Nothing has betgratis the world and the way we look at it more than the World Wide Web. It is hard to believe that the Internet has been in flower for less than a full decade; the truth is we have come to depend on it in virtually every area of our lives.

The reach of the Internet can be felt in virtually every industry, and the sports betting industry is certainly no exception. In fact, online betting has expanded the world of sports betting exponentially. Those wishing to make a wager on their favorite team or even attempt making a living by betting on sports no longer have to find a local bookie and trust their odds and payouts; anyone who wants to can now go online and bet with a book virtually anywhere in the world.

If there is one solid theme that can be applied to the entire online betting industry, it is that the ability to bet over the World Wide Web has greatly expanded the options of anyone who wants to make a wager on a sport. There are two big choices as far as options when it comes to online betting:

oThe online sports book: This is the traditional form of sports betting, just done over the Internet. Major and minor bookmakers have an Internet presence; you can find odds, payouts, lines, and everything else you want with just the click of a button.

oSports betting exchanges: This is a revolutionary idea in the sports betting industry, one that has only been made possible by the Internet. Betting exchanges are a pairing of file sharing and friendly “bar buddy” sports wagers. If you want to bet on a team but want to make your own odds, you can go to an exchange and propose your wager. All you need is for someone to take you up on it!

As always when it comes to online activities security should be your number one priority. There are a couple of general guidelines you need to keep in mind when looking for an online place for your sports betting activities:

oEstablished names are always better. One way to feel secure about your bets is to look for a sports books who have land based backing. These will be registered with a country, in the United States it will be within the state of Nevada, and they will be licensed. Take the time to get some information about how long the book has been in operation before trusting them!

oWhen it comes to an exchange, bigger is better! If you like the online betting action offered by a betting exchange, then you want to look for an exchange that has plenty of other customers. It means your bet is much more likely to be taken. There are fewer betting exchanges than online bookmakers, so usually customer base isn’t much of a problem.