I’ve been taking bets, believe it or not, since I was in high school. Don’t get me wrong, it was much, MUCH different back in the day then it is now, but nevertheless, in one way or another, I’ve been running the numbers for 25+ years. I didn’t go to college, it wasn’t for me, so I started bartending at a local sports bar with building my bookie business in mind while having a few drinks with my buddies and the customers.
After being there for a couple years, I had so many clients, I simply could not take anymore. That’s when a customer asked me if I had heard of Pay Per Head services, and at that time, the idea for completely foreign to me. He explained it to me, and I took him up on it. PPH was quite different then, but about 10 years ago I was reading about an offshore Pay Per Head company, and started doing some research. And am I ever glad I did. It has changed my life.
I took a couple months, read up on offshore PPH’s and took the plunge and signed up. In turn, I got all my clients to sign up, and they couldn’t have been happier either. They got so many more betting options on all sports, with parlays, teasers, a near
infinite number of props and numerous others. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of an offshore Pay Per head service.
First thing’s first, the question I get asked almost every day, what is an offshore Pay Per Head service? PPH is an online service for bookies, offered by an online management service. A PPH service basically helps the agent (bookie) run their business for a rate, depending on the number of active players on a weekly basis.
As an agent, you and your clients get access to professional level sports betting software without opening your own sportsbook, which obviously would be very expensive and time consuming. You will get the security, technology and software, including lines and odds to help build your business in a coordinated manner, at the same time giving your clients a vast array of betting options.
Do you still take bets and write them by hand? Do you make your own calculations and accounting in process of making it more relevant it with main concepts on making digital marketing plan the and need to find each win and loss to figure out what the total is at the end of the week? I remember doing that at the bar, and looking back, I’m sure I
lost money on my calculations alone, not even taking into account the time I spent doing it.
Well, worry about that no longer. When you sign up with an offshore PPH service, all that is done for you. As soon as a game has ended, and has been graded (usually happens very quickly), each of your bettor’s accounts will be updated in real time, letting both the bettor and the agent know exactly where the account stands. These reports are primarily used at the end of the week, helping with collections and payouts, helping keep your customers happy with quick payments. We know all successful bookies pay fast. You basically have your day-to-day operations handled for you, giving you more time to do other things, like grow you business.
The question I get asked the second most is what does it cost. On average, PPH services charge $10 per head. That’s right, you get all of these services for only $10 per head/week. You only get charged for active clients, so during down times of the betting season, you will only get charged for clients that have placed a bet that week.
Most PPH services provide excellent customer service, with employees that are very well trained on the in’s and out’s of the service’s options, which are many. PPH services allow you to customize accounts for each of your clients, which will help you limit losses.
Let’s go over some of the positives:
1. You get world-class sports betting software, providing you with the technology and security of large online sportsbooks.
2. Vast array of betting options for your clients.
3. Most of the work is handled for you.
4. Top-shelf customer service to help you get the most out of your service.
5. Affordable costs
6. Most offer a free trial
There has to be some cons you say. Well, like any service, there will be some cons.
Some of them include:
1. There will be some limitations when it comes to customizing your service. The limitations will depend on the PPH provider you choose, and the software they use.
2. Must be careful to choose the right provider, as some will not be as reliable as others, leading to website downtime and software failure.
3. Not all will provide exemplary customer service.
4. Even if a client doesn’t bet much in a week, you still pay a set fee.
You can avoid the majority of the cons if you do your homework and choose the right PPH service. You want to do all the needed research, try to connect with users of the service to hear what they have to say, and what they recommend. Before choosing, call their customer service, and ask every question you have. How they treat you and their answers will go a long way to making your choice that much easier.
How knowledgeable is their staff? Were they able to answer all your questions, and did they show experience? A great question to ask is if they provide racebook, casino and live betting services. Ask about their technology. Do they have firewalls and backups, how about their security procedures? What is their confidentiality policy? How about their software, do they use a reputable service, is the interface easy to use and fully customizable? Asking these questions will help you on your way to minimizing the cons.
So if you are like I was many years ago, with limited player options and accounting was taking the majority of your time, it sounds like a quality Pay Per Head service is for you. Do your homework, ask the right questions, and get on your way to a happier you, and more importantly, happier clients that will place more bets, increasing your business at the same time.
This is the perfect time of the year to get started. It’ll give both you and your clients the opportunity to work out all the bugs before the start of football season. Give the free trial a go, and see for yourself. I can guarantee it’ll be the best decision you ever made.