Sports betting in Canada has experienced significant growth since the legalization of single event wagering in 2021. Millions of people participate in sports betting activities with 64.5% of Canadians engaging in some type of gambling.
Sports betting’s boom has forced bookmakers to step up their game, and the best ones—like those dominating Canada’s scene—aren’t messing around. They’re rolling out slick platforms packed with options, from hockey and football to the hot new world of esports.
In this article, I’ll cut through the noise to rank the best sports betting review sites in Canada based on one thing: how good their bookmaker breakdowns are. Trust me, you’ll want this intel to pick a site that doesn’t waste your time.
Standards for Ranking Sites
The best review sites invest a lot of time and resources into reviewing sports betting platforms to make sure that they only list the top bookmakers. Expert reviewers behind these platforms have shared what they consider when choosing the best betting platform, and I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently evaluated factors. When searching for the new sportsbooks, make sure to check the following aspects:
● Sports variety
● Licensing and regulation
● Odds and payouts
● Bonuses and promotions
● Customer support
Sports Variety
Obviously, the best review sites for Canadians make sure to only rank betting sites that have a solid variety of options for players to choose from. This way, they know that readers will find their preferred sports betting option. Variety also allows you to spice things up or adapt your strategy across different sports based on current trends. If, for example, you notice a potentially profitable match-up in a basketball match while primarily focusing on football betting, you can divide your bets accordingly.
Licensing and Regulation
Of course, a bookmaker has to be licensed by a recognized authority if anyone is going to trust them with their bets and winnings. Trustworthy review sites look for reputable licenses, such as the Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and iGaming Ontario(iGO). If it’s an offshore platform, they make sure it is licensed by reputable authorities like Malta Gaming Authority and UKGC, and it has to be eCOGRA certified.
Top review platforms also investigate the availability of advanced security measures, such as SSL encryption, which protects your personal and financial data from hacking.
Odds and Payouts
Popular sportsbook review sites compare the odds offered across the platforms they evaluate to see which ones have good ones and are consistently offering them. Since better odds can lead to higher payouts, this is important information. They also examine the payment options available for withdrawing winnings, with their payout speed being the focus. Potential fees also count here.
Bonuses and Promotions
Many of the bookmakers in Canada offer attractive sign-up bonuses which typically include deposit matches or free bets. The review sites dissect these offers to ensure they only list platforms with solid welcome bonuses, regular promotions for existing customers, and fair bonus rules. Enhanced odds or cashback offers are considered a plus, and such sports betting sites are typically ranked higher.
Customer Support
The best review sites test the customer support of sports betting platforms to assess the quality of their service. Bookmakers that offer multiple contact methods, including live chat, email, or phone options, especially the ones with 24/7 support get higher rankings. Their efforts to always provide assistance to their players is appreciated and contributed to their overall ratings.
Top 3 Bookmaker Review Sites in Canada
Let’s get to business. The following are the best betting review sites in Canada that fulfill the requirements I outlined above:
- GambleOntario.ca 4.9/5
- Covers 4.8/5
- Sports Betting Reviews (SBR) 4.7/5
#1 GambleOntario.ca 4.9/5 - Deep Understanding of the Betting Industry
● Security and Trust 5/5
● Content Quality 4.9/5
● Variety of Options 4.8/5
● Safety and Security 5/5
● Customer Support Information 4.9/5
GambleOntario.ca only reviews sportsbooks that are licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario to protect its readers from unlicensed casinos. This review site is transparent about the ranking system it utilizes to rate the sports betting sites, and since it’s based on statistical analysis, its fairness is guaranteed.
GambleOntario’s experts evaluate important factors like trustworthiness, legitimacy, fairness, and user feedback, among other things. They also prioritize cybersecurity and user data protection by assessing the safety measures in place, and clearly stating if a sportsbook has encryption technology implemented or not.
The editorial quality standards for GambleOntario’s reviews are very high, and its team of experts goes into detail in their breakdowns of each sportsbook, explaining what each platform has to offer. The reviews are written by experienced sports betting journalists who have a deep understanding of the industry. Some of the individuals on this team have over six years of experience in sports betting and the entire team has a combined 30 years of industry experience. What amazed me the most is that they incorporate feedback from over 500 bettors each year, in an effort to make their content even better and more helpful to the end users.
GambleOntario’s reviews cover a large variety of sports, including popular options like hockey, football, and basketball, as well as niche sports like eSports and cricket. Information about the betting markets available is included in their reviews, too. The range of payment options is provided in detail to their readers. This review platform evaluates each bookmaker's customer support as well, to identify those that have knowledgeable staff and give readers information about the response time for each contact option.
#2 Covers 4.8/5 - Broad Market Coverage
● Security and Trust 5/5
● Content Quality 4.8/5
● Variety of Options 4.8/5
● Safety and Security 5/5
● Customer Support Information 4.8/5
The experts at Covers mention that they are committed to recommending only trustworthy sites that they would personally use. From what I’ve seen, their reviews are based on extensive research. I especially appreciate that they have a “Blacklist” section where they educate users about sportsbooks that engage in questionable practices and should be avoided. There is also a responsible gaming section that website visitors can use to prevent and avoid gambling-related harm.
Part of Covers’ review process involves actively engaging with customer support of its recommended bookmakers to assess their quality. They also mention which specific customer support options you should expect when you visit any of their recommended bookmakers. With over 28 years of experience in the sports betting industry, I wasn’t surprised that their reviews are professional. They provide detailed information about bonuses, payout speed, user experience, and banking options.
While going through Cover, I discovered various guides, news updates, and legal developments. The selection of betting markets they review is huge, and they include major leagues like NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB and niche markets like eSports and politics. Their experts also provide information about the types of bets offered by each bookmaker, such as moneyline, point spread, over/under, parlays, and props, among others. I also found information about the availability of live betting and streaming options, which I very much appreciated.
#3 Sports Betting Reviews (SBR) 4.7/5 - Thorough Review Process
● Security and Trust 5/5
● Content Quality 4.9/5
● Variety of Options 4.5/5
● Safety and Security 5/5
● Customer Support Information 4.5/5
From my experience, SBR places emphasis on its commitment to accuracy and thoroughness for reviews. The platform has very detailed Canadian sportsbook reviews where they analyze factors like the sign-up process, user experience, mobile apps, live betting, and payment methods. SBR also provides responsible gambling resources and links to organizations like the Responsible Gambling council.
Its reviews are spread over a large range of topics related to sports betting, some of which include sportsbook reviews, betting guides, odds, picks, and news that helps keep users updated about the happenings in the online gambling industry. Similar to my other top contenders, SBR’s reviews cover information about various betting markets and bet types including parlays, props, and futures. Its experts outline information about different deposit and withdrawal methods that are available in Canadian sportsbooks as well.
The site strongly advocates that its readers should choose licensed and regulated sportsbooks. To me, this indicates that it focuses on its users' safety and security. The website itself is held to high standards of accuracy in its reviews. It has information about several leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and soccer.
Wrapping It Up: Where Can You Find the Most Diverse Sports Betting Options?
In a thriving market such as Canada’s, it’s important to choose the right sports betting platform to improve your betting experience. Each site I covered has its own unique strengths, from Covers’ broad market coverage and commitment to user safety to GambleOntario.ca’s unwavering expertise and in-depth knowledge, and SBR’s thoroughness and emphasis on responsible gambling. Each of these platforms set high standards for bookmaker reviews.
Regardless of whether you are looking for a wide variety of markets, top-class customer support, or secure platforms, these review sites will help you find a bookmaker that suits your needs. Pick your favorite and enjoy the best of what Canadian sports betting has to offer.