Sports betting is a popular pastime enjoyed by millions of people around the world. However, if you step out of line or disobey the rules, sportsbooks have the right to limit or even close your account.
Sportsbooks can limit players for various offenses, including arbitrage betting and criminal activity. Here are the top reasons why sportsbooks limit players.
Noticeably High Profits
Although this may seem unfair, sportsbooks can limit or close your account if you take too much of their money. Whether you’re a betting expert or a lucky newbie, you could have your account limited if you damage a sportsbook’s revenue.
Like any other business, a sportsbook needs to make a profit. If you consistently win big and damage a company’s income – especially a small-scale sportsbook – you might have to look for a new betting site.
Obscure Betting Patterns
Sportsbooks are always on the lookout for professional gamblers who could harm their business. As a result, all betting sites check transactions for obscure betting patterns and suspicious activity.
For example, if you wager $3479.45 on a specific market, the chances are that you’ve calculated your exact chances of winning. Sportsbooks will likely view this as a red flag and could limit your account.
Lengthy Betting Periods
The average person who enjoys a bet or two on the weekend will only spend a few minutes at their chosen sportsbooks. On the flip side, professional gamblers could spend hours studying the markets and odds every single day.
Sportsbooks know how long customers spend on their site, so they may opt to limit or close your account if they think you’re spending too much time searching +EV betting opportunities.
How to Calculate Implied Probability
Betting on Obscure Events
Most bettors will only wager a few dollars on their favorite sports, but some people bet thousands of dollars on obscure events. This can be a sign that you have inside information and sportsbooks won’t allow that.
For example, if you’re wagering large sums of money on an under-13 table tennis league in Vietnam, the powers that be will likely see that as a red flag.
Arbitrage Betting
Arbitrage betting involves backing all outcomes of an event when the odds guarantee a profit regardless of the final outcome. This can happen when sportsbooks have differing opinions on events or there are errors.
While arbitrage betting isn’t illegal, it is frowned upon. Consequently, a sportsbook could limit or suspend your account if they find out that you’re partaking in arbitrage betting.
Criminal Activity
Last but not least, criminal activity will (obviously) lead to the closure of your sportsbook account. Plus, if you break the law, you could find yourself dealing with even bigger problems down the line.
Any legit sportsbook requires you to verify your account, but some people lie about their identity, age, address and even country of residence. You can also get in trouble for using a VPN to access sportsbooks outside of your region.
