Sportsbetting.ag Poker

Sportsbetting.ag may not enjoy the same reverence among US poker fans as top-tier poker sites, but only because it hasn’t been around that long. In terms of overall quality, this poker room is as good as it gets. That’s coming from someone who’s played tons of hands there and spent some quality time at their SnG tables. I’ll tell you all about it in my full Sportsbetting.ag poker review below.

Sportsbetting.Ag Poker Room Summary 

Sportsbetting.ag went live in 1999 and started as a sportsbook-first gambling site. In 2012, one of the longest-running sports betting operators in the US and a premier poker platform, BetOnline purchased it. Since the takeover, Sportsbetting.ag turned out to be one of the finest poker sites in the country. It’s licensed by the Government of Panama, a fairly respectable iGaming jurisdiction. 

Traffic-wise, Sportsbetting.ag is in the upper-echelon of US poker rooms and consistently ranks in the top five. It shouldn’t come as a surprise as it shares the same poker network for tournaments and cash games with BetOnline. That said, I came across plenty of fish that probably migrated from the sportsbook. On the whole, the player base is much softer than in most places, which is great news for rookies. 

The game variety is above-average, if not excellent. In addition to Hold’em and Omaha, the site offers a few niche spin-offs like 7-Card Stud, Americana, and 32 Card Draw, albeit with lackluster traffic. Betting options are accommodating and hover around the $.01/.02 – $5/10 for most tables. 

In 2016, SB underwent a software upgrade. Since the overhaul, the platform has become much more stable and functional. It won’t score any points for its looks, but as we all know, appearance always comes second to feel and usability. 

SG has two standalone clients for PC (Windows) and MAC. One can also get in on the action via browser-based platform, although this is a less customizable variant. 

The operator’s claim to fame from day one has been fast payouts, and I can testify to this. Most cashout requests are processed within 48 hours, and the site even delivers same-day withdrawals via cryptocurrencies. On the whole, you’ll find plenty of payment methods, including credit/debit cards, cryptocurrencies, money orders, and e-wallets. 

The welcome bonus is one of the most generous out there, giving as much as $1,000 of free cash. On top of this, the site runs rotating promos, including a bad beat jackpot. 

If tournaments are your thing, you’ll be spoilt for choice at Sportsbetting.ag. The pools aren’t mind-blowing like in Americas Cardroom, for example, but a lot of cash floats around the Pot Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo tournaments. Guarantees start at a few bucks and can reach up to $50,000. 

SG’s customer service is spot on. I’ve had a few technical issues right after registration, and the support reps helped me get back on track within minutes. 

Is Sportsbetting.ag Legit? 

Yes, SG is a trustworthy and legit poker site, although they’ve had some management issues prior to the BetOnline buyout. Namely, when BO bought the platform, they found over $1,5 million in liabilities left behind by the old SB management. The new team paid players back every dime and made it a priority to regain back customer trust. 

Since the takeover, Sportsbetting.ag has established a clean track record and was never involved in any controversies or accused of untimely payments or issues of that sort. 

SG uses 128-bit SSL encryption for data protection, which is the industry-leading security measure. With this software in place, your cash and personal info will be hidden from unauthorized parties. 

Sportsbetting.ag Bonuses and Promotions 

SG’s promotions section has a lot to offer. The operator promotes separate bonuses for the four gaming products — casino, sportsbook, poker, and racebook. The poker section offers an intro deal and several promos for existing customers. Let’s take a closer look at these offers. 

Sportsbetting.ag Welcome Bonus 

After signing up for an account with Sportsbetting.ag, you’ll become eligible for the 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus. The least acceptable deposit amount for this offer is $50. 

In other words, whatever sum your deposit is in the $50-1,000 range, SG will match it dollar for dollar. This isn’t the intro bonus among US poker sites, but it’s right up there. 

You need to use promo code NEWSB when funding your account to claim the bonus.

The promo cash clears at a rate of $5 per $50 earned in rake. You’ll have 30 days to redeem the bonus, which is more than a reasonable time limit. Note that if you don’t make it by then, any bonus funds that haven’t been released will be forfeited. 

Sportsbettting.ag No Deposit Bonus 

You won’t find a no deposit bonus at Sportsbetting.ag, which is mildly disappointing. No deposit bonuses are not common among poker sites in the US, so I don’t mind that SG isn’t more generous than 99% of its competitors. 

Loyalty Program 

SG runs an atypical rewards system where players can earn comp points for playing real money poker games. For every cent you make in rake, you’ll generate one comp point. The accumulation has a faster rate in tournament mode — 100 comp points for every $1 paid in fees. 

When you pile up a sufficient number of points, you can use them as tickets for special tournaments. You can see which tournaments accept comp points as buy-ins via the main tournament lobby. 

Other Promotions 

Aside from the match deposit bonus for newcomers, SG provides several benefits for ongoing customers. Here’s what I found when composing my sportsbetting.ag review: 

• Bad beat jackpot: If your Four of a Kind Deuces (or better) hand gets beaten at designed Bad Beat Jackpot tables, you and other players at the table will share the pot, which grows over time. The biggest bad beat jackpot won at SG was $218,033.01.
• $25,000 in Daily Poker Freerolls: From December 1 to 25, players can earn their way into daily leaderboards that award players with a single entry into $1,000 freerolls. You can collect leaderboard points by participation only and earn additional ones for strong hands. 
• $1 million Windfall jackpot SNG: To qualify, you need to register for one of the three hyper turbo SnG windfalls available in the poker client. The buy-ins range between $3 and $30 and come with a random prize pool that can be as big as 100,000 your buy-in. 

Sportsbetting.ag Wagering Requirements 

The wagering policy at SG is not among the player-friendliest out there. But the bonus is pretty huge, so I guess it’s all evens out. For every $50 earned in rake, you’ll release $5 of bonus cash. To clear the full $1,000, you need to amass $10,000 in rake, which isn’t an easy task.

Sportsbetting.ag Poker Payment Methods for Deposits and Withdrawals

Banking is one of SG’s calling cards. It accepts 19 different payment methods for deposits and withdrawals, leaving all other poker sites behind. The limits vary between different banking options. However, the payout fees are over the top, in my opinion. 

Deposit Options, Fees, and Limits 

You’ll have a wide variety of ways to fund your Sportsbetting.ag poker account. These range from cryptocurrencies to credit/debit cards, money orders, and checks. The site also accepts e-wallets, although they’re not available for US players from most regions. Banking limits will bode well for both recreational players and high rollers. Here’s the full overview: 

Method	Minimum Deposit	Maximum Deposit	Speed
Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin + 10 others)	$20	$100,000	Instant
Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex)	$50	$2,500	Instant
Person to person	$100	$600	Instant
Money orders	$300	$9,000	Instant
Wire transfer	$1,000	No max	Instant
Cashier’s check	$1,500	$10,000	Instant

Withdrawal Options, Fees, Limits

There’s an equally impressive range of withdrawal banking methods. The limits are satisfactory, especially for Bitcoin transfers. That said, all (but the first) payouts incur a 3% fee, which is abysmal, particularly for larger cashouts. 

Let’s check out the full rundown. 

Method	Minimum Withdrawal	Maximum Withdrawal	Speed	Fees
Cryptocurrencies	$20-50	$100,000	Up to 24 hours	3%
Person 2 Person	$50	$400	Up to several days	3%
Checks	$1,500	$10,000	7–15 business days	3%
Money transfer for pick-up	$500	$7,500	Up to 10 business days	3%
Wire transfer	$500	$25,000	Up to 5 business days	3%

Available Poker Games 

Sportsbetting.ag boasts a solid selection of games, including Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Americana, 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo, and 32 Card Draw. Unsurprisingly, Hold’em and Omaha tables steal most of the spotlight, while other variants garner small traffic at peak hours. 

There’s great SnG action pretty much round the clock. MTTs are not gigantic but can deliver some juicy payouts. 

Cash Games 

The majority of the SnG action revolves around No Limit Hold’em tables, where stakes run from $0.05/$0.10 to $5/10. Small stakes account for the lion’s share of activity, but there are usually a few high-stakes games as well. 

If you’re more of an Omaha player, you won’t be disappointed in the slightest. The scene isn’t as vibrant as with Hold’em, but you’ll find several tables running most of the time. 

Those looking for exotic options should check out the 6+Hold’em tables, an attractive format that appeared at SB a while ago. 

Tournaments 

In this aspect, SG has some room for improvement. The tournament schedule is not vacant, but the prizes aren’t as massive as in other high-profile poker rooms. Nonetheless, you can still partake in $60,000-weekend guarantees, usually costing around $100+$9 to enter. 

The three biggest tournament formats are NLHE, PLO, and PLO/8. 

Sportsbetting.ag Mobile App 

SG recently optimized its platform for mobile play, which runs smoothly. The entire gaming content, including MTTs, SnGs, and cash games, is accessible on the go without downloading anything. Android users have a dedicated client, although this is optional. Either way, the mobile poker platforms don’t exhibit any glitches, freezes, or performance issues of any kind. 

Sportsbetting.ag Customer Support 

This is where the operator excels — it features the holy trinity of live chat, mail, and phone support channels. Those have significantly contributed to its customer retention. Response time via email is usually shorter than 24 hours, while the live chat service provides immediate support and assistance. 

Conclusion — Should I Play at Sportsbetting.ag Poker?

Considering the huge number of fishy tables, the huge welcome bonus, and great UX overall, I believe that everyone (especially beginners) should give SG a try. The site is mostly geared towards recreational players, although there’s solid action for high rollers, too.

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