Sportsbook Review's Ratings - You Decide

[JoeyC]

JJ:

Some of us do know what we are talking about regarding the financial capabilities of the various books.

While not perfect by any streach, Buzzsaw has done a fairly decent job.

The question is so easy to answer in my mind, just want to see if the posters here agree....

Results (15 votes counted so far):

7%
SBR's A+ books: Bet365USA, VIP, WWTS

93%
SBR's A books: Canbet, Olympic, Pinnacle



Don't be too hard on the old guy JJ.

 

[jjgold]

Is the guy really old Joey??

I just want him to change his unfair rating of Euro books, I am still fuming and have broke two bottles of soda already on my table because of it.

 

[TheGeneral+]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I am still fuming and have broke two bottles of soda already on my table because of it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

[JoeyC]

JJ:

Clearly SBR is biased against books in CR and most everywhere else in the Caribbean.

Buzzsaw has never picked any bones about this, and you know enough to know this is true.

His rating Grande a B+ is clear evidence of his prejudice.

And I understand your frustration about his rating system, but calling his place a fraud JJ, isn't quite fair either.


JC

 

[JoeyC]

Buzzsaw:

We know you actively read and post on the forums.

I noticed you haven't commented on your review process.

Will you soon be upgrading / downgrading / updating ???

JC

 

[jjgold]

Grande is an A and will be A+ as soon as they aggressivley market the post up market.

 

[TTinCO]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jjgold:
Walk of Life you will be banned if you keep up the con game.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Talk about speaking from experience....

BTW, Congrats Walk--you may be the only other person than I who is 100% conviced that JJ is a troll and his sole purpose is to get people worked up

 

[JoeyC]

Walk of Life:

I still don't get the part about me pulling the strings, as far as JJ is concerned.

If you care to elaborate fine, if not that's ok too.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Joey,
The poll was not put to a real the average player pool. The Rx posters are mostly sharp(or they fade Beantown; same result). Agree? But the average player is an average Joe, not sharp at all. And believe it or not they prefer the customer service of a Bet365 or a VIP to the muffled cs voices of Oly.

The list has always been about quality books for both groups. A Pinnacle, CRIS, Grande & Oly is great for the sharps and a Bet365, VIP, Gameday for newbies and the Joe Sixpack type which make up the vast majority of players.

Also, keep in mind that the top square shops have a safer business model and that is just a fact. It doesn't make them better but it does make them safer. Books like VIP have no exposure to expensive marketing or sharp players yet double in size every year with heavy revenue from non sports like casino and horses.

There is some real splitting hairs when you start comparing the difference between A+ and A.

 

[JoeyC]

Buzz:

IMO, under no circumstances, can Grande be rated B+ by any qualitative measure.

You have some B- shops there which are also underated and some shops which have too high or a rating, imo.

The rating on First Fidelity, is a C which isn't right either. They may pester bettors with phone calls etc., but they do pay fast, which at the end of the day, counts most of all.

Will you be reviewing and rerating again this year before foots?

 

[THE SHRINK]

I'd have to agree with Joey C here about Grande...

Placing this elite book in a B category is an insult to our posters and to many insiders as well...

Grande is usually mentioned in everyone's top 5 list and surely in everyone's top 10 list...

THE SHRINK

 

[THE SHRINK]

One other thing about Grande...

I have asked other bookmakers who they RESPECTED the most in the offshore sports betting industry and Skippy's name has come up the most...

THE SHRINK

 

[jjgold]

List is not factual

Grande A
BetFair A
gamebookers B

I could go on and on and put holes through many of his ratings and make him look really bad.

 

[JoeyC]

JJ:

I agree with your 3 choices. If Buzzsaw makes those changes, as well as a few others noted herein, SBR's credibility can only go up.

 

[jjgold]

Yes Joey if Buzz makes the changes I will change my opinion of his site and it will be more accurate and he will gain more credibility instantly with these changes.

 

[PariActionOffice]

Walk of Life,
flutter.com was purchased and merged into BetFair.

I think that SBR's ratings are coming from his DIRECT experiences with books as I believe that he plays at all of them.

His lower rating of Pinnacle maybe related to their lack of telephone support for online bettors or because of a problem that some have had with their affiliate program. They are the only ones that I feel deserve a higher rating but hey, an A is damn good!

 

[Halifax]

Totebetxpress C The Tote

----------------------
The Tote

If the ratings are based primarily on finances/safety, here is a U.K. book that should have their rating boosted up from a "C" (can you say "A+").

I'll let you figure out why by reading an excerpt from a recent article:

-----

"Stanley Leisure Bids for the State-Owned Tote

Liverpool betting and gaming group Stanley Leisure will make a bid for the state-owned Tote betting network if the government decides to sell it. Stanley revealed yesterday that it had secured a £275m war chest for possible future acquisitions through its bankers and chief executive Bob Wiper told the Daily Post: 'If the Tote came into the market then it would definitely be on our radar screen.

'Whether it would be all for sale or just part we don't know, but we would like to buy it all.' The Tote owns 400 betting shops and holds the monopoly on pool betting. "

 

[lakerfan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> IMO, under no circumstances, can Grande be rated B+ by any qualitative measure. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If one bets anything but the most mainstream of bets and sports, than one might argue that Grande doesn't offer enough props or secondary sports to get a A rating. I have never even seen them offer a boxing match. So they could get say a C in that regard.

But for what "they do" they are among the best.

I like the list alot. I don't agree with all of it, but I think it will lead to a lot of discussion and may be further refined with feedback from readers and posters on sites like this.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Laker, joey, jj and everyone else has made some solid points.

The ratings will be further refined over time. BetFair is a good example, SBR gets a lot of complaints out of their CS but jj comes in and offers another perspective. The SBR rating on European books is just not very good right now, ratings are made on just too thin of data. This will improve.

The critics should give it some time.

There will always be those that will refuse to even try to understand why a Bet365 can be rated higher than a Grande-type for example. If you compare their different business plans, where they are located, diversity in products, risk exposure, credit vs postup, banking, ect., it gets easier to see why there is a small difference. btw, B+ is well into the top 10% of all books, a very favorable rating.

 

[jjgold]

Ok Buzz good points at least you have an open mind. I will go easier on you now, my style is too attack and put pressure on people. Make sure though you re evaluate some Euro sites and to me customer service should not carry a lot of weight. Anyway it is clear to me you are getting lots of people to your site so make sure the ratings are accurate.

Good Luck