Do books take the SBR ratings seriously?

**dwaechte** · 07-13-08, 12:26 PM

Some do and some don't. I think Justin might be best qualified to answer this, but I'll say that it seems like if a book gets themselves into trouble some will do almost anything to stay clean with SBR while others just don't give a ****. Most fall somewhere in between.

**Tsoprano** · 07-13-08, 12:29 PM

Doubt most care, gambling isnt exactly the most "honest, loving, and caring" business. Some true crooks out there!

**Patrick McIrish** · 07-13-08, 12:29 PM

The books care, don't let them fool you. The lower a book is rated the less they will tell you they care. Don't get me wrong, the ratings aren't going to keep a bunch of crooks flying straight, but honest books who work hard certainly care about how they are rated.

**Tsoprano** · 07-13-08, 12:32 PM

The right answer is, depends which one. No answer covers everyone.

**Dark Horse** · 07-13-08, 12:35 PM

The good ones do, because they consider it a valuable service. The bad ones don't, because they hate someone looking over their shoulder. Any book not respecting SBR is not going to respect its customers. Period.

**Mudcat** · 07-13-08, 12:39 PM

From what I've seen, a lot of them do. They cooperate with dispute arbitration. Some of them advertise their ratings.

Many of the crappier books also appear to care. We have seen people set up fake SBR-copy sites. I have had reps call me who either lie about their SBR ratings or else try to discredit SBR when the subject comes up. They wouldn't bother if they didn't take it seriously.

I mean, if they are trying to squeeze money out of someone and they are being old their low SBR rating is the reason they aren't getting it, they have to take it seriously to some extent.

Some of these crap books obviously don't care enough to change their ways and actually earn a good rating - but they still care on some level.

**pavyracer** · 07-13-08, 12:39 PM

I'd say that only 20% of US/Canada online sport gamblers are aware of SBR ratings. This is why sportsbooks do not feel pressure to clean up their act.

**Justin7** · 07-13-08, 12:47 PM

I'd estimate that in 80% of the disputes I work on, the books care about their rating.

If a book is D or D-, it typically doesn't care. If it is a big euro-book (William Hill or LadBroke's), they don't care either.

The ones that worry the most seem to be D+/C- rated books. These are the ones that can really improve with effort.

**bigboydan** · 07-13-08, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by Justin7

The ones that worry the most seem to be D+/C- rated books. These are the ones that can really improve with effort.

SportsInteraction would be a book that would fall under this category IMO. I feel SIA could improve a bit if they clear up a few outstanding complaints levied against them.

**pjesnik24** · 07-14-08, 06:07 AM

I think that European and Asian bookies do not care too much as this is an almost only a forum for US sports books. I mean, when you look at great books like mansion88, expekt, unibet, sbobet, betshop which are probably much better on all terms than most of the US books however some of them do not even have a rating. Ratings are not updated and quite often they are in the C/D region all the time even they are in business for many years already without any real problem.
Best example is maybe parbet which is only a poker/casino website for at least a year already but it is still rated C- for its exchange?!? (even though I NEVER heard about any complain about them nor matchmywager which continued their exchange operation but stopped working few months ago)

I would really really like the reason why any book is better than paddypower or expekt which are both B here? or why was parbet C-?

Or, what about 188bet? Everybody who bets soccer knows about them. However, even there are at least 50 threads here about them they do not even have a rating. And they claim that they have all the players' moneys safely deposited in some bank (how about somebody checking that out?)
Or SBOBET? why is there no rating even they are the BIGGEST asian bookies for many years already?

**jjgold** · 07-14-08, 06:12 AM

Only the scam books do not cooperate

Most of the legit books take the rating serioulsy

**SBR_John** · 07-14-08, 07:37 AM

Nice to see Mud around! Good answer.

Pat sumed it up "The books care, don't let them fool you. The lower a book is rated the less they will tell you they care."

**HeeeHAWWWW** · 07-14-08, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by pjesnik24

I think that European and Asian bookies do not care too much as this is an almost only a forum for US sports books.

Good point - would be nice if SBR could add on some of those you mention. 188bet in particular are essentially an equivalent of pinnacle in the juice/stakes they offer, a real top tier player of books for anyone betting on soccer. Now that I think about it, they're probably the best soccer book on the planet - even pinnacle offer much lower stakes on minor leagues (eg $2k max stake on Finnish 2nd division football, at most books you'd be lucky to get $200).

Then there's the humungous number of inplay markets they offer, only bet365 can compete there.

**ManOfValue** · 07-14-08, 10:17 AM

It would make sense that most care because for them SBR=publicity good or bad...

**kiwi** · 07-15-08, 08:31 PM

Originally posted by HeeeHAWWWW

Now that I think about it, they're probably the best soccer book on the planet.

They are ok, but there are many similar asian books, I wonder why you prefer 188Bet compared to others (SBOBET, IBCBET, Mansion88...)?

**HeeeHAWWWW** · 07-15-08, 08:48 PM

Originally posted by kiwi

They are ok, but there are many similar asian books, I wonder why you prefer 188Bet compared to others (SBOBET, IBCBET, Mansion88...)?

They're all about the same juice for asian handicap (102.5%ish), but 188bet have much better 1x2 prices. Ultimately I'm a total whore, so my money goes to who offers the best price - looking at my records, that's usually pinnacle or 188bet, occasionally mansion.

**Santo** · 07-15-08, 08:48 PM

I've suggested in the past that they set up a European (or Eurasian) office, it seems an obvious expansion market and business-wise an excellent hedge against US legislation, but it has never seemed to interest them.

**SBR_John** · 07-15-08, 09:58 PM

I've mentioned it before but we do not have the expertise to rate those markets. So far we have been unable to find the right talent willing to move to CR and not gamble. We dont believe in working remote and dont allow reviewers to gamble. We will get there though.

**RogueJuror** · 07-16-08, 01:43 AM

Originally posted by Santo

I've suggested in the past that they set up a European (or Eurasian) office, it seems an obvious expansion market and business-wise an excellent hedge against US legislation, but it has never seemed to interest them.

They are heading in that direction, they are seeding interest in Isle of Man and have gotten a license there. They were involved in the Ascot Sports project who wanted to establish themselves in Europe and setup a trading office but they only got as far as setting an admin office. Ascot was a bad business partner. Next step is a marketing post either in Isle of Man or Malta or Austria. The first and the last the most likely.

**JoshW** · 07-16-08, 08:26 AM

I think Justin is dead on. The books I like the best don't seem to worry about the rating, but are still willing to work with us because they want to do the right thing for players.

**pjesnik24** · 07-18-08, 02:49 AM

Originally posted by HeeeHAWWWW

They're all about the same juice for asian handicap (102.5%ish), but 188bet have much better 1x2 prices. Ultimately I'm a total whore, so my money goes to who offers the best price - looking at my records, that's usually pinnacle or 188bet, occasionally mansion.

True! And I also have a feeling that they accept livewagers faster than mansion88. However, I do not bet live games at SBObet (do not ask me why as I really do not know)