Bovada

Is Bovada a Legitimate Gambling Site for Americans?

Bovada is the most legit real money gambling and sportsbook online for Americans. The site receives around 3 million visits every month according to Alexa.

We paid a visit to Trustpilot to see what other betters say about them in this review of Bovada.

On the whole, Bovada offers players from the States a superb online gambling experience. Their bonuses stand out because they have low wagering requirements, and their games are safe.

TST one of many independent companies test the random number generators of their Rival games periodically. That means, when you play blackjack or slots online for real money, you can expect a good shake.

Bovada pays winnings instantly thanks to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and XRP. US bettors can also bet on the ponies and participate in regular promotions.

They even have a VIP loyalty program for their returning depositors where they earn extra comps.

Did Trustpilot Give Bovada.lv a Good Rating?

No, the average rating Bovada received at Trustpilot was 1.3/5. Only 4% of the more than 700 players at the site gave it a 5-star rating. That’s not good we know, as we expected way better from a top sportsbook.

Players complained about their poor customer service, theft, rigged games, and non-payment of winnings. One player said he deposited 4 ETH to Bovada which did not arrive in his account after a few hours.

The site also prompts you to change your password often. Yet, some users complained when they tried to log in with their new passwords they could not.

Word of advice from the Onlinecasinos2 team, choose a very strong password and hang onto it. The positive reviews lauded their games and fast payouts.

Bovada vs Other Online Gambling Sites and Sportsbooks

Google Trends indicates that Bovada is one of the most trafficked online sportsbooks in the United States. In that regard, it compares very well to the competition.

The online gambling US has more betting options than the majority of sites. Players can play games at the casino, bet on sports, play poker, or live blackjack.

That said, MYBookie and BetOnline are fantastic alternatives with great odds. Though MYBookie doesn’t have a live poker section, and it has a lower withdrawal limit.

BetOnline on the other hand allows quick payments of up to $100,000 per transaction within 24 hours. MYBookie uses Rival to power its games while Bovada uses Betsoft.

Unfortunately, Bovada no longer offers games from Betsoft due to some nefarious activity on their part a few years ago. Admittedly, the game art and in-game features of the Betsoft games are superior to that of Rival’s.

Customer Support

Though their customer service copped a few complaints at Trustpilot we didn’t experience any problems. Their Help Center is one of the features that impressed us.

They cover everything about the site there. Furthermore, you can reach them through email ([email protected]), live chat, or phone. We prefer live chat because it’s the fastest option.

Unlike the canned replies we’ve had at some of the other sites, James answered all our questions professionally.

We also tested the response of their email support to which we received a reply after 48 hours. Not the best, at least they did reply.

Welcome Bonus

We did not play with Bovada’s welcome bonus of 100% up to $1,000. We preferred to play with our own money instead. The minimum deposit to qualify for their bonuses is $20.

They dole out crypto bonuses to bet on sports, play casino games, poker, or live dealer games. For example, if you’ve just signed up, you can claim a crypto bonus of 125% up to $1,250. The rollover attached to it is 25x.

Players that play with Bitcoin receive bigger bonuses with the same wagering requirement. As you can see it’s more advantageous to play with cryptos at Bovada.

US poker enthusiasts qualify for a match bonus of 100% up to $500. You have 30 days to complete the wagering requirements of 30x.

Ongoing Promotions at Bovada.lv

Bovada’s promotions pivot around cryptos because their bonuses are bigger. We find the terms attached to their sports, casino, poker, and racing bonuses to be fair.

Matter of fact, they’re the lowest of any US-facing online sportsbook. So, grab a bonus, play your favorite games, and have some fun!

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Bovada VIP Program

Interestingly, Bovada’s VIP scheme has a baseball theme. Their loyalty VIP program for high rollers has 6 levels.

The first level is Starter all the way up to the Hall of Fame. The higher your VIP level at the site the better the perks.

For example, the highest-level VIPs receive $1 for 1,000 points which they can convert. Additionally, they earn a cashback of up to 14% across the casino, sportsbook, and poker.

Sportsbook

As one of the greatest sportsbooks online for Americans, we have high expectations for Bovada. We found that they cover all the major sports in the US.

Americans can bet on the NFL, basketball, UFC/MMA, hockey, esports, politics, and many more. They accept parlay, in-play bets, moneyline, and proposition bets.

We also find that their betting interface is easy to use. They display their odds conveniently and the betting slip loads without any hassles. All you need to do is to place your bets and you’re good to go.

Mobile bettors can place their bets from their phones without any need to download an app. Sadly, Bovada is not a great site for Sharps. If they pick that you’re a sharp they might ban you.

To that end, high-roller sports bettors are better off at BetOnline.

Esports

Though we haven’t played esports yet we’re happy with Bovada’s variety. Their options are Dota 2, StarCraft, and League of Legends. 

We’re also very happy with their newest addition of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It’s most probably one of the most popular games at the moment and we’re avid players too.

It’s safe to say that they have the biggest selection of betting on esports of all the US sportsbooks. They cover global tourneys such as Oceana and Summer Brazil to name but a few.

Live Betting

This review of Bovada noticed that they don’t publish their live betting limits. They do that because they don’t want to give bettors that play for high stakes any tip-offs. 

They offer different players a variety of lines which is hogwash. Simply put, if you’re a casual bettor the lines will be great. The moment they pick up that you’re sharp, they offer you poorer odds.

That’s what we call dual lines and most probably the biggest issue we have with Bovada.

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How Does Bovada’s Poker Section Shape Up?

Bovada’s is strong when it comes to poker and rightfully so because it targets the US poker market. They host Sit-and-Go, Jackpot, and High Roller tourneys every week.

There’s never a dull moment at the site since their tables are open 24/7. If you’re still learning the rops playing online poker go through their poker guides.

At their Sit-and-Go tournaments, you can play Texas Hold’em or Omaha. They seat up to 45 players with buy-ins from $1 to $200. They offer you an immersive poker experience, you chat with the dealers via a chat box.

Keep an eye out for their “Deep Stack” sit-and-go tourneys as they start you with double chips. If you play in Satellite events the cash prizes are bigger. Whilst “Turbo” tournaments offer quicker blinds with a guaranteed cash prize of $75,000.

High-roller poker players can play in their $75,000 cash tourneys every Sunday.

Casino Games Online

Bovada works with the best software providers currently available to the US betting and casino market. The Rival software pitches in with slots, table games, video poker, jackpots, and specialty games.

They further top their game library up with an impressive live casino. They also list casino games from RealTime Gaming. Another top provider that’s been going hammer and tongs since 1998.

Real Money Slots

Let’s put it this way, they list all our favorite slot titles and more. Each slot game has its own unique theme, bonuses, RTP, hit rate, and jackpot.

Our top slots to play with real cash are A Night with Cleo, Witches of Salem, and Lion’s Roar. They also give you the option to try them for free before you deposit money.

Hot Drop Jackpots

Bovada ropes in the players with their Hot Drop Jackpots because they must “drop” every day. They keep you posted when the jackpot will hit in the game itself.

That gives you the “inside scoop” so to speak and helps you to improve your chances of winning it.

Blackjack & Table Games

The table game options are top-notch with games like roulette, blackjack, Tri Card Poker, and Vegas Three Card Rummy. As you can see a few exotic titles grace their list.

If you play blackjack for real money, we suggest you use a blackjack cheat sheet.

Americans can also play exotic titles like Teen Patti and Adar Bahar.

Live Dealer Casino at Bovada

The live online dealer casino is as good as it gets, at least with the Visionary iGaming software. They list baccarat, roulette, blackjack, and Super 6. The live casino streams its games fast, and the dealers are friendly.

The only difference is you can only play the live games with real money. The limits for live blackjack range from $5 to $2,500. For roulette, it’s $1 to $3,000.

If you prefer baccarat the table limits kick off at $5 to $2,500. Finally, bets for Super 6 range from $5 to $2,500.

Video Poker

If you’ve read our other casino and sportsbook review, you’ll know that we love playing video poker. We’re happy to report that Bovada amps up the volume with its video poker selection.

Titles we play regularly are Jacks or Better, Bonus Poker Deluxe, and Deuces Wild. They also offer single and multi-hand video poker options and the quality is great.

Though the minimum bet of $0.50 is high for casual players, high rollers can stake up to $50 per hand. Bet the maximum 5 credits and make sure you hang onto the right cards.

Specialty Games

Tired of playing slots or table games? Try your hand at some of their other games like Sudoku, bingo, keno, or scratch cards. Just be careful because they’re more volatile than slots but also fun to play.

Banking at Bovada

If you want a seamless playing experience at Bovada play with Bitcoin. However, we advise you to know the ins and outs of the cryptocurrency before you do so.

We say so because Bitcoin is subject to price swings. Those who play credit or debit cards will receive a free first deposit. Thereafter, they’ll knock you with a fee of 5.9%.

If you use Amex the fee shoots up to 9.9%. Cryptocurrency transactions are free of charge and the best by country mile.

Deposit Methods

Bovada welcomes a range of deposit options such as Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Cryptos, Bank Wire, and Checks. If you don’t want them to hit you with any fees use Bitcoin.

The minimum deposit to play at Bovada is $10. However, the most disappointing thing about them is that they charge fees for deposits.

Withdrawals

Though the number of payment options is not bad, we’d like to see them add more altcoins. The minimum withdrawal is $20. The maximum for a Check is $3,000 with a cashout time of up to 10 days.

American Bitcoin players can withdraw $9,500 every 1 to 3 days. You can only use Bitcoin to withdraw your money if you’ve used it as a deposit method.

Responsible Gambling

Bovada values the well-being of its bettors by having a dedicated responsible gambling page. If you need help you can contact the free gamblers hotline in the States at 1-800-522-4700.

They provide self-exclude, cooling-off periods, deposits, and session limits. Note, players that who want to self-exclude must withdraw their money from their accounts first. Otherwise, they’ll have to wait until the period expired before they can withdraw it.

Gambler’s Anonymous

Gamblers Anonymous will assist with any gambling problem you may have. Their staff are medical experts in the field and they’re eager to hear from you.

You can join other players with similar issues to discuss them. There’s a paid service too where you’ll receive help from professional gambling counselors.

Verdict: Bovada

We absolutely dig Bovada’s online casino though we take issue with their sportsbook. The problem we have with them is that they discriminate against high rollers.

If they can work on that, Bovada will be the best hands down. Then again, low rollers and casual players will have a great time.

They can add more altcoins to their banking options. Their bonuses, promotions, and VIP program compare well with the best. Bovada rips up the playbook with its online sportsbook by playing strictly by its rules.