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Professional Sportsbooks: Best sportsbooks for pro bettors

As we have mentioned a few times already, one way to divide the online sportsbooks is into professional and casual. We already discussed the casual sportsbooks here, if you are in search of such betting website we recommend you read that article and choose a book from that list. Here we will focus solely on the professional sportsbooks - the offshore sportsbooks which cater to the professional bettor.

 Many people fail to realize that there is a great difference between a pro bettor and high roller, most would simply bunch the two in the same category, which is a big mistake. While it's true that in general the professional bettor tends to wager amounts higher than those of bet by the casual gambler, the amount of the bet alone does not make a bettor professional (or amateur). For the purpose of listing the best sportsbook for the pro bettors, we must outline what we consider a professional bettor to be and what we expect from a professional sportsbook to deliver.

 A professional bettor is a gambler who wagers on sports with the sole purpose of winning money and doing it over an extended period of time, often all year long. Yes, everyone who places a bet expects to win or at least hopes to win, but the professional bettor enters sports gambling with a whole different mindset. The pro bettor is looking for the best odds and betting lines, bonuses which would improve the odds of winning or the size of the payout, the ability of the sportsbooks to work with large deposits and withdrawals, as well as high limit bets. Not to mention that a lot of shady sportsbooks would be quick to pull the plug on a winning bettor or simply avoid working with pro sports gamblers. A lot of Las Vegas sportsbook customers have moved offshore now, but more and more find it hard to bet professionally at those offshore books, as surprising as this sounds to many. In addition, the pro is certainly looking for the best odds on the block and a difference of a half a point on the spread is a big deal for them. If you fall into our idea of professional bettor, than these online sportsbooks are the perfect spot for you.

 Bookmaker (check it out, opens new window) - this popular sportsbook is the best place for pro bettors. Enjoying a great reputation over the many years they have been in business, most pro bettors have an account with this offshore sportsbook. The minimum deposit here is $300 and while small bets are accepted, large bets in the thousands are the norm at Bookmaker. Professional bettors are welcome at this bookie and many depositing and withdrawal options are available to serve them (including bank transfers and credit card payments). The odds are excellent, but keep in mind that there is no such animal as a sportsbook with top odds on all sporting events. The odds and lines on some sports are better than most sportsbooks, for example NFL, basketball games and hockey, but the bookie lacks in the soccer department, for example. Their reward program is point based and pro bettors could quickly accumulate the points, which are based on amount wagered and in turn claim the points for cash, free bets, payout fees or merchandise. And don't worry, this sportsbook won't close your account just because you are winning your bets, they are fully prepared to pay their winners' large amounts and are well known for it. If you are a pro bettor, you'd be hard pressed to find a better online sportsbook.

 5Dimes - this one, however, is giving Bookmaker the run for their money. Another top notch enterprise, considering the general state of the offshore sportsbooks these days, also well-known among the sports gamblers and well-respected online sportsbook. Deposit limits are smaller, stating at just $50, making 5Dimes friendly to both pro bettors and casual gamblers. The strong suit of this sportsbook is the odds, namely the vig the bookie collects on the bets. Low juice is the focus point of 5Dimes and their reward program gives customers the option to further reduce that juice. Professional bettors would easily realize the importance of this kind of odds and lines offered. This is yet one of the very small number of online sportsbooks that do not close accounts of winners.

 At this point we don't feel comfortable recommending more sportsbooks to professional bettors. There are a few new kids on the block which some gamblers are praising, but we have learned the lesson of longevity and would not be recommending them until some time has passed and those sportsbooks have proven themselves worthy of trust.

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