BetRivers or Betfred? There are a lot of sportsbooks options out there, but this seems to be the chicken or the egg question for those looking to start a new betting account. Which one should come first?
The decision to sign up at a new sportsbook cannot be taken lightly. You are going to be entrusting that place with your money and some important personal information. The hope would be that you form a long-term relationship with that operator as a place to safely and enjoyably bet on sports. Sports aren’t going away anytime soon and these sportsbooks don’t want you to go away either.
The reality is that each and every sportsbook has different selling points. There are strengths and weaknesses across the industry. Some books are better for NFL and college football. Others are better for NBA and college basketball. Some have more convenient deposit and withdrawal methods. Others may have a better look and a cleaner interface.
With that in mind, and knowing that everybody’s opinion is unique, let’s talk about BetRivers, Betfred, the differences between the two, and tell you which one we recommend.
BetRivers & BetFred State Availability
First we look at a state by state comparison on where each sportsbook is located. As the table shows BetRivers is clearly the winner here!
| State | BetRivers | BetFred |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | YES | YES |
| Illinois | YES | NO |
| Indiana | YES | NO |
| Iowa | YES | YES |
| Michigan | YES | NO |
| Pennsylvania | YES | YES |
| West Virginia | YES | NO |
| Virginia | YES | NO |
BetRivers Sportsbook Review
BetRivers Sportsbook is a much more common name for sports bettors in the United States. It is a sportsbook that operates in nine states, including Colorado. Some may know it as PlaySugarHouse from New Jersey or from its presence in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Virginia, and West Virginia.
By building up a reputation with a US clientele, BetRivers has been a very popular sportsbook for millions of people across those nine states. Backed by Kambi and Rush Street Interactive, this is a sportsbook that really prides itself on a clean look with a reliable interface. As far as state-of-the-art technology goes, from live betting to encryption to protect your personal information, you won’t find one better.
In Colorado, specifically, BetRivers is paired with J.P. McGills Hotel & Casino, so retail sports betting is an option, but the vast majority of Coloradoans bet from anywhere with Remote Registration and availability everywhere across the state.
Daily profit boosts are one perk of having a BetRivers Sportsbook account. Another is a 100% Deposit Match Bonus up to $250. Another still is the iRush Rewards loyalty program, which allows you to convert your points into Free Play, BetRivers swag, and so much more. Exclusive benefits and promotions are also available for BetRivers customers that reach iRush Rewards Level 7.
All in all, this is a clean, crisp, efficient, and reliable sportsbook that provides a great experience for US players across nine states, including Colorado.
Betfred Sportsbook Review
The Betfred Sportsbook is located at Saratoga Casino in Black Hawk, which is how the European operator made its entry into the Colorado sports betting scene. Betfred operates in three US states, with Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Colorado under its umbrella.
As mentioned, Betfred comes from the UK, with over 1,500 shops coming from its Warrington, United Kingdom headquarters. The European style of bookmaking is a bit different than what we’ve seen so far in the United States. Some of the elements that have come across the pond are good, like a wide choice of sports betting markets, including soccer. Other elements are not, like banning or limiting winning players. Of course, we’ve seen that in the US market with some operators as well.
One of the things that does help Betfred in a big way is that mobile betting had been legal in the UK for a while before the US even lifted PASPA, so Betfred had a good head start on that side of the business, but their appearance in the US market also came long after the BetRivers app was running and thriving. It was a lot like showing up at a party with a 2010 Corvette, but somebody else has a 2020.
BetRivers vs. Betfred Which Sportsbook Promotion Is Better?
Betfred does offer up to a $500 Wager Match for new sign-ups whether they win or lose on their first wager. That could be more lucrative than BetRivers with the $500 limit, however, the promotion at BetRivers is a Deposit Match Bonus, which means they match your deposit. With Betfred, you have to bet that amount to get a match and you only get it if you LOSE!!!!
Depositing $250 to get $500 total at BetRivers is a lot different than depositing and then making a bet at Betfred. The Deposit Match Bonus is a better option.
Conclusion
BetRivers just has a better look, availability and sign up promotion. It has more of a rapport with US players. It doesn’t come from that European style of bookmaking, and you see it, too, as players are often funneled to the European and Asian sports at Betfred, even though there aren’t a lot of bettors that wager on those in the United States.
Betfred is not as easy to navigate and also has some bigger spreads with some of its lines. Where you’ll see 20-cent lines on NHL or MLB at BetRivers, you’ll see some 25 or 30-cent lines with Betfred.
The reality is that both sportsbooks have their pluses and minuses, but it is our belief and our experience that you will be a lot more comfortable at BetRivers and they do have the better Deposit Bonus option.
