I’m taking the time to look at Bovada casino because it is one the top ranked online casinos for US players.
There are only 12 US states that permit online gambling and therefore most US gamblers are forced to play at offshore sites. This means there’s little recourse if you feel you got ripped off, so you want to be sure you’re playing at a legitimate and honest site.
Bovada is an online casino, sportsbook and poker room that belongs in the PaiWangLuo Network of US casino sites. That network is the biggest US friendly poker network.
Bovada offers plenty of action packed casino games, widely considered the easiest to beat on the internet. They have single deck blackjack that will have only a .19% house edge if you can employ perfect blackjack strategy. They also offer plenty of tournaments to try your luck at if that’s what you prefer.
Basic Info
It was launched in 2011 and is well established as a legitimate and trustworthy site that provides prompt payouts, despite being unregulated and unlicensed in the US.
It is US player friendly, except for players in Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey and New York.
They have over 150 casino games, including numerous slots, video poker and a variety of table games.
Their support is friendly, helpful and quick, even without live chat.
Their sportsbook offers action on over a dozen sports and entertainment activities, plus live betting of parlays, straight bets, props and more.
It is also mobile-friendly if that’s your preference. There is no download required, just bring up the website on your mobile device and start playing.
Bonuses
While their poker bonuses are considered a little skimpy, the deposit bonuses for new customers are considered great. They have a huge 100% match up to $1000 casino bonus, with a 25X rollover requirement. That can be done 3 times. Different games contribute at different rates to this rollover bonus, so you must be aware. Slots count at 100% so they would make it easier to clear the way for redeeming the bonus.
There is a potential of $3000 in welcome deposit bonuses! Because of the 25x rollover requirement (actually industry standard competitive) it will take some time before you’re able to withdraw any of that bonus money.
The poker bonus is 100% welcome bonus good for up to $500 on a player’s initial deposit. There are other online casinos that will offer better overall poker bonuses than that, but Bovada does admit they want to primarily appeal to recreational players.
Banking
They do seem to prefer cryptocurrency, but do take credit cards, bank transfers and deposits using payment processors. Bitcoin is their favorite form of money transfer because they don’t have to deal with middleman fees and the transfers can be anonymous.
If you are familiar with Bitcoin and use Coinbase as your Bitcoin exchange vehicle, don’t use it with Bovada because Coinbase does ban users who try to use their service for gambling. Try to find another intermediary wallet for Bitcoin exchange, which can be expensive.
Support
Bovada does have a FAQ section that has a lot of simple and common questions already answered, so it is a great resource for help. If you can’t find an answer there, emailed questions are generally answered within 24 hours. They have also be known to phone customers if there is suspicious activity on an account.
Sportsbook Betting Options
They have one of the largest selections of betting markets, beginning with the usual sports, to the unusual of Cricket, eSports, Handball, Olympic Games, Politics, Snooker, and Handball.
There are a variety of bets you can make, like parlays, props and spreads, to interactive live bets like who will catch the next pass.
Sportsbook Betting Limits
Because they are focusing on recreational players, their minimum bet is $1, with the maximum bet ranges from $100 to about $2000, depending on the game or bet you’re making. For professional gamblers, this may seem low.
They do get complaints regarding dual prices, in that there is a “better” rate for the recreational player who makes smaller bets, and a less favorable rate for the “competent” bettor who makes larger bets. However, it’s been said that if you can get a great rate on your first big bet, take it and run because you’ll probably be tagged as a “competent” bettor for your next bet!
Blackjack Games
They do not have a big variety of blackjack games. Their games include: Blackjack, Double Deck, Single Deck, European, Perfect Pair and Zappit. Because the casino is said to be soft on games anyway, the single deck blackjack, with a house edge of only .19% is a big time player favorite.
Card Table Games
They do offer a good standard collection of games like Roulette, Baccarat, Craps and several poker variants, but have yet to offer live dealer games.
Slots
They have a great variety of slots. They have video slots, classic slots, 3-reel machines, 5-reel machines, progressives, 3D slots and many more.
One complaint is that there aren’t any “licensed” slots, like movie, tv show or celebrity based slots. This is because it is an offshore casino, not licensed or regulated by the US and therefore can’t work with the companies that offer those types of slot machines. However, if you like slots, you won’t be disappointed with all they do have to offer.
Mobile Aspect
Fortunately, there is nothing to download and the entire site is mobile responsive, so it’s like having the casino wherever you are. For the most part, you can play all the games, anywhere.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Bovada is a fantastic place to dabble in online gambling. I do recommend this casino. For US players, Bovada is one of the most reliable and trustworthy places to play online. Their goal is to give the recreational player a casino that is friendly and easy to play at, so they offer great incentives. They are not looking to rip you off. They want to give you some place to enjoy the opportunity to make money, even though we all know it’s gambling and you’ll probably lose money! They do it with great customer service and a solid reputation.
