Soft Bookmakers are the most common, especially if you don’t live in Asia. Back there, they prefer a different kind of bookmakers. You can see everywhere their adds, on TV commercials, on stadiums, ads on internet. They spend a ton of money in advertising for punters to place bets with their sport books, but are soft bookmakers the best bookies ? In this article you will find some clues, but final decision stay in which bettor prefer.
What is a Soft Bookmaker ?
Professional bettors, high roller players are usually stay away as much as possible from soft bookies, from several important reasons, which you will discover in this article reading.
Soft Bookmarkers Margins
What this means for bettors ?
This means more profit for bookmakers, and less profit for punters, in the long run. And a usual normal punter, placing his bet on a soft bookmaker at odd 1.80 , don’t matter that much. But for professional bettors and high rollers, it matters, so they prefer to take the same bet, at 1.85 odd, maybe even more, at sharp bookmakers or betting exchanges.
How Soft Bookmakers set their odds?
Soft Bookies use less complicated methods and algorithms to decide their odds, than sharp bookmakers. Sometimes they “borrow” their odds from another soft bookmakers or from bigger companies (odds providers) who use statistical methods to approximate odds for different betting markets for a given fixture. Then, those odds are adjusted “on the fly” according to supply and demand (money that comes in bets on that betting market).
Sometimes, the soft bookies are even monitor odds offered by sharp bookies or odds from betting exchanges, and adjust their odds around these. Also, sharp bookies respond faster in modifying their odds according to the news (weather changes, players injuries, etc). Why ? Because they are helped exactly by the high amounts of money that come into play on an outcome of a betting market which is possible affected by those news. Have you ever wonder why the “sharp” name was given to such bookies ?
Odds differences between soft and sharp bookies
But exactly those differences in how soft bookies and sharp bookies are calculate their odds prices, makes possible opportunities for different betting strategies. Strategies that are so hated by the soft bookmakers, like arbitrage betting strategy, or value betting strategy.
When the odds differ quite a lot, sure bets opportunities appear between soft and sharp bookies. Scanners will pick up those differences and bettors will place a bet involving two bookmakers (one sharp and another soft bookie) managing to cover both outcomes of a betting market, obtaining this way a sure bet.
But that is why soft bookmakers don’t like having such strategy bettors between their customers . Because arbitrage players and value bettors are taking from the profits of soft bookmakers, while still what they are doing it is LEGAL . Notice discrepancies or errors in odds prices which are decided by any given bookmaker, and bet on them.
Soft Bookies – licenses and regulated or not ?
When it comes about the regulatory aspect of their business, soft bookmakers are split into two categories: regulated by different authorities and licensed in different countries or territories.
The biggest bookmakers have licences to operate from the biggest legal authorities, where its is harder to get licensed, for example UK, Italy, Germany or Romania.
But the huge majority of the sharp bookmakers out there are having licenses from Malta, Costa Rica or Curacao. You can obtain those licenses from your home, by hiring an attorney from those countries and he will obtain those licenses for you. Usually those soft bookies are operated by companies with their offices in Cyprus, Gibraltar, Malta, Costa Rica.
My personal advice is to be more carefully when placing bets with last category. I don’t say not to be their customer, to not bet with them, but don’t trust them too much with having high amounts of cash in your account there.
Soft Bookmakers – Pros
We don’t say soft bookies have their good things. They have quite a lot.
1) They give bonuses, free bets, odds boosts, etc – may appear attractive to punters.
Soft bookies always offer generous promotions , especially to attract new players. We did an huge article about those bookmaker bonuses. Also they have a lot of rewards for their existing customers, like free bets or even cash bonus money from time to time. But in the end, their main purpose is to keep their members to keep placing bets in accumulators or even lose money on their casinos. That’s why soft bookmakers also hate sport bonus hunters.
2) Soft bookies offer wide range of gambling markets.
You will not find in any other category of bookmakers as many betting markets as soft bookies are offering. Their suite of gambling products and markets is really comprehensive. From betting on moneyline, under / overs , asian lines, asian or european handicaps, to betting on cards, on corners, on players, on offsides, everything, you name it. Also soft bookmakers offer a HUGE selection of sports, in oppositions with sharp bookines. Players that wants to try new sports or new strategies on different markets may be attracted by this.
3) Soft bookies offer user-friendly interface.
Many soft sportbookies offer intuitive interfaces on their websites or apps. Any new bettor will get used to their website interface and graphics in no-time . Besides commercials ads to attract new customers , seems that soft bookies are spending lots of money in their websites functionalities , updates and to follow trends.
4) They are focused on Entertainment.
Because they are targeting bet-for-fun clients, they focus their business on adding more “fun” activities and features for their members. They have live streaming of different sport events, they have virtuals sports betting, enhancing the overall gaming experience. They combine many times interface of their sportbook section with flashy ads for their casino section of their website, attracting many punters to spend their money into online casinos.
5) Lower Betting Limits
While a professional bettor can see this as an disadvantage, normal players who bet for fun see this as a plus. It is ideal for punters that prefer smaller stakes and having a more relaxed betting experience.
6) Customer Support
Soft bookies often implement complex support systems, providing users assistance via multiple ways (email, phone, live chat) where their customers can solve their issues promptly. This is because they have a lot more users than sharp bookies or betting brokers, for example. But , on the other hand, they have customers who bet occasionally, who may contact customer support because they lost the password or because they need help withdrawing some 100 euros.
Soft Bookmakers – Cons
Now let’s see what we consider to be the soft bookies disadvantages, when you betting with them.
1) Lower Odds.
Of course, this is the most important, for us, professional bettors. Soft bookies typically offer less attractive odds for betting markets if you compare them with betting exchanges or sharp bookmakers. And this means less money for the bettor, and more money for the bookmaker. And this makes placing bets with a soft bookmaker less profitable in the long run.
2) Lower Betting Limits.
3) Risk of Account Restrictions / Limitations
Profitable bettors who win constantly, or bettors who implement in their betting some profitable strategies like Value Betting, or Arbitrage Betting may face account restrictions. This can include , but not limited to : limits on maximum possible wager. They can be asked for more documents when they try to withdraw large amounts on money from their accounts. In rare cases, accounts can be closed, if they find any discrepancies in player’s documents.
4) Slower odds adjustments.
When market shifts, soft bookies may take longer time to adjust their odds. This can be a disadvantage for a normal bettor. It is another story for professional bettors, arbitrage bettors or value betting hunters.
Examples of Soft Bookmakers
Well, I will give you just a small list of the biggest soft bookies. It’s hard to believe that someone could ever make a complete list of soft sportbookies, as new bookies appear every day. But some of the biggest soft bookmakers are :
- Bet365
- Unibet
- Bwin
- WilliamHill
- Betfair
- 1xBet
- 22Bet
- 10Bet
- Megapari
- Betway
- Paddy Power
- Betano
- 1Win
- Melbet
- Stake
Final saying about Soft Bookmakers
If you read it all, I hope you understand what are the advantages and disadvantages when using a sharp bookie when placing your bets. They are targeting a specific kind of players , but also can used by bettors that have a strategy in mind.
However, they don’t like those strategy bettors, so watch out, you need to be carefully when applying strategies like arbitrage betting or even value betting. To avoid limitations, there are a few tricks to keep your account under the radar.
Also , they like giving new and / or existing members bonuses , in cash or free bets. However, they don’t like people that create accounts just for the sole purpose to take the bonus and leave. Those punters are usually those who are applying those two types of strategies : Bonus hunting strategy and / or matched betting strategy .
Giving those, you maybe now understand why more and more soft bookmakers appear over night . Because they are created for the largest customer segment : the recreational punters, who, usually lose money in favour of sharp bookmakers and their casinos.
To be able to choose the right category of bookmakers for you , it’s better to read our descriptions and recommendations for each one category :
Sharp Bookmakers – No More Limited Accounts
Betting Exchanges – Detailed Explanation
Betting Brokers – Become a High-Roller
Asian Bookmakers – Another side of betting
Crypto Bookmakers – The Future Of Betting
