Is it possible to bet without Internet?
These days, the vast majority of bets placed on sporting events are done on online. But what if you do not have access to the Internet? How would you place a bet in this situation? The answer is that you can use your phone to place the bets that you want.
There are sports betting companies that still permit you to call them to place bets using the phone. The number of phone bets placed has been decreasing year on year but it is still an option. If you live in the developed world then you will have more opportunities to access the Internet.
But even here, you may be on the go somewhere and you cannot get access. You can use your smartphone to call your betting company and place your bet. The people that work the phones will be happy to tell you about the sporting events that are available to you and the odds that they are offering.
You will need an existing account with the betting company and then you can request that they place bets for you over the phone. When the event is over, you can also call the bookmaker to check the outcome and let you know how much you have won if your bet was successful.
The concept of placing bets over the phone may seem strange these days but before the Internet it was a very popular method used by many gamblers. You would often see a gambler on the phone to their bookie discussing the odds and instructing them to place certain bets for them.
There is no doubt that the Internet has revolutionized betting and if you can get online with your smartphone or computer then there are many opportunities available for you. But there may be times when getting online simply isnβt an option for you.
It is not uncommon for Internet services to go down temporarily for a number of different reasons. We have all experienced Internet outages and these can be very frustrating. These days a lot of people expect to be always connected to the Internet and they are totally lost when they cannot get online.
Computer equipment and systems is usually very reliable these days but again they can always go wrong. If your smartphone packs up or your computer dies then you will not be able to place online bets. The answer is to use the simplest of phones to call your bookie and get them to place your bets for you.
Are there other ways to place bets if you do not have access to the Internet? Well, this depends on where you live. For many years, there have been physical brick and mortar betting shops in the UK. These still exist today and you can walk into one of these and place a bet on almost any sporting event.
Betting sites with phone betting
Not every betting site will offer phone betting these days. It is expensive for a betting site to have a team of knowledgeable people available to take bets over the phone. In days gone by it was fairly easy for betting sites to anticipate the volume of phone bets that they would receive each day. But these days it is far from easy.
Betting sites are in the business of making money so some of them will offer a phone betting service alongside their online betting. The availability of phone betting changes all of the time so you will need to do a little homework here.
Another thing to consider is where you are located and whether the costs of placing bets by phone is viable or not. If you have to place expensive international calls each time you want to place a bet then this can be cost prohibitive.
Is it safe to bet without the Internet?
If you are dealing with a reputable bookmaker such as William Hill in the UK then it is perfectly safe for you to place bets over the phone. Never use a betting company that you have doubts about to make phone bets. Unfortunately, there are scams in existence.
How to make a deposit with phone betting
Usually, you will need to provide details about who you are to the betting company and they will create an account for you. You will be provided with a special access code that you will need to tell the phone operator each time you make a bet over the phone.
The simplest way to make a deposit for phone betting is to use a debit or credit card. You need to know if using a credit card is possible as this is not permitted in some countries such as the United Kingdom. Alternatively, you can ask your betting company to provide you with bank details so that you can make a bank transfer.
Pros and cons of betting without Internet
Pros
- You can place a bet at anytime without having to be online
- There are still reputable bookmakers that provide telephone betting
- Place a bet wherever you are
Cons
- The number of betting companies that accept bets over the phone is limited
- It can be expensive if you have to make international calls
Final words
We are living in a connected era and rely on the Internet for so many things these days. But there will be some occasions where you cannot get online so being able to place your bets over the phone is a good fallback option.
FAQ
No, for most companies it is too expensive to provide a bet by phone service
You need to check the different bookmakers that offer the service. It is very likely that you will get better odds betting online.
Yes, if you are dealing with a reputable bookmaker.
Yes