Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether experienced a boom over the past decade. Today, it’s commonplace for cryptocurrencies to be used in every corner of the internet. An industry that’s also rising in popularity is Cryptocurrency betting. In this article, we list the 5 BEST Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency sports betting sites of 2020.
But before you scroll down our list of the 5 best Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency sports betting sites of 2020, I feel dutybound to highlight my article on Are Bitcoin betting sites safe? This young industry is always growing, and being able to use cryptocurrencies safely and securely should be a priority for every crypto-entrepreneur.
Before we get stuck into the meat of this article (…the 5 best Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency Sports Betting Sites 2020) you’ll notice that the odds on Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency sports betting sites are much higher than traditional betting sites.
Reasons for this range from the betting agency spending less time processing payouts (thanks to the speedy nature of online cryptocurrency transfers), to paying smaller processing fees imposed by cryptocurrencies. Allowing betting agencies to lower the costs and in turn, provide higher margins and better odds.
All of this is often compounded by betting websites being based in low tax and low regulation regions hubs, such as Panama, Malta, Montenegro, etc. Less tax means lower overhead costs, and the ability to put more profit back into the business, which is always good for the players.
Best Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency sports betting sites of 2020
1. Cloudbet
Cloudbet is among the most popular Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency sports betting sites, and comes with a hard-earned reputation for offering great odds and in-play bets on a wide range of sports. Cloudbet’s world-class user-experience and great homepage, earns it top spot in our round-up of the best Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency betting sites of 2020.
Offering betting across a number of cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin cash, and Tether, – and with more cryptocurrencies in the pipeworks – Cloudbet was also one of the first online sports betting sites to use cryptocurrencies, founded back in 2013.
Cloudbet is semi-anonymous, and mainly utilises the anonymity offered by Bitcoin as a service to keep user data private, and only requires an email address to sign up.
Operating out of Montenegro and with offices around the world, Cloudbet is known for its professional customer service team and strong deposit security. Utilising offline “cold storage” of cryptocurrency deposits, this puts your valuable cryptocurrency out of reach from potential hackers and scammers.
Cloudbet has a quick turnaround on payouts and offering instant withdrawals. Sports on offer range from football and table tennis to the NBA and ice hockey, as well as a range of popular esports titles and a wide range of games in their online casino.
What sign-up bonus does Cloudbet offer new customers?
Cloudbet offers a highly-competitive welcome bonus, matching your first deposit up to 5 BTC, ETH or BCH. This is among the best signup offers available in the industry.
Click here to sign-up to Cloudbet and have your first deposit matched (up to 5 BTC)
2. NitrogenSports
NitrogenSports is a Costa Rica-based sports betting site. Offering traditional sports betting and esports betting, as well as an online casino with a wide range of games to choose from.
Operating out of Costa Rica means NitrogenSports is subject to less regulations and taxes than traditional betting sites. While this may call into question the integrity, its long and largely clean stint in the online cryptocurrency sports betting industry more than makes up for this.
The website puts forward an extensive range of sports and esports titles to bet on, and offers highly-competitive odds and small margins compared to other sites.
NitrogenSports has hedged its bets by exclusively operating with Bitcoin. While this seems restrictive, their reasoning is sound, as 95% of their transactions are conducted through the cryptocurrency according to betting watchdog Tipify. While this will come as a disappointment to users of other cryptocurrency users, you can’t blame the reasoning behind the decision.
Nitrogen Sports is easy to use and user-friendly, even coming with an informative and straightforward blog on entering into cryptocurrency sports betting. Altogether, this makes the process user-friendly for Bitcoin beginners.
NitrogenSports piggybacks off Bitcoin’s anonymity features, offering a similar level of anonymity as competing sites. For the privacy-obsessed, this is a definite win, especially with Bitcoin’s dedication to user privacy.
User security on NitrogenSports is also backed by 2-factor authentication and CAPTCHA upon entry to the site, giving it an air of safety and security and discouraging scam and bot accounts. They have also shown to be vigilant against multi-account players and those seeking to dupe the system and other players, blacklisting players seen to violate the terms and conditions of the website.
Sticking with Bitcoin makes their withdrawal process lightning fast and cuts a lot of the processing out of the equation: a definite plus for NitrogenSports.
Where the issues begin for some, is in the lack of third-party software verification for Nitrogen Sports. While most users will happily play in peace, the lack of independent certification for their range of casino games poses a risk to safety, as well as the integrity of the casino games.
What sign-up bonus does Nitrogen Sports offer new customers?
Nitrogen Sports has no welcome bonus for newcomers, but with a decent reward and loyalty system and regular bonuses and promotions, potential players will find it a welcome website to join.
3. Stake
Stake offers a lot for very little, and deserves a place on this list. With a very clean, easy-to-use interface, and with a strong book of sports on offer, and with a very simple signup process, there’s a reason Stake is a fan-favourite for many punters.
Stake prioritises anonymity for its players, which begins at the straightforward signup process and ends at withdrawing your hard-earned crypto cash. Creating an account involves a quick and painless registration, meaning punters can get into the action quickly. Withdrawals are also instant, meaning no pesky waiting time or cooldown after you win big.
With a strong selection of sports on offer including Aussie Rules, Biathlons and the darts, there truly is something for everyone on Stake. Stake also has a tried and true 24/7 customer support team, and has proven to be decisive and fair in very public disputes in the past, leading to a sturdy reputation.
Stake also boasts one of the larger ranges of accepted cryptocurrencies in the sports betting market, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Dogecoin and Tron.
Stake falls short at its country selection. While popular in Europe and Asia, it is unavailable in Australia, Czech Republic and the USA. Stake also loses some credibility in not publicly sharing the details of their security features.
What sign-up bonus does Stake offer new customers?
Similar to NitrogenSports, Stake offers no signup or welcome bonus to new players. However, their strong range of VIP perks, bonuses and loyalty perks does work to make up for this.
4. 1xBit
1xBit has one thing going for it in particular – it offers more accepted forms of cryptocurrency than any other sports betting site – with over 25 different cryptocurrencies. From Bitcoin to Ethereum, to OMG and Chainlink, the extensive array of currencies means you can play in almost any cryptocurrency. This is supplemented by the near-unique ability to play across multiple cryptocurrencies concurrently, meaning dabblers in more than one cryptocurrency can play as they please. 1xBit is also available in over 60 languages,making it one of the most accessible and popular cryptocurrency sports betting sites available.
1xBit offers a competitive range of sports to bet on, including a range of non-sports such as politics and esports. 1xBit also has a fully-functional online casino with a strong selection of games.
Where 1xBit may fall short of the mark is the interface on the website. Very packed and verging on cluttered, it may take some time for punters to grow accustomed to.
Potential newcomers may also be concerned at the lack of transparency from the company, as they refuse to disclose their country of origin.
1xBit tracks all transactions conducted on the website through the blockchain, and employs the usual preventative measures against malicious users and hackers, like firewalls and SSL encryption. 1xBit also offers 2-factor authentication for profiles, adding that extra layer of security cryptocurrency bettors demand.
What sign-up bonus does 1xBit offer new customers?
Unlike some of the other betting sites mentioned in this list, 1xBit offers a very tempting welcome package of up to 7 Bitcoin on the first four deposits, something that cannot be looked over. 1xBit also offers a wide range of bonuses, cashbacks and promotions.
5. BetOnline
Punters nonplussed with the other options on this list may opt to try BetOnline. Tried, true, and a strong fan-favourite, BetOnline has one of the most extensive range of sports on offer, but comes with the addition of offering a USA-compliant online casino. Adhering to some of the most stringent regulations online casinos face lets it be accessed almost anywhere in the world, including in the USA.
Established in 2004 and now operating out of Panama, BetOnline’s compliance as a US Casino lends serious credence to its reputation, and with a strong track record of transparency and due diligence stretching back over 15 years, it deserves a spot on this list.
BetOnline has a strong repertoire of sports on offer, ranging from baseball to snooker and everything in between. Packed into one page, this can make the website seem cluttered at times, although we found it to be relatively straightforward once you got the hang of it.
BetOnline’s ultimate trade off is it lacks the anonymity many other websites have and many cryptocurrency bettors desire. For the casual player, this may be a worthy trade, but if you value their privacy above all else, BetOnline may not be the sports betting website for you. I put this down to BetOnline catering more to the casual gambler or casino-goer that puts less value in their online anonymity.
BetOnline also doesn’t allow players to bet on sports directly with Bitcoin, instead making players convert their Bitcoin to US dollars and then back again during withdrawals. This can prolong the withdrawal process and be a real hassle.
What sign-up bonus does BetOnline offer new customers?
If you don’t mind a few more questions in the registration, and want some of the best bonuses in the market, BetOnline may take your fancy. BetOnline offers competitive signup and welcome bonuses for new players, including a 50% welcome bonus of up to USD $1000 and a 100% first-time cryptocurrency deposit bonus: both surefire ways to entice cryptocurrency gamblers.
Best Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency sports betting sites: Verdict
For punters looking to get their fix of sports betting using their hard-earned cryptocurrencies, the options are seemingly limitless when it comes to websites to join and what cryptocurrencies to bet with. From Stake to BetOnline, and from Cloudbet to 1xBit, finding a sports betting website that toes the line in user anonymity and privacy, and maximises the financial opportunities for its bettors isn’t just essential: it’s just good business.
