Match.Center Canada – For your best bookmaker match!
Getting a perfect rating from us requires a lot of determination from the operator and a very high-quality product. We don’t just give a 9 or 10 to something that doesn’t meet our expectations of a top-notch product. We implement our nine-stage grading matrix for each of the legal betting sites and then break it down into pieces to make a side-by-side comparison of platforms. Below you can see exactly how we do this.
Here are some of the reasons, the bookmaker you thought to be good, could get a low rating from us:
- We put punters above everything else. Bookies simply can’t buy their way into our top.
- Our standards are high due to continuous testing on the best platforms worldwide.
- Casino integration doesn’t matter to us, we only focus on betting products, features and tools that perfect the sportsbook offerings.
We divided our parameters into three main categories: Technology and Product, Offers and Payments, UX and Support. Each of these can bring the bookie a maximum total of 10 points. Additionally, the bookmaker who outperforms everyone else in certain criteria – unlocks an achievement.
Below you can find an in-depth explanation of how we assess the licensed bookmakers in Canada.
Technology and Product
Here we consider everything betting-related. The features, the bet types, how many markets the platform presents, odds competitiveness and more.
Events and markets
It is quite tough for the bookies to get a maximum in this regard due to many different things that affect the grading. The rating for this combines many disciplines available to punters, pre-match markets and margin evaluation. To be precise, the operator must have at least 30+ sports, 500+ pre-match options and competitive odds (margin lower than 3%). To examine the latter we choose one of the most popular markets – Total Goals.
Here is an example of grades that bookies can get for margin and discipline count:
Alternatively, we avoid counting market size as a premiere indicator of how good a sportsbook is. You can be offered many correct score alternatives, yet for the handicap and total you’ll only see 1 or 2 options. So while it may seem like your options are broad, the fact is, that the most popular selections lack flexibility. That being said, it is important to note the market count and the relevance of available ones.
Live Streaming
The In-Play feature of a betting platform is tough to evaluate. The odds are constantly fluctuating, the markets are being frozen due to on-field events and much more. Sportsbooks focus on different sports, so it’s hard to be objective about In-Play offers. Therefore we picked broadcasting as the main representative of bookies that tend to offer great live services.
The more you can watch on the platform the better, however, it is not always about the quantity. We primarily look for those, who offer popular competition broadcasts, such as the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, NBA, etc. We also look into the quality of streams. Availability to both registered users and those who are yet to join. Whether it takes a positive balance or recent wagers to be eligible for this feature. All of these factors have a direct impact on our bookmaker evaluation.
Mobile Apps
A great application is a must for a modern bookmaker. However, it is important to state that if the overall product is not up to standards, no software will help it up the ranks. Commonly, the applications replicate the desktop versions of the betting sites and it is hard to separate them. This is why in our grading, we simply reward points for app availability and nothing else. Five points per each – Android and iOS.
We follow the same logical path as in the previous criteria. Software shows that a sportsbook is trying to reach as many punters’ needs as possible. On top of that, it is simply a convenient way to gamble.
Sometimes bookmakers tend to be sneaky and slap an application logo on their site, though it leads to a mobile version in the browser. We check that as well and deduct points if that is the case. Such misleading should be exposed.
Offers and Payments
Gambling is fun, but it’s even better when you get bonuses and can withdraw your winnings swiftly. In this category, we break down the payment methods, offers for newcomers and loyal punters, their count and ease of completion.
Payment systems
As gamblers ourselves we understand that in general players rarely use more than one or two different options. However, to keep the evaluation fair, we award points for each separate payment method available. We believe that many selections in this case are a great representative of a quality service and the wish of the bookmaker to turn a lot of potential customers into actual ones.
On the other hand, we don’t simply give away the points for nothing. Such variables as debit cards for example will only bring 1 point no matter if it is Visa, Mastercard or Maestro. We look at it as the same option that requires a piece of plastic and a whole bunch of corresponding banking information. The same goes for electronic wallets such as Skrill, Neteller and PayPal.
It is possible to get 10 points in this category, but it will take a lot from an operator to figure their way to the top. We appreciate when the platform not only presents a wide choice for punters but also offers detailed instructions, clear limits information and an easy way to top-up and collect funds.
Bonuses for new customers
In Canada, you are not prohibited from creating an account on any legal platform. Therefore it would be wise to take advantage of the welcome bonuses where you can, before settling down with a bookmaker of choice. Note though, that the terms and conditions for each will differ and some offers might be very tough to complete. On the other hand, there are occurrences where bonuses are as easy to finish as a game of tic-tac-toe. All of that is reflected in our ratings.
A lucrative offer does not necessarily give a bookie a high rating. It can be the wagering conditions of 10x+ or a split into multiple small coupons with little to no time to use. For example, if a bookmaker offers you a 100$ bonus, half of which is meant for the casino and the other half requires you to wager a deposit + bonus 10x at 2.00 odds – this will only get 1 point despite the value.
A no-deposit bonus of 10$ will probably get a higher rating due to the ease of acquiring and no risk for your funds. We also evaluate if the sportsbook is willing to offer more than one welcome promotion to choose from and check if there are offerings based on different sports. Bookmakers that offer a wide spectre of promotions with flexible completion conditions are the ones that will get the 10-point grade in this criterion.
Keep in mind, that the casino is not being evaluated at all in this case. We do point them out, but never count them in as part of our evaluation process. Moreover, we tend to look at the casino bonus as a burden to punters who joined for sports action. Commonly the implementation of the casino bonus into the sportsbook one will bring the overall rating of the bookie down. The casino is the game of luck, where most of your success depends solely on the RTP settings, while in betting, you can take more control over what you back and how you risk your funds.
Bonuses for existing customers
Typically far from sportsbooks’ priority, as the main focus is to bring in new gamblers to the platform. The loyal customers only care about these promos and it is important for them to be constantly updated or have multiple re-runs.
One of the main additions that bookmakers can make to fill in the blank space of loyal player promotions is the Free Bet Club. Punters will wager and accumulate promo coins or activity points that can be later on exchanged for the extra money coupons. We also appreciate when operators run free betting games such as prediction contests and more.
Additionally, we add extra points for a loyalty programme, raffles, zero margin events, accumulator boosts, tournament-tied promotions, etc.
UX and Support
The circumstances in which punters may need assistance can come out of nowhere. The bookmaker should be willing to explain the case clearly and respectfully and resolve the case quickly and without extra steps. We look at how straightforward, fast and reliable the support is. We value the quality of the provided help and the humanity of the bookmaker representatives. We also look for them to follow polite communication manners and friendliness.
Registration and customer support
Creating an account can be much more complicated than creating a username and selecting a password. Legally, bookmakers are obliged to ask a lot of different information from you. We evaluate how transparent this process is, whether the bookies keep the process simple and easy to go and do not request unnecessary info.
Customer support is a place where all punters shall receive help upon need. We believe that a great sportsbook will not confine the services only to registered users. We also appreciate when there is no bot in live chat, as commonly it only takes more time to get past him and get to the actual case-solving with an operator. The bookie needs to have multiple ways to contact including email, phone and the most convenient – live chat.
Legal information
The licensing of bookmakers in Canada is subject to the jurisdiction of each district. However, the punter needs to be able to access the necessary documentation easily. We check if the links on the website are active and look through the sportsbook’s legal notice for up-to-date and reliable intel.
Ease of navigation
The website must be intuitive. The absence of countless advertising banners and self-promoting ones is a huge upside to any betting site. The less clunky the site is, the more responsive it is. We look for the bookmaker to offer a convenient way for punters to find desired events and competitions. Additionally, we value tools for customers, which can help such as Bet Finder, filters and favorite tags.
If you can quickly find the wanted match and place a bet, perhaps customize the favourite page to showcase wanted markets – the bookmaker will get 10 points.
What we don’t consider
There are quite a bunch of things that we exclude from evaluation due to various reasons. It is common for these to be far from objective subjects to rank the bookmakers based on them. Here are examples of what does not impact our grading:
- Internet reviews. Most of the time, these are filled with bot messages. On top of it, we believe that most players will write one only when they happen to have a bad beat or face some kind of problem that was not solved immediately. Such reviews are typically emotion-based hence add no real value.
- Reputation on the market. One of the most abstract criteria to judge a sportsbook on. There have been multiple instances where lesser-known operators go out of their way to offer customers the highest quality product, while big brands kept shifting towards casinos and leaving the betting section behind.
- Partnership. We value bookmakers who want to cooperate with us, though we must add that no matter if we are companions or not, our rankings are not being driven by that. We strive to present the most clean and equitable data to punters and our priority remains to showcase truly outstanding products on the betting market that deserve recognition.
- White label bonus programme restrictions. In some cases, one operator can be holding two different sportsbooks. That’s when you’ll have to choose between the newcomer offer on one site or the other. Even though we are against such restrictions, we are evaluating the promotions themselves and not the company politics about them.
