Bovada Review

Bovada Sportsbook Review

SBR does not recommend using offshore sportsbooks that are not locally regulated within your region for your protection. Many offshore operators are notorious for unexplainably closing your account and stealing your funds. Due to the lack of local regulation, you will have a hard time resolving a dispute with these types of sportsbooks. 

For your safety, please visit one of our best sports betting sites, which are all legal, licensed, and regulated sportsbooks within your region. Another benefit of licensed books is that you get the best sportsbook promos, including a bet365 bonus code, DraftKings promo code, FanDuel promo code, Caesars sportsbook promo code or BetMGM bonus code.

Bovada History

Bovada has firmly established itself as one of the most common offshore online sportsbooks for players in the U.S. Bovada covers a typical range of sports. It has a poor reputation for paying customers out on time, unlike our fastest payout sportsbooks. We have always found the customer service at Bovada to be subpar, like other offshore sportsbooks. 

The business initially stemmed from Bodog, the brand launched by entrepreneur Calvin Ayre in 2000. Bovada is a U.S. sports betting app, while if you're looking for betting sites in Canada you would still use the Bodog platform.

Bovada is not licensed or regulated in the U.S., and that means you shouldn't bet at this site with confidence. This sportsbook has a long history of treating customers poorly and consistently reporting issues when they request a withdrawal.

Bovada not being licensed also means it will begin to drop out of markets as they get regulated, such as the recent Michigan sports betting market exit. You also won't be able to find Bovada among the sportsbooks offering Kentucky sportsbook promos or North Carolina sportsbook promos for that states' recent launches.

Customer Service

The customer service team works 24/7, 365 days a year, but that doesn't mean that it is helpful. Bovada’s customer service team tends to be active across the web’s sports betting and gambling forums, but the responses are generally automated or unhelpful. 

We are regularly asked, is Bovada safe? The site uses SSL encryption software to keep the connection secure. The problem is with the lack of regulation and that offshore bookmakers like Bovada have been notorious for scamming recreational bettors who don't know any better.

As legalization continues to spread across the U.S., online sportsbooks like Bovada continue to lose their reputation for safety, trustworthiness, and reliability. There are a number of unscrupulous scam sites that battle to win your business, so you should always stick with a top-rated licensed, legal, and regulated sportsbook in the U.S. like FanDuel or BetMGM.

Website Experience

The bovada.lv site is basic and unoriginal in terms of the user interface, the ease of navigation, and overall aesthetics. It is easy to browse and the various sports and markets are laid out in an obvious manner. The sober grey, white and red color scheme is easy on the eye, and the site is devoid of unnecessary clutter. 

A menu at the top of the homepage allows you to choose from the most popular sports, including football, basketball, soccer, and hockey. There are also icons that take you straight through to the live betting section and to a list of all the sports covered. A Quick Links section to the left of the sports betting homepage also alerts you to big sporting events that are about to take place, while you will see the most important upcoming ball games listed in the middle of the page. You can switch from American odds to fractional or decimal odds. 

There is also a search toolbar. The live betting section at the Bovada sportsbook is also average. You will be presented with information about the live game, and the odds will be constantly updated as the action unfolds, presenting you with numerous betting options. 

Sports Betting Experience

Bovada offers a typical range of options for anyone that likes to bet on sports. All the major sports are covered, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, golf, boxing, and UFC. They also offer niche markets, including table tennis, futsal, badminton, winter sports, and Aussie rules. Fans of popular European sports like darts, snooker, cricket, rugby league, and rugby union will see them covered at Bovada. 

Fans of the NFL and NBA will find betting options to choose from on each game. You will often find more than 100 different bet types on offer when you click on an NBA game, for instance. They include the classics – spread, totals, and win – but Bovada provides online gambling fans with alternative spreads and props as well. There are alternative points lines, spreads on each half or quarter, spreads on the team, odd/even bets on points, and wagers like first team to reach 20 points, winning margin, and highest scoring half.

For the Super Bowl, while you can find markets at Bovada, it's best to look for one of our Super Bowl betting sites with their strong Super Bowl betting promos.

Sports like soccer are also covered. Bovada offers more than 100 betting markets on a big Premier League or La Liga game. You will see the most popular betting options at the top of the screen. It goes from classics such as draw no bet, correct score, and half-time/full-time betting to corners, goal props, scorecasts, and more. 

There are alternate spreads, totals options, and match props on sports like tennis too. These are all found at every online sportsbook, including our best prop betting sites.

There is also a politics betting section at Bovada, while the esports section covers CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, and Overwatch, and there are virtual sports to bet on as well.

Quality of Odds

Bovada generally offers average odds across the board, particularly when it comes to MLB and NHL. You will see a few sportsbooks offering odds that are better than those on offer at Bovada. It does not release the earliest lines, so it's basically just copying whatever the industry leaders in the market are doing. 

Mobile Betting Review

The Bovada betting app has gotten mostly terrible reviews from users on the App Store. It is rated below 3-stars by active users. There are consistent reports of scamming, trouble logging into accounts after registering and depositing funds, and more. The casino and table games section, in particular, has been heavily criticized for being rigged. This is common with unlicensed and unregulated offshore sportsbooks and casino operators.

Casino, Poker, and Other Gaming Options

You are presented with five different options when you land on the Bovada homepage including sports, online casino, live dealer, poker, and horses. The online casino at Bovada is average at best. You will find casino games including blackjack, table games, online slots, and specialty games. The casino section displays a collection of featured games when you arrive, made up of classic slots, popular table games, and more. You will find multiple variants of roulette and blackjack, but also obscure card games such as Andar Bahar at Bovada. 

The video poker section features 17 different options, including Deuces Wild, Joker Poker 52 Hands, and Double Double Bonus Poker. You can play with a variety of live dealers, as the site allows you to choose a seat at a number of different tables and get involved in the action.

Reputation

Anytime you might be inclined to ask, is Bovada legit? You should probably trust your gut. It should be pretty obvious at this point that we highly recommend you stick to locally licensed and regulated operators. Bovada is not one of those unless you live in Curaçao.

Other Sportsbook Promo Codes

Want to get in on the action? Check out our guides covering the best sportsbook promos and welcome bonuses from the best sportsbooks and betting sites in the industry: