Best bitcoin betting sites

We are living in crazy times when it comes to innovation, and online sports betting is a highly contested business. New betting sites are constantly looking for ways to out-do their competition and offer fresh and exciting takes on how punting can be done. Enter Bitcoin betting. Let’s back up a few years and take a look at how we came to this point, so we can better understand Bitcoin betting sites.

The digital age has changed how people view and deal with money. Just think about our favourite hobby: a few decades ago, placing wagers from a device in your hand with no paper cash involved would have seemed like a sci-fi concept. And yet, today we have dozens of top online bookmakers who’ve never even had a brick-and-mortar shop.

Back in 2008, an unknown group of inventors threatened to shift the paradigm of monetary transactions forever. Again, just a few years earlier, the idea of a decentralized currency with no banks, no administrators, and no backing would have seemed like a pipe dream. But today, almost everyone has at least heard of cryptocurrencies and their biggest and most famous representative – Bitcoin.

We won’t get too deep into the mechanics of cryptocurrencies – Betting Fellow deals with online wagering, and there’s plenty of resources online if you want to find out more. What you do need to know is that using Bitcoin for online betting has several advantages over traditional currencies, leading punters worldwide to show interest. And the bookies are slowly but surely beginning to take notice.

Some of them have merely started adding Bitcoin payment options to their sportsbook offer. In other cases, entirely new online bookmakers have popped up solely focused on Bitcoin wagers. Some are even relying on third-party services like BitPay to ensure their customers have all the options they require. All of these approaches have their merits – and today we’ll be taking a look at some of the sportsbooks.

Before we go any further, you should note that we do not claim that these are the best betting sites out there – that topic has a separate page. Rather, this list will focus on the quality of a bookie’s Bitcoin payment service. After all, Bitcoin is not yet fully integrated into real-world economics, which presents several issues. Rather than making another bookmaker ranking based on the usual criteria such as markets, odds, margins and whatnot, the listed sites are rated by how seamlessly and comfortably a customer can use their services using Bitcoin payments exclusively.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at Betting Fellow’s best Bitcoin bookmakers list.

1xBit

If the name sounds familiar – that's because it is. 1xBit is not a new betting company, so much as a sister site of 1xBet, a well-known and reliable bookmaker that has been one of the leading names in the industry since 2011. 1xBit was launched as a specialized Bitcoin sportsbook alternative to the standard offer of 1xBet, and it quickly used the brand name to gain recognition.

1xBit continues the top-notch quality that its sister site is known for, meaning a complete betting site package that can match any traditional sportsbook. The people behind the website gave it their best to ensure that you do not need to make any compromises just for choosing to bet with cryptocurrencies. This means that they offer more than 50 different sports and wagering categories. You’ll especially be pleased if football betting is your primary interest – select matches bast up to 150 different markets, with even the most exotic alternative offers available. Besides that, you have live betting, casinos, cash-out options… The list just keeps going.

While it is primarily advertised as a Bitcoin betting site, 1xBit’s payment options include more than 50 different cryptocurrencies, which is nothing short of impressive. Additionally, this bookie takes full advantage of all the reasons you might want to use cryptos: instant transactions, and complete anonymity. You don’t have to provide any personal information to register with 1xBit, meaning that you can bet from anywhere in the world with complete security and privacy.

1xBit details
  • Minimum Deposit: 1 mBT
  • Maximum Withdrawal:No max
  • Accepted currencies:Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, DASH, Ethereum, Monero, Zcash, NEM, GameCredits, Bytecoin, Sibcoin, DigiByte, Bitcoin Gold, Bitcoin Cash, EthereumClassic, FUNCoin, Bitshares, xGox, and more than 20 other, smaller currencies.
  • Customer Support: 24/7 live chat, e-mail
  • Welcome Bonus: First deposit bonus is 100% up to 1 BTC (or equivalent.) Next three deposits are 100% up to 7 BTC

BetCoin.ag

By snagging what is probably the ideal name for a Bitcoin-specialized online sportsbook, this bookie went a long way in telling us exactly what their intentions were. BetCoin first launched in 2013 and quickly made a big splash by being the first betting site to focus solely on cryptocurrency wagering.

Essentially, BetCoin was an attempt to avoid the US government’s crackdown on online gambling and sports betting by introducing absolute anonymity. As such, it is primarily marketed towards US customers – although you can use it from anywhere in the world, which is generally one of the biggest advantages of betting with cryptocurrencies.

The unique thing about BetCoin.ag is that it uses its virtual currency to combat the effects of the massive value fluctuations that Bitcoin is infamous for. All deposits are converted into these so-called Universal Sports Dollars, allowing you to combine different currencies with ease, and not have to worry about the value of your bankroll suddenly dropping overnight.

Besides all that, it is an all-round solid, quality sportsbook. Plenty of sports and markets, competitive odds, eSports betting and in-play live betting – everything you’ve come to expect from a world-class bookie.

BetCoin.ag details
  • Minimum Deposit:5 USD Credits or the equivalent to 0.005 BTC
  • Maximum Withdrawal: 5 BTC
  • Accepted Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin, DASH, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, Monero, Ripple.
  • Customer Support: 24/7 live chat, support ticket, e-mail.
  • Welcome Bonus:First deposit bonus of 100% up to 1 BTC + 10 free spins in the casino.

22Bet

Now we’ll take a look at a different approach: a classic online sportsbook that is instead noted for its willingness to accommodate Bitcoin bettors.

22Bet is a fairly established gambling company that has been around since 2007. As such, they are a fully licenced and reputable bookie with an established customer base and dependable reputation. 22Bet has always prided itself in their versatility – while most betting sites also offer casinos, live casinos, poker rooms and whatnot, it’s rare to find one that doesn’t seem to focus one way or the other. 22Bet offers a complete, well-rounded package for all your online gambling needs.

They were also fairly quick to jump on board new trends, quickly becoming a well-known brand among esports betting fans. Similarly, they started offering Bitcoin payment options before it became commonplace. This does mean, however, that for 22Bet cryptocurrencies are just another payment options. This fact has its pros and cons.

On one hand, you won’t have to get out of your comfort zone if you’re used to traditionally operated sportsbooks. On the other, the anonymity and privacy you might be looking for do not apply here – you have to register and provide personal information, same as you would for any other betting site.

Besides that, 22Bet offers quality service, with plenty of sports, markets, above-average odds and below-average margins. All in all, if you want to use Bitcoin to bet online but don’t want to make drastic changes – 22Bet is the perfect choice for you.

22Bet details
  • Minimum Deposit: $1, or current BTC equivalent
  • Maximum Withdrawal:Depends on method, but no limit on cryptocurrency transactions.
  • Accepted Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum Classic, DASH.
  • Customer Support: support ticket, e-mail
  • Welcome Bonus:First deposit bonus of 100% up to $122. However, you cannot take advantage of this bonus with cryptocurrency deposits

Sportsbet.io

This up-and-coming bookie is a complete reverse of 22Bet – it’s a primarily Bitcoin-oriented betting site that happens to also offer standard currency options. Founded very recently in 2016, this is a very new name in the online punting scene. However, they are already an award-winning online bookmaker with 2019’s ASKG award for Best New Bookmaker.

The first thing that will catch your eye is the sleek, modern-looking design that manages to be both intuitive and pleasing to the eye. This praise also extends to Sportsbet.io’s mobile betting site, which is one of the best we’ve seen in recent years. Also, while you can find an online casino and similar gambling services, it is very clear that sports betting is this company's primary attraction. For example, welcome bonuses and promotions only apply to wagers.

On a surface level, you won’t see a lot of things specifying Sportsbet.io as favourable to cryptocurrencies. However, they are a part of the Coingaming.io cryptocurrency gambling platform, and the ease and quality with which you can wager using Bitcoin reflect this. For example, you can purchase Bitcoins directly from the Sportsbet.io website via the BTCXE service.

As previously mentioned, you can also use regular cash such as US Dollars or Pound Sterling on Sportsbet.io. However, the lax registration process leaves us with several questions in regards to the legality of this. The bookie is licenced in Curacao, though, which helps put our minds at ease a little bit.

Sportsbet.io details
  • Minimum Deposit:1 mBTC (0.001 BTC)
  • Maximum Withdrawal:No
  • Accepted Cryptocurrencies:Bitcoin (BTC), Allsportscoin (SOC), Litecoin (LTC) and Ethereum (ETH).
  • Customer Support: 24/7 live chat, e-mail.
  • Welcome Bonus: if you make your first bet exactly 2mBTC on any offer with odds of 1.5 or above, you get a 6 mBTC free bet

Why to Bet with Bitcoin?

Now that we’ve looked into some of the best Bitcoin betting sites out there, let’s consider why you would use cryptocurrencies to wager at all.

As a disclaimer, you should always keep in mind that gambling with cryptocurrencies, much like the currencies themselves, is still not fully explored. This is why our list of top Bitcoin betting sites is so short. The long-term viability of Bitcoin and similar concepts remains to be seen. However, with each passing year, it’s becoming more apparent that whether you like them or not, cryptocurrencies are here to stay.

Switching over to this novel type of transaction can seem daunting at first – no-one likes going into the unknown, especially when real money is on the line. Still, thousands of people already use Bitcoin on an everyday basis, and it is a good idea to consider why they might be doing it.

So, with online punting in mind, let’s take a look at what Bitcoin betting brings to the table.

Advantages of betting with Bitcoin

Advantages of betting with Bitcoin
  • Anonymity. How big of a deal this is is entirely up to you – but cryptocurrencies were invented primarily to protect their users’ identities. This has caused a lot of controversy over the years, most notably because cryptos are often used in illegal transactions. Either way, with no bank, administration, or surveillance, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be taxed, monitored, or tracked. This can be used to circumvent local gambling restrictions, for example. The best part is that this is not strictly illegal either – most legal systems do not know how to deal with cryptocurrencies yet.
  • Instant transfers. As you’re probably aware, regular withdrawals from betting sites often take several days at least. However, all cryptocurrency transactions are instant – withdrawals included.
  • Security. It might seem strange, but Bitcoin and similar Blockchain-based currencies are renowned for being completely secure.

Disadvantages of betting with Bitcoin

Disadvantages of betting with Bitcoin
  • Scams and other concerns. While your transactions won’t be compromised by a third party, it can be hard to trust the other side. Complete privacy is guaranteed to both the sender and the recipient. Additionally, a betting site for Bitcoin can be established by pretty much anyone – just like pretty much anyone can use such sites. As such, you need to be extra careful when choosing who to trust.
  • Instability. Bitcoin is well-known for having rapid and massive value fluctuations. This opens up market speculation opportunities for some, but can also result in the value of your funds dropping in a matter of hours.
  • Conversion Fees. While most crypto transfers with online bookies use no or minimal fees, the issue is that the world at large still does not recognize Bitcoin as legit currency. In other words, if you want to use your winnings, you will need to convert it to a fiat currency in 95% of cases. This often entails costly conversion rates and fees.

We hope this article helps you find what you’re looking for. If not, Betting Fellow is a veritable goldmine in terms of sports betting-related information. Good luck!

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