmas solicited him for a 100% signup bonus. Any such offer should raise a red flag to any industry player. SBR advises those who maintain balances at any of the sportsbooks in the Horizon 20 family which includes eHorse and eHorse-X to cease wagering activity until LasPalmas can document that it can pay balances on time and not months after the fact.

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10/21/2009 10:00 PM
The New York Police Department announces indictments of BetOnline Bookmakers
The New York Police Department today announced the indictment of BetOnline principals on gambling charges. According to news conferences held by the NYPD and the NY District Attorney, charges are largely based on evidence of cash transactions that took place in the United States, including one paid in person to a winning bettor for over $500,000. Multiple alleged agents and credit websites were also named and cited as "wire rooms" for stateside bookmaking. It is unclear if the arrests will affect BetOnline's ability to send post-up player's their funds. SBR will investigate further and monitor BetOnline's progress in sending what is expected to be a surge in withdrawals. Although highly rated sportsbooks have weathered legal problems of key individuals, players are advised to use caution as the company's position becomes clear.

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10/12/2009 06:34 PM
SBRforum's Peter Loshak reports how the sportsbook fared in week 5
SBRforum and SBR.TV contributor Peter Loshak shares his insight on how the sportsbooks fared in Week 5.

To read the rest of Peter's article, view Monday Night Football action shows public big on the Jets.

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10/6/2009 05:36 PM
Beat The Prick Football Contest: Week 5 Open
There is still time to enter four picks for Week 5 of SBR's annual Beat The Prick Football Handicapping Contest. There is no deposit required to play, simply log onto SBR's free contest platform, SBRpicks.com, and register to join the fun! Beat The Prick offers $5,000 a week in cash, sponsored by the industry's best online sportsbooks. Enter your picks | More Free Handicapping Contests

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10/5/2009 12:40 PM
Player vs Canbet: IBAS rules in favor of Canbet regarding 27 cancelled correlated wagers
On May 22nd SBR first reported on Canbet (SBR rating C) cancelling 27 correlated NCAA football parlays. The parlays were for full game sides and totals. Canbet's position was that their software is never supposed to accept parlays in which the pointspread exceeds 33% of the total. The software accepted 27 parlays from the same player and all bets were graded as normal. Canbet voided all wagers one day after the games had been settled after the player made a withdrawal request. Today the player has reported to SBR that he received a letter from IBAS ruling in favor of Canbet. It is not unusual for IBAS to side with sportsbooks in these cases. SBR will continue to pursue the case.

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10/4/2009 11:03 PM
BetFirstClass reserves right to cancel winning parlays and keeping losers?
A player reported that he placed a correlated parlay of a side and total in an NFL game. After BetFirstClass (SBR rating C-) graded the wager as a win, the player states it was cancelled. BFC cited the fact that the parlay picks were on correlated outcomes and not allowed despite the player's funds being at risk and the software allowing the wager. BetFirstClass' own rule acknowledges that the sportsbook is aware it is taking these bets while not honoring them.
Player: Players should use caution when dealing with sportsbooks that expect players to govern themselves using their terms of service instead of making the proper investment in sportsbook software. SBR will inquire with BFC about both the general policy and rule and the player complaint.

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10/2/2009 04:26 PM
SBR Forum Posters' poll: Top 5 sportsbooks - September 2009
During the month of September posters were asked to list their Top 3 sportsbooks. Six points were awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. Only voters with 25 or more posts were counted in the final tally. Congratulations to the Top 5 point earners including 5Dimes (SBR rating A+) which bested the field of top sportsbooks!

1. 5Dimes 253 total points
2. Matchbook 252 total points
3. BetJamaica 194 total points
4. Pinnacle Sports 159 total points
5. Bookmaker 148 total points
Complete Results

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9/30/2009 04:56 PM
Canbet’s Rise and Fall as an Online Sportsbook; Canbet downgraded to C
Seven years ago Canbet broke into the top ten SBR recommended list of online sportsbooks. The Australia based operation had been a long-time member of the Top 20 list, widely regarded among off-shore bettors as a solid out that was worthy of being on any player’s short list. Canbet reached a rating as high as A-, earned on May 14th 2005. They maintained that mark impressively for four years.

Then everything changed. Bonus terms were retroactively changed, payouts were delayed, accounts were confiscated, and even winning wagers were canceled. Following IASbet's sale of Canbet on May 13th 2009 to Yin King Investments Ltd., Canbet has only continued its slide of poor management and player relations.

Here are some of the more disturbing unresolved complaints against Canbet. | View full report (written by Lou Moretti)

May 22nd 2009: Canbet cancels 27 correlated NCAA football parlays
Canbet cancels 27 correlated NCAAF parlays the day after the bets were correctly settled in players account. Canbet maintains their software has never accepted correlated parlays where the pointspread exceeds 33% of the total, stating the string of bets were accepted due to ''operator error''. Canbet management has stated that they believe the player was aware of this as he proceeded to bet more than his average stake size and also deposit in larger amounts to take advantage of these plays. | View more here

Canbet’s posted rules on correlated players actually make an argument on the player’s behalf:

Canbet:

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9/24/2009 09:59 AM
Matchbook the latest victim of denial of service attacks
Matchbook (SBR rating A) is currently experiencing distributed denial of service attacks. Matchbook is the latest victim in a string of attacks that began last weekend forcing several high profile sportsbooks to put up mirror sites until the attacks subsided. Players can access Matchbook at http://www2.matchbook.com until the main site is restored. Matchbook has informed SBR that if the backup site were to go down, all current offers would be cancelled.

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9/23/2009 10:57 AM
Skybook falsely advertising Neteller withdrawals?
Skybook (SBR rating B-) continues to stall Neteller withdrawals. One large winner writes:The player's first Neteller withdrawal request was made on April 15th for $1,000 of his $19,281 balance. As of today, the player has received only $3950. His latest pending $1,000 request, the maximum that Skybook allows per transaction, is on day 63.
On August 10th SBR first reported on Skybook’s inability to pay out via Neteller as advertised. At that time, Skybook management indicated Neteller payments were taking an average 20 days and capped at $1,000 per transfer. The average Neteller payout time has now increased to over 30 days. Skybook’s website is absent of any notice regarding Neteller delay. Only when players submit a withdrawal request are they informed of the lengthy delays and are given alternate withdrawal options with significantly higher fees. This player who is waiting two months, also complains that the sportsbook no longer offers to transfers to sportsbooks such as BetCRIS (SBR rating A+). SBR has advised Skybook to update its website to reflect true withdrawal wait times. Skybook Discussion | Full complaint

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9/19/2009 12:33 PM
Multiple sportsbooks encounter DDos attacks today
Earlier today SBR reported that YouWager (SBR rating B) was reportedly facing a denial-of-service attack. Since that time, Legends Sportsbook (SBR rating A+), Dimeline Sportsbook (SBR rating D), and Bet33 (SBR rating D-) have also encountered website attacks. Earlier in the day there were reports from SBRforum readers that BetCRIS (SBR rating A+) was down as well, but access to BetCRIS has since been restored.
Some sportsbooks like BetPhoenix (SBR rating B+) have implemented a security text code (captcha) users see when visiting their website. This diverts users from random DoS website traffic.

The denial of service attacks are caused by excessive requests to a website's server which in turn leaves little or no resources for legitimate user traffic. The sportsbook's information and databases are not "hacked" or compromised. Bettors can find a list of all LiveChat links here as well as all sportsbook phone numbers. SBR readers can report website downtime here.

Legends can be reached at 1-800-246-9828.

Bet 33 can be reached at 1-800-974-0695.

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9/18/2009 09:29 AM
Another Malta-based company, BetAfterBet, slow-paying
A payment complaint has come in against unrated sportsbook BetAfterBet. The sportsbook website claims that the company is owned by Bonobet Ltd., which operates in Malta and is licensed by the LGA of the Malta. Many slow-pay and scam sportsbooks have originated from Malta in recent times. BetAfterBet offers no phone number for customer support, but can be reached via live chat and email.

The BetAfterBet account holder who filed the sportsbook complaint form indicates he joined BetAfterBet in December of 2008 and made his first deposit of 98 Euros. The player deposited via Moneybookers. On August 17th of 2009, his first payment request was made for 830 Euros. No payment has been received.

BetAfterBet 8/17/09


BetAfterBet 8/25/09


BetAfterBet 9/18/09

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9/2/2009 10:11 PM
SBR Forum Posters' Poll Open: SBR posters invited to vote for Top sportsbooks
Through the month of September SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum. Vote here

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8/28/2009 05:23 PM
WeBetNow enters the SBR rating guide at F
WeBetNow is the latest sportsbook to emerge from the Costa Rica-based EZ Sports Group. EZ Sports will launch new brands before football season each year to market to unsuspecting players. Players are advised to take note of the F rating assigned to all sportsbooks in the EZ Sports Group and ignore the seemingly generous promotions.

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7/30/2009 11:40 AM
BetOnBet update; sister sportsbook Eurolinx enters SBR rating guide at D-
On July 21st SBR reported the relationship between OddsMatrix and BetOnBet (SBR rating D-). The COO of OddsMatrix, Jesper Ramskov Jensen, contacted SBR stating that OddsMatrix stands by player balances for sportsbooks listed on OddsMatrix's references page. On July 29th the CEO of OddsMatrix and founder of BetOnBet Stian Hornsletten stated Jesper’s comments were incorrect, stating that BetOnBet is provided only sportsbook software and not a full turnkey solution. OddsMatrix CEO Stian Hornsletten states that they sold BetOnBet in January of 2009 to the Linx Media Group, which currently operates Eurolinx, BetOnBet, and LinxCasino. Players are advised to use extreme caution at any Linx-based sportsbooks or casinos until payment complaints are addressed.

SBR has began discussing the issues with the current General Manager of BetOnBet, and will update this report when we have more information regarding the backlog of payments.

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7/29/2009 08:10 PM
Bet33 Group upgraded from F to D-; debt remains
Bet33 (SBR rating D-) and sister sportsbooks were upgraded to D- to reflect a lesser risk than the typical F rated sportsbook. SBR has not received any Bet33 nonpayment reports since late 2005 when they were added to the SBR Rating Guide. Bet33 was built with stolen player funds from stiff sportsbook Apex Sportsbook (SBR rating F). SBR has had annual conversations with ownership about paying the five year old debt. The conversations had not resulted in payment. Bet33 players are unlikely to be paid if they win a high five figure sum after a large winning run.

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7/28/2009 04:42 PM
BetOnBet (SBR rating D-) host provider, OddsMatrix reached at 44-797-628-7560
OddsMatrix has seemingly tried to hide their relationship with BetOnBet following SBR's request for assistance with payout complaints. Players are advised to contact OddsMatrix directly at 44 797 628 7560 for information on their withdrawal. OddsMatrix's Jesper Ramskov Jensen told SBR that they hold player funds:

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7/21/2009 04:02 PM
Betonbet enters the SBR rating guide at D SBR first reported on Betonbet payout complaints July 14th. The sportsbook states that their operation is licensed under the Lotteries and Gaming Authorities (LGA) of Malta, however it is actually licensed under OddsMatrix, a turnkey whitelabel platform that provides software and processing for those without their own resources. OddsMatrix states that is will assist if a licensee user has a problem. SBR has written to OM asking if they guarentee all player funds including winnings. Betonbet users have submitted over 20 slow-pay complaints this summer. Betonbet management has not communicated with SBR. Betonbet players are advised to take note of the slow-pay problems, and avoid making any further wagers until the processing issues are resolved. Malta has hosted many failed operations as of late. Players who where unaware of the recentl failed LGA-licensed books believe the Matla stamp of approval creates an undeserved sense of security. | View player feedback.

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7/17/2009 09:05 PM
HighRollerOnlineCasino enters the SBR Rating Guide at F. HighRollerOnlineCasino is the newest site from sportsbook website mass-producer EZ Sports Group. SBR will attempt to identify many new sportsbooks from scam operation EZ Sports prior to football season. The group has used a new batch of website domains to hook players through search engines and is offering a turnkey program for new bookmakers. The EZ Sports network of sportsbooks will heavily advertise bonuses from 25% to 100%.

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7/11/2009 11:42 PM
BigCitySportsbook enters SBR rating guide at F
BigCitySportsbook is one of many new brands in the Apex Sportsbook Group. Apex Sportsbook closed with player funds over four years ago. The same owner has recently put the website back online with the many other new sportsbook brand names. Apex is expected to continue to launch new brands that will be added to the SBR Blacklist. Apex, which uses the company name RDGcorp, is actively selling out-of-the-box turnkey sportsbooks and websites.

*NOTE- bigcitysportsbook.com is not to be confused with Betbigcity.com, which is an unrelated betting website.

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7/4/2009 05:02 PM
SCAM Alert: Two players were scammed out of a total of $6300 at Southernwagers.com (not rated).  Southernwagers is a "pay-per-head" site, where anyone can act as the sportsbook. Two different representatives of Southernwagers.com have stiffed players. The first complaint in November 2008 was for $3300 in winnings; the most recent was June of 2009. Southernwagers states "it is not our problem. The agents handle all the money - we just operate the lines service." One of the two players as well as a third who did not take the bait, tell SBR that they were solicited to join the sportsbook through the Yahoo! Rivals.com posting forum. Players are advised to avoid unproven sportsbooks and bookies, especially those offering credit. sportsbooks without an advertising budget commonly offer credit accounts to bettors they do not know. This in itself should be a warning sign that the sportsbook is unlikely to pay after a big winning run.

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7/3/2009 03:45 PM
WagerChief acquired by BetPhoenix
Costa Rica-based WagerChief (SBR rating C) has been acquired by BetPhoenix (SBR rating B+). The new sportsbook was previously hosted by IDSCA which offers bookmakers turnkey gaming solutions. BetPhoenix management states that they stand for player funds as of today. Independent management will try to build the brand under BetPhoneix ownership. Player account information and websites are expected to be transferred to the BetPhoenix servers within the next few days. Players are not expected to see an interruption in service as both sportsbooks use the same ASI software. SBR will reevaluate WagerChief after migration is complete.

BetPhoenix management tells SBR that it is actively pursuing other opportunities to acquire gaming companies, including poker and casino brands.

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6/19/2009 11:49 PM
SCAM ALERT: Imposter sportsbook site from Apex Sportsbook owner
BetPhoenixSports.com is designed to con players into believing they are actually playing with B+ rated BetPhoenix (BetPhoenix.com). The new cyber-squatting website uses the Phoenix brand but operates on the Bet33 (SBR rating F) wagering platform. This is not the first time Robbie has tried to impersonate and capitalize on the reputation of other sportsbooks. Apex owner, Robbie (AKA Zach), is operating legendsportsbook.com which has attracted bettors looking for the real Legendz (SBR rating A+).

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6/18/2009 08:27 PM
Oddsmaker.com steals $8,500 in winnings from player
In May of 2009 a player accepted a promotion offering $500 in free bets with a five time (5x) roll over (play-through) on his winnings that could not be withdrawn for 30 days. The player went on a winning streak and promptly turned the $500 in free plays into an $8,400 cash balance. The player told his father about the promotion. The father pursued the free-play from his residence in a different town but was denied due to the sportsbook targeting only specific bettors. The winning player was told that his winnings from the promotion will not be paid due to Oddsmaker (SBR rating D-) taking issue with the fact that he shared the promotion with a third party without authorization. SBR has made its position clear that the matter of a third party's inactive account is not relevant to his winnings. Oddsmaker has confirmed the facts of the player's complaint and stated they will not pay him his May winnings because he "lied" about being authorized to refer others to the promotion and was "rude and arrogant" to the Oddsmaker.com staff.

Due to Oddsmaker's poor reputation they are required to target players with big bonuses who may be uneducated about the industry. SBR routinely receives complaints from players who are lucky enough to go on a winning run only to find the sportsbook has created a reason to deny winnings. Oddsmaker partnered with no-pay scam group Futurebet, now known as IGaming Software (IGS), in 2007. After Futurebet stiffed the majority of its licensee (turnkey) sportsbooks and kept its player deposits, it changed its brand name and website from Futurebet.com to IGamingSoftware.com. Shortly before it stole licensee and player funds it made Oddsmaker and BetOnUSA (SBR rating D-) its main revenue sources. IGS staff denies association with Futurebet despite the obvious signs such as site similarities, management, and using the same unique server. SportsbookUSA (SBR rating F), was the one licensee owned by Futurebet and continues to operate as a deposit-only sportsbook site. | Oddsmaker discussion

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6/15/2009 09:31 AM
Industry loses veteran linesmaker, Fernando
Fernando, who was only in his mid 50s, was best known by players for his years as Lines Director at Hollywood Sportsbook. Fernando was a talented line manager who first gained notoriety for his exceptional ability to set NHL opening odds. He worked with Hollywood for years until the sportsbook was sold to the Sportsbook.com Group in May of 2006. At its peak Hollywood was an A+ sportsbook that, under Fernando, was one of the few sportsbooks to join Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+) offering reduced juice.  Fernando was a line manager at BetPhoenix at the time of his passing. He reportedly suffered from a heart attack Saturday. We at SBR send our condolences to Fernando's friends and family.

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6/12/2009 12:14 PM
Brobury Sports upgraded from D- to D+
BroburySports management discussed the company structure with SBR. Brobury states that despite using Sportsbook.com's software and wagering department, they have their own customer service office is Escazu, Costa Rica and handle their player's financial processing. SBR is scheduled to meet with Brobury next month and continue the evaluation process. BroburySports absorbed Malvern Sportsbook (SBR rating D-) last week. All Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D-) licensees (Jazette Ltd. serviced sportsbooks) are welcome to contact SBR to discuss policies and procedures and how they may differ from the unfair Sportsbook.com policies. | Sportsbook.com correlated parlay disputes

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6/2/2009 08:57 PM

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5/28/2009 10:55 PM
Sister books, Sportsbetting.com, Racebook, and Win4Real confiscate player's winnings and deposits
The player opened accounts at all three sportsbooks in June of 2008, depositing and playing consistently for five months. In November his accounts, which showed a profit of approximately $20,000, were frozen. The sportsbook cited a rule saying the player could only have an account at one sportsbook in the Sportsbetting.com Group. SBR has advised the sportsbook to pay the player for all wagers it booked since the player's funds were at risk. Bookmakers should have the ability to limit a player's action but should not retroactively void winning bets. Thus far Sportsbetting (SBR rating C-), Win4Real (SBR rating C-) and Racebook (SBR rating C-) have not agreed to pay the player for winning wagers, or even the winnings on the first of the three accounts joined. $9,500 in player deposits remain in possession of the sportsbook without an explanation, six months after closure. At the conclusion of this dispute, the Sportsbetting.com Group will be reevaluated. | Sportsbetting.com Discussions

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5/23/2009 11:39 PM
BetCities and IrishGambling enter SBR Rating Guide at F
The sportsbooks are on a platform and turnkey service called GameCities. Gamecities is a sub-licensee of Futurebet. On Thursday SBR reported that a BetCities player was robbed of his winnings. New victims are likely to come forward. SBR will investigate the small sportsbook company host and index related sportsbooks in the SBR rating Guide. GameCities tries to make money by offering a poor sportsbook product to website owners. After they sell the setup and service to new "sportsbook owners" support may stop or is very poor. Its parent company uses the same scam on larger players and has robbed its webmasters leaving them unable to pay their players. | Fake testimonials from Gamecities.com:

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5/19/2009 01:49 PM
Bodog Sportsbook (SBR rating B) adds LiveChat service. Players can view all sportsbooks that offer LiveChat here.

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5/16/2009 11:47 PM

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5/11/2009 08:57 PM
Racebook (SBR rating C-) tells Sportsbook Review it has returned $1,000 in confiscated funds to player. The refund represents a deposit made to Racebook.com in 2008. The sportsbook originally told the player that the funds were not returned because he broke the rule of having more than one account within the Sportsbetting.com Family of sportsbooks. The player had accounts at sister books Sportsbetting.com (SBR rating C-) and Win4Real (SBR rating C-) that were in good standing and inactive. SBR is seeking more information on why the deposit was not initially returned and if there were other non-bonus funds in the account. SBR will reassess Sportsbetting.com after pursuing further details from the company.

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5/7/2009 11:32 PM

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5/6/2009 11:19 PM

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5/5/2009 01:22 PM
Win4Real and Racebook.com (SBR rating C-) agree to pay player for confiscated deposits totaling $800 The dispute over the winning wagers continues. SBR is seeking more information about the bets and the date the cited rule was added to the Sportsbetting.com Group's websites. The original complaint was reported April 29th:

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5/3/2009 11:26 PM
SCAM ALERT: AlohaSportsbook enters the SBR Rating Guide at F. Aloha Sportsbook is the latest new sportsbook from former owner, Robbie AKA Zach, of failed stiff book Apex Sportsbook (SBR rating F). Robbie recently started recommending his own book through his fake rating sites AskTheBookie.com and A1-Sportsbook.com.

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4/29/2009 06:20 PM

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4/23/2009 11:03 AM
WSEX lowered from A- to B+. The rating change represents a lack of adequate financial processing resources resulting in delays. SBR continues to rate WSEX as financially strong and the sportsbook is in position to reclaim a spot on SBR's list of top sportsbooks once processing issues are addressed. Some players have reported delays of two months before receiving payment.

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4/21/2009 05:35 PM
888Viet & Shengyhidc enter the SBR Rating Guide at B. Both sportsbooks were created by First Fidelity, parent company of YouWager (SBR rating B), after the Vietbet Group ended its partnership and moved its Asian-facing business. The sportsbooks cater to bettors who speak Vietnamese and Chinese.

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4/16/2009 08:47 PM
Gold Victory (SBR rating F) no-pay complaints filed at faster pace as players take notice of new website notification and SBR reports. GoldVictory's website now states: We regret to inform you that for the time being all Sportsbook and Casino games have been suspended temporarily. We are working with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta (LGA) to amend the situation. Once the situation is amended, all customers with pending withdrawal/s will be paid out. Any updates regarding the situation will be posted here. Our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience.
It is common for Malta-licensed sportsbooks to work on payment plans with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority but it is rare that players receive their full balance as a result.

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4/13/2009 06:42 PM

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4/11/2009 01:47 PM

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4/9/2009 11:52 PM

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4/6/2009 12:06 AM

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4/4/2009 07:42 PM
SBR Forum Posters' poll: Top 5 sportsbooks - March 2009
During the month of March posters were asked to list their Top 3 sportsbooks. Six points were awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. Only voters with 25 or more posts were counted in the final tally. Congratulations to the Top 5 point earners including BetJamaica (SBR rating A+) which took over the top position from Matchbook (SBR rating A). This was SBR's first poster's poll of 2009 (August 2008 results).

1. BetJamaica 251 total points
2. TheGreek Sportsbook 217 total points
3. 5Dimes 181 total points
4. Matchbook 159 total points
5. Pinnacle Sports 148 total points
Complete Results

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4/2/2009 10:39 PM

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3/24/2009 10:25 PM

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3/17/2009 09:41 AM

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3/16/2009 10:37 PM
BetDOS enters SBR rating guide at D-
BetDos is serviced by "Max," who formerly hosted and serviced scam sportsbooks AtlantisBets and DunHillCasino, and owned and operated BetBones and Premiumbettor. Max now uses his resources to service new sportsbooks--one being BetFirstClass (SBR rating D). BetFirstClass ownership was unaware of BetDos but the sportsbooks share the same IP address and database server. A username from one of the sportsbooks will also work on the other book's website. BetDos has not yet answered SBR's inquiries. As with all new turnkey sportsbooks, BetDos should be avoided.

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3/8/2009 11:47 PM

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3/6/2009 08:56 PM

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3/1/2009 10:10 PM
SBR Forum Posters' Poll Open: SBR posters invited to vote for Top sportsbooks
Through the month of March SBRforum posters are asked to cast their vote for the best bookmakers. Posters are invited to give their top three sportsbooks with their highest rated book first. Six points will be awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. After tallying up the final scores, the top five point earners will be displayed at the head of the forum. Vote here

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2/20/2009 01:32 PM
Fiestabet confiscates players' winnings citing circumvented limits; downgraded from C to D+
Fiestabet has voided wagers placed in two accounts citing circumvented limits and claiming the two players wagered on many of the same plays at the same time. SBR has argued that the sportsbook should not have the opportunity to void wagers after the result. The sportsbook has no evidence suggesting the accounts are not operated by two valid account holders. SBR also stated that it is not uncommon for players to handicap games together or follow published plays, and the sportsbook is welcome to limit or close the accounts at any time. Fiestabet has also refused to pay the two players a split of the maximum wager allowed for one account. The complaint is not uncommon. sportsbooks looking for reasons not to pay big winners have unjustly cited syndicate play. | Poster discussion: Fiestabet Huge Problem

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2/17/2009 07:39 AM
LasPalmas & eHorse Group sportsbooks lowered from C+ to C-

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2/8/2009 11:20 PM
DimeLine Sportsbook (SBR rating C-) cancels bet "because of injury"
On February 3rd DimeLine Sportsbook canceled a wager on the Denver Nuggets -6 versus the San Antonio Spurs because of an injury report that caused the line to change. The spread jumped across all sportsbooks to as high as -13. Dimeline customer service cited an error as reason for canceling the bet. The player rightfully argues that his bet was canceled unfairly. The bet was not void because it was placed on an erroneous line but because he had a good position on a play before information was known that would change the odds across the betting market. SBR to contact DLS management. | Forum discussion

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1/31/2009 11:36 PM
Super Bowl line hovering on 6.5
SBRlines.com showed the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 to 7 since the line opened. The line started at 7 at TheGreek (SBR rating A+) and Pinnacle (SBR rating A+), and was briefly available at 7.5 (-115) for Cardinal Backers at Bookmaker (SBR rating A+). Players monitoring SBRlines saw the majority of the sportsbooks dance between 6.5 and 7 over the last two weeks. Many Arizona Cardinal bettors are waiting until game day for a chance at a more appealing price on a +7. There are a few sportsbooks offering 7 now for those players looking to lock in on the half point with a slightly higher price tag. Watch live betting odds at SBRlines.com.

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1/12/2009 11:06 PM

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1/11/2009 11:14 PM
Beware of Bet911 (SBR rating D-) offers
The slow-paying sportsbook is offering 30% cash bonuses along with other discount offerings such -105 reduced juice specials and free half point Tuesdays. Players should avoid all questionable and unproven sportsbooks, especially those marketing overly generous promotions this time of year. As football comes to a close many players will be requesting payouts and testing the financial strength of these sportsbooks. Many sportsbooks will market these offers irresponsibly, knowing that if the ball does not bounce in their favor, players will not be paid. Bet911 has already shown they can not fulfill payout requests of large winners.

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1/6/2009 11:54 AM
Two On-LineSportsbook (SBR rating D-) players file new payout complaints
The sportsbook told users that it is waiting for access to player-deposited funds collected by credit card processors. Blaming third parties for not having access to funds is a common excuse and one used by stiff sportsbooks LazerWager (SBR rating F) and BetCascade (SBR rating F). However, GoTo Entertainment sportsbooks commonly puts large winners on payment plans. Players are hopeful the book will get through these latest issues and begin to make payments. The two players have requested over $3,000 and have balances of over $15,000 combined.

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1/2/2009 01:44 AM

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12/20/2008 12:20 AM
WorldWideBet added to the SBR rating guide at F. WorldWideBet.com is one of the many mass produced sportsbook brands from scam operation, Futurebet. Futurebet will use its white label program to target bettors who don't realize the new books are affiliated with the notorious scam artists. SBR will continue to search for new futurebet-serviced sportsbooks and immediately warn readers.

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12/8/2008 12:14 AM
GoToEntertainment and On-LineSportsbook also new sportsbooks indexed in the SBR Rating Guide under the GoTo Entertainment Group. Both books received an initial rating of D-.

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12/4/2008 10:31 PM
SBR receives positive feedback from Dimeline Sportsbook players
Players have reported timely payouts and good customer service--customer service is provided only by LiveChat and email--since joining the Curacao-based BTG Gaming Group. SBR upgraded DimeLine and other BTG-serviced sportsbooks from D+ to C-. DLS was upgraded from D to D+ in September after successfully leaving scam operator Futurebet. The last reported payout dispute, that originated when the sportsbook was using Futurebet hosting and services, was resolved in November.

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11/26/2008 11:13 PM
Newly rated scam sportsbooks taken off-line
All-Sportsbook (SBR rating F) and 1SportsWagering (SBR rating F) were added to the blacklist this summer. SBR warned players of scams ran by sister sportsbooks under parent operation EZ Sports.

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11/7/2008 10:49 PM
RevolutionaryPoker Sportsbook enters the SBR rating guide at F. RPS is the fourth member of scam sportsbook group, Futurebet to enter the blacklist in the last month. Futurebet is a scam sportsbook operation in Vancouver, Canada that has parented hundreds of slow-pay and no-pay sportsbooks. The group is known for robbing both players and its turnkey book owners while hiding behind different brand names like the ones listed here. Futurebet now calls itself iGamingSoftware a.k.a IGS. SBR received a payout complaint last month from a bettor owed $52,900 from SportsbookUSA (SBR rating F), formerly the operation's flagship brand. History shows it is unlikely the player will see any of his winnings or deposit.

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11/4/2008 06:44 PM
ParlayCardZ (SBR rating C+) to be merged under Las Palmas (SBR rating B-)
LasPalmas management tells SBR that all ParlayCardZ players will receive the same pricing and line set when logging in through LasPalmas. Both sportsbooks are owned by the Horizon 20 Group. PCZ players should expect a seamless transition to the LasPalmas.com website.

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11/1/2008 05:09 AM
New post-up sportsbook coming from owner of F rated sportsbook, Bet33
999LuckyDay is a newly built sportsbook website from the owner of Bet33, who previously operated stiff sportsbook, Apex Sportsbook (SBR rating F). Bet33 ownership routinely argues that they and related books should be rated higher than F since it "has been over four years" since the last known player was stiffed. Bet33, which was built on these stolen player funds, and its affiliated sportsbooks will remain blacklisted until ownership continues with payment plans initiated four years ago.

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10/30/2008 09:10 PM
PokerSouls enters the SBR rating guide at F. PokerSouls, also known as CasinoSouls, is one of the many mass produced sportsbooks from scam operation, Futurebet. Futurebet will use the different brands to target bettors who don't realize the new books are affiliated with the notorious rip-off artists. SBR will continue to search for new futurebet-serviced sportsbooks in an effort to warn players.

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10/27/2008 07:07 PM
Betmania officially acquired by BetPhoenix. BetMania began using BetPhoenix hosting and services in September with the intention of being moved under Phoenix ownership. The sportsbooks reported a drawn out legal process delaying the acquisition and leaving Betmania players to wonder about the status of their book and its financial position. Phoenix tells SBR that Betmania management will be retained and the sportsbook will operate as a separate brand.

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10/22/2008 11:21 PM

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10/14/2008 09:06 PM
AverageJoeBets enters the SBR rating guide at F. AverageJoe, also known as B4Bsports, is one of the many mass produced sportsbooks from scam operation, Futurebet. Futurebet will use the different brands to target bettors who don't realize the new books are affiliated with the notorious rip-off artists. SBR will continue to search for new Futurebet-serviced sportsbooks in an effort to warn players.

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10/12/2008 11:01 PM
sportsbooks list payout odds for 2008 Basketball Teasers. 5Dimes (SBR rating A) tops the teaser chart for both basketball and football. Pinnacle (SBR rating A+) remains the only sportsbook allowing players to have more than 5.5 points and take as many as 7.5. Players can check back as the basketball season nears for added information including teaser maximum and minimum risk amounts and changes to payout odds. Multiple sportsbooks are considering broadening the range of points offered before the start of the NBA season. | Basketball Teaser Odds

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10/10/2008 11:57 PM
SportsbookReview lists football teaser odds for sportsbooks rated B and higher.

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10/4/2008 03:49 PM

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10/3/2008 11:01 PM

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9/20/2008 06:55 AM
BettingStar24 (SBR rating D) reopens; players advised to request funds
The sportsbook posted vague messages on its website earlier this week about transferring player accounts and informing users that customer support would not be offered during this time. No time line for a resolution was offered. BettingStar24's website displays a new message stating that negotiations allowed the sportsbook to reopen. It is not uncommon for Malta-licensed sportsbooks to struggle with internal business issues before eventually closing for good. PlayBanks and BetChance each showed signs of stumbling including intermittent payouts, temporarily removing account access, and/or announcing new ownership before eventually closing for good. Players are advised to test BS24's withdrawal process and avoid the book while it handles internal issues.

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9/6/2008 03:11 PM
SBR Forum Posters' poll: Top 5 sportsbooks in August
During the month of August posters were asked to list their Top 3 sportsbooks. Five points were awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. Only voters with 25 or more posts were counted in the final tally. Congratulations to the Top 5 point earners including 5Dimes (SBR rating A) which entered the top 5 for the first time with 125 total points. This was SBR's first poster's poll of 2008 (2007 results).

1. Matchbook - 195 total points
2. BetJamaica - 182 total points
3. TheGreek - 160 total points
4. Pinnacle Sports - 130 total points
5. 5Dimes - 125 total points

See how posters voted

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9/5/2008 07:16 PM

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8/30/2008 11:15 PM

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8/29/2008 01:23 AM

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8/27/2008 11:35 PM
No-Pay Sportsbook back online
BetCSL (SBR rating F) players reported payout problems in January of 2007. The sportsbook was taken off-line by the turnkey provider, Capilleira. Two more Capilleira sportsbooks have since closed without paying users. The sportsbook website has reappeared in time for football. Players should avoid CSL and all Capilleira sportsbooks.

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8/13/2008 09:42 PM

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8/11/2008 01:33 PM

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8/8/2008 07:34 AM
Logans upgrade from D- to D+ reflects potential for independent decision making. The sportsbook, which is managed and hosted by Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D-), tells SBR that it has its own email address for players to use when a dispute arises. Logans management also said it would be open to revisiting the decisions made by Sportsbook.com's team. Logan's management suggested it would have reversed decisions the Sportsbook.com Group made against players in the past, prior to its launch. Logans is a new Sportsbook.com-hosted brand that uses the turnkey operation's banking and processing. Players at Sportsbook.com turnkey serviced sportsbooks including Logans are susceptible to the long payout delays due to processing. Some players are currently waiting almost four months.

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8/2/2008 02:41 PM
BoDog downgraded due to processing issues. Bodog (SBR rating B-) tells SBR that closing third party processors have forced them to reroute transfers through other payment services. This has caused players to wait even longer than the 40 business days listed on the Bodog website. Players who deposited via person-to-person transfer methods have the ability to receive payment through the same method within three business days. Non-U.S. users using eWallets, Neteller or Moneybookers are offered payment within one business day. Bodog's downgrades from A to B- this summer reflect the book's inability to send checks or bank wires in a time frame consistent with top sportsbooks.

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7/23/2008 11:34 PM

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7/21/2008 11:43 PM

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7/19/2008 10:41 PM

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7/12/2008 12:54 PM

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6/27/2008 11:34 PM
OrlandoSportsbook added to the SBR Rating Guide at D. Orlando is a new site from the GoTo Entertainment Group. Goto sportsbooks are currently slow-paying three winning players.

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6/11/2008 09:21 PM

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6/9/2008 10:14 PM

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6/8/2008 11:24 PM

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6/5/2008 11:56 PM

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5/29/2008 09:49 PM

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5/25/2008 03:39 PM

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5/23/2008 10:26 PM

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5/16/2008 11:00 PM

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5/15/2008 06:17 PM
Capilleira Group sportsbooks reach SCAM status
Operation management initially told SBR that they were not responsible for its anonymous licensees. After the closure of the first no-pay book, DragonWager, Capilleira management told SBR it would require its licensees to keep deposits on hand so not to facilitate theft. Capilleira management also told SBR that it would stand for all player balances at two of its brands, WagerDaily and Ultimate-Odds. In March a WagerDaily player reported that he was owed $23,364 and the sportsbook was off-line. The player was able to log in to his account through Ultimate-Odds where his balance was still showing as available. Capilleira management initially told the player that it would pay him in installments and take responsibility for the "book owner's" debt.

Capilleira: I will pay you 10% of the balance starting April 1^st and it will be sent by bank wire and this will be adhered to strictly.

Capilleira's owner failed to pay as promised and has avoided the client. WagerDaily reached a peak rating of C- before the first complaint from BetCSL was received. Capilleira-hosted books such as BetCSL, DragonWager and BigJuicyOdds have stiffed players thousands.

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5/12/2008 07:57 PM

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4/27/2008 10:51 PM

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4/20/2008 09:51 PM

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4/17/2008 10:19 PM

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4/15/2008 11:29 PM

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4/7/2008 11:37 PM

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4/1/2008 11:04 PM

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3/29/2008 02:25 PM

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3/23/2008 10:16 PM
WagerDaily (SBR rating D-) and sister Capilleira-hosted post-up sportsbooks taken off-line. SBR will monitor payout requests for these labels. Stiff sportsbook BigJuicyOdds (SBR rating F) was the most recent Capilleira turnkey sportsbook to close with player funds.

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3/21/2008 05:58 PM

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3/16/2008 10:03 AM
SBR Reader: SBR, What are the best sportsbooks for baseball? Which sportsbook has the best dimeline?

SportsbookReview has updated the Best Baseball Lines page which now includes Intertops (SBR rating B+). Intertops managed to make the list with a 10 cent line breaking at -140. The latest update is to BetJamaica's listing. The sportsbook, which offers a 10 cent line up to -190, will add 5 inning lines as well as reverse run-lines for the 2008 season. SBR will soon list pricing information for exchange-style sportsbooks.

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3/14/2008 02:16 PM

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3/10/2008 05:36 PM

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2/13/2008 12:31 PM

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2/10/2008 11:16 PM
SCAM Alert: 8888Sports enters SBR Rating Guide with F rating under 4sportspicks Group
This warning comes two months after sister sportsbook site SportsPlayingWorld (SBR rating F) informed users it would be keeping all account balances. 8888Sports players who question the book's management will be told that the operation is "only a call center that provides service to sportsbooks."

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2/6/2008 05:27 PM

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2/2/2008 02:29 PM
Super Bowl Q & A with Bookmaker (SBR raing A+) and BetJamaica (SBR rating A+)
SBR's Peter Loshak asks the sportsbooks' Line Managers about Super Bowl XLII betting trends, where they expect the lines to move and what team bettors are taking early. | Read interview

Peter: So where's most of the money coming in? I've been hearing a figure of 80% on the Giants all week long. Does that square with what you're seeing?

BetJamaica: So far we have approximately 65% early Giant money which is often the case for early dog wagering on such a public marquee game.

Bookmaker: I’d say closer to 60% so far on the Giants for us. The Super Bowl with a line of +12 is great value and will always attract money, but I’m sure there will be more than enough bet on New England up until kickoff.

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1/29/2008 05:28 PM
Gaming processor, MyMoneyCashier.com closes operation; owes multiple sportsbooks
Sources in Costa Rica tell SBR that the MyMoneyCashier has vacated its offices. The processor worked with high-profile sportsbooks in at least three countries. Bookmakers are asking Gabrielle, AKA Gabby, to contact them in order to address what amounts to a substantial debt.

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1/28/2008 06:17 PM

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1/23/2008 06:45 PM

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1/18/2008 10:04 PM

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1/14/2008 11:36 PM
January SBR email response Test Results Released: See what happened when SportsbookReview’s “Jack Taber” tested 15 sportsbooks with five questions. SBR email response test.

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1/11/2008 08:39 PM

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12/30/2007 02:21 AM

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12/12/2007 08:48 PM

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12/7/2007 11:23 PM

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12/4/2007 09:45 PM

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12/3/2007 06:13 PM

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12/2/2007 09:49 PM

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11/26/2007 08:52 AM
HansaBet (SBR rating C) closing sportsbook; plans to void bets
HansaGaming posted a notice on its website this morning saying that it will no longer be taking sports wagers. Hansa states that if pending wagers cannot be graded by November 30th, 2007 the wagers will be voided. Players that stand to lose desirable bets are asked to contact SBR so we may contact the sportsbook on the player's behalf. Hansagaming claims it is refocusing its business plan on the poker and casino product. Players expect higher operating standards from Bowmans International LTD, the former owner of one of the original sportsbooks, Bowmans.com. Hansagaming only services non-US gamblers. Bowmans' Line Manager, Scott K. parted with the company before HansaGaming was launched.

Note: Hansagaming-owned BlondeSports (SBR rating C) is taking the same actions.

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11/21/2007 06:24 PM

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11/19/2007 07:25 PM

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11/17/2007 01:32 PM
Sportsbook Email Response Test: See how 11 sportsbooks scored against a challenging set of questions from parlay bettor, Jon Burnett. Jon received three perfect responses in under an hour, the silent treatment from two books, and had one sportsbook pass his email to a third party who promotes them using SPAM. See results

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11/16/2007 08:32 PM

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11/12/2007 11:55 PM

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11/11/2007 01:26 AM
Sportsbook.com (SBR rating D-) confiscates $10,000, cites free-play bonus abuse.
Player: Hello…..I need help with a sportsbook complaint. I had around $10,000 at 6 different sportsbooks within the sportsbook.com group. They said they froze my accounts for “free bet” abuse and seized all funds…..I only made $200 - $300 off of freebets over the last two years….and they took $10,000. I can see if they wanted to take the $200-$300, but 10K? Is there anything that can be done?

Sportsbook.com is claiming the use of bonuses at multiple Sportsbook.com-managed books is "bonus fraud" and reason to confiscate winnings. A second player has submitted a claim to SBR for $50,000 . The player was told $50,000 would not be paid because he circumvented limits on some of his wagers by using affiliated sportsbooks to place the same bets. The same player was also debited over $30,000 when Sportsbook.com scammed multiple users, stealing parlay winnings.

Player: I have always used my own name, address, email, credit cards, etc. It was
plain who I was at all times. I don't see how I should be expected to keep track of which books are allowed and which aren't, especially if that information isn't expressed anywhere.

Sportsbook.com and sister Jazette books do not have rules against using multiple brands and utilizing their promotions. It is often encouraged through the sportsbook sales departments which market each website as an independent sportsbook. Sportsbook.com states that it will adress these reports in detail.

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11/8/2007 11:45 PM
Official Poster's Poll II: SBRforum Posters choose Top 5 sportsbooks
During the month of October posters were asked to list their Top 3 sportsbooks. Five points were awarded for the first choice, four points for second place and three points for third. Only voters with 25 or more posts were counted in the final tally. Congratulations to the Top 5 point earners including Pinnacle (SBR rating A+) which again led the way with 20 first place votes and 150 total points. This was SBR's second poster's poll of 2007 (May results).

1. Pinnacle Sports - 150 total points
2. Matchbook - 144 total points
3. BetJamaica - 115 total points
4. BookMaker / BetCris - 109 total points
5. TheGreek - 91 total points

See Complete Results

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11/6/2007 10:24 PM

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11/5/2007 11:46 PM

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11/4/2007 11:39 PM

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11/1/2007 11:18 PM
e-Wallet Omega Internet Solutions pays owed player, who had a balance with of $2,500, and settles with sportsbooks that had live checks to players when the payment processor closed. OIS blames the issue on an oversight. SBR no longer has any pending claims against OIS which shut down suddenly in the second week of October.

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10/28/2007 09:50 PM

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10/26/2007 01:04 PM

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10/26/2007 08:56 AM

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10/25/2007 02:48 PM

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10/23/2007 10:38 PM
BigNutzz enters the SBR Rating Guide at D-. BigNutzz is new sportsbook from Futurebet, which is servicing multiple no pay-sportsbooks like USDbet (SBR rating D-) and G2Gbet (SBR rating F). USDbet claims that the operator has frozen their funds and refuses to pay USD players. G2Gbet has closed with player funds. G2G owners also blamed Futurebet for not paying and have started a new venture, G2Gpoker.

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10/22/2007 08:43 PM

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10/22/2007 06:24 PM

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10/20/2007 11:00 AM

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10/11/2007 11:10 PM

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10/8/2007 09:13 PM

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10/7/2007 11:48 PM

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10/4/2007 10:44 PM

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10/1/2007 07:15 PM

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9/24/2007 12:20 AM

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9/12/2007 05:04 PM

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9/11/2007 11:19 PM

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9/9/2007 11:15 PM

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9/5/2007 08:45 PM

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9/1/2007 09:07 AM

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8/26/2007 06:39 PM

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8/24/2007 06:35 PM

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8/23/2007 01:39 PM

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8/20/2007 09:49 AM

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8/19/2007 10:28 PM
SBR’s Sports Betting Rules Monitor records noteworthy changes at four sportsbooks
BetOnLine (SBR rating A-) adds rules for NCAA Football season win totals and conference championship future bets. BetOnline.com also changed the required minimum games played for baseball division wins futures from 155 to 160.
Will Hill (SBR rating A) rewrites entire rules section. Players are advised to review all rules that apply to their betting style.
BetShop (SBR rating C-) cuts max win per bet by two thirds.
The maximum win per bet is limited to GBP 10,000 from 30,000 or 15,000 Euro from 45,000 regardless of the stakes or the odds.
GamingClubSportsbook (SBR rating C) adds fee for inactive accounts
"An administration fee equivalent to 5 sportsbook credits of such credit balance shall be levied monthly."

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8/18/2007 12:16 PM
BetJamaica (SBR rating A+) and The Greek Sportsbook (SBR rating A+) bracing for category 5 Hurricane Dean. The hurricane is expected to hit the island on Sunday. BetJamaica will switch to backup numbers once winds surpass 50 MPH. Players will be able to use 877-906-5666 for wagering and 877-906-3730 for banking and customer services. Bettors who have difficulty reaching TheGreek should use 1-800-310-8755. Although the sportsbooks will remain staffed and in operation during the storm players should be prepared for website downtime.

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8/16/2007 10:29 PM

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8/15/2007 11:02 PM

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8/12/2007 12:47 PM

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8/10/2007 11:09 AM

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8/9/2007 02:19 PM

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8/6/2007 11:25 PM

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7/29/2007 09:11 PM

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7/27/2007 07:10 PM

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7/12/2007 12:23 PM
SBRLines.com: TheGreek (SBR rating A+) and 5Dimes (SBR rating A) open week 1 NFL Odds. The first game of the regular season features the New Orleans Saints at the Indianapolis Colts who are listed as -6½ -110 favorites at The Greek and -7 +105 at 5Dimes. Visitors can monitor SBRlines.com for opening week lines as well as preseason NFL Odds from over 20 sportsbooks.

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7/9/2007 02:12 PM

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7/2/2007 02:04 PM

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7/1/2007 11:28 PM

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6/26/2007 06:28 PM
SBR’s Sportsbook Betting Rules Monitor Live
Players can view all Betting Rules and Terms of Service archives here. The majority of rules were first scanned on June 18th 2007 with changes being logged since. sportsbooks and players who would like to see additional web pages monitored can submit the URL of the rules or FAQ to Assistance@SportsbookReview.com. Below are the week #1 rule changes as logged by SBR. Removed text is shown striked out in red. Added text is highlighted in yellow. Players are encouraged to ask their sportsbook to inform clients of each rule change via email.

BetBull (SBR rating C-) changes tennis wagering rule
Wagers will now be cancelled in the event of a change of venue or playing surface.

BetInternet (SBR rating B-) changes maximum allowed daily payouts
All minor league soccer and horse racing has a maximum £75,000 daily winnings allowed. This includes the player’s stake

TradeSports (SBR rating C+) changes fee structure
Tradesports removes text regarding exchange fees and notifies players that fee structure may change at the company’s discretion (See TradeSports Press Release).

Sportbet (SBR rating B) and IslandCasino (SBR rating B) adds text regarding residing in Costa Rica.

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6/19/2007 02:07 PM

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6/16/2007 01:26 PM

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6/14/2007 04:41 PM
Win4real (SBR rating D+) confiscates player's winnings citing multiple accounts within the Sportsbook.com family. The player, who also holds an account at SuperBook (SBR rating D+), claims $791 was taken from his balance. Win4Real and the Sportsbook.com Group (Jazette Enterprises Limited) does not prohibit players from using multiple accounts in its large family of sportsbooks. SBR will contact Win4Real on the player's behalf.

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6/11/2007 10:08 PM

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6/4/2007 05:19 AM

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6/1/2007 05:17 PM

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5/20/2007 09:44 PM

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5/2/2007 12:53 PM

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5/1/2007 03:48 PM

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4/28/2007 11:33 PM

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4/27/2007 04:02 PM

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4/26/2007 07:27 PM

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4/22/2007 11:34 PM

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4/15/2007 11:43 PM

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4/12/2007 06:23 PM

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4/10/2007 11:20 PM

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4/7/2007 02:37 PM
sportsbooks report player attempting to impersonate SBR staff
sportsbooks, as well as players, are always welcome to verify contact with SBR by calling SportsBookReview's office at 830-255-4677 or by email. The latest instance of a player falsely claiming affiliation to SBR comes from a Mr. Thomas K. who impersonated a staff member in order to have his wagering account re-enabled after being banned for using inappropriate language with phone clerks. The same individual has also conned inexperienced sportsbooks into granting him a line of credit with no intention of paying. Anyone applying for credit, claiming to be associated with, employed by or vouched for by SBR is attempting fraud.

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3/24/2007 07:53 PM

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3/13/2007 06:44 PM

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3/11/2007 10:24 PM

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3/3/2007 11:56 PM
Capilleira sportsbooks, CyberCasinoClub & HitMyJackPot enter the SBR Rating Guide at D-.

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2/14/2007 01:58 PM
PartyBets joins sister site Gamebookers in the SBR rating guide at B-. Both sportsbooks are owned by PartyGaming Plc, the parent company of PartyPoker.

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2/12/2007 11:20 PM
ActionBets (SBR rating D-) now operated by BetEagle (SBR rating C-) which is part of Eagle Data Processing (Eagledp). Due to the financial processing void left by Neteller, many small and medium-sized sportsbooks have opted to allow third party services or larger sportsbooks to service remaining players.

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1/31/2007 07:01 PM
BetOnUSA (SBR rating D-) and sister books acquired by Jazette Enterprises Limited (D+ rated Sportsbook.com). Sportsbook management tells SBR the BetOnUSA Group (Empire Entertainment Ltd) was purchased last month. All customer service and accounting is now directed to the Sportsbook building in Costa Rica. The purchase brings Sportsbetting.com (SBR rating D-) back to the company and gives Jazette ownership of the World Gaming software code.
JEL states that it will look into no-pay claims against BetOnUSA, including the latest from a player waiting four months for $1,000.16. JEL sportsbooks also have their own no-pay complaints pending. During the migration of SportingbetUSA (SBR rating D+) last October to Jel-owned SuperBook (SBR rating D+) some accounts, balances and pending wagers were lost.

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1/24/2007 08:22 PM
Neteller Electronic Funds Transfers (ACHs) delayed until at least the last week of February for U.S. residents. The e-wallet is currently telling players they must wait 4 to 6 weeks for EFTs. sportsbooks with Neteller merchant accounts have also been told they must wait a minimum of 4 weeks to redeem their funds in full. Neteller is encouraging U.S. residents who hold a Neteller debit card to withdraw the daily limit. Players report the payout method is currently functioning normally.

01.26.2007 Update: Third party debit card provider no longer servicing Neteller. Neteller’s website states: NETELLER is currently unable to transact with USD bank accounts, regardless of the location of the member. Neteller says it is working on the issue. Some account holders are attempting to transfer their funds from Neteller to non USD bank accounts or merchants.

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1/19/2007 05:38 PM
sportsbooks tested as payment processors decline service to U.S. gambling industry. sportsbooks will see an immediate reduction in business now that "e-wallets" such as Neteller, myCitadel Wallet and ATMonline are no longer an option for US-focused gaming companies. Low rated sportsbooks relying on player deposits to operate, as well as dishonest bookmakers who believe it may be more profitable to keep player funds than to expand its business model, are the industry’s primary concern. During this high risk period players are advised to only use sportsbooks with a minimum SBR rating of A-. Players are also advised to expect delays in payout processing time from even the best bookmakers. Many operators are attempting to move money quickly to compensate for high demand on remaining withdrawal options.

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1/18/2007 10:05 AM
Neteller no longer processing gambling transactions from U.S. residents. The processor stated today that it will continue to allow current U.S. clients to use the service for non-gambling transactions including EFT withdrawals. Electronic check (ACH) processor, Citadel also announced that it will cease to service U.S. bettors. sportsbooks have already reported an increase in other "E-wallet" services such as Click2Pay, InstaDebit and ATMonline this week. sportsbooks such as Bodog, which use other electronic check providers, will likely benefit from Citadel’s announcement.

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1/16/2007 04:55 PM
Non-U.S. accounts at Betcorp brand sportsbooks, including BetWWTS (SBR rating C+) and CyberSportsbook (SBR rating C+), to be migrated to BoDog (SBR rating A+) in February. The Betcorp family of websites will then redirect visitors to Bodog.com. Players can expect a seamless transition to Bodog which already owns and manages the Betcorp operation.

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1/13/2007 02:58 PM
5Dimes (SBR rating A) now accepting transfers from Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+). 5Dimes (SBR rating A) now accepting transfers from Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+). There are no fees or minimum amount required. The bonus structure used for new Neteller deposits will apply. Transfer balances will be credited once Pinnacle acknowledges the request sent to its Customer Service Department. The following sportsbooks are also accepting transfers:

BetJamaica (SBR rating A+): The minimum transfer amount is $50. No fees will be applied by BetJamaica. Transferred funds are eligible for available bonuses.
TheGreek (SBR rating A+): The minimum transfer amount is $500. No fees will be applied by TheGreek Sportsbook. Transferred funds are eligible for available bonuses.
WSEX (SBR rating A+): There is no minimum to transfer funds. No fees will be applied by WSEX. A 10% bonus will be applied to funds transferred from Pinnacle Sports.

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1/13/2007 10:45 AM
More sportsbooks considering reduced juice pricing
In an effort to obtain market share formerly held by Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+), many sportsbooks will target players with new offers of reduced vigorish and low juice promotions. Multiple bookmakers have told SBR they are considering moving to "discount wagering" full-time after the announcement from Pinnacle to leave the US market. 5Dimes (SBR rating A) told SBR today that they have decided to offer -105 style lines (10 cent pricing) on all NHL hockey games. 5Dimes already offered -105 lines on the NFL playoffs. sportsbooks must be extremely skilled and experienced in order to manage low margin wagering. SBR advises players to stay with the best and most proven sportsbooks.

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1/11/2007 05:58 PM
A+ sportsbooks accepting book transfers from Pinnacle Sports:
BetJamaica (SBR rating A+): The minimum transfer amount is $50. No fees will be applied by BetJamaica. Transferred funds are eligible for available bonuses.
TheGreek (SBR rating A+): The minimum transfer amount is $500. No fees will be applied by TheGreek Sportsbook. Transferred funds are eligible for available bonuses.
WSEX (SBR rating A+): There is no minimum to transfer funds. No fees will be applied by WSEX. A bonus will be applied to funds transferred from Pinnacle Sports.

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1/9/2007 07:07 PM
Slow-paid BetCSL (SBR rating F) players have yet to receive their funds or communication from the sportsbook owner or sportsbook operator, Capilleira. SBR has downgraded all Capilleira sportsbooks which should be avoided at this time. Players are hopeful that Capilleira Systems will prove it does not facilitate scam operations and will take responsibility for bettor balances as promised. Capilleira claims it was unaware BetCSL was operated by former stiff sportsbook client, DragonWager (SBR rating F).

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1/5/2007 07:23 PM
SBR has received a new payout complaint from a BetCSL (SBR rating F) customer. The bettor forwarded email conversations to SBR which showed correspondence with the same book owner as the defunct DragonWager (SBR rating F). BetCSL has also been lowered from D to F today. All Capilleira/Central Valley Technologies sportsbooks, which share the same turnkey service (software, hosting and customer service), including HitWager, Ultimate-Odds, WagerDaily & WagerWagon have been downgraded from C- to D+. This group will be reevaluated Monday evening when two CSL users are expected to paid in full. After DragonWager and other Capilleira clients cheated players, Capilleira stated that it would stand for user balances.

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1/5/2007 02:32 PM
Former owner of stiff sportsbook, Apex Sportsbook (SBR rating F-) launches new website, sportsbooks.net, to help promote new book, Bet33 (SBR rating F). sportsbooks.net copies SBR reports in an attempt to legitimize its own Rating Guide and Recommended List led by Bet33. View list of Bet33 sister books here.

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12/31/2006 11:48 PM
SportsbookUSA (SBR rating F) player submits final payout complaint of the year, waiting for $900 since October.
Player: I would never have deposited with these guys if i found SBR. I read about the problems and wanted to get out. Now Im stuck too. Please help.

The defunct BetOnSports family of sportsbooks along with SportsbookUSA and sister Futurebet books were the largest sources of no-pay complaints in 2006.

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12/31/2006 01:46 AM
Milkyway Productions (screwmagcasino.com) & BookYourBet enter the SBR Rating Guide at D-. Both are sportsbooks operated by Atlantic West Gaming.

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12/18/2006 11:49 PM
Lingering complaints from players with sportsbooks recently acquired by Bodog (SBR rating A+) have been resolved. BetBet, Oasis, WWTS, and Cyber Sportsbook have each been upgraded from C- to C+. The sportsbooks, which serve players residing in countries other than the US and Canada, are undergoing overhauls as new additions of the Bodog Entertainment Group. Players are invited to add their feedback on these sportsbooks here.

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11/23/2006 10:33 PM
Players request info on new sportsbook, Play24Hours (not Rated)
Play24, which is one-month-old and actively marketing by email, shows multiple signs of being a fly-by-night operation. The sportsbook advertises Paypal as a transfer option, but does not have a PayPal merchant account. PayPal prohibits gaming transactions with the exception of a few UK-based operations servicing non-US players. Play24hours is currently offering positions to "clerks without experience" for $3.00 per hour. Players should avoid this and all new sportsbooks.

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11/18/2006 10:12 AM
Nine (SBR rating B+) completes move to IGW software. Nine absorbs sister sportsbooks BetCom (SBR rating B+) and MyBookie (SBR rating B+).

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11/11/2006 01:28 AM
Sportingbet (SBR rating D+) and SportingbetUSA (SBR rating D+) users complain of deleted pending future wagers. Prior to Sportingbet transferring account balances to Superbook.com, some bettors reported disappearing pending bets. While management has agreed to reinstate wagers for many of these account holders at sister sportsbooks, reports of canceled bets continue. Players who have had a pending wager canceled at a former Sportingbet property are invited to contact SBR.

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11/7/2006 08:32 PM
BetOnSportsOnline (SBR rating F) Warning
This scam operation continues to steal from players. The book’s owner has contacted SBR refuting the scam label but fails to fulfill new promises to pay.

Player: Every time I call customer support at BetonSportsOnline. I am still getting the run around. The person they say I need to speak with, Alonzo, is never there when I call and never calls back when I leave a message. They do not respond to emails, neither do they assist you in anyway when you use the Live Chat function. I don’t know where they are at as far as processing withdrawals. I would definitely withdraw out all my funds if I could get to them.
View list of sportsbooks affiliated with BetOnSportsOnline

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10/31/2006 04:31 PM
Bet365 (SBR rating A+) players complain of inadequate rule change notification. SBR has received three complaints from users who say they were unaware of recent rule changes that were the difference between winning and losing wagers. Bet365 changed their wagering rules, making overtime in all basketball leagues count for over-under wagers. Most Bet365 users are likely finding out about rule change when their bet on a game that went into overtime is graded.

Beginning January 1st, 2007, all sportsbooks on SBR’s Recommended List will be required to offer a ’policy updates’ log or another method of alerting players of policy changes.

Player: "European basketball has never counted overtime! How am i supposed to know?? Should I refresh the rules page along with the odds?? At least Pinnacle announces the new rule at top of main page and other book will email you. If Bet 365 would highlight all rule changes for that month it would at least be reasonable to scan over a book of rules. This is crap".

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10/25/2006 06:06 PM
Former World Gaming licensees downgraded to D-
One-time B- rated sportsbook, Gambling.net has been lowered to D- along with Sportsbetting.com. Both sportsbooks were hosted and serviced by the Sportingbet offices in Costa Rica while holding a licensing agreement and domain name leasing contract with World Gaming Plc. BetOnUSA (SBR rating D-) parent company, Empire Entertainment Ltd. has purchased the World Gambling service contracts. These sites are expected to be managed by BetOnUSA and its staff in the near future. Players are advised to redeem balances at this time.

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10/22/2006 11:48 PM
SuperiorBook (SBR rating D+) attempts to scare players away from current sportsbook
SBR has received many complaints from readers about Superiorbook, a turnkey site from BetEmpire (SBR rating C-), regarding an unprecedented amount of spam. The latest batch of email sent to customer lists claim that VIP (SBR rating A+) has closed and players should now join the safer Superiorbook. This prompted the recently privatized VIP to send an email to it’s users stating:
"It has come to our attention that emails containing false information about our company are being circulated. VIP.com is now under private ownership and the company is secure and successful as always. We will continue offering the same great products and services that you have come to expect from VIP.com – now and in the future. VIP.com will always communicate with you from a VIP.com email address, we will never ask for your username or password by email, and you can always call us at 1-800-300-BETS if you ever have any questions about our company."
This is not the first time the group has resorted to underhanded marketing tactics. Earlier this year Empire blamed third party marketing for sending emails containing fake links for well-known sportsbooks that lead to BetEmpire.com.

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10/13/2006 06:39 PM
Sportingbet Plc partially reverses decision to cancel winning bets
After Sportingbet Plc severed itself from its US-serving brands, complaints began to flood the SBR mailbox. Non-US players in the newly sold sportsbooks were told that all pending bets would be canceled. This was due to the new company, Jazette Enterprises Limited’s noncompete agreement with Sportingbet Plc. Jazette (JEL) agreed not to service non-US players and to steer its international players back to the Plc’s remaining non-US serving sportsbooks. Fortunately, Non-US players were contacted this evening and told their accounts would be maintained and transferred to a different sportsbook. However, JEL decided to acknowledge specific US State laws and discontinue servicing players where they apply. Sportsbook.com and its sister sites have told players living in the offending states that they will not be paid their impending winnings. SBR will discuss the remaining complaints with individual property managers/owners. Players with canceled winning wagers or canceled wagers that have gained market value should contact SBR.

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10/13/2006 02:19 PM
Betcorp Freezes all US accounts
The Betcorp Group, which includes WWTS (SBR rating C-) has frozen all accounts belonging to US residents indefinitely. SBR has learned that the company has taken this action in order to facilitate a sale that would put the sportsbooks under private ownership. Players can expect to be locked out of their accounts at the start of the business week.

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10/10/2006 09:48 AM
Leisure & Gaming plc to divest in US-focused properties
The brands, which include VIP (SBR rating A+) and Nine (SBR rating B+) are expected to continue as is under private ownership. SBR has learned that several A+ sportsbooks are competing with a management led bid to acquire the properties.

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9/30/2006 12:52 PM
Bettors upset by invalid promotional offers
sportsbooks are aggressively marketing to their client base and for most books, that means sending out mass email offers. SBR has received an unusually high volume of complaints from players that have deposited funds in order to get an offered bonus, only to learn they are ineligible. Players who are denied a bonus after depositing in response to an email should have the option to receive a full and immediate refund with transfer costs absorbed by the sportsbook. Players who are told they must proceed to bet with these funds are encouraged to contact SBR. SBR advises sportsbooks to list all terms and conditions within the initial offer and suggests bettors confirm eligibility prior to sending funds.

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9/29/2006 06:52 PM
BetRoyal (SBR rating C-) to offer to settle debts with vicitims of Virtual Group sportsbooks. The sportsbooks include, but are not limited to, ScoreSportsbook, PyramidSportsbook, KingSportsbook and TNTsportsbook. These properties, which were operated by the BetRoyal parent company, closed their doors in 2003 making players the victim of theft. Customers are encouraged to contact SBR with balance and account information. Royal Sports has agreed to allow SBR to mediate claims where balances are questionable. An official statement is expected early next week.

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9/15/2006 05:03 PM
BetOnSports Plc sportsbook, Yishengbo enters the SBR rating guide at D-. BetOnSports continues to cheat players through its remaining active sportsbooks. SBR has received multiple complaints from American-based bettors who were ejected from Easybets (SBR rating D-) after solidifying MLB future wager wins. EasyBets was known for offering generous future betting odds to attract its clients.

Bettor: "Bill, The voided wagers were still pending. EasyBets stiffed me on the Mets winning the NL East division - which is already a foregone conclusion, and I’ll get cheated big if either San Diego or San Francisco win the NL West."

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9/14/2006 08:54 AM
Payouts confirmed from slow-paying sportsbooks
SBR has verified that three players have received a delayed Neteller or wire transfer from SportsInteraction (SBR rating C-) this morning. Management tells SBR that the remaining delinquent Neteller payouts will reach clients no later than tomorrow. The book continues to blame system processing errors for delays. Players who have not already received verification that payment will be processed today should contact SBR or SIA. Players should also check to verify that all deposits have reached the sportsbook and are for the correct amounts. SBR has received over 20 SIA payout complaints with the last week.

09:07 AM CST Update: Three more players report receiving Neteller withdrawals.

GoldingGods (SBR rating D-) player confirms receipt of £1,000 after six month wait and £848 after waiting three months. The player states that the payout was sent after he threatened to chargeback his credit card deposits. Bettors should continue to steer clear of this problem golf sportsbook.

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9/7/2006 07:46 AM
Sportingbet Plc Chairman detained; company freezes shares

Statement regarding Chairman

Whilst visiting the US on non-Sportingbet business, Mr Peter Dicks, aged 64, Non-Executive Chairman of Sportingbet Plc, was detained by US Authorities at approximately 2.00am BST on Thursday, 6 September 2006.

A hearing for Mr Dicks is scheduled for 2.00pm BST.

Pending clarification of the situation the Board has sought immediate temporary suspension of Sportingbet’s shares.

Further information will be issued in due course.

For further information please contact:

Smithfield (media) Tel: 020 7903 0669
George Hudson Tel: 07803 603 130
Link to Sportingbet Plc statement

Players who are adverse to risk may wish to withdraw their funds from all Sportingbet and World Gaming operated sportsbooks. SBR does not expect Sportingbet to follow the path of BetOnSports which did not have player funds in reserve. Trading is expected to resume shortly. View sportsbook list here.

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8/31/2006 10:16 PM
Players reminded to use one password for each wagering account
Former employees of BetOnSports (SBR rating D-) are selling client lists containing all user information originally provided to the book. Other sportsbooks and their third party marketing departments use this information to spam potential customers. Some player databases may also include client passwords, which can be dangerous for those using one universal password for all sportsbooks. Bettors should use a unique password for each individual online account.

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8/19/2006 10:47 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: EZ Sports SCAM Group pushing football-focused sportsbooks. This is the time of year when stiff bookmakers are most likely to target new unsuspecting bettors. Players recently alerted SBR to unrated EZ Sports sportsbook sites such as BettingSportslinesFootball. BettingSportslinesFootball enters the SBR rating guide at F.

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8/14/2006 06:24 PM
SBRlines 3.0 receiving rave reviews from both new and veteran bettors. The new program features real-time betting odds displayed in Flash software and Live MLB Play-by-Play reporting. SBRlines remains the only FREE real-time odds program featuring top sportsbooks.

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8/9/2006 11:49 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Scam sportsbooks sharing account details
Player reports sportsbook opens account on his behalf, complete with password.

"Hi Bill, I received this today from scam book Bet33. As you can see they had already created an account for me. And I can log into using a password that I normally use. I have a feeling they got my password from either RichCoast Sports or NoJuice as I know from other forums that customers account details and passwords where sold. Just thought I’d let you know so you can warn people."
Players should always use a different password for each sportsbook account. If possible, a scam sportsbook will continue to steal even after its doors are closed. SBR has received multiple complaints of theft from players who now regret using the same password with multiple betting sites.

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8/4/2006 07:14 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: TradeSports (SBR rating C+) botched contract decision results in downgrade from B- to C+. The exchange-style sportsbook attracts many players with its prediction markets, known as ’prop bets’ at other sportsbooks. It has not graded wagers according to contract stipulations and has failed to use applicable TradeSports prediction market rules. The latest trader complaint was received after an incorrect decision on a North Korea missile contract. Details of the dispute and SBR Josh West’s assessment can be found at ChrisMasse.com.

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7/31/2006 10:16 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: PlayWePay (SBR rating D+) not honoring ’BetCasinoSports bailout’ terms. The bettor received a free account balance as part of a bail-out package for BetCasinoSports (SBR rating F) users and went on to win an additional $15,310. PlayWePay has increased the rollover requirement and is limiting the amount the player will receive to $6,885. SBR has received multiple complaints from players with other sportsbooks who were offered "relief" after being a victim of a fallen book, only to see the ’rescuing’ sportsbook fail to pay. Sports-Gambling (SBR rating D) received positive press for coming to the rescue of SunsetSports (SBR rating F-) victims but later deleted winning accounts.

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7/26/2006 01:46 PM
BetJamaica(SBR rating A+) Launches new racebook with rebates.
SBR has reviewed the player interface of the racebook and found it to be superior to the current A+ rated sportsbooks. Players are encouraged to write SBR with their experiences and evaluations of the new BetJamaica Racebook.

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7/26/2006 10:33 AM
SBR Adds LiveChat Directory
LiveChat can be the most uselful form of communicating with a sportsbook. It offers the benefits of email, supplying the user with a text record of the conversation, but communication is in real-time. See which sportsbooks offer LiveChat here.

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7/18/2006 02:07 PM
iGotsports tied to recently indicted BetOnSports owner Gary Kaplan.
Two fraudulent watchdog sites tied to the same group. The fraudulent web sites are Reviewsportsbooks.com and SportsbookAudit.com. BetOnSports and Gary Kaplan were recently indicted for fraud for setting up other bogus watchdog sites that recommended their sportsbooks. IGotSports SBR rating is lowered from C- to D.

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7/18/2006 05:40 AM
BetOnSports(SBR rating D) stock exchange trading halted as BOS’s board issues the following statement:

From the BetOnSports Board of Directors: The Board have also noted that in a Press Release issued by the Department of Justice in the course of the evening of 17 July UK time, reference is made to a temporary restraining order having been obtained by the US Department of Justice against BETonSPORTS. The release states that a civil complaint has been filed in federal court to obtain an order requiring BETonSPORTS to stop taking sports bets from the United States, and to return money held in wagering accounts to account holders in the United States and that a temporary restraining order was issued yesterday. A hearing in the civil case has been requested within 10 days. Reference is also made to the FBI issuing letters to four telephone companies, instructing them to stop providing phone service to the Internet sportsbooks and casinos operated by BETonSPORTS.

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7/8/2006 10:35 PM
SBR network maintenance notice
The SBR network of websites, including SportsbookReview.com, SBRforum.com and live odds program, SBRlines.com will be off-line from Midnight CST Sunday July 9th until approximately 10:00 am CST Monday July 10th, for scheduled server maintenance. Players can view betting odds on SBRlines V1.0 during this downtime. The following sportsbooks have confirmed they will use the relatively inactive time surrounding the MLB all-star break to upgrade or perform maintenance. Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+). Maintenance to network from 7:00 pm CST Sunday July 9th until approximately 2:00 pm CST Monday July 10th. Wagering and customer service will not be available during this time. Canbet (SBR rating A-): Website will not be available on July 10 & 11 due to server relocation. Legendz Sports (SBR rating A-): Website scheduled to go off-line evening of July 10th in order to change software from IQL to BLR.

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7/8/2006 04:35 PM
BetOnSports Plc follows industry trend; consolidates brands
BOS’ newly acquired sportsbooks, and former VO-Group properties, BeverlyHillsBookie.com, VirtualSportsbookInternational.com and VirtualBookmaker.com are scheduled to move clients to MVPSportsbook (SBR rating D) tomorrow. PopularPoker-Sportsbook will consolidate its bettors under PlayersSuperbook (SBR rating D). Players may find they are locked out of their account for an extended period, as is the case with sister books, RockIslandSports (SBR rating D) and BettorsTrust (SBR rating D). These websites have been off-line since July 2nd for "routine maintenance."

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6/28/2006 12:34 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Newest Leisure & Gaming Plc sportsbooks, Nine, BetCom and MyBookie receive upgrades from B to B+ after inheriting A+ rated VIP Sports’ wagering rules and policies. VIP’s terms of service were implemented today.

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6/24/2006 11:36 PM
Email Response Test Results: Sports bettor "Bucky McCarthy" tested the email support of 12 sportsbooks. WSEX (SBR rating A+) came in first at 13 minutes. USSportsbook (SBR rating D+), Tradewinds (SBR rating B-) and Nine (SBR rating B) followed close behind with near perfect replies. View full results here: June Email Response Test.

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6/18/2006 02:29 AM
SCAM ALERT: Industry scammer continues to trick players into joining sportsbooks. Robbie McPhail is operating LegendSportsbook.com which has attracted bettors looking for the real Legendz (SBR rating A-). SBR warned players in March of Mr. McPhail’s LasPalmasSportsbook.com after readers reported depositing in what they believed to be LasPalmas (SBR rating C). Bettors should also beware of OceanSportsbook (SBR rating F) and AmericasBookie (SBR rating F). Both are part of this network of scam sites and are spamming email lists offering large bonuses.

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6/14/2006 11:06 PM
SBR office Tours: View the office photos for GPS Global SA sportsbooks, SexyWagers, BetGES and CasinoVIP, here. The company is located in Heredia, Costa Rica. Its focus has been servicing credit agents with sites such as Elite Sportsbook (BetESI), under the name of Evolution Sports Data Processing, or CallECC. This new post-up operation, which is still developing its policies and procedures, has received an initial SBR rating of D.

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6/6/2006 11:59 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: NoJuice Sports (SBR rating D) blaming payout delays on three lost bank wires, totaling $40,000. Management states that bank checks and bank wires are offered; however normal processing may require an additional week. Customer service tells SBR that other instant-transfer methods such as Moneybookers and InstaDebit are only available for deposits citing a "new processing system". NoJuice has been downgraded from D+ to D.

Note: SBR expects a rise in payout complaints this week after Neteller informed Costa Rica bookmakers that they would no longer accept emergency/instant account-to-account tranfers through Costa Rican banks. All merchant deposits must be sent to Neteller’s bank account in the United Kingdom via standard wire. This change may affect the liquidity of small sportsbooks, and require multiple merchant accounts be adequately funded.

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6/1/2006 08:40 PM
BetOnStars(SBR rating F-) - The proposed deal to rescue this failed sportsbook has fallen through according to their previous promoter; TheOnlineWire. While BetOnStars was operating, management as well as their promoter publicly criticized SBR for their poor SBR rating and SBR’s skepticism that they were not simply another scam. The BetOnStars failure is yet another reminder that weak sportsbooks and scams abound in this unregulated industry. Players are advised to carefully research a sportsbook before sending money.

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5/27/2006 11:59 AM
BetOnSports (SBR rating C+) wager cancellation policy drawing complaints.

BetonSports tells TheRX.com poster that it reserves the right to cancel wagers on sports odds that are about to change. sportsbooks often subjectively label these types of wagers as "betting steam". The industry standard dictates that the only time it is acceptable for a sportsbook to cancel a wager is when the line posted is a gross error and is addressed before the event begins. This is commonly referred to as a ’Bad line’ or ’erroneous betting odds’. sportsbooks are entitled to deny service to players but confirmed wagers should not be susceptible to cancellation at the book’s discretion.
5/27/2006 1:21:33 PM Update: BetOnSports tells SBR that as of today, this policy will no longer exist and all confirmed wagers will be honored.

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5/22/2006 12:15 PM
SBR to add direct access to sportsbooks’ LiveChat in company overview feature. SBR will link to all books that offer the service before the end of June. Players can currently view their book’s company details, including contact information, location, and which other sportsbooks they are affiliated with, by clicking on the book name in the Rating Guide, or by entering the name into the SBR search engine.

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5/6/2006 11:26 AM
LasVegasDice and WinAllYourBets inherit D- rating as part of the troubled Futurebet family of sportsbooks.

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4/24/2006 02:33 PM
SCAM ALERT: "Vince Taylor", a former employee for no-pay sportsbooks, HiltonSports(SBR rating D-), SunsetSports(SBR rating F-), RoverSportsbook(SBR rating F-) and BetWGN(SBR rating F-), soliciting deposits. Vince used SandalsWager.com, a per-head credit sportsbook website to book his players’ wagers and serve as an agent. A player complains that Vince posed as his account manager and broke off communication when he was ready to take his first payout on a $15,000 balance. SandalsWager’s only response to the matter was "all inquiries should be addressed to the agent".

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4/21/2006 02:57 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Sportingbet Plc returns $24,000 confiscated from client in October 2005. Over the course of a year the player had used multiple Sportingbet Plc sites including PlayersOnly(SBR rating D+), LinesMaker(SBR rating D+), SportFanatik(SBR rating D+), SportingBetUSA(SBR rating D+), Aces(SBR rating D+) and Sportsbook.com(SBR rating D+). The amount confiscated was the sum of what the player had earned in bonuses and won overall from the family of sportsbooks. SBT management originally stated that the player was violating the spirit of the bonus although the company’s client support has maintained that utilizing multiple sportsbooks and incentive offers was acceptable. Other Sportingbet players hope to experience the same success in resolving their issue and recovering their funds. SBR is currently speaking with Sportingbet’s corporate office about these matters.

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4/19/2006 06:20 AM
SBR adds sportsbook overview feature for over 600 sportsbooks.
Players can use the search function or click on the sportsbook name in the SBR Rating Guide to see the book’s contact, software and company information, as well as a screen shot to verify the user is researching the correct website. Banking options, direct LiveChat links and enlarged screen shots to be added soon. View an example of this search function here.

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4/17/2006 11:22 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Sports.com (SBR rating D+) confiscates $1600 of bettor’s winnings because the player utilized bonus offers from multiple sites within the same family of sportsbooks. Sportingbet Plc and its sister company, World Gaming Plc, license and host many gambling websites which target the same players. These sites do not feature any rules disallowing clients from using more than one World Gaming product. SBR has confirmed that the sales department encourages players to join regardless if accounts with the company’s sportsbooks already exist. The group has a history of confiscating winnings from clients who have taken advantage of multiple offers.

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4/4/2006 07:35 PM
Best Baseball Books Updated
SBR’s Best Baseball sportsbooks List now shows which sportsbooks offer:
Reverse Run Lines
5 Inning Lines
Grand Salami Totals

Eight sportsbooks rated A- or higher offer a dimeline that will break at -150 or above. Players can find the best baseball betting lines at SBRlines.com.

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4/3/2006 11:04 PM
March Email Response Test Results Posted
The latest edition of SBR’s Email Response Test targets customer service for established account holders. BetCascade(SBR rating A-), BetTrojan(SBR rating C) and TheGreek(SBR rating A+) each gave flawless responses within 30 minutes. See how 8 other sportsbooks responded to Dennis Holcomb’s inquiries after a wagering account was created. View Results here.

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3/27/2006 09:49 PM
sportsbooks Project Pricing for Baseball 2006: View SBR’s list of the Best Baseball Books. Eight sportsbooks rated A- or higher are scheduled to offer a dimeline that will break at -150 or higher. Players can check back as the season nears for added baseball information including which bookmakers will offer alternate run lines and the Grand Salami wager.

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3/27/2006 05:24 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player complaint exposes YouWager(SBR rating B+) security risk. The player claims $7,500 was transferred to another account holder who pretended to be him. YouWager allows account-to-account transfers and only requires the party transferring funds to call with his/her account ID and password before executing the transaction. Most sportsbooks offering this type of debit have a security feature requiring the account holder to confirm the linking of the receiver’s account with his, or will ask security questions. Although this is the first complaint of its kind from a First Fidelity user, SBR recommends that players request the account-to-account option be turned off when not in use. SBR has suggested that YouWager require this service to be activated through the email listed on the account.

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3/15/2006 04:43 PM
SBR BillDozer reports: SBR meets with Bet4Aces(SBR rating D-); discusses affiliation with BetGateway. Edward, part of Bet4Aces ownership, tells SBR that they will take responsibility for its association with SCAM sportsbook BetGateway and settle all delinquent accounts. Edward assures SBR that Bet4Aces will "right this wrong" and contends that he is operating a legitimate sportsbook. Ownership acknowledges that the company was built on BetGateway’s platform, that they utilized the same servers and equipment, and employed a Gateway manager, but is adamant that the company was purchased and is controlled by new ownership. Edward went on to say that Gateway manager, Henry, is no longer with Bet4Aces and noted that Bet4Aces is in the Torre del Este building and not in the Law Offices of Mauricio Gomez like past reincarnations of VipBetZone scam sportsbooks. View Bet4Aces office photos here.

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3/13/2006 02:17 PM
Have you wondered what your sportsbook looks like? SBR launches Sportsbook Tours Feature. Check back weekly for new photo sessions with sportsbooks rated A+ to F. Bookmakers who would like to show their offices should write to Assistance@SportsbookReview.com

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3/7/2006 02:13 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetOnUSA(SBR rating D-) offering to Fedex new checks to players whose initial check has bounced. Players must fax the first check to BetonUSA at 1-416-850-9602 and then confirm it was received by calling customer service at 1-866-238-6687. Over 100 players from BetonUSA, as well as clients with other sportsbooks have been affected by this check processor issue. BetonUSA is now using Citadel Commerce to process payouts by check.

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2/23/2006 09:09 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetOnSports(SBR rating C) cancels bettor’s winning soccer wager after match. The sportsbook claims the price of the wager was listed incorrectly due to human error, while the player states the odds offered were comparable with other sportsbooks. SBR is speaking to BetOnSports about paying winnings at what they believe to be the correct price. BetOnSports management is expected to reassess this decision, understanding that voiding winnings after funds are risked is unacceptable.

Player to wagering department: "Receiving no notice by email, phone or messageboard though hours and even a day passed before the events I betted on took place leads to only one conclusion: The odds offered by you where perfectly alright when I placed my bets. There was no no flipping of lines at that time. Id was only after the results where clear, that the process of denying my bets started. Instead of balancing their book properly your colleagues accepted and by their odds even teased and aquired bets on the "underdog" result of the two events. This is the explanation why nothing at all happened until the games where finished. Even then no contact with me as the customer, just quietly deleting the bet from the account. I am more than sure, that if the results would have beeen like your colleagues expected and I had lost my bets, nothing at all would have happened and the bets would be on the account as lost."

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2/12/2006 11:35 AM
Merger and Aquistion activety at all time high. VIP Sports is the most active buyer. YouWager, BetRoyal and many smaller books are all said to be Sellers actively seeking buyouts. BetCRIS could also be a Buyer under the right circumstances which recently has focused on bailing out small operators. BetWWTS has made several trips and has signed at least one confidentiality agreement although we are unaware of any serious interest. sportsbooks who have had made M&A headlines in the recent past that appear to be holding pat; Hollywood, BoDog, SportsInteraction are said to be no longer active Sellers. Smaller operations such as BetMaker, YouWager and Sportbet along with operations that have difficult reputations such as Royal Sports have mostly signed confidentiality agreements giving buyers a chance to possibly make an offer. SBR expects a pick-up in M&A activity despite rising valuations.

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2/11/2006 11:51 PM
Warning: The following sportsbooks have been identified as part of SCAM company EZ Sports: SurvivorSportsbook, Sportsbettings and BasketballSportsbetting. SBR consistently receives no-pay complaints from sister sportsbooks, like BetonSportsOnline (SBR rating F). Read more about past scams from EZ Sports here.

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2/7/2006 11:14 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Bet4Aces(SBR rating F-) owner delivers $60,000 cash payment to player who has been owed $120,000 for over five months by BetGateway(SBR rating F-). Edward, owner of Bet4Aces, claims he purchased BetGateway’s facilities and inherited its staff but was unaware of the large debts to players.
Bettors should expect to receive their funds via the listed methods on the sportsbook’s banking page. SBR advises players not to engage in person to person transactions and to stick with sportsbooks who operate professionally and according to their stated procedures.

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2/2/2006 05:01 PM
Sportsbook Review presents the SBR Excellence Award for the 4th quarter of 2005. Successful sportsbook owners know that one of the keys to success is surrounding themselves with quality management. Despite the best sportsbooks being synonymous with iconic figures, these are not one-man operations. This award is meant to highlight the daily efforts by other key individuals at elite or vastly improving sportsbooks. The latest Excellence Award given for superb service goes to...

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1/23/2006 05:14 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Slow-pay complaints evolving into no-pays at D- rated sportsbooks Custombets, BetBookie, BestBetBookie and BookaSport.net. Bettors are waiting over one month for payment and are hoping to hear news that the sportsbooks will be taken over by World Gaming Services. LiveChat is currently off-line and phones are unmanned. Players who manage to reach client support should request a payout immediately.

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1/21/2006 04:21 PM
Notice to sportsbooks: sportsbooks who question the validity of an SBR inquiry may call 830-255-4677 or email assistance@sportsbookreview.com. All emails from SBR will come from SBR’s @SportsbookReview.com domain.

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1/17/2006 07:36 PM
BetOnStars(SBR rating D-) players nervously trying to get payouts. This sportsbook was heavily promoted by a slippery outfit and their associates that specialize in promoting new and dangerous sportsbooks. Sources in Costa Rica claim they are looking for a buyer. TOW, BetOnStars main promoter, had earlier reported that BetOnStars management had left, that their Neteller bank account was empty and that poor business decissions had hurt them. Less than two hours after making the statement TOW said their report was completely false and that the book was actually very healthy. Most industry observers have speculated that this book is now just limping along looking for a bailout partner.

Player writes SBR:
"Jay, (BetOnStars General Manager)
I have written and called you almost a dozen times and have not heard back from you. We had agreed almost 2 weeks ago that you would process payouts for my money as soon as I met the 20x rollover requirement.
I continued to bet as per your assurance and met that rollover 8 days ago. I have not received a dime.
You have sent me explicit emails stating that the accounting department would process a withrawal "ASAP" last Wednesday, but no such thing was ever done."

Players can avoid unscrupulous promoters and high risk sportsbooks by joining only those sportsbooks with an SBR rating of B+ or better.

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1/15/2006 08:40 PM
Offshore sportsbooks report to have their best NFL weekend of the year compliments of the Pittsburg Steelers.
sportsbooks cheered the Steelers and escaped a heavy liability on the Indianapolis Colts to WIN the Superbowl.

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1/14/2006 12:24 PM
Current SUPER TOP 10 sportsbooks. Consensus of 3 top experts.
The following is the combined SUPER TOP 10 according to;
The Sportsbook Review (SBR) Top 10 Recommended List
The EOG Top 10 sportsbooks in the World
TheRX.com poster voted top sportsbooks

1. Pinnacle (36)
2. CRIS (30)
3. Olympic ( 29)
4. Hollywood (20)
5. VIP Sports (18)
6. WSEX (17)
7. 5 Dimes (10)
8. BetJamaica ( 9)
9. Bet365 (9)
10. BetCascade ( 9)
Others receiving votes: BetWWTS(7), Skybook(7), Bodog(3), Mansion(2), Legendz(2)

Sources:
http://www.sportsbookreview.com/Recommended+List/
http://www.eog.com/news/index.aspx?id=1126
http://forum.therx.com/showthread.php?t=337810

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1/14/2006 08:06 AM
BetOnStars(SBR rating D-) It has been reported that there has been a management change and slow pays.
The sportsbook’s main advertiser, who specializes in promoting high risk sportsbooks, reported that BetOnStars was slow paying, had an empty Neteller bank account, that their manager had left and that they had made some "seriously bad business decisions". Later the promoter retracted the statement claiming it was a "misunderstanding" and that the sports book was fine. We can not tell what is true and what is spin at this point.

Players are strongly advised to not have ANY money on deposit at new sportsbooks.

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1/13/2006 05:42 PM
Reminder: The next 30 days is the most dangerous time to have funds in offshore sportsbooks. It’s a ritual that is repeated every year after the Superbowl. Many new sportsbooks and a few beat too badly to continue will be taking bets with their bags packed. When the dust settles and the Superbowl champs head to Disney many players discover their sportsbook was little more than a Disney fictional character pretending to be a sportsbook.
This is a dangerous time of year for sportsbook players:
FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS ONLY KEEP FUNDS AT sportsbooks RATED B+ OR HIGHER.

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1/2/2006 11:47 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: AllSportsCasino(SBR rating D) customer slow-paid. The player has waited six days for a Neteller transaction while the funds have already been deducted from his account balance. The AllSportsCasino family of sportsbooks has received its lowest grade to date this December due to multiple payout complaints. One player has recently reported receiving a timely four-figure payout.

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1/2/2006 09:55 PM
Attempted cover-up of a failed sportsbook is an important lesson for players. Recently a promoter of new, high risk sportsbooks attempted to cover up the failure of a certain sportsbook who also happened to be their main sponsor. SBR learned the sportsbook, Rich Coast Sports, was in trouble and issued a newswire alerting players. The promoter, the Offshorewire, made a desperate attempt to explain how their main sponsor failed including mentioning the SBR report that originally warned players. Luckily for the players, BetCRIS(SBR rating A+) stepped in and bailed out Rich Coast after the sportsbook had fallen into a failed "no-pay" situation.

This time of year failures will pick up. Be on the look out for con men and avoid new sportsbooks at all costs.

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1/1/2006 05:09 PM
SBRLines.Com welcomes WSEX(SBR rating A) to the #1 free live odds service.
WSEX.com is a pioneer and one of the most trusted sportsbooks in the industry. SBRLines.com

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12/30/2005 12:58 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetDealers(SBR rating F) is new SCAM book from the failed SunsetSports owners. BetDealers is offering 20% cash sign-up bonuses to join while claiming they are not affiliated with any other sportsbooks.

Thanks to SBRforum poster AK for information contributed.

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12/29/2005 10:49 PM
sportsbooks managed by World Gaming & Sportingbet Plc’s Costa Rica Division downgraded to D+, MySportsbook downgraded from C to D+

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12/28/2005 01:18 AM
Players reminded to stay with safe sportsbooks! Players continue to pound the sportsbook industry into one of the worst football season’s in modern times. There has been a notable pickup in complaints and failure during the past two weeks. Stay with sportsbooks with a SBR rating of B+ or higher.

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12/24/2005 07:01 PM
BetOnStars(SBR rating D+) claims slow paying was because they bought advertising and they were temporarily out of money. Their new advertisers have swung into action. MajorWager complained SBR was picking on the slow pay sportsbook. Even TheOffshoreWire, who is also on the BetOnStars payroll, complained that SBR was "..crucifying a young book for a glitch" (glitch = slow pay).

Players should use extreme caution with new sportsbooks and books that have not aquired enough business sense to know that the sportsbook must pay the players first and then pay their advertisers.

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12/22/2005 11:38 PM
BookTheBet (SBR rating D-) asking 2wagerSports and UWagerSports victims to throw good money after bad? BookTheBet’s owner is calling customer lists from these scam sportsbooks, offering huge "bailout" bonuses. One player reports being offered $8,900 if he is willing to deposit $2,000 and wager the total amount ten times. Players should avoid all sportsbooks offering too-good-to-be-true bonuses as well as sportsbooks who are giving out U.S. phone numbers.

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12/21/2005 10:12 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player slow-paid by AllSportsCasino(SBR rating D). The bettor’s account was closed nearly one month ago after he was labeled a "wiseguy". He has been waiting for his balance of $1103 since. This marks the fourth payout complaint form the Phoenix Rising Group. Management claims that "accounting is backlogged" due to the "holidays", "Neteller upgrades" and a "server outage".
Phoenix Rising is a very small sportsbook that operates with a customer service staff of two. The book was likely hurt by the public’s success this football season. These recent payout complaints are the first from this book’s players. ASC has been covered in the SBR rating guide for over two years.

Phoenix Rising LTD sportsbooks
AllSportsCasino
BetBookie
BestBetBookie
MrSportsbet
BookASport
CustomBets
Bookie-Casino

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12/18/2005 11:55 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: World Gaming Plc acquires SportsBetting (SBR rating B-) and Real Entertainment Ltd Group. Sportsbetting had utilized World Gaming software and hosting but was owned and managed by Real Entertainment. Sportsbetting will be included in the reevaluation of the Sportingbet and World Gaming-owned sportsbooks.

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12/11/2005 11:09 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Players report slow-pays from the Tradewinds Family(SBR rating C+) of sportsbooks. Offshore insiders suggest that the challenge of moving money to merchant accounts after a stretch of unprecedented success by the betting public, and subsequent payout requests at one time, may be responsible for a delay. SBR to inquire with management about reports of nearly two week delays.

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12/4/2005 08:51 PM
sportsbooks get mauled again as speculation of failures picks up steam. Players need to be aware that this football season has been one of the worst seasons on record for sportsbooks and may end up being the worst of the modern era. Player funds are at risk in lower rated books that do not have the staying power of the large well funded sportsbooks. SBR recommends players exercise caution and only hold funds in sportsbooks rated B+ or higher.

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11/28/2005 10:52 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Three sportsbooks disappear in last two weeks. FirstClassSportsbook(SBR rating F-), BetGateway(SBR rating F) and SSP International(SBR rating F) each decided that their scams have run their course. Players should be aware of reincarnations or sister sites of these phony bookmakers. BetGateway now operates as Bet4Aces(SBR rating F-) and is cold calling potential players. FirstClassSportsbook’s sister site, PlayersTime(SBR rating F) steals player’s $19,000 balance. Substantial balances are at high risk. Both books focus their maketing efforts on off-line advertising and on bettors who are less likely to be aware of their unscrupulous actions.

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11/13/2005 05:01 PM
WSEX (SBR rating A) to join the elite group of sportsbooks on the SBRLines.com service.
SBRLines.com is the leading real time odds service currently displayed on 112 quality sports websites world wide. SBRLines also includes premium stats powered by Statfox.

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11/7/2005 01:51 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Gibraltar (SBR rating C-) contacts SBR to explain balance confiscation. Management states that they will not honor $1,900 in free-play winnings because the player is a "professional who targets bonus offers". Gibraltar agrees that the player has not violated any rules but the book reserves the right to remove players at anytime and therefore prohibit them from reaching the 30 day rule required to validate funds won from promotional offers. Players should be aware that Gibraltar may apply a subjective label to account holders and void winning wagers that could have been placed at other sportsbooks at better odds.

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11/5/2005 03:35 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Two Royal Sports (SBR rating D) bettors complain of payout problems.

"Hello , I’ve been trying to withdraw $2000 for the last 4 days ,i know its not panic time yet however the worrying part is the lies they tell , "ok it will be in your a/c tomorrow etc etc " , after numerous phone calls , e-mails , live chat there csd supervisor george has just informed me that after checking with accounting ,they don’t have any record of my request , what bull****, he tells me he has personally now put in the withdrawl request and i should have the money in my neteller a/c within 48 hours , if this doesn,t happen what can i do , appart from coping it up the kazoo? I have had many dealings with on-line sportsbooks and this is the first time I’ve had a problem ,I used to check with your site before opening new a/cs butI stopped, i guess i got complacent , well this is a wake up call , i won’t be opening any a/c,s in future without at least a c rating from you guys ."

"I have an account with BetRoyal which i opened about two weeks ago. I loaded it up with $400 using click2pay and went on a great run. My balance now is over $6,000. For the past few days i have been given the run around about payment. they are telling me since i used click2pay they have to figure out another way to pay me back other than what i had requested (bank check, western union). thank you"

It is unknown if these are isolated cases or the beginning of Royal’s latest accounting problem. Curently SBR is monitoring only the two complaints shown above.

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11/4/2005 01:47 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Sportingbet (SBR rating C) stealing player balances? SBR has received reports from two players who have had funds confiscated. The book’s emailed explanation to these players states that this is occurring because these bettors have been depositing for the sole intention of receiving the bonus and therefore are in violation of the bonus rules. The book calculated how much the player will now receive by returning funds up to the amount deposited and thereby voiding winnings and legitimately earned bonus funds. The Sportingbet Group has historically allowed multiple accounts within their many affiliated sites and has promoted their bonus plans independently. SBR had previously verified that players were encouraged to take part in independent incentive plans and use multiple accounts within the family of SBT Plc sportsbooks. Thus far SBR has email history suggesting that Sportsbook.com and sister sites have unjustly confiscated over $22,000 in account balances. This gaming giant has been the source of serious complaints in recent months and will be reassessed pending management’s actions on these cases.

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11/3/2005 11:11 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Sportsbook.com (SBR rating C) and the Sportingbet Group’s accounting errors leave players without access to funds for weeks. The operation services over 50 sportsbooks and many players unknowingly utilized more than one of the heavily marketed websites. Sportingbet has recently told some of these players that they would have to consolidate their accounts and that they would receive their balances via book-to-book transfers to one of the family’s websites. Bettors have reported waiting two weeks for five-figure sums, as the book attempts to get its records in order. Although this delay is frustrating, SBR has told players that this is likely a botched procedure that will be corrected in time. SBR to inquire with management.

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10/25/2005 03:53 PM
SBR visits Olympic (SBR rating A+) and BetJamaica (SBR rating A+). The continued health and success of this Jamaica-based group was evident by the physical growth expansion of their respective operations. With the addition of ten new offices and the build out of an additional 60 workstations, BetJamaica and Olympic are poised to maintain their reputations for customer service excellence and player retention, even with a 100%-plus increase in overall volume during the past year. After meeting with Spiro and Scotty, it’s clear that Olympic and BetJamaica are healthier than ever and are still two of the safest and highest-rated sportsbooks in the industry today.

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10/14/2005 01:53 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: 88Sportsbetting (SBR rating F) promising payout plans to winning bettors who keep quiet about not being paid. Players report quietly waiting months but not receiving any of their funds. This is a common tactic that scam sportsbooks will use to avoid negative press during the busiest times of the year. After a few months the book may tell the player they do not have any record of this balance but will promise to examine their archives, as they attempt to buy themselves even more time.

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10/10/2005 11:11 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: New scam sportsbook UWagerSports (SBR rating F-) giving 100% bonuses to new bettors. It is unlikely that these players will see any of their funds again. UWS is not expected to stay in operation beyond the NFL playoffs. This website was built for the purpose of scamming players, just as ownership’s previous sportsbook, 2WagerSports did. Players are reminded that SBR recommends playing with sportsbooks rated B+ or higher.

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10/2/2005 09:23 AM
SBRLines.Com the #1 FREE Real-time line service announces the additions of two sportsbooks: BoDog (SBR rating A) - Start date October 4th, 2005
Mansion (SBR rating B) - Start date October 31st, 2005
SBRLines.Com is currently being displayed for FREE on 97 websites offering web site owners a way to offer their visitors real-time odds under their own logo and tracking links. Site owners may also decide which sportsbooks to display. The SBRLines.Com webmaster customization tool is set for its first major upgrade on October 6th.

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9/22/2005 11:36 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Aebet (SBR rating D+) player submits latest canceled-winning wager complaint. The sportsbook claims that the event’s odds were set incorrectly, therefore the winnings will not be honored. However, the player has cited similar odds from other sportsbooks on the same event. The canceling of winning wagers due to a "bad line" after the match has unfortunately become an increasingly common complaint. Doing this gives the sportsbook the ability to cheat players. They may offer a questionable line while waiting to see the outcome of the game before deciding if the wager will be valid.

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9/2/2005 10:13 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: SportsWager (SBR rating D+) leaves the PlayersTime Group and joins the Sportingbet Family. SportsWager players are considering themselves lucky as PlayersTime websites have been down for 4 days. SBR has received multiple slow-pay complaints from worried players who have been denied payouts during this 4 day period. PlayersTime sportsbooks are listed below.

PlayersTime
BetTheBook
FantasyIsland
GoldStar
OffshoreIsland
QuantumSportsbook
RoyalPalm
SunCoastSportsbook
SuperiorSportsbook
ThePerfectSportsbook
Vegas24Sportsbook
WinMoney
WinnersTime

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9/2/2005 08:59 AM
EnglishSportsBetting (SBR rating F-) again making news. The undisputed king of scam sportsbooks has some players wondering if there may be a chance of receiving payment. Management tells TheOffShoreWire that the book, now back in Ireland, will officially be called Telebet and claims that we will see payouts dispersed in October of 2005. TOW recaps the events leading up to ESB’s new promises.

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9/1/2005 10:53 PM
Latest SBR Email Response Test Results Released: See what happened when SportsbookReview’s “Tom Stevens” put 10 new sportsbooks to the test. SBR email response test.

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9/1/2005 10:57 AM
Players confused by magazine scam that pretends to review the “Top sportsbooks” and “guarantee player funds”. Both the publication and the listed sportsbooks are from the BetUs (SBR rating D-) family of sites.
"I recently received a magazine in the mail called INSIDERS BETTING DIGEST.COM. It has a list of sportsbooks and poker sites they claim that are the best. I hope they check your site before they try their sites because you have rated all their sportsbooks D- and F+. I called one of there top picks because they claim to have the best bonuses, and the person I talked to was trying very hard to have me sign up right then, thats when I knew something wasn’t right. So I looked up all the sites they have listed and there all D- and F+. Maybe you can warn people about this magazine. Thank you"
Read more about these phony review publications.

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8/24/2005 09:42 PM
Cascade becomes latest sportsbook to benefit from summer evaluations - upgraded from B to B+. Cascade has also entered SBR’s short list of best Reduced Juice sportsbooks after recently announcing a move into the low vig market. BetCascade will offer -105 pricing on sides and totals for mainstream sporting events.

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8/20/2005 11:44 AM
On September 1st SBR will include in every SBR sportsbook review which sportsbooks advertise on websites where known thieves and scambooks also advertise.
For too long the sportsbook industry leaders have looked the other way while their advertisers have supported outright player thieves and scambooks. New players will soon be able to decide for themselves if they wish to patronize sportsbooks that advertise and lend their good name to websites that support dangerous player thieves, con men, extortionists and slow/no pay sportsbooks.

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8/19/2005 02:26 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Wagering department of defunct Changeabet (SBR rating F-) opens new sportsbook BetonStars (not rated). BetonStars is a sister book of ScoreonSports (SBR rating D-) which had previously introduced itself to players as part of the Changeabet family of sportsbooks.

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8/12/2005 08:33 AM
Punter’s Paradise does ’website review’ of SBR
"Yet which of us hasn’t at some point joined a bookmaker we didn’t know from Adam Ant just because that price was too good to miss? That’s where Sportsbook Review comes in. Featuring reviews and ratings for over 400 sportsbooks it acts as an early-warning system against those bookmakers who have a Pickfords van with the engine running permanently outside their offices."

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8/8/2005 03:01 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetBookie (SBR rating C-) Update: Management concludes "investigation" of player’s account and agrees to process $7,000 withdrawal in full. The sportsbook firmly believes that this player is part of a betting syndicate, which has circumvented limits, but has not been able to provide conclusive proof. BetBookie is part of the Phoenix Rising family of sportsbooks which includes AllSportsCasino.

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7/26/2005 03:48 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Oasis downgraded from B- to C+ due to unjust bonus confiscation. Management had recently assured SBR that they have adopted new player-friendly policies and would not be confiscating bonuses from ’sharp’ players they no longer wish to service. Oasis stated that players would receive a prorated percentage of the bonus, had the player not completed the requirements of the bonus agreement when the book chose to part ways. SBR finds it unacceptable for sportsbooks to choose who is allowed to keep the bonus incentive after the player commits to the investment by giving the book his action.

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7/25/2005 03:00 PM
E-StadiumClub (SBR rating F) appears to be reincarnation of failed Sportsbook, BestLineWager. SBR readers have reported similarities in the two sportsbooks, including cloned rules and FAQ pages. Bill Dozer called E-Stadium’s number and asked to "speak with Jack Nardi", who was the owner of BestLineWager. The clerk answered, "Jack is not in." He was not sure of the best time to reach him. The clerk was then asked if E-Stadium would be taking over accounts from the defunct BestLineWager. He responded by saying "Jack is not affiliated with this company" and that we "would have to call Jack directly about that." Players are advised to avoid this new sportsbook.

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7/11/2005 03:39 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Sportingbet Plc family of sportsbooks refusing to pay players this week. Players file multiple complaints against such books as Sportsbook.com, SportingbetUSA.com and Aces.com, citing that the below notice was first posted today.

"Note: There will be no withdrawals processed the week of Monday July 11th to Friday, July 15th. Withdrawals will resume normal processing July 16th. We apologize for any inconvenience caused."

Sportingbet users complain that they were not given any notice that their funds would be inaccessible. Many players will actually be forced to wait until the 18th, due to some banking methods being available for processing only on weekdays. Sportingbet management claims that this freeze on player funds is due to a website upgrade, which suggests players could have been informed well in advance. A likelier reason for this hold on account balances is that Sportingbet recognizes a very slow week in sports and would like to prevent a wave of withdrawal requests that occur when there is little to wager on.

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7/7/2005 11:53 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Beware of fraud watchdog sites like the LVSN Watchdog. LVSN.com recommends players use Scam-Book EnglishSportsBetting (SBR rating F-), while giving tips on how to avoid disreputable sportsbooks. Once the player becomes stranded in ESB, LVSN charges victims a fee for help in recovering their funds which they will never see. LVSN is simply an extension of ESB’s con game. Both sites share the same IP address.

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6/21/2005 11:32 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Sunday’s Formula One Racing debacle causing wave of wagering disputes. Seven Formula One teams failed to race in the Grand Prix due to fears that their tires were unsafe. The grading of wagers on the event varied from book to book. SBR received complaints from winning players with sportsbooks who voided these bets as well as from players with other books who found their losing wagers to be valid. SBR asks that players allow us one day from the time of complaint to review individual sportsbook rules and, if need be, to inquire about the issue with each bookmaker.

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6/17/2005 10:51 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Three new players report Dimebetting (SBR rating F) owing them over $26,000. Management again states that players will be paid but can not say when. Dimebetting continues to market a 50% bonus and their "CPA (certified payout assurance) program". Unfortunately, it is inevitable that some new players will be drawn to these false assurances from insolvent sportsbooks like Dimebetting.

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6/16/2005 10:57 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: 2WagerSports (SBR rating F) folds with player funds. In recent months the site has been intermittantly offline, but it appears 2WS is now closed for good. SBR issued warnings prior to payout difficulties. The sportsbook was offering 25% cash bonuses and slow-moving lines at reduced vig. Players can be sure they will see many too-good-to-be-true offers from the next 2WagerSports before the start of Preseason Football. SBR recommends players choose sportsbooks rated B+ or higher.

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6/14/2005 11:55 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: The king of Scam-sportsbooks still attracting new victims. Although players are becoming more knowledgeable about the offshore industry, EnglishSportsBetting (SBR rating F-) continues to perfect the art of the scam. A week rarely passes where SBR is not forced to inform a stressed player that he or she will not be receiving their funds from ESB, aka Telebet. The result is often a scarred player who is searching for a way to stop ESB from stealing from others.

Player Review: "A warning to all SBR readers and gamers alike. Please stay away from ESB! These crooks are still in service. They have owed me over 1500.00 for 2 years. Its amazing these guys are still scamming there way on innocent victims. Dont play cause they wont pay. I will enjoy the day these clowns are closed down once and for all. Lets help ease there inevitable demise."

Recently, bettors have reported depositing with ESB after they received a telemarketing call from the company. Others mentioned regretfully sending a friend to ESB because of a $100 referral bonus.

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6/11/2005 01:54 PM
Visitor reaction to the latest SBR Sportsbook Email Response Test:

Brian: I had the same result from Grande last week. I called and complained that if I couldn’t get an email back asking about signing up then what would happen if I had a real problem?

Steven: The sportsbooks must hate you guys. You have two A rated sportsbooks flunking the email test....hilarious.

A Sportsbook General Manager: "I am extremely disappointed with our results and hope you will re test our email response time after we have had a chance to meet and correct the problem....."

Most recent SBR email response test.

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6/6/2005 10:36 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: GoToCasino and sister sportsbook, EnterBet exit the Blacklist with an upgrade to D-. SBR no longer has pending payout complaints against these sportsbooks, which are owned and managed by the GoTo Group. Readers should realize that this upgrade is only a reflection of the book completing payment plans and becoming current on delinquent accounts. SBR still considers these sportsbooks a high risk and encourages players to use caution.

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5/26/2005 07:40 PM
Royal Sports takes a step forward (SBR rating D) pays player $15,000 that they could of rightfully NOT paid. The player received double the agreed amount bonus from BetRoyal and failed to report the error. He then leveraged the extra money in the casino and won $15,000. In a move that surprised SBR, Royal Sports paid the player. Under the SBR rules of account confiscation, sportsbooks are allowed to confiscate winnings that have been won with deposits fraudulently made or made by error. Players should be careful not to bounce automatic check deposits(ACHs or EFTs). Several players have won significant amounts of money only to find out their initial deposit did not clear the bank. In these cases, the players forfeit their winnings.

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5/26/2005 01:26 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player denied payout from SportsWageringOdds (SBR rating F). Management is telling the player he must continue wagering before he can receive a payout despite the fact that he has met the roll-over requirement for his bonus. SportsWageringOdds is the newest member of the EZ Sports Group and SBR’s Blacklist. This group includes scam sportsbooks, BetonSportsOnline (SBR rating F) and EZSportsbetting (SBR rating F).

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5/25/2005 12:36 PM
SBR COSTA RICA OFFICE REPORTS: GrandCentral Sports(SBR rating D+) dba Mybookie proves why private oversight of the offshore sportsbook industry is insufficient to protect players.

MyBookie forced a player, allegedly by suggesting they may stiff him out of his entire balance, to accept .30 on the dollar, a move that cost the player $85,000. Except for SBR and little known TOW(TheOffshoreWire), none of the so-called player advocate sites have even reported this incredible theft. This is easily the largest sportsbook theft case of 2005. Lawmakers in North America will undoubtedly use this theft as an example of how vulnerable players are to unregulated sportsbooks. SBR has repeatedly called for GCS to pay the player or show cause why he should not be paid. Sources in Costa Rica have told SBR that because the only major website that took up the players’ cause was SBR that GCS felt they got away with minimal backlash.

However, many respected operators here in Costa Rica are disgusted with the forced theft. More than one sportsbook operator has complained publicly and privately that even SBR was not doing enough to pressure this book to settle in full with the player. Operators here recognize that these types of theft will be the beginning of the end for the sportsbook industry.

SBR’s position is clear: Pay the player or show cause as to why $85,000 was confiscated. Failure to do so will result in the possibility of an SBR Scam Warning press release as well as a possible downgrade to the SBR Blacklist.

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5/24/2005 11:57 AM
SBR welcomes the successful bidders for sponsorship roles for the SBR family of websites in 2005: America’s Cardroom(poker), BlueChip Games(casino software) and Gamblers Anonymous will all have a presence on Sportsbook Review, SBRLines, PokerSiteReview, RacebookReview and many other quality SBR sites. An SBR sponsorship role is currently available for non-sportsbooks for calendar year 2006. SBR sponsorships are limited to three sponsors to maximize exposure and are displayed on dozens of high quality SBR websites.

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5/18/2005 02:01 PM
SportsbettingTrivia and SafeDepositSportsBetting (SBR rating D+) were used by suspected organized crime in New York, 36 members were arrested today. What effect this might have on the sportsbooks involved is unclear. Players should consider this a negative and reduce their balances ahead of a possible downgrade.

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5/12/2005 01:39 PM
Players finding extreme value betting the NBA Playoffs. The NBA is down to its final eight teams which means sportsbooks are getting more action focused on these mainstream matchups. High profile events allow bookmakers more room to move their lines according to their own opinions and customer base. Players can capitalize on this value by monitoring the betting market at SBRLines.com. SBRLines now features 10 sportsbooks offering live odds in real time.

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5/8/2005 11:44 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: SportsbookUSA (SBR rating D-) and multiple sister Futurebet sportsbooks exit SBR’s Blacklist. Although the company’s withdrawals are severely delayed, an F rating is no longer justified. Management tells SBR that SportsbookUSA will pick up the tab for other Futurebet sites that can not meet their obligation as was the case with Oceansbet (SBR rating F-). It should be noted that all Futurebet books are requiring at least two weeks to process Neteller payouts.

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5/6/2005 06:48 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: More Customer Service complaints from players with large sportsbooks. The BetAndWin Group is the subject of three customer service complaints this past week. Each player also reports that his email inquiries did not garner a response. SBR’s Terry Terasco is currently looking into the various player issues, including this one from BAW’s PlayIt (SBR rating B).

"I recently opened an account with an online bookmaker called PlayIt (playit.com) - B rated on your site. The offer was if you deposited £20 they would credit you with a £17 bonus. I signed up (User Name xxxxxxxx) and deposited and bet £20 which lost. Despite numerous e-mails in the last 10 days or so I have not had the courtesy of a reply, far less the bonus credited."

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5/3/2005 06:18 PM
WagerStreet (SBR rating B) and BetAllSports (SBR rating B-) now officially part of the Olympic Sports Group. SBR readers can now see the parent company and/or mangement of most sportsbooks in our rating guide by using the Display by feature.

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4/26/2005 11:38 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: SBR receives an influx of complaints from players whose wagers were cancelled after their sportsbook accidentally offered incorrect odds. These ’bad line’ mistakes will happen on rare occasions at even the best sportsbooks, but this is never easy to accept for the unsuspecting player when he logs into his account the next morning. Repeat offenders in the month of April include William Hill (SBR rating A-) BetandWin (SBR rating B+) and BetDirect (SBR rating C+). Each complaint must be looked at individually in order to assure the sportsbook handled the cancellation fairly and according to their listed rules. These errors can be very costly for players and frequent occurrences are sure to cost a book its customers.

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4/24/2005 09:20 PM
Frequently asked question by players: Which sportsbooks offer in-game live wagering? Few bookmakers offer this betting option because of the challenges of balancing action on the quickly moving odds. sportsbooks that offer in-game wagering include:
• Bet365.com (SBR rating A+)
• WSEX.com (SBR rating A)
• Tradesports.com (SBR rating B)
• PinnacleSports.com (SBR rating A+) is also known to offer in-game wagering on mainstream events on occasion.

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4/17/2005 11:04 PM
Betting Exchanges making a return to the US market? In the past, more than a few sportsbooks have offered peer-to-peer betting but it seemed that American bettors were not ready to follow in the footsteps of their European counterparts. sportsbooks were unable to offer a quality product that was as easy as the book itself. However, it appears the overwhelming success of Europe’s Betfair has bookmakers believing it is only a matter of time before the next Betfair hits the US. SBR has learned that a sportsbook from the Recommended List plans to launch a new betting exchange that functions like a regular sportsbook.

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4/13/2005 01:37 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: New SCAM Sportsbook BetNowOnline soliciting deposits. SBR has confirmed that BetNowOnline is operated by the same crooks that have stolen thousands from players using VIPBetZone (SBR rating F-) and sister book GoWagers (SBR rating F-). The two sportsbooks are responsible for a recent influx of no-pay complaints to SBR. Both sites went offline two days before BetNowOnline was launched. BetNowOnline enters the SBR rating guide at F-.

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4/6/2005 03:04 PM
Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+) takes the top SBR spot for Best Baseball Sportsbook:

List of Best Baseball sportsbooks.

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4/3/2005 08:23 PM
SBR Upgrades & Downgrades since March 1st, 2005: SBR Upgrades 6 SBR Downgrades 12. Players in sportsbooks rated lower than B+ should exercise appropriate caution as the industry heads into the slow season which is typically April 1st to September 1st. Watch for recent downgrades, excessive bonus offers and abnormal customer service such as lines going up late, deposits processed slowly and deteriorating customer service in general.

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3/26/2005 01:44 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: SportsbookUSA (SBR rating F) working with SBR on payment plans. PlayerSupport Manager, Michelle, claims that the Futurebet Family of sportsbooks will be current in a matter of weeks and multiple players have been paid in full this month. While this is encouraging news, SBR recommends players continue to steer clear of this large network of sites as many players still await payment.

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2/23/2005 02:07 PM
A list of Futurebet sportsbooks that SBR currently recommends to AVOID. Futurebets Sportsbook list courtesy of MajorWager.

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2/20/2005 05:01 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Players can add Champsportsbook (not rated) to the list of slow-paying Futurebet gaming sites to avoid. Management tells SBR that all Futurebet sportsbooks are at least 30 days behind in Neteller withdrawals. Oceansbet (SBR rating F-), another Futurebet serviced operation, is on the verge of collapse. Customer service has told players that this book has not transferred the needed funds to accounting and therefore Oceansbet withdrawals will not be processed at this time.

SBR recommends players avoid sportsbooks serviced by a third party that is not willing to stand for client funds. Players should always have the opportunity to speak with an actual sportsbook manager. If a request to speak with management is answered with “I’m sorry, we only provide customer support for …” the bettor would be best served if they moved on to a different book.

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2/9/2005 12:02 PM
27 websites currently displaying real-time betting lines from SBRLines - Freaks Forum, Sharp Action Sports and System Plays are the latest quality sites to add live-lines, handicapping stats and scores provided free by SBRLines.

The current line-up of sportsbooks on the SBRlines feed include: WWTS(SBR rating A+), Pinnacle(SBR rating A+), VIP(SBR rating A+), CRIS(SBR rating A+), BetJamaica(SBR rating A+), Hollywood107(SBR rating A), Bowmans(SBR rating A-) and Canbet(SBR rating B).

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2/9/2005 12:12 AM
4th Qtr results out for two publicly traded sportsbooks:

Canbet (SBR rating B) $A -142,000 loss
BetWWTS (SBR rating A+) $A 2,294,000 profit

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2/7/2005 11:39 AM
Your feedback keeps the sportsbooks on their toes! A couple of post Superbowl suggestions on getting a payout:

For the millions of players who are getting in line for a payout SBR would suggest:

1) Have patience. SBR relaxes rules on promptness of payouts this week only. A "slow pay" is officially considered a slow-pay incident on the 7th day after the rules of the sportsbook state you will be paid. Example: If XYZ Sportsbook states you will be paid within 5 days; you the player will have an official complaint on the 12th day from your request. You should write to Assistance@SportsBookReview.com on the 1st day after you were promised to be paid.

2) Make sure your payout instructions are clear and accurate. Once your request is made, do not change payment methods and do not bet or put at risk the portion of your account which a payout request has been made.

3) Put it in writing. Always follow payout requests with an email. Always note who you spoke to and the exact time. Retrieving your recorded conversation is a difficult process made simple by noting who you spoke to and when.

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2/2/2005 11:54 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: New Futurebet sportsbook Oceansbet (SBR rating F) slow-paying player.
"Boy, was I stupid. I didn’t know sites like yours existed and I blindly picked an online sportsbook and made a deposit. I slowly built my account balance up to a reasonable amount and requested a payout.... I am getting the run around big time from a loser outfit. "Player support" says that OceansBet has to workout how it is going to pay out its accounts and there is no indication that Oceansbet is going under... Yea right! They don’t go under, just keep taking money IN and paying none OUT. I have learned a valuable lesson and am glad I don’t go in for heavy action, but I will use your valuable information to deal only with reputable sportsbooks and keep abreast of any changes in a sportsbooks status.
Sincerely, XXXXX XXXXX"
The end of the NFL season is the most dangerous time of year for players with unproven sportsbooks. Some companies like Futurebet mass produce gambling websites causing bettors to be unaware they are sending their funds to a disreputable operation with a history of payout problems. SBR recommends players stay with sportsbooks rated B+ or higher and do proper research before making their Super Bowl wagers.

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2/1/2005 11:49 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: No-pay complaints continue to come from players at scam sportsbooks. BetGateway (SBR rating F) is hoping to stay afloat with a profitable Super Bowl. More players are reporting denied withdrawal requests yet the book continues to offer large bonuses on new deposits. New BetEmpire (SBR rating F-) and sister book WorldWager (SBR rating F-) complaints emerge. Management is attempting to void out winnings on multiple large account balances. They claim that if the betting odds had changed soon after a bet was placed it was the sportsbook’s error and a "bad line" which nullifies the wager. The book is applying this made-up rule to months of graded wagers. One player did report reaching a settlement with WorldWager and has received payment.
Update 2/26/05: BetEmpire management tells SBR that they are no longer involved with WorldWager and that BetEmpire is a seperate operation. BetEmpire has its own mangement team in place but is under the BetUS (SBR rating F+) brand.

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1/18/2005 12:07 PM
Some newer sportsbooks upgraded after end of the year reviews. Mansion now holds a respectable C+ SBR rating and is by far the most interesting new sportsbook of the class of 2004. We continue to remain somewhat cautious on Mansion despite the high level of financing from a millionaire cigarette tycoon from Asia and a capable management staff. Mansion has taken aim at the two toughest competitors in the industry in Pinnacle (SBR rating A+) and BetFair (SBR rating A+). History is not on the side of books that take on those two goliaths, however Mansion could be the exception.

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1/12/2005 05:56 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports:

Players continue to get bit by F rated sportsbooks. Bettor reports Worldbet (SBR rating F) no-pay.

"I have had an account with WorldBet for about 2 years. Although they were cited to have a bad history in some places, and a grade of F at Sportsbookreview (in which I didn’t notice untill now), everything went smoothly when I made a withdrawal of $600 USD back in Febuary. I got the money in 4 days, communications were good and I had no complaints.
I won a nice sum of money in November and made another withdrawal request of $3000 on Dec. 1st, but I have yet to receive payment. I’ve sent 5 emails during the past 2 weeks to admin, billing and info@worldbet.com but did not get one single reply. I still have $11000 USD in my account there, wondering if there’s anything I can do at this point besides wait?"
Update 1/13/05: Worldbet states that recent slow-pays are the result of being stiffed by their credit card processor. They claim that they will be processing these payouts next month.

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1/10/2005 03:36 PM
Merger talks dominate the industry. Several A and A+ books involved. SBR has been directly notified by several major sportsbooks that they have signed confidentiality agreements and/or retained agents for private talks. SBR has been bearish on mergers and generally skeptical of previous possible combinations. However, for better or worse, it appears that 2005 will be the year that a major phase of consolidation will begin.

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1/3/2005 12:12 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: sportsbooks encouraging players to assist in Tsunami Disaster Relief. Some sportsbooks like BetJamaica (SBR rating A+) have a link for The American Red Cross website on their homepage. VIPsports (SBR rating A+) and Gameday (SBR rating A) allows players to make donations directly from their playing accounts. This allows players who have scored a big win to give something to those who have lost almost everything.

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1/2/2005 11:44 AM
NFL lines moving very fast during the final NFL week. Players can find significant value if they compare lines and have accounts at the top sportsbooks. Check SBRLines where the best sportsbooks post their lines in real time.

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12/31/2004 10:54 AM
Dire warnings of many sportsbooks failing in 2004 prove false. The last major warning by SBR was in late 2003 just before the collapse of 3 Costa Rican sportsbooks. In 2004 industry insiders took their cue from poor performances by sportsbooks and translated that into impending doom. It was certainly a great year for the players and many books have been badly weakened. However, the industry as a whole has a reduced cost structure thanks in a large part to the US government strangling out mass advertising. The biggest operational cost savings for the sportsbooks was the continued mass migration from phone to the internet for placing bets.

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12/25/2004 10:59 AM
SBR mailbag: Players report cold holiday season with no-pay sportsbooks. This past week SBR received a flood of slow-pay and no-pay complaints from books that continue to solidify their F ratings. Complaints included: WorldWager (SBR rating F) player reports being stiffed for $2,000; 2WagerSports (SBR rating F) player reports being owed $600 for over 3 weeks while phones have been down; SSP (SBR rating F) player files no-pay complaint claiming that he has been owed over $2,000 since September. Internet1x2 (SBR rating F) in full slow-pay mode once again. After eliminating a large portion of their debt, 1x2 is frustrating players with broken promises of payment. A few players are reporting small sporadic payments. These payments are likely sent out as unsuspecting new players deposit. SBR has also received the weekly batch of no-pay complaints from new victims of scam sportsbook, ESB (SBR rating F-). Players who are aware of any sites ESB utilizes for marketing purposes are encouraged to contact Bill_Dozer@SportbookReview.com.

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12/23/2004 02:06 PM
SBRLines talked about on the PR Newswire - Real-time Sports Betting Odds Now Free For All Web Sites. (PRWEB) December 23, 2004 Sportsbook Reviews Live Lines program only features, what they deem to be top notch sportsbooks. The site believes that offering this product for free will help steer the industry in the right direction.
SBR’s Bill Dozer says, “When you take some of the top sportsbooks and group them together it makes each one stronger. This has been why our recommended list is so powerful. No other gaming site puts the player as its first priority. We plan to use this same model as we introduce line shopping to new players.”
Webmasters can choose from a list of sportsbooks they would like to feature. SBR plans to expand this list as the program evolves. Live Lines for your site is now available at http://webmastertool.sbrlines.com/sbrwelcome.aspx PRWEB

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12/23/2004 12:18 AM
VIP Sports (SBR rating A+) acquires BetOnGames (SBR rating A-). Already fully under VIP management, VIP Sports makes the move to acquire a 100% interest in BetOnGames(BOG). BOG was part of the highly touted big 3 new sportsbooks of 2003. BetJamaica (SBR rating A+) backed by Olympic and BetOnGames have been successful star performers while BetPanAm (SBR rating F-), proved to be nothing more than an amateur run sportsbook that eventually failed. The move to acquire BOG makes the 3rd VIP acquisition in as many months.

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12/20/2004 11:23 AM
SBRLines becomes available today! Web site owners may now add SBRLines to their own web site. The rich stats and real time XML odds feed can be branded as the web site owners own proprietary odds. Even the links to the sportsbooks are configurable to allow the web site owner to enter his own tracking links. Web site owners can choose between a lite version with five sportsbooks or the full version with nine. The sportsbooks on the SBRLine feed are world class sportsbooks.

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12/19/2004 10:43 AM
IGW Software President, Bran Abboud, meets with SBR. Armed with a collection of high-powered designers and programmers, IGW announces they will release a revolutionary new sportsbook management software in the summer of 2005. Currently IGW powers about a dozen sportsbooks with the most popular being VIP Sportsbook (SBR rating A+). IGW Software is a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Entertainment Holdings/Equities Inc., publicly traded under symbol GAMM

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12/15/2004 07:57 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetAustralia (SBR rating B-) closing its doors. Players may withdraw their balances in full. Funded accounts at the time of closing will be transferred to sister sportsbook, Canbet (SBR rating B+). In recent months BetAustralia has experienced website downtime and has stopped offering reduced juice. IAS LTD, the parent company of both sportsbooks, believes BetAustralia clients will notice an improved level of service under Canbet which utilizes better resources in the UK. Canbet will continue to offer reduced juice at -107.

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12/14/2004 10:51 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Slow-pay complaint filed against sportsbooks.com (SBR rated C-). The player reports he has been waiting for a $500 payment since 11/29/04. SBR to inquire on player’s behalf.

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12/11/2004 06:47 PM
Robbie McPhail, who stiffed players as the owner of the defunct Apex Sportsbook, is using the Apex website to promote his sportsbook affiliates. ApexSportsbook.com features ads for Pinnacle Sports, Hollywood107, Sportingbet, SBGglobal, Cybersportsbook and Mybookie. SBR is asking these sportsbooks to withhold any commission payment to Robbie or to work out an arrangement where the stiffed players can begin to receive payment. SBR will be able to provide a list of players owed. Robbie’s new sportsbook, PlatinumSportsbets (SBR rating F) is also promoted on this site as well as his other sites which include Askthebookie.com.

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12/9/2004 10:36 AM
BetRoyal (SBR rating D-) Forced to answer in a Dutch court why they stiffed a US player for $50,000. Reporting from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles:
It all started when a California lawyer ran his winnings at Royal to over $50,000. When it came time for a payout Royal tried every trick in the book not to pay and when that didn’t work they even invented one never seen before in the offshore industry. Royal claimed that the player had a history of credit card chargebacks at two other sportsbooks, therefore he must forfeit his $50,000 in winnings. Royal admits the player never charged back anything at Royal and they gladly accepted his bets and his business. And that’s the problem. Royal has been using every legal maneuver possible to delay the trial and some observers think they will flee the island to avoid what is probably the short arm of Dutch justice. The player, however, has already retained legal reps in Royal’s soon to be new home of Costa Rica. Unfortunately, most players do not have the resources of this player and can not chase down deadbeat bookmakers to the ends of the earth. Therefore it is important to play at a highly rated sportsbook so if you go on the roll of a lifetime you can savor the victory instead of chasing deadbeats.

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12/8/2004 10:29 AM
Webmasters: Put SBRLines on your website in 2005.. And brand it as your own! The revolutionary real-time lines complete with match-up stats will be made available in early 2005. Websites will be able to brand the proprietary real-time SBR feed and offer the best handicapping stats. Websites will have full control over all branding and banner placements. The world class line-up of sportsbooks committed for 2005: WWTS, VIP Sports, BetJamaica, 5Dimes, Hollywood107, WSEX, Bowmans, Pinnacle, CRIS.

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12/7/2004 01:58 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: PayManager closes its doors with sportsbooks’ funds. The Belize payment services company was utilized by multiple sportsbooks to transfer funds to players. When this company closed and severed its ties with Wachovia Bank, it left many players in possession of bad checks. Any player with a bad check processed by PayManager should contact their sportsbook for an immediate payment via an alternate method. Sending these checks back to your sportsbook may assist them in pursuing a refund from PayManager.

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12/6/2004 04:27 PM
BetJamaica (SBR rating A+) drops line on Orange Bowl to USC -2.5. Pinnacle was the first sportsbook to open this line at -4. Since then big money has fallen on the side of Oklahoma. You can follow all the line movements of the top sportsbooks at the ONLY free real-time odds provider on a secure server at SBRLines.com.

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12/6/2004 10:31 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Careless E-check deposits are becoming costly for players. SBR has received an alarming amount of emails from players who have made mistakes depositing with electronic checking. Once these deposits are initiated, the sportsbooks will conveniently credit the betting account for immediate wagering. These E-checks take up to one full week to clear, much like a normal check. The books only accept small individual transactions to minimize the risk of players stopping payment after early losses. However, the player often makes quite a few wagers before the funds have actually arrived at the sportsbook. Disaster strikes when the sportsbook does not receive the deposit as planned and the player has won a significant sum. This can happen due to a variety of reasons. Some banks have been known to hold these transactions for security reasons, while other deposits are botched because the player has mistakenly made a deposit with insufficient funds. The sportsbook must acknowledge the possibility that the player may have never intended to pay. For this reason, the book will likely be unwilling to honor any winnings where the player did not actually risk his funds. SBR agrees with this policy. Although innocent mistakes may lead to loss of winnings, it is the player’s responsibility to make sure the deposit reaches the sportsbook. All players must realize that winnings, and winnings from those winnings, are not valid until the initial wager itself is paid for. First time E-check depositors are urged not to place a wager until the sportsbook verifies that the initial deposit has been received. In recent months, multiple players have reported voided winnings totaling over $100,000.

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12/2/2004 02:58 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetCSI (SBR rating F-) stiffing another victim for $3,000. This scam book attracts new players by representing itself as being affiliated with honorable sportsbooks. If the new player eventually wins a significant sum the book will cut ties with the client and keep his funds. The head of this operation goes by the name of Ray Ramirez and operates his accounting department from this cell phone number, 800.260.2764.

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11/29/2004 01:21 PM
SBR expects sportsbook accounting departments to operate on their normal schedule during the holidays. The holidays brings many unexpected expenses and some players will need quick access to their funds. Top sportsbooks will be sure to have adequate staff on hand to process withdrawals.

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11/25/2004 02:40 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player files new slow-pay complaint against BetGateway (SBR rating D-). BetGateway has paid the player $5,300 of $15,400 owed. This small sportsbook offers excessive signup incentives and is a prime example of a book that would have trouble staying afloat if players continue to beat the house. Players should stay with sportsbooks rated B+ or higher who realize that bookmaking is a long term investment.

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11/20/2004 09:21 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Changeabet (SBR rating F+) has failed to make multiple Western Union payments to a player after he was initially denied $23,000 in FedEx withdrawals. The player has been promised a payment plan using Western Union. These payments were to start on 11/15/04 but the player has since been told that “the payouts manager is on vacation” and they are not able to process his payouts. SBR has downgraded Changeabet and its sister sportsbooks, BetCNN and BetChanger to F+.

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11/17/2004 02:48 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Playerstime (SBR rating D) voiding winning wagers after events have concluded, stating that "we didn’t mean to take those bets.” Management refuses to offer a valid explanation to SBR, stating “This was ownership’s decision and we do not know why these winnings were confiscated.” This action will cost the player over $8,000. Playerstime has been downgraded from C- to D and is subject to further downgrade pending SBR’s final assessment. SBR has also received complaints against sister sportsbooks WinnersTime (SBR rating D) and SportsWager (SBR D+). SportsWager had initially promised SBR proof of valid casino play that was responsible for wiping out a player’s balance. It appears SportsWager has something to hide as they have failed to supply casino logs to SBR and the player.

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11/13/2004 03:43 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player reports MVPbets (SBR rating D+) withholds payout of winnings and applies a roll-over requirement to entire account balance, which did not include a bonus. The player won these funds playing NBA half time and quarter lines. Upon requesting a withdrawal he was told he must wager twice the amount of his balance, betting only on full games. The bettor resentfully completed these unforeseen requirements and has been paid in full. Players can avoid books that make up rules as they go by sticking with top rated sportsbooks.

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11/12/2004 11:27 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: No-pay sportsbook, Prosbet (SBR rating F-) appears to have closed with player funds. PlayerCenter support claims the site will be “down for months due to maintenance” and player balances can not be accessed during this time. PlayerCenter services many fly-by-night gaming sites for licenser, Interactive Gaming Systems. Players should avoid IGS/PlayerCenter sportsbooks at all costs.

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11/9/2004 11:47 AM
SBR confirms VIP Sports (SBR rating A+) buys GlobalWager and BetWorldWide. Alistair Assheton, Managing Director of VIP, confirms the earlier SBR report that VIP Sports has, as of today, purchased both Costa Rican sportsbooks which were owned separately. Eric Gomez, the GM of GlobalWager, tells SBR that after four years the opportunity to sell to VIP Sports was one they could not pass up. Mr. Gomez goes on to say that his customers will be wagering through the VIP system tonight and full customer service will be transferred by Thursday.

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11/9/2004 10:17 AM
VIP Sports (SBR Rating A+) buying two Costa Rican sportsbooks. Awaiting confirmation from VIP Sports, however, SBR sources report that VIP Sports (SBR rating A+) will buy Globalwager and Betworldwide for an undisclosed amount of cash. Both books have been nothing but trouble for players.

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11/2/2004 09:08 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Player waiting for $2900 payment from Enterbet (SBR rating F) for over eight months. SBR has contacted Enterbet and they agreed to start a $300/week payment plan today. Players should avoid this sportsbook who stated "We just got killed this week and don't have his money". As the football season matures and new marketing campaigns fade, lesser sportsbooks will be more likely to show the effects of mismanaged finances.

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11/1/2004 01:29 PM
What separates good sportsbooks from the bad? Here is an example of “Bad”:

Sportbook.com (SBR rating D-) offers a bonus of 15% for new accounts and states “..must wager at least 2x the amount of the deposit plus bonus”. Seems clear, right??? Wrong! A player wagered twice the amount and called for a payout and was told 2x was not enough. The book fired back to the winning player the rules state “at least 2x”. The book goes on to say “….it(bonus rollover) is anything we say it is.” The book refuses to pay and refuses to tell the player how much he will have to bet to get a payout.

Rules written in a way that gives the sportsbook a way to cheat a player is like having a back-up scam at the ‘ready’ just in case the player wins.

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10/27/2004 06:26 PM
SBR surveys three top sportsbooks on how they did with the 2004 baseball season:

Pinnacle(SBR rating A+): Baseball was good this year. There was one stretch just after the all-star break that I think the players were using tomorrows paper to pick the games....players were feasting on under valued favorites. Overall, this has been an excellent baseball season, probably the best ever, for Pinnacle.
 
VIP (SBR rating A+): This year broke character with the last four years. In the previous few years, players won early and won big. This year the book had a good start but the players roared back with a vengeance in the final 1/3 of the season. VIP added 1st inning and first 5 inning props as well as others and overall I think this was a decent year for us in baseball, certainly not great.
 
BetJamaica(SBR rating A+): Baseball was definitely better this year than last; we got off to a very strong start, an amazing start. The players got it together in late August and have been winning most of the big decisions ever since. So for BetJamaica this has been a terrific baseball season. We handled the professional crowd but the general public hit a lot of big games down the stretch.  

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10/25/2004 11:29 AM
The ‘A’ group of sportsbooks not immune from complaints. Weekend comments from players.

WWTS (SBR rating A+) – "At first they would not honor the special listed right on their fxxxing website."

Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+) – “My account was frozen (could not login).. I missed all of Saturday’s college football..3 emails, 3 no replys”

FiveDimes (SBR A-) – “SBR should reconsider this rating. The site is either slow or completely down. Look at your own site meter if you doubt me.”

Grande (SBR raing A-) “What a joke! I tried to sign up there but their sign-up page didn’t work. I tried Skybook instead. Went back a month later and the signup page STILL doesn’t work!"

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10/24/2004 12:38 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: USA Sports Casino (SBR rating F) player reporting slow-pay. USA Sports Casino is a new site from Futurebet. For about $35,000 in start up fees and 30% profit share, Futurebet will set up and operate a gaming site for just about anyone. Players should avoid this family of sportsbooks which also includes SportsbookUSA (SBR rating F-) and RedRoyal (SBR rating F).

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10/24/2004 12:26 PM
What is going on at BetOnSports (SBR rated C)? Sources tell SBR that the marketing director is under internal investigation for illegal kick backs. There has been a spike in complaints into SBR including some serious slow pay complaints. CEO’s of several of the largest sportsbooks have told SBR they are worried and expect a management shake-up any day. SBR’s opinion is not as bleak as some insiders and for now will maintain a respectable C rating for BetOnSports. SBR agrees BOS is having a poor year but the excessive pessimism so far is backed up only by a few slow pay reports and internal management problems related to fraud.

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10/22/2004 05:41 PM
SBR announces BetJamaica (SBR rating A+) and WSEX (SBR rating A-) join SBRLines.Com. Coming soon, SBR is proud to welcome two of the very best sportsbooks to SBRLines.com. SBRLines.com is currently the ONLY free fully secure live lines service on the internet. sportsbooks pay a fee to have their live lines displayed on SBRLines.com and support the SBR effort to inform and protect sportsbook players.

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10/21/2004 02:54 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: World Casino Sports Bets (SBR rating F+) slow-paying player three weeks. Ownership refuses to respond to player's Neteller payout requests. Customer service claims their hands are tied as they only perform support. SBR reminds players to avoid operations with anonymous ownership and turn-key serviced sportsbooks where there is no financial responsibility.

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10/20/2004 06:36 PM
BlueChip Games - the sensational casino software powering Pinnacle (SBR rating A+) will soon power two more SBR A+ rated sportsbooks. The BlueChip casino suite of highly advanced interactive games will only be made available to 'A' rated sportsbooks.

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10/18/2004 03:45 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: ASAP Sports (SBR rating D-) player reports $8,000 withdrawal, that has been pending since 10/14/04, has been paid in full. ASAP tells SBR that all pending payouts have been processed. ASAP blames rumors and banking challenges as the reason for the delay. SBR would like to remind players of our recommendation to play only with those sportsbooks that carry a rating of B- or higher.

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10/7/2004 02:36 PM
Beware of new sportsbooks offering excessive bonuses. Anytime Wager (SBR rating F+) and Bring Me Vegas (SBR rating F+) soliciting players with no limit bonus offers above 50% without roll-over requirements. Players should steer clear of these sportsbooks who are either looking to scam customers or are extremely deficient in mathematics.

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10/6/2004 08:08 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: New slow-pay complaint filed by Oklahoma Sports Betting (SBR rating D-) player. OSB's only comment is "the player will be paid". SBR cautions players of OSB and all inexperienced sportsbooks who may be rolling the dice on this NFL season.

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10/1/2004 12:50 PM
BetOnSports (SBR rating C+) marketing scam starts to unravel with new information. The recent public offering of BOS has not slowed this marketing scam machine. The most recent scam involves copying SBR’s own Sportsbook Review.Com website and replacing the recommended list with all of BOS owned sportsbooks. BOS’s most recent scam. SBR lawyers in London to seek relieve and a permanent end to this scam.

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9/27/2004 02:43 PM
Another BetOnSports (SBR rating C+) marketing scam? The marketing manager of BOS, a Peter Wilson, who has said to receive kickbacks from radio buyers apparently had a new idea this year. It was to copy the Sportsbook Review copyrighted site and list all of the BOS owned sportsbooks on the recommended list. SBR has turned this matter over to legal council. BOS’s latest marketing scam.

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9/26/2004 09:15 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: BetRoyal (SBR rating F) has agreed to shut down scam sportsbook BetCharter (SBR rating F-). The player whose funds were stolen was offered a settlement, and has accepted.

Note to operators: SBR will not overlook scam sportsbooks hiding behind the label of “credit shop” while quietly soliciting deposits.

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9/23/2004 03:41 PM
Breaking news of a sophisticated scam leads to a downgrade of all Royal Sports owned sportsbooks. Downgrades to include BetRoyal, Lay107 and Gamblers Ave from D to F. BetCharter from D- to F-, BetMidas F+ to F- and MajorBetting unchanged at D-.

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9/22/2004 04:23 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: PlaceMyBet (SBR rating C-), of the Sportingbet PLC family, slow-paying player for over 1 month. Problems with sportsbooks under the SBT brand are becoming increasingly difficult to resolve.

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9/22/2004 12:26 PM
Frequently asked question by players: Do any sportsbooks still take credit cards? Funding a sportsbook account is becoming increasingly difficult as VISA and Mastercard look to block these transactions. sportsbooks that have the highest success rate for credit card deposits are:
• Bet365.com (SBR rating A+)
• Wagerstreet (SBR rating B-)

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9/20/2004 02:43 PM
SBRLines.Com - The leading free XML real-time odds adds in-depth match-up stats. SBRLines.com is the only live lines site on the internet that utilizes a secure server along with fast real-time lines from the best sportsbooks.

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9/13/2004 12:38 PM
How do you pick a sportsbook? A yearly reminder to BE CAREFUL! Every year SBR receives a number of complaints from players who managed to turn a small deposit into a not-so-small fortune only to find out too late the sportsbook they chose will not pay them. Out of the 500 sportsbooks located offshore there are only 68 with a B- rating or higher. Many are Mom and Pop micro operations with fancy websites. Protect yourself from fraud and stay with sportsbooks rated A- or higher. If you are fortunate enough to go on a "roll of a lifetime" you will be glad you were also smart enough to choose an 'A' rated sportsbook. How SBR rates sportsbooks.

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9/12/2004 12:46 PM
sportsbooks gear up to handle the onslaught of football players on the internet. The top A+ group of sportsbooks reporting no problems handling the load are Pinnacle A+ (www.pinbet.com), VIP Sportsbook A+ (www.VIPSportsbook.com). Load problems have caused slow downs at BetWWTS A+ and BetJamaica A+. A complete phone listing for all sportsbooks is located here.

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9/9/2004 05:13 PM
Part II of the exclusive interview with VIP Sports (SBR rated A+) CEO Alistair Assheton. Meet the man behind one of the first online sportsbooks.
Read part 2 of this entertaining two part interview.

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9/8/2004 05:45 PM
Exclusive interview with VIP Sports (SBR rated A+) CEO Alistair Assheton. Meet the man behind one of the first online sportsbooks.
Read part 1 of this entertaining two part interview.

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9/8/2004 04:01 PM
Curacao-based sportsbooks operating with minimal or no staff due to Hurricane Ivan. Players may notice an absence or decline in service at the following sportsbooks: VIP Sports, Game Day, Bet On Games, Fair Deal, Bet19, ASAP, Pinnacle Sports and the BetRoyal Family of books. Most are expecting to be operating as normal by morning.

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9/6/2004 03:03 PM
Coming this Thursday: In-person interview with VIP Sports (SBR rated A+) CEO, Alistair Assheton Catch this rare in-depth interview with the creator of one of the most player-friendly sportsbooks. Think all bookmakers are cigar smoking hustlers? Think again; find out why the well educated Mr. Assheton is thought of as the top executive in the industry today.

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9/5/2004 09:37 AM
Two of the top 3 rated sportsbooks start football with aggressive 20% bonus. Both WWTS (SBR rating A+) and VIP Sports (SBR rating A+) are offering extremely high bonus packages for new and existing customers. These limited time bonuses will start expiring on September 12th.

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8/26/2004 01:02 PM
SBR has spoken to the owner of Hollywood Sportsbook (SBR Rating A+) about the delay to process payouts via Neteller. Hollywood Sportsbook has attested to the fact that their NT account has been empty for over two days. Hollywood says they were forced to restructure their banking procedures when Provident Bank & Trust Of Belize Limited decided to drop all accounts related with the gaming industry, resulting in this Neteller funding delay . All payments via Neteller will be resumed immediately. SBR believes all players should expect a fully funded Neteller account from top rated sportsbooks.
  

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8/20/2004 11:38 AM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: New Costa Rican sportsbook, BetCSL (CyberSportsLine) initial rating: D-. Players should be cautious of these under-developed turn-key sportsbooks that frequently pop up before football season. These are often fly-by-night operations with unknown ownership and are not backed by their service providers.

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8/19/2004 03:21 PM
Sportbet (SBR rating C-) player requests payout but instead receives the following:
"Upon looking into your situation I see that you will be requesting the full amount of winnings in your account. I also see that you have in fact meet all rollover requirements that we ask for when playing with our bonus. Yet what I have also noted is that your request will be leaving the bare minimum balance that you can in your account to meet the policies that we have put down."

Players should not have to beg or endure a question and answer session when they request their money. Players should stay with top rated sportsbooks.

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8/16/2004 04:04 PM
Sportsbook Review introduces the first live XML fed betting lines website that allows instant secure logon to the best sportsbooks. HTTPS://www.SBRLines.com

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8/11/2004 10:07 AM
The SBR Scam Alert: Online Sportsbook scams are a multimillion-dollar business. Over the last 5 years, we've seen players lose millions of dollars; not because their bets lost, but because they sent money to scam sportsbooks. SBR has created the SCAM Alerts section to protect you and your money. Before you even think about sending money offshore, check the SBR SCAM Alert and the Rating Guide

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8/9/2004 12:51 PM
Dimeplayer (SBR rating D) Disagrees with SBR handling of player account confiscations The dispute, whereby Dimeplayer Sportsbook confiscated the winnings of players from Denmark, could have well involved a coordinated scam although Dimeplayer has yet to present any collaborating evidence to SBR. Bonus scams are common and players should be careful not to abuse bonus policies. As in the case of Dimeplayer, most sportsbooks have a heavy handed policy that could lead to the forfeiture of winnings. Dimeplayer has since changed its policy on bonuses limiting them to $500 and has blocked all accounts from Denmark.

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8/6/2004 06:26 PM
SBR expands its list of reviews to 12 sportsbooks: By adding the reviews of Bowman's and Grande, SBR has expanded reviews to the top 12 list

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8/3/2004 10:56 AM
SBR compares the Best Reduced Juice sportsbooks: Reduced Juice is a very useful tool for the player that likes to do value shopping. Learn how the reduced juice market works and the names of the most solid reduced juice shops: Best Reduced Juice sportsbooks

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8/2/2004 02:03 PM
SBR Notes: SBR recommends players avoid sportsbooks rated lower than B-. Out of 378 sportsbooks rated by SBR there are currently 68 sportsbooks rated B- or higher.

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7/23/2004 10:38 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: Linesmaker (SBR rating C-) confiscates $18,000 player balance. Linesmaker is one of many books operated and managed by the Sportingbet Group; yet SBT attributes this decision to the individual owner/investor of Linesmaker. SBR to speak with Sportingbet top management about this dispute. Ratings for sportsbooks under the Sportingbet PLC name under review pending outcome.

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7/20/2004 01:10 PM
Sportsbook advertising budgets retreat for the first time in 2004 SBR surveyed the top 10 sportsbooks and found only 1 that plans to exceed their 2003 advertising budget. This is an abrubt change from past years when marketing budgets regulary increased and sometimes doubled. The top CEO's stated unanimously that lack of profitable venues was mainly to blame. This is actually good news for players. Players should look for a year of healthy bonuses and new and improved loyalty programs at the top books.

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7/20/2004 11:01 AM
SBR proposes minimun standards for player advocate sites to follow in advance of player advocate meeting in Las Vegas Several sites that originally planned to attend have dropped out. It's no coincidence that these so-called player advocate sites tout slow paying books and wanted no part of any alliance that advocates not accepting advertising from sportsbooks that are dangerous to players. SBR will be offering free advertising and traffic to selected player advocate websites that agree not to promote slow pay and no pay sportsbooks for the entire 2004 football season.

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7/14/2004 02:16 PM
Hollywood Sportsbook (SBR Rating A) launches the beta-testing phase of their new, re-designed and improved website, now powered by ASI/Extension Software. Their IT Director expects the full implementation of this new website to be completed in 7-10 days. SBR believes this is a very positive move for one of the top sportsbooks in the industry.

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7/8/2004 05:01 PM
SBR Bill Dozer reports: CRIS (SBR rating A+) acknowledges backing of Diamond Sports International and Getmore Sports. DSI and GMS join Option Sports as B- sportsbooks overseen by Cris.

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7/3/2004 07:28 PM
The two hottest new gaming software launches delayed again. BetWWTS (SBR rating A+) which was to launch a version of Victor Chandler's sports betting platform has informed SBR that the launch scheduled for July 12th, is "Delayed indefinitely". There are at least three sportsbooks that heavily invested in this platform including Bowmans (SBR rating A-).

Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+) much anticipated casino again is delayed. Apparently the casino is live in-house and for a few invited guests. One source from a casino review site who said he had played one session and was sworn to secrecy said "..its ready but I guess they have their reasons(for not going live). Forget about it, it doesn't get any better..."

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7/1/2004 02:18 PM
Sportsbook industry player-advocate leaders to meet in Las Vegas This mostly fragmented group will meet for the first time to explore ways to work together. SBR to press for commitments to limit websites from promoting sportsbooks known to be in financial trouble. Agendas by other participants are expected to include sportsbook financial protection alliances, sharing of information and solving player complaints.

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6/28/2004 12:11 PM
Notice to sportsbooks: SBR never vouches for ANY player for credit accounts. Anyone applying for credit, claiming to be associated with, employed by or vouched for by SBR is attempting fraud. Except when authorized, employees of SBR are not permitted to gamble online by any method including; postup, credit or any other method. sportsbooks should report any suspicious cases to John@SportsbookReview.Com

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6/26/2004 04:06 PM
Sportsbook websites having their best month as DOS attacks ease The top sportsbooks have turned in their best month in nearly a year as measured by the Sportsbook Review Website Monitor. SBR is unfortunately predicting the attacks will resume in August. SBR maintains a sportsbook phone directory for players.

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6/26/2004 01:58 PM
Sportsbook Review Newswire via XML feed continues to be picked up at many quality websites such as the recent addition of Sports Crew.Com. If you need help displaying the XML newswire of the industry's authority on sportsbooks, the Sportsbook Review Newswire, write to cyndi@sportsbookreview.com.

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6/26/2004 10:52 AM
BetWWTS (SBR rating A+) now using a dime line for baseball up to -169. Baseball bettors check the chart of the best dime line sportsbooks.

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6/14/2004 03:59 PM
Players, sportsbooks and sports sites - Your help is needed! Last week SBR reported the tragic death of 26 year old BetWWTS marketing manager and mother of one, Sherlor Smith. If you give to one worthy cause we would suggest this be the one. Tristen, son of Ms. Smith age 3, now faces the world without his mother. Give generously to help Tristen and his family deal with the heartbreaking passing of Sherlor Smith.

Bank of America International
300 Harmon Meadow Blvd
Secaucus, New Jersey 07094 USA
Telex No: 0236362944
Routing #:066007681
Account # 6550-6-52034
For further credit to: The Sherlor Smith Fund Acc#5664615

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6/1/2004 02:23 PM
Ask Bill Dozer - The SBR Team would like to provide the offshore players with an open channel of communication. Ask Bill Dozer will be a section created to address all questions about offshore sportsbooks. Post your question now

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5/31/2004 01:35 PM
Submit Your Own Review - Share your experiences about offshore sportsbooks with other players. SBR will collect this info and display it for the benefit of all offshore sportsbook players. Submit your review now

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5/31/2004 07:45 AM
Potentially big week on the sportsbook acquisition front. A sportsbook tells SBR that they have turned down a $2.5 million offer from an SBR top ten book. The selling book believes an acceptable price will be reached. Another merger involving two top ten SBR sportsbooks is in the serious stages of negotiation, involving two seemingly unlikely candidates.

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4/22/2004 09:48 AM
SBR posts suggested email response times for sportsbooks to player inquires - SBR to begin email response time monitoring program on May 1st

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4/17/2004 02:18 PM
In response to SBR's sportsbook player email response monitoring program starting May 1st, several sportsbooks on the SBR Recommended List have asked for guidelines as to what is an acceptable amount of time to respond to player emails - SBR to post general guidelines on acceptable response times by 4/22/04

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4/3/2004 06:28 PM
SBR - in response to many sportsbook sites being interrupted by DOS attacks, SBR initiates the SBR sportsbook web site meter to monitor all of the top sportsbooks.

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3/13/2004 12:00 AM
Multiple sportsbooks and forums down as DoS attacks against the industry continuing in full force

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3/9/2004 12:00 AM
SBR selects recommended sportsbooks for 2004 baseball season: SBR's Recommended MLB Books

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2/9/2004 05:27 AM
SBR starts today with visits to all the top books to present the SBR Co-op Insurance Plan that will involve all the top books working together to insure each other in case of a default - The pilot plan for the first year will be limited to sportsbooks with an SBR rating of A- or higher plus majority approval of books within the co-op. SBR to visit Costa Rica, Antigua, Curacao (Netherlands Antilles), Great Britain and Jamaica

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1/17/2004 05:50 PM
The success of SBR has created 100's of look-a-alike sites - These sites are owned by sportsbooks or their affiliates-players beware!A loyal viewer made SBR aware of this scam owned by BetOnSports(SBR rated D)

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11/30/2003 04:23 PM
Possible scammer contacting books asking for credit using SBR as a reference -Sportsbook operators be forewarned - SBR is not involved in play-on-credit arrangements in any way or vouching for, arranging or recommending players and or sportsbooks

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11/18/2003 10:14 AM
Large sportsbook makes offer to buy another high profile sportsbook - Both sportsbooks on the SBR Recommended List - An excellent match and a benefit to players if deal goes through

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11/6/2003 05:24 PM
SBR interviewed by the Daily Racing Forum - Land based horse tracks concerned about sportsbooks

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11/2/2003 05:12 PM
Books reporting poor results for October as players continue to have a good year - More the reason to stay with sportsbooks with at least a Sportsbook Review Rating of B- or higher

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9/1/2003 02:38 PM
Surprisingly strong player feedback on web site performances for all the top sportsbooks

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7/17/2003 11:23 AM
SBR Tour Surprise visits planned for 15 sportsbooks. Scheduled visits this coming week to include: BetRoyal, Pinnacle, VIP, BetGameDay - Next month: Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Philippines

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5/4/2003 09:39 AM
SportsInteraction - Long time Black List member accused of odds rigging - Most likely just more incompetence by one of the poorest run of any major sportsbooks

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4/1/2003 05:10 PM
Rumors that a dozen small books WILL soon (April & May) close in Costa Rica - Players beware! ; STAY WITH HIGH QUALITY, LONG ESTABLISHED sportsbooks

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2/1/2003 09:55 PM
For sale sign up on two mid teer sportsbooks 1 in Curacao 1 C. Rica -Rumors likely to start in late Feb

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2/17/2009 07:39 AM
LasPalmas & eHorse Group sportsbooks lowered from C+ to C-

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12/29/2005 10:49 PM
sportsbooks managed by World Gaming & Sportingbet Plc’s Costa Rica Division downgraded to D+, MySportsbook downgraded from C to D+

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