Is Bovada Legit? Bovada Review

In the US, Bovada.lv is the most renowned online gambling site. The site leads other competitors in the market by a very wide margin (about 10x).

One thing about US-friendly gambling sites is that there are quite a number of them out there who are only seeking to strip players of their money.  These sites will take players into gambling depths and overpower them financially if they fall into their clutches. The best thing to do is to be extra careful when choosing a US gambling site.

However, you do not have to worry much even if you do not have enough gambling experience to decipher if a gambling site is genuine or not. That’s why this review is good for you. It will guide you in choosing the right gambling site and ensure that you do not fall into wrong hands.

Carefully read along as we assess Bovada in this review. You will soon find out answers to numerous questions like is Bovada sports betting legit and many more. We will provide you with vital information about Bovada, the good and bad sides of the casino, who can play in Bovada. We will also familiarize you with the casino game selections as well as Bovada poker,  Bovada sportsbook, and the promotions they run. In addition, there will be a section to assess their VIP programs, banking systems, and customer service. Let’s get started!

Is Bovada Legit?

The first important question many people ask is: is bovada casino legit? Well, the answer is yes. Bovada casino is legitimate. You might wonder how we know this, here is a summary:

  • Bovada casino has been in operation since 2011. Fake gambling sites do not last that long
  • According to Alexa, Bovada records about 3.4 million visitors monthly. This number is ten times higher than the traffic recorded in BetOnline. BetOnline is Bovada’s closest competitor in the US.
  • Bovada sports betting platform is run by an operator that has so much experience and is associated with some top successful online gambling sites like Bodog.
  • In the ranking of US online gambling sites, Bovada.lv is ranked top. It is also the most visited online gambling site in the country. If in doubt, you can check the stats for Bovada Google trends just to see how players are so interested in the site.
  • Bovada.lv operates on a secure connection encrypted by SSL. It’s quite easy to confirm this. Simply check the left side of the web address and you will see ‘secure’ written with a green padlock symbol.

About Bovada – what is bovada (betting, casino, poker etc.) Bovada review

Bovada’s root can be traced to Bodog, a successful online gambling site. Bovada.lv separated from Bodog officially in 2011. The site now runs under its own brand.  One shortfall however is that Bovada currently operates without a license. The Kahnawake Gambling Commission (KGC) formerly licensed Bovada but they failed to renew the license in 2016. Ever since then, Bovada has been operating without a license.

We are also confident in Bovada because its operator previously ran Bodog which has recorded a lot of success in the US gambling industry. This implies that Bovada’s team will be similar to Bodog’s since it is run by the same operator. So, like it was earlier stated, Bovada is legitimate.

However, on the downside, we cannot totally overlook Bovada’s lack of license because a license is one of the strong points that boost a site’s legitimacy. We recommend that players who want to play on Bovada.lv should research the risks associated with gambling on unlicensed sites.

In regards to web design, layout, and navigation, Bovada.lv scores high with its world-class site which is clean, simple, and can easily be used on any device. The website is evidence of the operator’s experience.

Who Can and Who Cannot Play at Bovada?

Like we stated earlier Bovada.lv operates in the US. so it is open to US players. However, players from Nevada, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware will not be able to register on Bovada.lv or play games there.

Although Bovada’s terms of service list some of the restricted territories, the list is not exhaustive. A visit to the site on a VPN from several regions showed that players in some countries cannot access Bovada.lv. The countries include Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Spain. Other restricted territories can be found on Bovada terms of service as the site mainly focuses on the US market.

The Good Side of Bovada

As expected, Bovada has strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of the strengths;

Great Track Record

Bovada mobile boasts a strong track record and a long history of dealing fairly and is also renowned for prompt payouts. Another track record is what we already mentioned above about the site being run by an experienced operator. This says a lot about Bovada as most players lookout for sites that are run by operators who have lots of industry experience.

The management team of Bovada launched Bodog and runs it together with other friendly gambling sites in the US. It is safe to say that operators that can run such successful and friendly gambling sites are good.

Fast Payouts – How Long Does Bovada Take to Pay Out?

Payments in Bovada are usually fast. They do not waste time at all in processing payments. Players who choose to use Bitcoin will have their money in a few minutes after the cashier clears it. Although other payment methods take longer, the take-home is that payment processing in Bovada is quicker compared to that of its competitors. Having a big site did not affect Bovada’s service delivery, so it can process payments faster.

US-Friendly

Bovada site is specifically friendly to players in the US. We mentioned earlier that Bovada.lv primarily focuses on the US market, so it does everything possible to give American players the best gambling experience.

Players in the US know how hard it is to get a quality online gambling site, search no more. Bovada may just be what you need for your gambling needs. The site accepts Bitcoin as both a withdrawal and deposit method. Despite the government’s reservation on Bitcoin, if you believe that you have the right to spend your money as you wish, then consider gambling in Bovada with your Bitcoin or even other payment methods.

The Bad Side of Bovada

It is hard to see any site that has good sides without weaknesses even if it’s minute. Here are a few of the site’s weak points:

Deposit and Withdrawal Fees

We will still talk about the withdrawal and deposit fees in detail later in this review but here’s a little extract. If you use debit or credit cards, you might find the deposit and withdrawal fees at Bovada quite excessive, but there is a solution.

The solution is to try Bitcoin as it does not charge any fee. Bovada is encouraging players to use Bitcoin given that its founder is a big advocate of cryptocurrency. Even if you have not used Bitcoin in the past, this is a perfect opportunity to try it out. You will see that it has many advantages over other payment methods.

Dual Lines

It is important to be aware of the ‘dual lines’ policy if you want to bet sports at Bovada.lv. What the policy implies is that you will get different odds if Bovada identifies you as a skilled bettor. One way to know is this is when you win after placing just a few bets. Similarly, you can also notice when you visit the site, log in, check the odds and see different numbers.

Recreational bettors often place wagers on popular teams without much research or knowledge. On the other hand, educated and experienced bettors bet on obscure outcomes and teams to get better odds. Bovada will then use this behavior to tag the experienced bettors and give them sharp lines going forward.

Game Selection

Bovada does not work with too many casino software providers but it still offers a wide selection of exciting games. What matters is that the site covers the main games even though it cannot boast the largest games library.

In this section of the review, we will take you through some of the games Bovada has on offer for players including live casino games, scratch card, keno, bingo, video poker, card games, table games, and video slots. Find out about the variants each game offer and see if they are good. Carefully read along.

Software

RealTime Gaming runs many of Bovada.lv games. RealTime Gaming is a casino software company that has a long history in the industry as far back as 1998. The firm has been providing games to the industry since it went online.

Well, RTG might not be the best casino games firm but it is a strong competitor that consistently rolls out great games. RTG also produces a wide range of games such as video poker, card and table games, as well as video slots.

Some other games at Bovadalv are powered by Rival, a firm that has a strong track record. Since it was launched in 2005, Rival has been producing top-quality casino games.

Slots

Bovada boasts a decent slots selection which is up to the taste of most players. Some of the RTG slots available are:

  • Wheel of Cash
  • Lion’s Roar
  • As the Reels Turn
  • Derby Dollars
  • A Night With Cleo
  • World of Oz
  • Secrets of Geisha
  • Atlantic Treasures
  • Heavyweight Gold
  • Derby Dollars
  • Nuclear Fishin’
  • Reel Crime 1: Bank Heist
  • Gushers Gold
  • Japan-O-Rama
  • Pistols and Roses
  • Atomic Age
  • Spy Game
  • Robin Hood
  • Bust-A-Vault
  • Hole In Won
  • Gold Rush
  • Fruit Frenzy
  • Fast and Sexy
  • Psychedelic Sixties

Bovada has more than 300 video slots. You can check them out in ‘practice play’ mode. You can also learn more about them before you play the real game as the description of bonus features and rounds are attached to each game.

Bovada Video Poker

Perhaps you are a lover of video poker? Bovada.lv got you covered with its solid selection of video poker. The video poker library is not the smallest or the largest but it has quite enough offers that will appeal to most players. The offers include:

  • Double D Bonus Poker
  • Bonus Deuces Wild
  • Double Jackpot Poker
  • Bonus Poker Deluxe
  • Double D Jackpot Poker
  • Deuces Wild
  • Bonus Poker
  • Loose Deuces
  • Joker Poker
  • Jacks or Better

The video pokers listed above are the total number of pokers available in Bovada.lv although most of them have multi-hand versions. The pokers are RTG games, so you can be sure of their quality.

Like the video slots, you can also check out the video pokers in ‘practice’ mode. All you need to do is to enable flash. You do not even need to open an account to load the flash.

Bets in these video pokers kick off at 0.10 dollars and go up to 50 dollars per hand. This will give players a top level of comfort whether they are high stakes or penny players.

Live Casino – Is Bovada Live Dealer Legit?

Bovada has 4 live games which include Super 6, Baccarat, Roulette, and Blackjack. The games load fast and are high in quality. The dealers are polite and friendly. Live casino is different from other games at Bovada because you cannot play them for free.

  • You can bet between 5 to 2,500 dollars if you play blackjack
  • If you opt for roulette, you can bet between 1 and 3,000 dollars
  • You can bet on Super 6 between 5 and 2,500 dollars
  • If baccarat is your game, you can play for between 5 and 2,500 dollars as well.

Table Games

There are quite a number of card and table games available at Bovada.lv. The exotic variants of the games might not be available but you can play the main popular ones. Check them out:

  • Craps
  • Baccarat
  • Classic European Roulette
  • American Roulette
  • Caribbean Stud Poker
  • Classic America Roulette
  • Tri-Card Poker
  • Caribbean Hold’em Poker
  • Vegas Three Card Rummy
  • Let ’Em Ride
  • Roll the Dice
  • Let ’Em Ride Poker
  • Pai Gow Poker

With your free balance, you can play these games for free to check out what they are like. Bets here range from 1 dollar to 500 dollars. Thus you can bet with any bankroll.

Other Games

Perhaps you might love to temporarily break away from traditional casino games, then you can also try the following games on Bovada:

  • Scratch Cards
  • Sudoku
  • Bingo
  • Keno

Favorite Find at Bovada.lv

Goldenman slot is one of the top slots at Bovada. It has a beautiful team which allures players to it. It also features a free spins bonus round where players have to shoot jets out of the sky to get cash prizes and a 500x jackpot. That’s decent, right? Give it a try and you will enjoy it.

Poker

Bovada offers online poker tournaments that keep lovers of such tournaments glued and happy. Sit-and-Go, 100,000 dollars guaranteed, jackpot tournaments, and high rollers are part of the weekly offering you will see at Bovada.

Here is how they work:

Sit-and-Go

This tournament gives players maximum choice as they can choose whether to play Omaha or Texas Hold’em. Players can also choose the number of players they want to compete against (could be between 2 to 45) as well as the buy-in levels they are comfortable with (between 1 and 200 dollars).

Sit-and-Go tournaments also have some unique twists. Players can opt for ‘Deep Stack’ and play it for their double starting chips. There is also an option of ‘Satellite’ which allows players to win their ways into bigger tournaments. Another option is ‘Turbo’ for faster blind levels while there are also other available options.

High Roller

Players who like high-stakes poker would like High Roller tournaments. There are 75,000 dollars in guaranteed prize money available for players and the tournaments hold by 6 pm ET every Sunday.

Players must qualify to participate in this tournament. If you do not know how to go about this, you can find out ways to do it on the site.

Turbo

Some players are obsessed with speed; they want games that have speed, tournaments that have speed. Bovada is the right choice for such players. Turbo tournament is the answer as it is characterized by fast blinds which surge every 2 to 6 minutes. Additionally, there are ‘super’ and ‘hyper’ tournaments for players who want to turn up the heat further.

A quick tip is that you are guaranteed 75,000 dollars in prize money if you play these turbo tournaments on Thursdays or Fridays.

Jackpot Sit-and-Go

Perhaps you do not have time to play qualifying rounds and yet you want to play at the big money tables, Jackpot Sit-and-Go is your best bet. It involves only 3 players and also follows the ‘hyper turbo’ model.

The prize pool for Jackpot-Sit-and-Go is randomly determined by a spinning reel when all the 3 players have bought in. players can win up to 1,000x their buy-in

100000 Dollars Guaranteed

At Bovada, Sundays are the big poker day. This is when the casino hosts a $100k tournament, a big-money tournament at 4 pm ET. The top prize for this tournament is 20000 dollars.

Like High Roller, players will have to qualify for this tournament before they can play it. Don’t know how to qualify? Find out on Bovada poker page.

General Thoughts

As you can see, Bovada boasts a comprehensive poker section which makes it one of the top choices in the US market. They have games for every type of player, no matter their taste. The games are also regular.

You will also find the additional useful features in the poker section interesting as they guide you on how to play anonymous tables, poker and give you the ability to chat while playing and to customize tables by selecting a mobile poker platform, your preferred card design, or preferred language. 

Sportsbook: Is Bovada Sports Betting Legit?

Bovada is the leading online sportsbook in the US and their sportsbook portfolio attests to that. The available sportsbook includes;

  • Cricket
  • Golf
  • Boxing
  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Football
  • Darts
  • Cycling
  • Tennis
  • UFC/MMA
  • Rugby
  • Politics
  • Specials
  • Number Games
  • Motorsports
  • Hockey
  • Handball
  • Horse Racing
  • Gaelic Games
  • Futsal
  • Esports
  • Table Tennis
  • Esports

Players can place parlay, proposition, in-play, and Moneyline bets at Bovada. The sportsbook interface is clean, simple, and easy to understand. The interface displays odds in American format while the betting slip is lightning-fast as there is no ‘review stage’. Players only have to place bets and click to get instant action.

Bovada.lv is mobile-friendly such that there is a version of the site that is compatible with any mobile device. Players can visit the site from their mobile devices to play or they can download the app on iOS or Android to get started.

They can also download the app from Bovada site by scanning the QR code.

Live Betting

Bovada offers live betting on table tennis, bovada nfl, cricket, snooker, esports, and soccer. Players who want to enjoy live betting should click on the ‘live’ symbol to see all the available betting options and betting odds.

For example, players who bet on soccer can wager on game results, corners in each half, kick-off times, second and first-half results, team totals, whether both teams will score or not, or which team will score next.

Esports

Yes, Esports is not left out of Bovada’s offering as they offer esports like LOL (League of Legends), StarCraft, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Maybe this collection of esports isn’t the biggest out there but they promise a great deal of betting action, so many players will find it sufficient. Players can bet on annual global esport tournaments like Oceana, Summer Brazil, and the ongoing esports leagues. 

Bovada Betting Limits

Bovada does not publish betting limits. However, if you look at the famous gambling forums, you will know that Bovada has small betting limits. It is obvious to see why they do. They do so because high stake bettors that are willing to bet huge sums on a bet already have winning tips most times. After all, they are educated.

Players should also note that Bovada.lv offers different limits for different levels of players. Players who have been tagged as recreational bettors will get bet odds compared to those tagged as educated ones. Bovada bettors have issues with this model known as ‘Dual lines’.

Promotions

You will notice that bonuses on Bovada are bigger than on other sites especially when players use Bitcoin as their preferred choice of payment. There are several bonus offers for poker players, Bitcoin enthusiasts, casino players, and sports bettors playing any game.

Here is additional information about the bonuses. Read through and you will know if the bonuses are fair or maybe they even have reasonable conditions and terms.

Bitcoin Welcome Bonuses: How Does Bovada Bonus Work?

Players who prefer to use Bitcoin as their preferred payment method can also claim casino and sportsbook Bitcoin bonuses.  Sports bettors can claim a 50% bonus of up to 500 dollars using BVSBITCOIN50 as the bonus code. However, they must wager the withdrawal and deposit before the funds will be available to them.

Casino players too can claim a deposit bonus of 150% up to the value of 1500 dollars. They will use BVCBITCOIN150 as their bonus code. Players can use this claim up to 3 times to get a total of 4500 dollars as bonus cash when they use Bitcoin. However, the players will need to wager their deposit plus a bonus 25x.

 

 

Sports Welcome Bonus

Players who want to bet on sports at Bovada will get up to a 50% bonus as a welcome bonus of up to 250 dollars. The rollover requirements on this bonus are 5x which is quite reasonable. Players will have to bet the deposit amount and the bonus amount.

Bovada Casino Welcome Bonus

Players who play casino games at Bovada can claim up to a 100% deposit bonus and two reload bonuses with the worth of 1,000 dollars each.

Players can use this bonus by using the NEWWELCOME bovada bonus code. To claim subsequent bonuses, players will have to meet the 25x playthrough criteria first.

Poker Welcome Bonus

If you are a fan of poker, you will love the poker rooms on Bovada. You are also eligible to get a 100% poker welcome bonus of up to 500 dollars.  Like many other online poker bonuses, Bovada poker welcome bonus is released in stages as players accumulate points. To start playing, players will have to download the Bovada poker client. Players will move to the next stage of their bonus cash each time they reach a new level. Poker bonus cash does not have any rollover requirement.

Banking: How to withdraw and make deposits in Bovada?

Have you used Bitcoin before but you did not get an incentive? Try using the same on Bovada and you will not regret doing so. Bovada’s fee structure permits the use of Bitcoins while it also gives players one free deposit through debit or credit card. However, it charges 5.9% on all Mastercard and Visa transactions. Players who use Amex will also pay a 9.9% fee.

As for withdrawals, transfers made via Bitcoin are free so long it is the first check of the month. Additional checks made after the first of each month will attract a 50 dollars flat fee. Players can easily bypass all these unnecessary fees when they use Bitcoin. It’s worth the try. Players will find it hard to go back to conventional payment methods once they have tried Bitcoin.

Bovada supports Bitcoin payment to the core and it even created a detailed guide to explain how to get Bitcoin, how to use it, and what exactly it is. It is expected that the number of deposit and withdrawal methods in the US will be limited, so Bovada has tried by supporting Bitcoin payment. We can only hope that it will accept more forms of cryptocurrency such as altcoins in the nearest feature.  Note that Bovada does not allow the use of Bitcoin Cash for withdrawals.

How Long Does Bovada Take To Pay Out?

Speaking of payout times in Bovada, players should expect Bitcoin withdrawals to take only a few minutes before they are ready. Players who choose to withdraw by cheque should expect it to be ready within ten days.

20 dollars is the minimum withdrawal while the maximum withdrawal limit by cheque is 3000 dollars every 1-7 days. The maximum for withdrawals by Bitcoin is 9500 dollars every 1-3 days. It is important to note that players cannot withdraw using Bitcoin except they have used Bitcoin to deposit in the past.

Deposit Methods

  • Bitcoin
  • Debit Cards
  • Credit Cards

Withdrawal Methods

  • Bitcoin Cash
  • Bitcoin
  • Check

Bovada VIP Program 

Players will start getting loyalty points from Bovada from the first real money they wager or bet. They will also get cashback on losses while they can climb through the ranks and unlock greater rewards. Levels in Bovada include Hall of Fame, Legend, All-Star, Pro, Rookie, and Starter in descending order. The levels in the program are like that of a baseball game.

Players will get greater cashback rates as they climb up through the levels while their reward points accumulation rate will also surge. As you can see the VIP program is simple and straight to the point. You will love the reward program because it makes you know your standing.

Bovada Customer Service

Bovada has a robust customer support option which you can reach via various channels including:

  • Email: you can mail the customer service team on [email protected] and expect a response within 24 hours. They do not waste time replying. You can also use the contact form on their site.
  • Live Chat: players click on the ‘chat’ icon to chat with customer support at any time of the day while the latter will reply quickly and professionally.
  • Telephone: you can call Bovada toll-free if you are in the US. The line is 1-888-263-0000. The telephone line is available 24/7.
  • Help/FAQs: Bovada FAQ section is a lot different from others as it is extensive. There are sections in the FAQ for Bitcoin, bonuses, financials, horses, sports, poker, casino games, and general questions. There is a high chance that players will find answers here without even contacting customer care.

On a general note, Bovada boasts great customer support. It will be even better if they create a toll-free number for each region or country where Bovada players come from.

Bovada Legal States

Bovada is legal in almost all the states in the US except the following:

  • New York
  • Maryland
  • Delaware
  • Nevada
  • New jersey

This means it is legal in the following:

Alabama, Illinois, Wisconsin, Mississippi, California, Hawaii, Kansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, South Carolina, Washington, North Carolina, Montana, Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming.