Sports betting is a fact of our life, with quite many people making their predictions and placing bets as their hobby. And betting tips are part and parcel of the online betting experience. They can be extremely useful tools that can point you in the right direction of a wager. But as with most things, there are also some dangers to be aware of.
TransUnion reported in 2021 that fraud attempts had risen 16.5% globally. In the US that year, there was an increase of 260% in fraud attempts, with sports betting fraud attempts up 114% from the previous year as the industry, worldwide, continued to grow.
So there is genuine reason for caution. But how do you spot such fraudsters and avoid tipsters that just aren’t legit, how to spot the difference between them and good and legit predictions such as those at Legalbet and other specialised services? Here we look at the world of football betting tips.
Fraudster Sites
Scams commonly operate through websites that look legit. A polished website can go a long way to quickly gaining trust, even without any basis for doing so. What usually happens is that these sites promise the world and this is a good way to spot some scams.
If something is too good to be true, it probably is.
Sites that advertise a ridiculous success rate from their tips are worth avoiding. Even the best genuine tipster averages around a 50-60% success rate, so anything above that is just nonsense.
A lack of transparency is a key thing to look for. If someone is a genuine tipster, then they will have no problem showing their track record as proof. If you land on a site that’s all promotional fluff trying to get you to pay for tips, then it’s worth backing off.
Warning Signs:
- Promises of refunds
- Pressure to buy
- Unrealistic win rates
- Prediction software downloads
Promises about winning every bet, or offering refunds if the tip they give you loses, are red flags. Also, if you receive communication from the tipster trying to pressure you quickly into taking an option, or informing you that you only have a ‘limited time’ to buy tips, then run.
Handicapping Software
Instead of just providing a package of tips, another angle some fraudsters use is selling handicapping software. These are highly promoted to the point where they seem they can give you life-changing returns from betting because of a ‘secret formula’.
They can’t and won’t.
They are scams and little more than fake prediction systems that will give you nothing but a headache as you throw money down the drain.
Betting Scams
Unfortunately, there are betting scams everywhere. Another common one is when fake betting sites accept your bet through a tip, but then, if it happens to win, you will be thrown curveballs.
The operator will come up with excuses about technical issues or request all sorts of unrealistic ID proof before they will release a payment – which they ultimately have no intention of doing. The more you are given the runaround, the more likely you have fallen into a scam.
We should quantify here that legit betting platforms request forms of ID and proof of address for security purposes. This is standard practice, which makes things more difficult to spot frauds.
Only ever bet at licensed and registered sites, and you can easily do your search for reviews or use review sites. Look for an established site that is licensed, legal and regulated.
Social Media
Social media is unfortunately a hotbed for scammers. These are easy platforms for fraudsters to reach out on, promising some great tips for the latest big football match. Just treat everything with a big degree of scepticism on social media, especially posts and comments which have suspicious-looking links. Posts from accounts that were only recently opened should raise a red flag as well.
How To Use Tips Safely
No tipster can ‘guarantee’ a win. Invest instead in some logic. If someone had the greatest winning formula for football tips, then they wouldn’t be online trying to see their program, they would probably be using it to consistently beat the bookies to quietly boost their bankroll.
The good news is that there are many genuine tipsters out there. Many do it for the love of it and provide high-quality, in-depth free football tips. If they are good tipsters, they too don’t need to sell tips.
Always look for any history, and try to research genuine tipster platforms. A community-based approach of genuine tipsters sharing information and most importantly of all, providing genuine results is the way to go.
But at the end of the day, tips should only be used as guideposts for what you do with a bet. It’s your money after all that you wager, and therefore the best position you can put yourself in is becoming your trusted tipster by fully understanding markets, odds and fine-tuning your football betting strategies.
