The online gambling platform was established in 2011, but it years before that, it existed under the name Bodog, one of the most visited gambling sites in the US. During that time, it was operated by the Morris Mohawk Gaming Corporation and held a license from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Today, although under a new brand, the online casino and sportsbook site maintains the same high standards when it comes to customer satisfaction, online safety and fair gaming.
With more than 15 years of experience, the renowned gambling operator offers its customers an easy-to-use online betting platform, generous promotions and convenient payment methods. Most notably, Bovada accepts Bitcoin, which is becoming an increasingly popular deposit method among gambling enthusiasts. The cryptocurrency provides the highest levels of security, as well as exceptionally fast transactions, whether that would be deposits into your gaming account or withdrawals of your winnings. Due to the incorporation of Bitcoin, Bovada is well-known for its fast, reliable payouts compared to other gambling operators where withdrawals to credit cards, banking accounts or digital wallets may take longer time for processing and authorisation.
Featuring a new and improved interface, Bovada’s Sportsbook is easy to use even by less experienced sports betting fans. It has a simple, straightforward bet slip, clear, modern layout, as well as a fantastic mobile platform that is equally smooth and functional on both Android and iOS devices. As the Sportsbook is oriented mainly towards US audience, there is a huge focus on North American sports such as basketball, American football, and hockey. Of course, customers can place bets on a large variety of sporting events from all over the world, including ITF, UEFA Champions League, and the top horse racing events. Most importantly, the Sportsbook has an excellent Live Betting section, where the odds are dynamic and change constantly.
Promotions and Bonus Terms
Welcome offers and bonuses are essential factors when choosing where to bet online for most casino and sports betting enthusiasts. Recognizing the importance of promotions, Bovada has excellent welcome bonuses and regular events that award not only new account holders but existing members, as well. Interestingly, those who make Bitcoin deposits will benefit the most from Bovada’s bonuses.
It is important to know that all bonuses and promotional campaigns are intended mostly for U.S.-based customers. There are also other requirements that must be met before you qualify for a bonus or are able to withdraw the winnings generated from it.
$250 Sports Welcome Bonus
Those who join Bovada’s Sportsbook and make a real-money deposit will receive a 50% match bonus of up to $250. The only thing they need to do in order to get the welcome bonus is to register an account and redeem the bonus from the My Awards page on the website. There is no minimum amount for the qualifying deposits, so customers should consider the minimum deposits that can be made into Bovada – this is $20 when topping up your balance via a credit or debit card, or $10 if you deposit via Bitcoin.
However, there are playthrough requirements that should be met before you can request any withdrawal. In Bovada’s Bonus Terms & Conditions, these are listed as Rollover requirements and they refer to the number of times customers need to wager the amount of the bonus they have received. For this particular offer, the rollover is 5 times, which means that you need to place bets in the Sportsbook and the Racebook equal to the combined amount of the bonus and the deposit. For instance, if your first deposit is $10, you will be rewarded a bonus of $5, or exactly 50% match. In this case, you will need to play through $75, which is $15 multiplied by 5.
Although this is a Sports Welcome Bonus, its wagering requirements can also be met in the Casino section of Bovada. But the rollover is considerably higher at 30 times the combined amount of the deposit and the bonus. And the amount that must be wagered jumps to $450. Of course, this bonus is available to US recreational players only, so in case the bonus is abused in any way or a withdrawal has been requested before the rollover is completed, all winnings generated from the bonus will be forfeited.
$500 Sports Bitcoin Welcome Bonus
This is one of the most attractive promotions offered by Bovada because it consists not only of a $500 Sports Bonus but also a second one, which can be used in the Casino. When players complete their registration, they need to redeem one of the available bonuses when they are making a Bitcoin deposit. In this case, they must claim the $500 Sports Bitcoin Welcome Bonus and enter the bonus code BVSBITCOIN50.
This offer is valid only for first Bitcoin deposits and can be redeemed only once. New customers receive 50% match on their deposit and the maximum amount they can get is $500. Once again, there is no minimum for the amount of their deposit and the rollover requirement is 5 times the amount of the deposit and the bonus. When meeting the bonus requirements, users can place bets in the Sportsbook, Casino, and Racebook. The bonus is not available in the Poker section. If it is used in the Casino, the playthrough requirement is 30 times but not all games contribute the same percentage. Moreover, craps does not count towards meeting the rollover at all.
While this offer sounds attractive enough, it is just one of the many surprises for those who decide to use Bitcoin for their deposits. Bovada gives a second bonus of up to $4,500 which can be claimed while making a Bitcoin deposit, but it is intended for Casino use only. Players need to redeem the code BVSBITCOIN150, confirm the deposit transaction and they will instantly be awarded 150% match bonus on their deposit. The bonus can be used 3 times per account holder for any Bitcoin deposit made into Bovada and each time, you receive a maximum of $1,500 as bonus money.
However, not everyone would be able to benefit from this promotion as the minimum amount they need to deposit is $1,000. The combined amount of the deposit and the bonus is subject to a 25 times playthrough requirement and the only game that does not contribute towards meeting it is craps.
Cashback Bonuses with Bovada Rewards
Many online casinos and bookmakers list their rewards programs as VIP Clubs and grant entry into them only to members who invest really large amounts of money. Fortunately for its members, however, Bovada has taken another approach – the gambling operator gives Reward Points for each $1 wagered in the Casino, Sportsbook and Racebook.
Those who place a $1 bet on table games and video poker receive 1 Reward Point, while players wagering the same amount on slots are given 5 Points. Each $1 wagered on specialty games gives 15 Reward Points, but those who benefit the most from the program are, actually, sports betting and horse racing fans. Each $1 staked on Sports Singles, Sports Teasers, Sports Round Robin/Parlays, Racebook Straight Wager, and Racebook Exotics/Multiplies earns you 10, 15, 20, 40 or 60 Reward Points, respectively.
Points are accumulated and can be redeemed for cash, with a redemption rate depending on the Bovada Rewards Level (2,500-1,000 points for $1). But the best thing about the entire comp program is the fact that users receive a daily cashback bonus on their losses and its exact percentage depends on their level. All customers start at a Starter level, which grants them a 5% cashback bonus every day and once they collect 2,500 points, they proceed to Rookie Level 1 where the cashback bonus increases to 5.5%. There are a total of 14 levels and those who reach the highest one, called The Hall of Fame, can enjoy a daily cashback of 15% on their losses.
The bonus cash received when redeeming Reward Points is subject to a rollover requirement of 2 times in the Sportsbook/ Racebook, and 10 times when it is played through in the Casino. The cashback amount is also considered bonus money, so it also comes with a playthrough requirement – it is 1x for Sports and Racebook, 1x for Casino, and 1 Poker point per $1.
$100 Refer-a-Friend Bonus
Bovada also awards customers who invite their friends to join the site and the prize reaches $100 per referral. This attractive offer is available to any Bovada member. In order to receive the bonus, you need to send your friends a referral link which they need to open. Then, they need to register an account and make a deposit.
Apart from the regular welcome bonuses they will get, you will also receive a bonus of 200% match on their deposit. You can receive up to $100 for every friend you invite to Bovada and the best thing about this promotion is that the number of referral bonuses is unlimited. Of course, your bonus counts as bonus cash, so it is subject to a rollover requirement – 5x for Sportsbook and Racebook, and 30x for the Casino. There are several exceptions and not all wagers contribute towards meeting the playthrough requirement – all mini games in the Sportsbook and Racebook, as well as Single Deck Blackjack, Double Deck Blackjack, Sic Bo, Baccarat, Craps, Roulette in the Casino.
General Bonus Terms
The promotions are available only to customers based in the U.S. – there may be some exceptions for residents of Mexico and Brazil, but in this case, they will be notified by Bovada about the exact bonuses they are eligible for and about all respective conditions and requirements. Of course, only one account and one bonus of each kind are allowed per person and household. There are exceptions for the Refer-a-Friend Bonus which can be received multiple times and the $4,500 Casino Bitcoin Welcome Bonus, which can be redeemed up to three times by each player.
Another important thing all Bovada members should know is that any bonus is subject to playthrough requirement before its amount or any winnings resulted from it can be withdrawn. The exact requirements will be listed in the bonus terms. The different bonuses cannot be used together and you are not allowed to claim two welcome bonuses, for instance. If you receive the $250 Sports Welcome Bonus, you cannot redeem the $500 Sports Bitcoin Welcome Bonus.
Last, but not least, sporting bets are counted differently towards meeting the playthrough requirements than bets in the Casino. In the Sportsbook, all losing wagers contribute fully towards the rollover. When it comes to winning bets, however, Bovada considers the amount of your wager and of your win. Of these two, the lesser amount will contribute towards the rollover. Of course, the bet needs to be settled before any of this can take place.
VIP Program
Along with the regular Reward Points, there is a wide range of other rewards and surprises intended for the most active players. They are a part of Bovada’s VIP Program and are actually designed specifically to motivate and reward high-rollers. The scheme is called Red Room and access to it is granted only to those members of Bovada who make large deposits and love playing with high stakes.
Members of the Red Room can enjoy really special treatment – weekly deposit bonuses, exclusive offers and cash rewards, and free payouts that are processed even faster. In order to award its exceptional players, Bovada also offers VIP members personalised customer service and double Reward Points when they place bets in the Casino, the Sportsbook, or the Racebook sections of the site. If you are a part of this exclusive club, you will also enjoy various freebies and will be invited to special events organised by the gambling operator.
Interestingly, there is no detailed information on how to enter the Red Room. Bovada’s customer service department will contact those eligible for the VIP Program.
Banking
Unlike most gambling sites on the web, Bovada does not offer a wide range of banking methods to its users. Instead, it focuses on the most popular ways to deposit and withdraw funds from your gaming account – credit or debit cards, Bitcoin, and paychecks. This guarantees increased security and expedition, especially when it comes to payouts. Clearly, the Sportsbook is oriented mainly towards online payments and, most of all, digital currencies.
Bovada accepts payments only in USD and BTC, which is the widely accepted code for Bitcoin. When making a Bitcoin deposit, there are no processing fees, but if you prefer a credit card, Bovada will charge a 5.9% fee on each transaction. Banks can sometimes also impose up to 3% International Service/Currency Conversion Fee for deposits via a credit or debit card. When it comes to withdrawals, they are free if you use Bitcoin. Withdrawals via checks may be charged a $100 processing fee.
Credit and Debit Cards
In the past, Bovada accepted various banking methods, but in 2017 sports betting fans can make a deposit only via two types of credit/debit cards – Visa and MasterCard. These are the two most commonly used credit cards and in most cases, first deposits through them do not require verification. Some members of the Sportsbook, however, may be asked to provide proof that they are aged 18 years or older and that they are the actual owner of the card being used to fund the account.
In terms of security, customers can rest assured their credit card information will stay private and will not be shared with anyone on the web. Bovada uses strong encryption to prevent hackers from reading the data transmitted over the Internet. Although deposits via MasterCard and Visa cards are instant, they are charged a 5.9% processing fee. Another thing Bovada members should take into consideration is that the Sportsbook does not transfer payouts to credit cards.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin payments have become a fast, convenient and extremely secure alternative to traditional deposit methods such as credit cards, bank transfers and e-wallets. As an electronic currency, it has no physical form and is not issued or controlled by any central bank or other institution. It does provide, however, high levels of security if stored properly in trusted Bitcoin wallets, anonymity on the Internet, and low or no fees at all. In 2017, the price of the digital currency jumped 10 times, making it more valuable than ever. At the same time, Bitcoin now has a greater acceptance in the financial world.
For those who have decided to switch to Bitcoin, Bovada is one of the best bets in the online gambling world. You can use both Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash for funding your balance in the Sportsbook and these transactions are instant and free of charge. This is also one of the two withdrawal options offered by the web-based bookmaker, the other being checks. As expected, Bitcoin is much faster – after your withdrawal request is processed (which may take between 2 hours and 2 business days), you will receive the funds within 15 minutes. Still, you are allowed only one Bitcoin withdrawal per 3 days.
Check by Courier
Traditional paper checks are still preferred by many sports betting fans, although compared to Bitcoin, they are incredibly slow. U.S. customers at Bovada should consult with their banking institution before choosing this option for one major reason – not all banks accept international checks. As Bovada is based in Quebec, the checks are shipped from Canada, which may also lead to delays.
In addition, there are fees associated with this payment method. The online gambling operator allows customers to make one free withdrawal every 90 days. However, each additional payout comes with a hefty $100 fee per transfer. If you are not concerned about the fees, you can request a withdrawal via check every 7 days.
| Banking Methods | Minimum/Maximum Deposit | Minimum/Maximum Withdrawal | Deposit Timeframe | Withdrawal Timeframe | Countries Where Available | Currencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | $20 – $1,500 | N/A | Instant | N/A | U.S., Mexico, Brazil | USD |
| MasterCard | $20 – $1,500 | N/A | Instant | N/A | U.S., Mexico, Brazil | USD |
| Bitcoin | $10 – $5,000 | $10 – $9,500 | Instant | From 2 to 48 hours | U.S., Mexico, Brazil | BTC |
| Bitcoin Cash | $10 – $5,000 | $10 – $9,500 | Instant | From 2 to 48 hours | U.S., Mexico, Brazil | BTC |
| Check by Courier | N/A | $100 – $3,000 | N/A | From 10 to 17 business days | U.S. | USD |
Sportsbook Features
What Bovada’s Sportsbook stands out from many other online bookmakers is the new, user-friendly interface which combines great simplicity and a classic, black-and-green look. All sections are conveniently laid out with all the popular sporting events being featured on the main page. All available sports are listed on the left side of the screen and once you open them, you can find all events divided into leagues, championships, etc. The bet slip is located on the left and changes with every bet you place, allowing you to see singles, parlays, teasers and round robins separately.
The Sportsbook also shows where and when each event is taking place, whether live bets are available, and where it can be seen live on TV. In most cases, you will see American odds – they are attached to money lines, point spreads, totals, futures, and sometimes, sports and entertainment props. They are also shown in a fractional format in most entertainment props and futures. In order to help customers make informed decisions, Bovada’s Sportsbook features a dedicated Match Previews page, which contains statistics and detailed information about teams, participants and players, trends, standings, schedules, and many more.
Focusing on recreational and less experienced customers who are likely to prefer lower wagers, Bovada’s Sportsbook has set convenient betting limits, with a minimum stake of only $1. The maximum bet depends on the sport and particular bet type but does not exceed $5,000. The maximum wager payout stands at $100,000, while the maximum payout in the Racebook is $50,000. It is important to note that lines for American sports, in particular, are sometimes live and available to bet a little later in the day compared to other online bookmakers.
Betting Markets
Bovada’s Sportsbook focuses on providing lines for major North American sports such as football, hockey, and basketball, while there also live betting options, props, and more. Horse racing even has a dedicated section on the website, where you can browse through big events and regular races. There is a wide range of bet types on offer and along with the nice international sports coverage, the Sportsbook offers bets on entertainment, politics, and various fun events.
The sports offered by the Sportsbook include football (or American football, as it is known outside the U.S.), basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, UFC/MMA, golf, boxing, baseball, cricket, horse racing futures and props, motor sports, e-sports, badminton, rugby, snooker, darts, cycling, volleyball, handball, futsal, table tennis, and Gaelic football.
In-Play Betting
As in most online sportsbooks, in-play betting is extremely popular at Bovada it is easy to find under the Live Betting section. It opens in a new window and gives you access to events taking place at that moment, as well as to the list of all upcoming matches and games. All major sports are featured – basketball, tennis, soccer, football, hockey, cricket, and more.
Various statistics about the current game are displayed such as points scored, while the odds are dynamic and can change over the course of the event. There is a convenient Quick Bet Mode and once you enable it, you can choose a bet amount and place wagers easily with a single click. There are many betting options – the outcome of a match, the possession, and more. Unfortunately, Bovada does not offer live streaming, but it provides information on where each game can be watched.
Mobile Betting
Another benefit of joining Bovada’s Sportbook is its user-friendly mobile site. There are no native apps for download and install on your device but instead, the site is perfectly optimized for mobile use. It can be accessed easily from the browser of every Android or iOS device and it is just as functional as the desktop site.
You can place bets on a wide variety of sporting events, open all relevant statistics, and access the Live Betting section. The mobile Sportsbook also allows you to make deposits and request withdrawals directly from your smartphone or tablet. The Live Chat, as well as all statistics, guides and help pages are also available on mobile.
Licensing and Restricted Countries
The U.S. legislation is extremely strict when it comes to online sports betting and gambling, in general, but despite that, Bovada’s Sportsbook, Racebook, Casino and Poker products are available to customers in almost all states. There are several exceptions, however, and residents of New York, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, Utah, and Washington State are not allowed to open accounts and place wagers at the website. In fact, Bovada accepts players mainly from the U.S., but it can be enjoyed by those residing in Brazil and Mexico, as well.
Customer Support
Bovada is a well-established, trusted brand that strives to provide its customers with convenience, security and satisfaction though attractive promotions, diverse betting options, and fast payouts. Should an issue arises, however, its Customer Support department is available at any time of the day or night. You can call the support agents or use the contact form available on the website. An even better alternative is the Live Chat function, which was recently added for more convenience.
Sports betting fans can access the site in several languages – English, Spanish and Portuguese are supported in both the customer support and in the interface of the gambling platform. Bovada also features a great Help section where customers can browse through FAQs on different topics and read guides and articles about the Casino, Poker and Sportsbook areas of the site.