Anyone can recommend a sportsbook to you. Most likely, if a sportsbook comes recommended it is a good sportsbook... But is it right for you? That depends on the way you gamble and what you are looking for. It's like looking for fast food - McDonald's is as good as Subway, but you might be in a mood for hamburger. And then of course you could go to Burger King as well. It's all about finding what you want.

And when looking for a football sportsbook, you might not know what to look for, here is a breakdown of the features you will find, varying from sportsbook to sportsbook. And the best part? There is no rule that you can open only one sports betting account - it is perfectly valid to open one account at a variety of different sportsbooks for the best of all worlds.

1. Line Prices
Some sportsbooks have better lines than others. There are sportsbooks that offer reduced juice. Most of the time, this is -105 for all side and total bets - better than -110 odds you usually get. Also, pay attention to the pointspread - this can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. It is worth having a couple different sportsbook accounts just so you can always get the best line - one point can be the difference between winning and losing! At the very least, many sportsbooks offer some kind of "happy hour" or other promotion, like half point fridays or reduced juice tuesdays.

2. Signup Bonus
Most sportsbooks offer some kind of signup bonus. It is a big deal to select a sportsbook, and they want to make sure you are satisfied with your decision. Typically, new deposit bonuses range from 10-20%, but range from 0% and up. Be weary of bonuses that are too high - profit margins are not like casinos, so 100% bonuses are typically not available. The best bonus would be VIP's 40% bonus - you get 20% free cash, plus a 10% future bet and 10% bet at the racebook. Remember signup bonuses are typically one time deals! Check the sportsbook for reload bonuses or subsequent bonuses - one time bonuses do not add long term value to your sportsbook account - unless they are supported by a host of other promos!

3. Customer Support
Not much needs to be said here. Good customer support is essential. Whether it is by email, phone, live chat, etc - you want good people that try to solve the problem and fluently speak your language. We always recommend giving customer service a call just to test them out - ask them about their licenses/regulation, betting limits, years in operation, weekend support, and anything else you need to feel good about trusting them with your money.

4. Parlays and Teasers
If you are big into teasers or parlays, check the payouts! Believe it or not, from sportsbook to sportsbook the lines can change pretty drastically... Especially when you get up to bigger parlays. But even 3 or 4 team parlays can give different payouts. A few years back, one sportsbook offered a promotion where certain parlays were even money bets during some time period.

5. Betting Limits
Are you looking to bet a couple bucks per game or a big dollar player? Most online sportsbooks are happy to accommodate everyone. Some of the smaller online operations just cannot cover large 4 digit bets. It isn't necessarily because they are financially insecure as much as they don't have the numbers to offset a big bet with money on the other side. With online gambling requiring minimal human interaction, and thus fixed costs, even bets for $1 are often allowed. Realize if you want to call in your bets, there probably will be a higher minimum wager.

6. Casino and Poker Contests
Sportsbooks love to cross sell. Most sports betting accounts also come with poker, casinos, and horse racing at your fingertips. Quite often, one account allows you to play at any of them. BUT, if you like playing blackjack or poker, some sportsbooks will give you entries into freeroll contests. Poker freerolls are very common nowadays with the explosion of Texas Holdem poker across the world. Some of these free tournaments have nice jackpots and while there is skill in poker, it also requires a good amount of luck to get the right cards. Blackjack tournaments are also becoming increasingly popular and add another perk for opening a sportsbook account at certain sportsbooks.

7. Rewards Program
In Las Vegas, when you get to a new casino you typically sign up for their rewards card. Online sportsbooks are no different and many are now starting to offer similar deals. By simply betting at their sportsbook, you can win anything from free cash, to articles of clothing, various services, tickets to sporting events, even vacations.

8. Website Ease of Use
Give the sportsbook a spin before playing money. This usually requires you to sign up, but you do not need to make a deposit. The gaming platform can be complex and may take some practice. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, you want to find the game, the related lines, and make your wager - quick and easy. Not every sportsbook is so intuitive! It is a monumental task to organize thousands of games per year - most all having multiple lines. For example, a single baseball game can have a moneyline, runline, and a 1st 5 innings line. Keeping these together and making it easy to find is challenging - some software has done a better job than others.

9. Wireless wagering? Index Wagering? PXP Betting? Live Wagering?
Wireless wagering is quickly becoming the rage. As wifi and other public internet access becomes widespread, operators want you to be able to place wagers from your phone or pda. If this is something that interests you, make sure the sportsbook offers it! Same goes for index wagers and play by play (PXP) betting. These are not commonplace yet, but very fun - if you are into this kind of thing.

10. Other Giveaways
So many sportsbooks have their own magazine type publication - full of sports schedules and helpful information to make your online gambling experience more enjoyable. Sports and bikini calendars are a very common giveaway, made famous by Bodog - but others have followed suit. Some, like BetUS, have even gone as far as giving away DVD's showing the making of the swimsuit calendar! Tshirts, caps, and other apparel are not common gifts, but every football season something gets sent out! Quite often these promos are unadvertised, but make a great question to ask support, if it will tip your decision!

Our Favorite Sportsbook for Football Betting