Guide How to Choose the Right Bookmaker as a Beginner

[Betting Forum]

Choosing your first bookmaker matters more than most beginners realise because the platform changes your odds, your withdrawals, and how smoothly you learn. This guide gives you a simple way to pick a trustworthy option without overthinking it.
For: beginners who want to choose between Pinnacle, Everygame, Bodog, 1xBet, and MadMarket, and understand what each is best for.

Why the bookmaker choice matters (even if your picks are the same)​

Two beginners can place the same bets and still get different long-term results because the bookmaker affects the price you get, the friction around withdrawals, and how likely you are to make impulsive mistakes. If one site consistently gives slightly better odds, that quietly adds profit over time. If one site makes cashouts and live betting feel like a casino button, that quietly adds bad decisions.

So this is not a cosmetic choice. It is part of your “edge” from day one, even before you get good.

Step 1: Start with safety and reliability​

Before you think about odds quality or bonuses, make sure the platform has a solid reputation and a history of paying out without drama. A beginner’s worst outcome is not “a bad bet,” it’s getting stuck in a withdrawal mess or learning bad habits on a sketchy platform.

With Pinnacle, Everygame, Bodog, 1xBet, and MadMarket, you are looking at established names with different styles. The practical takeaway is simple: do not chase unknown brands just because the welcome offer looks bigger. If you are brand new, boring reliability beats flashy marketing.

Step 2: Understand what each option is best for​

Think of these platforms as tools. You are not trying to find the “best bookmaker in the world.” You are trying to find the best first fit for how you bet right now.

Pinnacle is the “price-first” option. It is widely known for sharp pricing and lower margins. It tends to feel more professional than promotional. If your long-term goal is value betting and you care about getting strong odds, Pinnacle is the kind of book you eventually want in your rotation.

Everygame is a smooth, mainstream-style starting point. It tends to be friendly for beginners, easy to use, and generally low-friction day to day. If you want a clean first home where you can learn basic markets without feeling overwhelmed, Everygame fits that role well.

Bodog is also beginner-friendly and has been around a long time as a recognisable brand. It suits people who want a simple experience, sensible navigation, and a platform that feels comfortable while they are still learning what markets they even like.

1xBet is the “huge menu” option. It has broad coverage, lots of markets, and plenty of live features. That can be great once you know what you are doing, but it can also be overwhelming early because options create temptation. If you are disciplined, 1xBet can be useful for variety and live options. If you are still learning self-control, the size of the menu can pull you into random bets.

MadMarket is different because it is exchange-style pricing where the market is set peer-to-peer. That changes how it feels. It can be more transparent and sometimes gives cleaner pricing, but the interface can feel more like trading than “placing a bet.” If you like the idea of exchange pricing and learning how markets move, MadMarket is interesting. If you want the simplest possible learning curve, it might be better as a second step rather than your first.

Step 3: Odds quality (quiet money over time)​

A price difference like 1.90 vs 1.85 looks tiny, but over hundreds of bets it matters. Beginners often ignore this because it does not feel exciting. That is exactly why it is powerful.

If odds quality is your top priority, Pinnacle usually stands out, and MadMarket can be strong because exchange-style pricing can be very competitive. Everygame, Bodog, and 1xBet can still be perfectly fine for learning, especially if you are betting small and focusing on building process. Just understand the direction: sharper pricing helps your long-term results without you changing anything about your picks.

Step 4: Ease of use (a beginner’s hidden edge)​

A clean interface prevents stupid mistakes. Beginners misclick, misread markets, and get dragged into live betting because it is one tap away. A simpler platform makes it easier to stay disciplined.

Everygame and Bodog tend to feel straightforward for new bettors.
Pinnacle is simple too, but more “pro-style” and less hand-holding.
1xBet can feel busy because of the sheer amount of options.
MadMarket can take a short adjustment because the exchange model is a different mental frame.

If your main goal is to learn safely, pick the platform that keeps you calm and consistent, not the platform with the most buttons.

Step 5: Payments and withdrawals (trust is built here)​

Beginners rarely think about withdrawals until they want the first one. That is when frustration starts and bad decisions follow.

The general rule is: choose the platform that lets you deposit and withdraw smoothly with the methods you actually use. If your withdrawals are painless, you trust the process more, and you are less likely to tilt and “win it back” with bigger stakes.

Step 6: Bonuses (nice, but not worth a worse platform)​

Bonuses can help early, but beginners often let bonuses pick the bookmaker for them. That usually ends in worse odds, more restrictions, and more frustration.

Pinnacle tends to focus less on big promos and more on pricing.
Everygame, Bodog, and 1xBet often have more visible promotions.
MadMarket is more about the market model than big bonus marketing.

The right mindset is simple: take a bonus if it is clean and fits what you would do anyway, but never choose a worse platform just to chase a bigger offer.

A simple “which one should I pick” answer​

If you want the easiest first step: Everygame or Bodog.
If you care most about long-term odds quality: Pinnacle (and later, add MadMarket if you like exchange pricing).
If you want maximum variety and lots of live options: 1xBet, but only if you can stay disciplined.
If you want peer-to-peer, exchange-style pricing and you like the idea of market transparency: MadMarket, often best as a second platform once you understand the basics.

Most serious bettors eventually use two or three platforms so they can compare odds and take the best price. You do not need that on day one, but it becomes a smart habit once you are comfortable.

Beginner traps when choosing a bookmaker​

• Picking purely based on the biggest bonus.
• Sticking to one site forever and never comparing prices.
• Opening five accounts immediately and turning betting into button-clicking.

A good first bookmaker isn’t the one with the flashiest promo. It’s the one that feels safe, pays without drama, and gives you fair prices while you learn.

Putting it all together​

Start with a bookmaker that is trustworthy, easy to use, and fits how you actually bet. For many beginners, that means starting on Everygame or Bodog for simplicity, then adding Pinnacle for sharper odds as you get more serious. If you want more variety and live options, 1xBet can be useful once you have discipline. If exchange-style pricing interests you, MadMarket is a strong option when you are ready for a more market-driven experience.

The simplest upgrade you can make later is not a new strategy. It is comparing odds across two or three platforms and taking the best number.

FAQ​

Q1: Do I need more than one bookmaker as a beginner?
No. Start with one that feels simple and reliable. Add a second later when you want to compare prices.

Q2: Which is best for odds long-term?
Pinnacle is the classic choice for strong pricing, and MadMarket can also be very competitive because of the exchange-style model.

Q3: Which is easiest for total beginners?
Everygame and Bodog tend to be the smoothest first picks because they feel straightforward and low-friction.


Next in Beginner Series: Beginner’s Guide to Live Betting
Previous: The Beginner’s Guide to Value Betting

 

[Betting Forum]

Beginner Betting Guides - Reference Menu​

• Beginner Betting 101 - The Absolute Starter Guide
• How Betting Odds Work (Decimal, Fractional, American)
• How to Manage Your Bankroll (Beginner Edition)
• The Safest Betting Markets for Beginners
• Mistakes Beginner Bettors Must Avoid
• The Beginner’s Guide to Value Betting
• How to Choose the Right Bookmaker as a Beginner
• Beginner’s Guide to Live Betting
• Beginner-Friendly Betting Strategies That Actually Work
• The Psychology of Betting (Beginner Edition)

 

[BlueMoonTips]

Good guide this. Clean and straight to the point, which is what beginners actually need. Too many people pick a site because the bonus looks shiny, then realise three weeks later the prices are rubbish or payouts are a pain. You explained the “why” properly - safety, odds, ease of use, then everything else after. That order matters.
One thing I’d add for new lads: don’t overthink it on day one. Pick a safe, simple place to learn the ropes, then add a second later for price checking. The mistake is opening five accounts before you even know what markets you like betting. Been there. It just turns into chaos and random staking.

Also like the reminder that better odds over time is real money. People laugh at 1.90 vs 1.85 until they’ve done a season of betting and wonder why they’re down when their reads felt fine.
Nice one for putting this in the beginner series. Proper foundation thread.

 

[SharpEddie47]

You have got the fundamentals right but undersells how critical the bookmaker choice becomes once you're betting seriously.

Pinnacle is correctly identified as the sharp pricing option. What the guide doesn't emphasize enough is that Pinnacle's lower margins compound dramatically over time. If you're betting 200 times a year and getting an extra 2-3% better price on average, that's the difference between break even and profit for most bettors. I've been limited at multiple books but Pinnacle still takes my action because they're confident in their pricing.

The MadMarket recommendation for exchange-style pricing is spot on. Exchange betting eliminates the bookmaker margin entirely on many markets. The learning curve is real though, so I'd say get comfortable with traditional books first, then add MadMarket once you understand what you're doing.

One thing missing from this guide: withdrawal speed matters more than beginners think. When you're up money and the book takes two weeks to pay you out, that psychological friction makes you more likely to gamble it back. Pinnacle and Everygame both have solid withdrawal processes in my experience.

The advice to eventually use multiple books for line shopping is crucial. Getting the best available number on every bet is free money.

 

[TaffyTipster]

Right so I've used a few of these books yeah.

Everygame is proper solid for beginners.

Clean interface innit.

No drama with withdrawals.

Decent odds on rugby and football.

Not the sharpest prices but good enough when you're learning.

Pinnacle is where you graduate to once you know what you're doing mate.

Best odds I've seen.

But it's not as flashy as some books.

Just straight business.

Which is tidy if you care about value.

1xBet has EVERYTHING.

Like seriously the menu is massive.

Problem is that can get you in trouble yeah.

Too many markets means too many temptations.

I'd say avoid it until you've got discipline sorted.

MadMarket is interesting butt.

Exchange betting changes the game.

You're betting against other punters not the house.

Takes a bit to understand how it works.

But once you get it the prices can be lush.

Fair play to the guide for mentioning it.

 

[DublinDegen]

lads im on 1xBet and honestly its both the best and worst thing for me... the live betting is absolutely unreal like you can bet on anything at any time which is deadly when youre winning but f**king brutal when youre chasing because theres ALWAYS another match on... ive lost so much money just clicking around their site at 11pm on a Tuesday betting on Turkish second division or whatever because i was bored and down money... the guide is right that if you dont have discipline 1xBet will destroy you because the options never end...

that said the odds are decent and withdrawals work fine ive never had issues getting paid... just wish they had like a "youve bet enough today mate take a break" button because i clearly cant stop myself... maybe i should switch to Everygame like the guide says where theres less temptation but honestly i know id just find another book with live betting because thats my problem not the books problem...