Find Top Check Betting Sites
Checks are no longer a particularly common deposit method at online sportsbooks. Most donât even list them on their page of accepted payment options. And yet, this doesnât mean they donât have their use. Most sportsbooks, even if they donât list them, will still accept deposits via check or money order. And all of them, for the most part, have the option to process payouts in the form of checks. Whatâs the benefit of this deposit and withdrawal method? Weâre about to break it all down.
Our breakdown of check betting sites will cover a ton of information, including:
Fees
Making a deposit with a check at BetOnline wonât cost any extra from the sportsbook side. However, they will require you to send the check by a special courier service, and youâre responsible for that fee. They also have a high withdrawal minimum on check transactions, which may charge you a flat fee of around $50 as well.
Speed
Processing time is ultimately a downside for every check transaction. Even if you overnight checks to your sportsbook, it will still take at least a few days for the funds to hit your account.
Check transactions are not for sports gamblers looking for instant gratitude. Whether youâre making a deposit or withdrawal, be prepared to wait at least a few days for everything to wrap up. On the flip side, if youâre interested in making lucrative deposits or withdrawals, checks wonât indenture to the same maximums as a credit card company or bank.
Read BetOnline Review
Fees
The only fees youâll incur when making check deposits at WagerWeb is the cost of the courier service you use to send the money to your sportsbook. They also charge a fee on check withdrawals depending on how much youâre taking out.
Speed
Anyone making deposits or withdrawals by check must be ready to wait for their transaction to be complete. Overall, though, WagerWeb does a great job minimizing that delay relative to many of their peers.
If immediacy isnât an issue for you, definitely feel free to test out WagerWebâs check transactions. At the very least, theyâll send or receive your money faster than most, and youâre still eligible for a 50 percent deposit bonus when using a check.
Read WagerWeb Review
Fees
Using checks wonât get any cheaper than it does at MyBookie. They not only donât have a service fee attached to check transactions, but in some instances, theyâll be willing to cover the cost of the courier service tasked with sending them.
Speed
Relative to how long other sportsbooks take to process check deposits or withdrawals, MyBookie is an absolute stud. Your transactions should be completely finished within a week.
Courier fees will always be attached to check transactions at sportsbooks. That MyBookie gives you a chance to wipe that surcharge from the process is a big deal. Just make sure you contact customer service first before committing to this payment method.
Read MyBookie Review
Fees
The folks over at Bodog charge you any fees directly for processing check transactions. But you will have to shell out the cost of shipping the check to them.
Speed
Customers looking to make deposits that go through instantly cannot use checks. They take anywhere from a few days to a week-and-a-half to hit your Bodog account.
Many sportsbooks attach higher maximums to check deposits because of all the legwork involved. Bodog does not. They let you open an account with as little as $10, provided youâre willing to absorb the cost of sending a check. If waiting for your money to hit your account isnât an issue, then you wonât find a gaming site better making check transactions business as usual.
Read Bodog Review
Fees
Check transactions at Bovada are processed free of charge on deposits. Still, you will have to foot the bill for the courier service used to mail the check.
Speed
Time cannot be of the essence for check transactions at Bovada. Youâre looking at a minimum of a few days wait, if not a week or longer.
Mobile betting isnât really pertinent to check transactions. You have to process them over the phone and then mail them to your sportsbook. But Bovada does have live-chat options in their customer service department that are also available to you on their mobile site. They can walk you through the check-depositing process from there.
Read Bovada ReviewThough check transactions arenât popular deposit methods at sportsbooks these days, they remain almost universally available. This will come as a shock to some people, since many online gambling sites donât prominently list this method under their approved deposit forms. But rest assured, just about every sportsbook does.
Finding out is pretty easy. You should first make sure your sportsbook in question does withdrawals by checks. If they do, itâs a pretty good bet theyâll also take check deposits. Just to be sure, though, you should contact customer support to confirm and find out more about the process.
Check betting begins at your bank. You need to make sure you open a valid checking account, and that you are then issued checks for that account. You also need to confirm with your bank to make sure international business wonât have trouble depositing your check into their account. If your sportsbook is rebuffed in their attempt to make a deposit, your transaction is dead in the water.
Failing the use of an actual check, you can always use cashierâs checks. You obtain these by getting a bank or approved business to cut you a check after you give them cash or have them make a withdrawal from one of your accounts. They will then give you a cashierâs check for the exact amount you need, which you will then send to your sportsbook via an approved courier service.
Sending your bank or cashierâs check to an online gaming site begins with the customer service department. You need to call, email or live chat them to get the process started. They will tell you who to make the check out to, the address to which you must send it and an approved list of shipment methods that you will often be responsible for paying.
This works largely the same way when requesting withdrawals via check, only it involves less contact with customer support. When you select âcheckâ as your preferred withdrawal method, youâll be asked to punch in your name and address. After that, youâll need to confirm whatever fees are attached to the transaction; itâs usually a flat rate determined by the sportsbook to cover processing and the courier service. And when thatâs all finished, your only job is to sit and wait for the check to arrive, at which time you can deposit or cash it just as you would any other check.
Here are our favorite check betting sites:
Sportsbooks donât often charge fees on check deposits themselves. You are usually only responsible for paying the shipment-method bill, the price of which will vary based on the speed of the service.
Searching for the best deposit bonuses is the obligation of every sports gambler. That said, when it comes to checks, itâs more important to prioritize cheaper fees. Deposit bonuses are a one-time thing; check transactions will be a recurring necessity, hence why they top the list.
Finding check betting sites that donât charge direct fees on deposits should be a non-issue. Most sportsbooks donât. What youâre actually looking for is an online gambling site that will cover the courier service cost to send your check. Most donât, but if youâre making a sizable deposit, itâs worth asking customer service if theyâll waive the fee.
If thatâs a no-go, focus instead on withdrawals. Most sportsbooks will charge at least a $50 flat fee to cut a check, and thatâs in addition to the cost of shipping. Worse yet, certain sites will charge you $100 or more to cut the check, as opposed to $50. Make sure you scour the market for sportsbooks that donât charge massive flat rates to process withdrawals.
Another useful tip: Stay on top of deposit minimums and withdrawal maximums. Part of what makes checks so great is that they can be written for any amount, however big or small. But certain sportsbooks insist you must make deposits of, say, at least $500 to use a check. Meanwhile, some sites are also known for putting arbitrary maximums on check withdrawalsâsomething like $2,500 or whatever. There are plenty of sportsbooks around that donât subject you to such limitations. Be on the lookout for them. They make the check-betting process a lot more pleasant.
Check betting is deemed inherently risky because of the wait time on transactions. There is a period of days, or perhaps a week, during which neither you nor your sportsbook is responsible for the check. A lot can happen during that time.
As such, it is paramount that youâre using one of the recommended courier services from your sportsbook. And you also need to make sure your sportsbook is recommending good courier services in the first place. A good litmus test for quality shipping methods is whether the courier service provides you with a tracking number for your check. If they do, youâre in the clear. If they donât, itâs time to look elsewhere.
Be Prepared to wait
Both withdrawals and deposits take a while to go through when using checks. The amount of time youâll wait is directly related to the shipping process. If youâre looking for more instantaneous results, we suggest using bank wires or credit/debit cards.
Shipping Costs Money
If you are going to process deposits and withdrawals with checks, know that it will cost you. At minimum, youâll be paying for the courier service used to send the checks. On top of that, when requesting withdrawals, many sportsbooks charge fees to cut you a check.
Customer Service is Your Friend
Check betting begins and ends with customer service. You can do all the research in the world, but you still need to contact your sportsbookâs customer support to confirm they accept check deposits and, more importantly, to find out where you will be sending your check.
About the Author
Trent’s your man when it comes to all things sports. He covers a wide range of sports for Sports Betting Sites, and has been published in some pretty reputable outlets, such as USA Today Sports, Vice, Bloody Elbow, Fight! Magazine, UFC 360, and Narratively. Trent’s got the inside track on all the happenings in the world of sports.
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