In days gone by, bookmaking was an incredibly challenging profession, as everything from setting the lines to balancing the bets had to be carried out manually for every single event. Thankfully, technology has now advanced to the point where a lot of the work is done for you by bookmaking software.
This software is called – you’ve guessed it – bookmaking software, and it has completely revolutionized the industry, allowing small outfits to operate on a grand scale and pull in some serious cash. But not all bookie software is made equal.
Some are decidedly more impressive than others, and many are simply not fit for purpose, so in today’s post, we’ll be looking at the software the pro bookies use and seeing what makes it tick.
What Does Bookmaking Software Do?
Being that there’s such a range in the quality of bookmaking software, a lot of them are capable (or more capable) of slightly different things, but generally speaking, you’ll turn to your bookie software to do the following…
- Establish an online or app-based presence for your service — Bookmaking software essentially becomes your virtual establishment. You don’t have to invest in any expensive web designers or anything like that; it’s a white-label service that comes pre-assembled. All you have to do is tailor it to your brand using the customization tools included in the purchase. In fact, some providers go a step further and offer to custom build your site from scratch based on your specifications!
- Provide players with varied and secure payment options — Cybersecurity should be a priority for every modern business, no matter the industry, but this goes doubly for bookmaking. With so much money and data up in the air during a typical player-bookie transaction, online betting operations are obvious targets for those hoping to hack into and pillage the system. Thankfully, any bookmaking software worth its salt will utilize multi-level encryption to keep traffic, data, and funds safe. Some even go as far as to employ the same technology used to lock up NFTs, as it’s currently the most secure means of communication online.
- Deliver analytics reports — Bookie software handles all the complex and time-consuming in-house data science tasks, delivering all the key information to you in a digestible manner. This allows you to monitor the performance of the software, and more importantly, the performance of your business, so you understand when and how to make changes to improve player experience or bolster profits.
- Provide a player account management system — Ultimately, you need to be in charge of player accounts, so although an automated facet of the software handles account creation, it offers up full administrator control so that you can make executive decisions about who uses your platform.
- Give you the option of balancing your bets — It’s not always viable to balance bets, but there should be tools integrated with the software to help you do so if it comes to it.
- Offer player support so you don’t have to — Communicating with players used to take up the majority of a bookie’s time, but bookie software takes the helm here, ensuring the player is always kept in the loop.
What Are The Benefits Of Bookmaking Software?
There are a number of fantastic benefits to using bookmaking software, the most obvious being reduced man-hours, meaning you can handle far more action on your own and save a fortune on employment.
Bookmaking software also allows you to offer a greater variety of wagers to your players, meaning you’ll receive more bets and enjoy more success.
But perhaps the best and most underrated aspect of software is that it lets you get your business up and running in no time.
Unless, that is, you decide against white labeling and opt instead to develop your own website and software, but that’s only possible for the very wealthy.
What Software Are Professional Bookies Using?
Next up, let’s take a look at some of the actual software developers bookies are working with around the globe to realize the potential of their bookmaking business.
RealBookies
RealBookies is a relative newcomer to the market but has made a name for itself as a developer to watch in a short amount of time.
They offer pay-per-head sportsbook, racebook, and casino betting facilities, so if you’re looking to diversify your business at any point, they have the partner software to create a seamless ecosystem under your brand.
Their software permits mobile phone and live betting, meaning busy players can slot in a few choice wagers on the go, and that it’s generally easier for people to get in on the action.
It’s also a fairly priced service with zero minimum fees, which is music to the ears of budding bookies trying to find a foothold in the market.
Ace Per Head
Ace Per Head is a well-established developer and has truly earned its popularity amongst bookies.
Much like RealBookies, it offers all three types of bookmaking software, so no matter the operation, it has the tools you need to get it off the ground and into the green.
It’s a well-priced service complete with all the essential features discussed early and then some — The accounting systems are particularly impressive.
Ace Per Head’s customer service is second to none as well, something you don’t want to neglect if you’re hoping to develop a loyal following of valuable players.
However, this software lacks mobile betting, which is really its only flaw.
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention just how efficient this platform is when it comes to keeping thousands of odds sharp in real-time, ensuring you bag the pro players willing to invest a lot of time and money in your services.
Host PPH
Host PPH offers all three forms of bookmaking software, and while they’re known for exquisite mobile and live betting features, perhaps they’re most renowned for the customizability of their software.
Bookies can easily create tailored web skins and custom account options in minutes, even if they have little to no experience in computing.
The cost of their service is a little higher than others, but as is often the case, when it comes to bookie software, you almost always get what you pay for, so you shouldn’t hold this against them.
7PPH
7PPH software has a lot of great things going for it. It’s suitable for sports, racing, and casino books, it supports mobile betting, and the interface is nice and friendly for both bookies and their players.
However, the lack of a free trial means you can’t feel it out before signing up, which may feel a little too risky for some.
ABC Island
The thing that should grab your attention about ABC Island’s software initially is the middling price tag. Generally speaking, this is where you’ll extract the most bang for your buck. It shows confidence in the product and a desire to make it accessible.
As for the technical side of things, sportsbook? Check! Racebook? Check! Casino betting? Check! Mobile betting? Check! Live betting? Well, no… no live betting, but if you’re willing to let that slide, it’s an incredible, highly scalable option.
Final Thoughts on Bookmaking Software
These are just a handful of the big names in bookmaking software at the minute.
They’re considered some of the best on all fronts, which is why we’ve chosen to present them here to you in this post, but if you feel they’re lacking in any way, don’t feel you have to settle.
With so many more options on the market, there’s almost certainly some bookie software out there that’s perfect for you and your business goals!
