Bodog Sports Betting Reviews

Bodog was established in 1996 and it is based in St. John’s, Antigua. Bodog has a solid betting platform with a clean look, high-quality customer service, decent bonuses, fast payouts, and an unmatched variety of betting options. Over the years Bodog. In a word, Bodog.eu, is impressive. The website is clearly first-rate and is one of the more attractive and upscale betting sites around. The colors that are chosen and the entire look were given careful. They have the largest market share in Canada, and our Bodog review recommends the Bodog sportsbook to all Canadian bettors. They have great welcome bonus and deposit options. The welcome bonuses. Bodog Review Summary Bodog India brings a variety of options to the Indian market offering live casino games, online casino and sports betting. Players will be able to use one account to access all of these.

Bodog has become one of the market leaders in online gambling and is now one of the most recognizable names in gambling. It’s not been entirely smooth sailing though. Litigation over domain name rights has seen the Bodog sports spend time in court, but this hasn’t hindered the growth of a Canadian success story and it certainly isn’t a slight on the firm’s reliability. Of course, none of this is of particular interest to us, the customers. We want to know if it is any good.

The good news is that Bodog has made its way into our list of top sportsbooks in the Canadian market.

Introductory Bonus

Like almost all online bookmakers, Bodog offers an introductory bonus to attract new customers. Bodog offers a 100% bonus to the equivalent of your first deposit. This is more or less the bare minimum betting sites will offer to new customers as an introductory bonus and is adequate. There is a $20 minimum first deposit and a maximum of $200 which is a little below the standard minimum.

This may not be a negative though depending on your point of view. Bodog sports has 5 times rollover which is actually very low compared to other introductory bonuses. In short, it’s a decent bonus made better by a low rollover amount.

Bodog Bonus

Want access to this bonus? - Simply visit Bodog via the link below, register a personal account, and make a first deposit.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

As you would expect from a reputable firm such as Bodog there are numerous withdrawal and deposit methods available. Bodog is, of course, a Canadian firm so you are dealing in Canadian dollars and the payment methods are focussed on Canadian customers.

Sports

All the major banks are supported to allow you to make an E-check payment and you can also deposit using Interac E-transfer and Skrill. Major credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard are also accepted. As well as this, there are regular promotions for certain payment methods, such as Bitcoin and Paypal. All transfers are very quick and are accepted 24 hours per day.

Promos

In addition to the introductory bonus, there are many promotions available across many markets. There are currently twelve different promotions showing at the time of writing, but these will increase depending on whatever major sport is currently in season. They also operate a nice ‘recommend a friend’ bonus whereby you will receive a bonus for inviting a friend to sign up for Bodog. They also run a line of promotions in the Bodog casino, table and slots. A loyalty bonus based on the amount you deposit in the Bodog casino book is also available which is a nice touch.

Bodog MLB Odds

Major League Baseball has around 160 games to enjoy across the season and that’s twice as many as the NFL. With a host of betting options available, it’s important to find the right bookmaker to match your needs and one of the best in this respect is Bodog sports.

We know that they are focused on North America but they back up that accessibility in a tangible way with competitive odds and a choice of lines. From the straight moneyline option to a choice of prop bets, this is one of the most active sites around so there should never be an issue when it comes to choice.

Odds are exceptionally competitive and, because this sportsbook dates back to 1994, there is a long history and that trust helps them become one of the best homes for MLB betting.

Website Accessibility

The actual website is clear and easy to navigate. On the home page, you are given the option of which area you want to browse i.e. Sports, Casino, Poker and Horses. From there it’s just one click to access your desired book. With Bodog Canada, you are given the five most popular markets at that moment in time making betting on these markets very quick and easy. In addition, you have all markets available on a sidebar and tabs to access promos and live betting.

You can also choose between fractional, decimal and American odds at Bodog Canada. It is well set out and doesn’t daunt new users. The one criticism I would have is it can be a bit of a chore to navigate between events in the same sport. For example, if I was wanting to bet on two different hockey matches I need to scroll through all the markets on the first game I’ve bet on before arriving at the next match. It’s a small thing, but can be a tad annoying.

Customer Service

Customer service is one of the things you never have to use on a gambling site. Thankfully Bodog prides itself on its customer service. It has a convenient live chat service where you can ask an advisor any questions as well as a 24-hour telephone service and an email facility. You will be able to deal with an advisor rather than an automated system.

Markets

Bodog Canada, much like Bodog EU, if bettors are playing outside of North America, has an excellent range of betting lines available. Within each line is a whole host of markets and events. Reassuringly for Canadians, there are lots of markets available for Hockey and Canadian Football. Unlike most online betting sites that are European owned there isn’t the bias towards traditionally European sports meaning Canadian customers get a fair crack of the whip.

Odds Comparison and Value

Bodog appears to be not quite as competitive as many of its competitors when it comes to getting value. They seem to offer poor odds on favourites, but their odds are fairly competitive on outsiders. This is great if you never bet favourites, but realistically it is more often than not that favouritism is justified and you won’t get market leading prices on Bodog. On the other hand, there is some good value available on less popular markets and if you are not interested in betting on the big events, you can find value.

In Play Options

In Play betting is very good with Bodog. There are a large number of events available and it is easy to place your bet in running. The changes in price are updated very quickly and there is no annoying and potentially costly delays in the period between placing your bet and the bet being accepted. They clearly understand that this is the way betting is heading in the future and has invested in a very good system to cope with this.

Mobile Betting

This is another area where Bodog has done their homework. Mobile betting is easy to use and fast. It’s based on touch screen technology so there is no lengthy scrolling and delays. The mobile site is accessible on Android smartphones, iPhones, iPads and most tablets.

The full range of bets and promotions found on the main site is available on mobile betting. Much like at other major North American providers like 10Bet and 5Dimes, betting in play is also available at Bodog sports.eu.

Casino and Poker

As expected, the Bodog casino has a great range of games and slots. Special promotions are available in these areas. You also have the Poker rooms where players can play 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also participate in big money tournaments with up to $4 million available per month depending on your experience.

Bodog is a market leader for a reason. It offers a slick, user-friendly gambling experience geared towards Canadian players. Although the website is bodog.eu the company is most influential in North America. The website is easy to navigate and filled with great promotions and a whole host of markets. It could be more generous with the odds on offer though, but this is the only gripe on what is a very good site.

Bodog FAQs

Is Bodog Trustworthy?

Absolutely, yes. It has become one of the most well-established online sportsbook providers in the world, with thousands of dedicated users from across the globe. There are few others who can claim to be as big as Bodog.

When was Bodog founded?

Bodog has been in the industry for well over two decades now. They were founded back in 1994 and have grown exponentially since then, positioning itself as one of the very best.

Is Bitcoin accepted at Bodog?

Cryptocurrency has become an increasingly relevant part of the gambling industry, as major providers adjust to the demand from customers to access crypto as a payment option. Bodog not only offers this service but offers great rates on bonuses and first-time deposits for new customers using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Do Bodog services function with Mac?

Yes, users can access the site through their Mac. It doesn’t matter what web browser they use with a Macbook, whether it’s the default Safari or something else, Bodog is compatible.

Does Bodog provide a mobile app service?

Yes. Bodog offers a great mobile app service, giving users direct access to the sportsbook, casino and racebook from mobile or tablet devices. This is a great addition and adds to the overall user experience for customers.

Does Bodog offer bonuses?

Across the casino, sportsbook and racebook, BoIt dog users are regularly updated with bonuses and provided with excellent promotions related to special events and major leagues.

What are the key three requirements to signup with Bodog?

There are a number of requirements, but mostly it relates to the following three; They must be 18 years or older, the true owner of the credit card being used to deposit, the person to whom the withdrawal payments will be paid to.

Can the user deposit and withdraw funds using the same payment method?

Well, simply put yes. However, It really depends on the payment method in question. Using one of the cryptocurrency methods available (Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV), this would be possible. Or, using more traditional payment methods like Visa/American Express.

Is withdrawing a speedy process at Bodog?

Withdrawing money for Bodog is a very quick process. There is an array of payment options available and paying using these methods is typically a swift process and, in some cases, funds can be in the customer’s account almost instantaneously.

Does Bodog offer poker through their Casino?

The Bodog Casino features a range of poker options to users, with some great themed poker games as well as traditional poker tables available to all users.

Bodog has an interesting history. The company was founded as
a software design firm in 1994 by Canadian entrepreneur Calvin
Ayre. Ayre is said to have idolized Richard Branson and his
Virgin brand, so it’s no surprise that he worked hard to build
the Bodog brand. After opening as an online sportsbook and
betting site in the year 2000, Bodog.com soon became one of the
biggest names in the industry. By 2005, Bodog was reporting
revenue in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Overview

Then the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006
forced Bodog out of the US market. A few years later, Ayres was
revealed to be in a bit of trouble with the US government. The
charges against him included “illegal gambling and money
laundering” crimes, all related to things that happened before
the UIGEA was passed. Bodog lost a good chunk of its revenue, no
longer able to work with American customers, and sold its
American holdings to the Morris Mohawk group under the name
Bovada.

These days, Bodog offers a number of gambling options “under
one roof” – sports betting, live betting, race betting, casino
games, and head to head and casino-style poker. American
customers are allowed to sign up for poker accounts – an odd
wrinkle in the rules at Bodog, considering US players aren’t
allowed to play in any other category.

Bodog is an experienced operator, with well over a decade in
a tough industry that’s seen its fair share of controversy. I
love how Bodog altered the standard RTG template for their
casino games, tossing in a few quality Betsoft titles and
creating proprietary titles not found anywhere else. While I’m
not convinced that the promotions program is worth much of your
time, unless you’re a sportsbook customer only, it’s nice that
the site offers such a wide variety of bonuses to all their
various types of customer.

Bonus Details

Kudos to Bodog for having a well-designed Bonuses page. All
the information you need is collected in one list, with terms
and conditions for each bonus in a convenient “Learn More” link
directly underneath the description. Having to dig around
multiple locations on a site for all the different bonus offers
is a drag.

Here’s a brief description of every bonus currently listed on
the site’s promotions page at the time of this review. Check the
page to see what offers are available at the time you’re reading
this, since it looks like their promotions are updated
regularly.

  • $200 Sports Sign Up Bonus
  • Sports
    bettors making their first deposit can earn a 100% deposit
    match bonus worth up to $200. The rollover requirement is 5x
    the deposit-plus-bonus. All wagers, odds, and markets are
    eligible for clearing this bonus.

  • $600 Casino Match Bonus
  • Casino game
    fans can earn up to $600 at a match rate of 100%. The
    advertised amount is kind of a misnomer, as the $600
    actually comes from two bonuses – a $200 offer for slot play
    and a $400 offer for casino games. The rollover requirement
    for both is 40x deposit-plus-bonus, which is on the high
    side compared to other online casino bonuses. Unlike the
    site’s sports betting bonus, bets on certain casino games
    are not eligible for bonus-clearing.

  • $1,000 Poker Sign Up Bonus
  • First-time
    poker playing depositors can earn up to $1,000 at a match
    rate of 100%. It’s a more complicated system than either of
    the other two bonuses I described above. The amount a player
    can earn is based on earning what the site calls
    PokerPoints.

  • Poker Bad Beat Bonus
  • Bodog offers a
    rebate to poker players who experience one of a specific set
    of bad beats. The rebate is worth 100x the big blind or a
    maximum of $1,000.

  • Royal Flush Bonus
  • If you hold a Royal
    Flush, the site will pay you an instant bonus of 50x the big
    blind, maxed out at $200.

  • Refer-a-Friend Bonus
  • Bodog customers
    who refer a friend are eligible to earn a bonus worth 200%
    of their first deposit of $20 or more, maxed out at $100.
    The rollover for this bonus depends on the game you play –
    sportsbook and poker customers have a 3x rollover, while
    casino customers have a 20x rollover.

  • Racebook Rebates
  • Racebook customers
    can earn a 5% rebate on eligible race wagers on Tuesday
    afternoons. The actual amount of the rebate depends on the
    type of wager bettors place.

Banking Options

Bodog sports betting review

Before I describe the four banking options available at
Bodog, I want to point out that the variety of methods is
painfully small, and that at the time of my visit, part of their
site was either down or just overlooked. I was trying to find
out details on fees and other requirements for the various
banking methods, but the page it took me to was completely blank. I understand, accidents happen, but this seems like
pretty crucial information for potential customers, so it’s a
shame it wasn’t available.

  • Credit Card – VISA/MasterCard only. May
    require 7 business days.
  • Direct Bank Transfer – Fees and other details not
    available.
  • E-transfer – Fees and other details not available.
  • Check by Courier – Maximum withdrawal size is $3,000. May
    require 10 business days.

Sportsbook

Bodog’s sportsbook was not just one of the first
international online sportsbook services – it was a pioneer in
deposits and withdrawals. One of the first instant payment
methods, eCheck, premiered on the old Bodog.com domain.

What did Bodog’s sportsbook service do that made it such a
success? Some reviewers attribute the site’s explosive growth
and global branding to good marketing. Of course, signing up all
the customers in the world won’t help if those customers aren’t
spending (and losing) money. In the early days of the sportsbook
industry, other books were charging fees for payouts and “nickel
and diming” customers in other ways. Bodog offered bonuses in
plain English and a wide range of free (and fast) payout
options.

Times have changed – so has Bodog’s URL. But bodog.eu is
still a respected name in sports betting. The site has
maintained some of its initial sleek simplicity over the past
couple of decades. I found the user interface pretty intuitive,
and I got used to navigating the markets and wagers without a
struggle.

Markets Covered

I just checked the available betting markets, and here’s what
I found – Bodog has two lists of markets for sports bettors. One
is a standard list of betting lines available all the time, the
other is a special list of “Featured Betting Lines.”

Here is the List of Standard Betting Lines at Bodog:

  • Hockey
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • UFC/MMA
  • Tennis
  • Golf
  • Boxing
  • Motor Sports
  • E-Sports
  • Rugby League
  • Rugby Union
  • Cricket
  • Darts
  • Snooker
  • Other Sports
  • Horse Racing
  • Entertainment

Featured Betting Lines are lines available on special
contests taking place on or near the day you visit. In the
months leading up to the Super Bowl, you’ll find props and lines
for the NFL’s big game. Currently, in the middle of the US
Women’s World Cup, you can find a number of wagers on that
otherwise-ignored market.

Here’s the List of Featured Betting Lines at the Time of This
Review:


  • Live In-Play MLB Baseball
  • The Greenbrier Classic
  • Odds to Win the Tournament
  • Wimbledon
  • Live In-Play ATP/WTA Tennis
  • Women’s World Cup

Customer Service

Customer service is often easy to reach and they speak
clearly, in perfect English, and are knowledgeable about the
sports betting industry.

You can reach the banking department between the hours of 9AM
and 5PM, though bets-by-phone and online are available around
the clock. To contact the sportsbook directly, call +
506-296-6338
.

Casino

Bodog’s blend of software platforms is a nice feature. The
site uses BetSoft, Realtime Gaming, and proprietary games to
make up its casino library. The benefit of a blended platform is
increased variety. No matter how good a casino designer’s suite
of titles is, players are going to get bored of the same style
of games over and over. That’s why I’m always excited to read
that a site is using a blended platform.

One of the ways Bodog’s software is unique is that many of
the casino games were built on the skeleton of RTG’s popular
casino game library. Bodog pulled this off by literally buying
the source code for RTG’s games and having their designers
customize and improve on them. The result is a rarity in the
online casino business – the possibility of a unique lineup of
games.

Bodog Sports Betting Reviews

Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. Most of the site’s
casino titles end up looking and behaving an awful lot like RTG
titles, down to the names and selection of game variants.

I cover the Site’s Casino Library in More Detail Below:

Blackjack Games

This is where Bodog has collected its ten versions of the casino classic blackjack. Having
reviewed a number of RTG-powered sites over the years I’m
confident in saying that this list of games is similar enough to
the standard RTG package to be almost comical.

  • Blackjack
    The standard casino card game, available in multiple deck
    formats.
  • Double Deck
    Blackjack
    – A two-deck game that follows standard rules.
  • European
    Blackjack
    – A six-deck game in which the dealer makes decisions
    differently.
  • Face Up 21
    – An eight-deck game in which the dealer’s cards are dealt
    face-up.
  • Match Play
    21
    – An eight-deck game, Match Play 21 is Bodog’s version of
    Spanish 21.
  • Perfect
    Pairs
    – A standard blackjack game with additional bonus payouts
    for certain hands.
  • Pontoon – A
    two-deck game with rules based on a classic British blackjack
    variant.
  • Single Deck
    Blackjack
    – A single-deck version of Bodog’s standard blackjack
    game.
  • Super 21
    Another blackjack variant with bonus payouts for different hand
    combos.
  • Zappit
    Blackjack
    – A blackjack variant that allows players to exchange
    cards of a certain value.

Slots

This is home to all of Bodog’s slot games that weren’t produced by Betsoft or aren’t proprietary 3D slots.
That’s a bit confusing, but basically if you’re looking for
Realtime Gaming titles, you should look in the Slots category.
Here’s a partial list of popular RTG and proprietary slot games
hosted at Bodog at the time of my last visit:

  • Bank On It
  • Cleopatra’s Gold
  • I.R.I.S. 3000
  • It’s Good to Be Bad
  • Mid-Life Crisis
  • Zombies vs. Cheerleaders

3D Slots

This is where Bodog hosts their higher-quality games, the vast majority of them produced by
industry giant Betsoft. “3D Slots” is kind of a misnomer – it’s
a vague category of slot titles that the industry uses to
differentiate between games with high-quality “3D” effects, and
it’s useful as an identifier for slot fans interested in a
certain type of game.

Here’s a partial list of some of the most popular Betsoft 3D
slots hosted at Bodog at the time of my review:

  • 2 Million BC
  • At the Movies
  • Good Girl Bad Girl
  • Heist
  • Sushi Bar
  • The Slotfather

Specialty Games

This is where Bodog collects titles that don’t really belong anywhere else. At the time of my
review, the three games hosted here were Sic Bo, Keno, and Bonus
Bingo. All three of these games remind me of RTG’s versions,
which weren’t anything special to begin with.

If you’re not familiar with Bonus Bingo, Bodog describes it
as bingo that’s been “… designed to include a little more
pizzazz and a whole lot more features.” That’s a really vague
description; as far as I can tell, Bonus Bingo is multi-card
bingo with a bonus round and a multiplier prize.

Table Games

This is the section of Bodog’s library dedicated to table games that aren’t blackjack. If the
following list of titles is familiar, it’s because you can find
almost the same games at any RTG casino:

  • American
    Roulette
    – The classic game played on a wheel with two green
    “zero spaces.”
  • Baccarat
    A traditional game of baccarat with an average-looking display.
  • Caribbean
    Draw
    – A five-card draw poker game with a progressive jackpot.
    Players may draw up to two new cards after they raise.
  • Caribbean
    Hold’em
    – A five-card community poker game with a progressive
    jackpot.
  • Caribbean Stud – A five-card stud game with a progressive jackpot. The
    dealer shows just one up-card.
  • Craps – A
    traditional game of craps played with European-style rules.
  • European
    Roulette
    – The classic game played on a wheel with just one
    green “zero space.”
  • Let ‘Em
    Ride
    – A popular casino-style community poker game.
  • Pai Gow
    Poker
    – A poker game based on the rules of an ancient Chinese
    domino game.
  • Red Dog – A
    poker-like card game involving antes and card value hierarchy.
  • Tri-Card
    Poker
    – A three-card poker game with a single raise/fold round.
  • Vegas Three
    Card Rummy
    – A player-versus dealer game where the lowest hand
    wins.
  • War – The
    casino version of the kid’s classic card game.

Video Poker

This is the most plainly-labeled category of Bodog’s casino library. Collected here are seventeen
variations of video poker. Each game is a little different in
terms of its rules, payouts, available bonuses, and design.
Here’s the full list of RTG-style video poker games available at
Bodog at the time of my review:

  • Aces and Eights
  • 7-Stud Poker
  • All American Poker
  • Bonus Deuces Wild
  • Bonus Poker
  • Bonus Poker Deluxe
  • Deuces Wild
  • Double Bonus Poker
  • Double Double Bonus Poker
  • Double Double Jackpot Poker
  • Double Jackpot Poker
  • Jacks or Better
  • Joker Poker
  • Loose Deuces
  • Mystery Bonus Poker
  • Pick’Em Poker
  • Sevens Wild

Poker

Bodog Poker is my favorite section of the site because I’m an
American, and most US players can sign up for a Bodog poker
account. The reason this loophole exists is complicated, and has
to do with licensing. The gaming license for Bodog’s proprietary
poker software is Kahnawake, which gladly licenses gaming
operations with US-based customers.

But once upon a time, Bodog was a huge player in the US poker
market. Before the UIGEA forced most of the major poker sites
out of the US entirely, Bodog had a couple of years of booming
growth in its young poker room, which opened for business in
2004. By that time, Bodog was a household name for its
sportsbook and casino properties. By 2006, Bodog boasted a World
Series of Poker champion in Jamie Gold.

Don’t think that Bodog is full of American players – sure,
you’ll see lots of North American-based opponents, but Bodog has
done an excellent job expanding its base in to Europe and Asia.
In my experience, Bodog is still one of the most diverse player
bases in the online world, if only because it includes a few
American players.

Bodog hovers between fourth and second place in terms of
poker traffic.

The site is by far the busiest online poker room that’s still open to US players.

Bodog Sports Betting Reviews Us

In a way, Bodog has retained
its household name status in the world of online poker, even
though the US poker market is nothing compared to ten or twelve
years ago. According to PokerScout.com, Bodog has peaked at
around 3,800 cash players in the last seven days, with an
average number of around 1,700.

The line on player quality at Bodog and other sites with
attached sportsbooks is that the competition plays looser than
average because of wandering sportsbook customers with no poker
experience. Even if that’s true, which I don’t think it is, this
type of player can still be dangerous to veterans. They’re
unpredictable, frustrating, and annoying.

In my opinion, the fact that Bodog has the third-most traffic
of any online poker site (as I write this) means that the
quality of players is varied, including a smattering of players
of all skill levels.

Bodog Sports Betting Reviews

Bodog Poker hosts games of Texas hold’em, Omaha, Omaha hi-lo,
seven card stud, and seven card hi-lo, all in both Limit and No
Limit ring games. I’ll admit that I saw only a single high
stakes game going on at my last visit, and it seems like other
reviewers agree – Bodog is not a great spot for high stakes
games.

If you’re into tournaments, though, Bodog would make a nice
home.

The
site’s own Bodog Poker Open tends to make some noise in the
industry as well. Compared to PokerStars and 888, the tournament
pool are noticeably smaller, in the low hundreds rather than
pushing 1,000. Some players love that, others hate it.

Customer Support

Bodog’s general support line is 1-877-263-6422. The site’s
fax number is +1 866-737-8458.

The site says
that Bodog attempts to answer all emails “… within four hours.”

Live chat is available at this site. It isn’t available 24
hours a day, like at other sites, but I can’t tell you what
hours it is open, as that information isn’t publicly available.

Summary

Bodog has changed a lot since it was founded in the mid-90s.
Some of those changes are still occurring – since the 2006
UIGEA, Bodog has struggled to maintain its place as one of the
top names in the industry, especially after getting rid of their
US-facing operations. In the wake of founder Calvin Ayres legal
troubles in the US, it seems unlikely the site will ever retain
its old glory, even if regulations in America loosen over the
next decade, as is expected.

Bodog’s user-interface is good-looking and easy to use. I
can’t say the same about their mobile sites, which seem
ill-suited to display on my iPhone 6+. Though the casino and
poker software is a blend of existing and proprietary games and
designs, it doesn’t seem varied enough to compete with some of
the bigger names in the business.

Verdict

If you live outside the US and you are primarily interested in betting on sports or playing poker, Bodog is a good option to consider. Outside of those circumstances, I’d suggest a site with a more robust promotions program and a higher-quality casino game library. I’m pretty neutral on Bodog overall.