Can Betting Sites Ban Punters?

Yes, it is as it sounds. An online bookmaker can impose a ban on a punter and stop accepting bets from them. The ban can be due to numerous reasons, some of which this post will explore. 

And although some of the reasons may seem unfair to players, they are all valid. Hence, those who have been asking ''can a sportsbook ban me?'' can rest assured a ban is very possible. Before considering what may prompt a ban, it is important to look at what it means to be banned by a bookmaker.

What Does a Ban by a Bookmaker Entail?

When a punter is banned by an online sportsbook, it means they are unable to place any bets at the site. The ban can be permanent or temporary, depending on the decision of the bookie. As a profit-making business, the book has a right to choose who to do business with. One thing to keep in mind is that the decision to ban is the sole discretion of the site.

Reasons Why a Punter May Be Banned

As mentioned in the preliminary, there are various reasons betting sites can ban bettors. This piece will attempt to go into detail about the most common causes and how punters can avoid them.

Too Much Winning

''Can I be banned for winning?'' While this seems to be a silly question, punters should know that a betting site can ban them if they are winning too much. It is worth emphasizing that betting shops and bookies exist to generate a profit. As such, they can't be happy when a punter wins often. Yes, they announce jackpot winners and even use them for advertisement, but the gospel truth is that they are never happy for winners.

When a bookmaker notices that one is winning too much, for them it means any of the following cases:

• The punter is applying a strategy that exploits a weakness in the bookie's system
• The bettor is very skilled and experienced in making correct predictions

All online sports betting platforms have invested in complex algorithms that can easily trace and catch any anomalies in their system. Winning too much or too often is actually an anomaly in the eyes of the bookies. Scenarios that can result in too much winning include:

Betting on Niche Markets

Most bookmakers won't bat an eyelid if one is betting on who will win a La Liga or the English Premier League game. It doesn't matter how many bets one wins; the bookies are always confident with the prices they set. 

Yes, they don't believe that punters can beat them regularly because they invest a lot of attention, money (in terms of research), and time on big matches. Even if one wins big, the lost bets are usually enough to offset any losses and deliver some profit. That's because big games attract many bettors.

In contrast, bookies don't invest a lot of resources on minor leagues or matches because the bets here tend to be fewer. So, it is easy for a punter to identify a loophole in the markets and capitalize on it just because the bookmaker did not invest in research before setting the prices. This may give the bettor an edge over the house. If this happens more often, the betting site may have no option but to ban the punter.

Arbing

Arbing, also known as arbitrage betting, is the act of leveraging the overpriced markets to beat the bookmaker. When the markets are overpriced, the bettor can bet on all the possible outcomes and still make a profit. Many betting companies consider arbing unacceptable since it makes them lose money.

Abuse of Bonuses and Promotions

Some people bet using bonuses only. If the reward is not available, they will wait until it is made available. When signing up with any online bookmaker, the expectation of the bookie is that the punter will make a deposit at some point and place bets using their own money. 

If that doesn't happen, then they are doing more harm than good to the business. Hence, the most appropriate solution could be to ban them from using the bookmaker's site.

Other Reasons That May Warrant a Ban

• Holding multiple betting accounts with the same online sports betting site
• Use of abusive language against the sportsbook staff
• Snubbing bonuses and promotions completely

Tips to Avoid Getting Banned by Bookmakers

No one is immune to a ban when betting online. It doesn't matter how smart one is; they could get banned for one reason or another. In some cases, the reasons go beyond those outlined in this article. Here are some tips to avoid a ban:

• Smart use of bonuses and promotions
• Avoiding abusive language against the site staff when an issue arises
• Having one betting account with a given site
• Placing a mix of bets
• Betting on a range of leagues