Bodog Review

Bodog is a well known brand founded by Calvin Ayre, a Canadian entrepreneur. It was founded in 1994 and was associated with beverage, Internet, and music products. It only started to be known in the online gambling scene in 2000 as Ayre worked as a technology supplier to a number of online gambling companies. Now, it claims to be an industry leader, particularly when it comes to sportsbook, a full Vegas-style casino, poker, and horse race betting.

In addition to the claim of being an industry leader, Bodog also touts its fast payouts and numerous bonuses and promotions. Fast payouts, however, may only apply if you use bitcoins to play. Bodog also provides the option to play in most platforms. You can play through your desktop or laptop computer or through your mobile devices. Except for the poker section, you don’t have to download anything to be able to play.

Get to know more about this online gambling site through our comprehensive Bodog review. At the moment, though, this online casino is mainly intended for the Canadian online gambling market so if you are not from Canada, you may skip this review and look for other options.

Account Registration

Bodog has a relatively long account registration form. The very first field in this registration form is the Country of Residence. It is automatically filled out based on your IP address. If you are in a country that is not being served by Bodog, the registration form will automatically redirect to a page telling you that Bodog’s services does not cover your location.

The account registration process will ask for your full name, date of birth, full address, ZIP code, phone number, email address, password, mother’s maiden name, city of birth. There are also optional fields where you can indicate referral email address and information on how you learned about Bodog.

Completing the registration may take a couple of minutes. It’s good that the registration form is somewhat smart as it can detect if the information you are entering are incoherent or possibly incorrect. It can detect if the postal code you enter does not match the province, for instance.

The Online Gambling Options on Bodog

Bodog offers a sportsbook, online casino games, poker, and horse race betting or racebook.

The sports betting section features baseball, soccer, tennis, basketball, mixed martial arts, hockey, boxing, cricket, football, motor sports, e-sports, rugby, darts, snooker, cycling, and Olympic games and events. It also features betting on political events, including the election developments and results in the USA. If you have played sports betting in other bitcoin sportsbook sites, you should already be familiar with the game interface. There’s the list of sports to the left, the details in the center, and the bet slip to the right. It works just like how other sportsbooks work.

There are numerous casino games on Bodog. They are grouped as follows: Blackjack Games, Table Games, Slots, Video Poker, and Specialty Games. The list of games on the site continues growing but at the time we were doing this Bodog review, we found a total of 225 online casino games.

• The Blackjack Games category lists 6 games, namely Blackjack, Double Deck Blackjack, European Blackjack, Perfect Pairs, Single Deck Blackjack, and Zappit Blackjack.
• For the Table Games category, there are 10 games, excluding the blackjack games. These are American Roulette, Baccarat, Caribbean Hold’em, Caribbean Stud Poker, Craps, European Roulette, Let ‘Em Ride, Pai Gow Poker, Tri-Card Poker, and Vegas Three Card Rummy.
• There are a total of 179 slot games on Bodog. These include favorite titles such as Aztec’s Treasure, Caesar’s Empire, Mister Money, and Cleopatra’s Gold.
• If you fancy playing video poker, there are 17 options to choose from. These include varieties of Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, Double Bonus Poker, Jacks or Better, and Joker Poker.
• Lastly, for the Specialty Games category, there are 13 games you can play. These include keno, sudoku, and a number of bingo games.

All of the casino games have their respective information pages so you can get an idea (as well as a screenshot) of what the games are about. Game descriptions and playing guides are presented. The games have Practice Play or demo modes so we can consider Bodog as a free bitcoin casino. You don’t have to make a deposit to be able to play the games. Game aesthetics and intuitiveness are okay. They are not in fullscreen by default but you can quickly set them to fullscreen mode. We just wish the games are in 16:9 aspect ratio.

Playing poker on Bodog requires you to download the desktop client. Unfortunately, it’s only available for Windows computers. There is no Mac version.

Horse race betting on Bodog works in the same way other racebooks do. The interface is mostly similar. It features a wide variety of tracks including Albuquerque Downs, Belmont Park, Delaware Park, Evangeline Downs, Fairmount Park, Indiana Downs, Mountaineer Park, Northfield Park, Parx Racing, Plainridge, Thistledown, and Yonkers Raceway.

Bodog Game Fairness and Software

Bodog uses software from Realtime Gaming or RTG. It’s the same software used by other top online casinos such as 5Dimes. RTG software is notable for being available on the web, desktop, and mobile gaming platforms. The games are in Flash, not the more efficient HTML5, but we have not encountered issues with the games we tried for this Bodog review.

The casino games on Bodog are not provably fair. However, since RTG is one of the noted online software at present, we are not inclined to make any issue on game fairness in this Bodog review.

Bodog Is Mobile-Friendly

Bodog has a mobile-friendly website. The site automatically adjusts to the display size of the mobile device used to access it. It does not have Android, iOS, or Windows mobile apps for playing the game on smartphones or tablets but the mobile-friendly site already suffices in providing a good bitcoin mobile casino experience.

The poker games, however, require you to download a client. There is no web-based version. You can only play it on Windows computers (Windows 7 and newer versions of the OS). Since the poker section of Bodog cannot be accessed through a web browser, you can’t also play it on mobile devices.

Currencies, Deposits, and Withdrawals

Bodog uses US dollar for its main currency but it also accepts bitcoin deposits. All amounts on the Bodog site are expressed in US dollar ($).

Deposits can be made in three options: bitcoin, credit card (Visa and MasterCard), and Interac e-Transfer. Bodog has a page dedicated to providing details on how to make deposits in bitcoins. Depositing through bitcoins is arguably the best option because there are no fees you need to pay and the maximum deposit is at 5,000 USD. The process is also faster than the other deposit methods. Credit card deposits can take up to 10 business days. Interac e-Transfer transactions may take up to 20 hours.

If you want to make a withdrawal, you will have to do it through the same method you used in making a deposit.

Bonuses, Promotions, and Player Rewards

Bodog offers a multitude of bonuses and promotions. These can be summarized as follows:

• 100% Sports Sign Up Bonus of Up to 200 USD. This can also be considered your first deposit bonus for the sports betting section. You can use it in any sport, wager type, or odd format. Although this bonus is named as the Sports Sign Up Bonus, it is actually the sign up bonus for all the games (sports, casino, and racebook). Don’t expect another sign up or welcome bonus if you put your first deposit to play the casino games or racebook. Wagering requirement for this bonus is 5x of the sum of the bonus and deposit made for sports betting, 5x for the racebook, and 40x for the casino section.
• 100% Match Up Bonus of Up to 400 USD for Slots and 200 USD for Other Casino Games. This bonus is labeled as the Casino Sign Up or Welcome Bonus on the Bodog site but it does not supplant the bonus mentioned earlier. You need codes to get this bonus (WELCOMESLOTS for the slots and WELCOMEGAMES for the other casino games). Yes, you can get two bonuses for a total maximum obtainable bonus of 600 USD. Wagering requirement is 25x.
• 100% Poker Sign Up Bonus of Up to 1,000 USD. This bonus is based on the poker points you earn. Refer to the Poker Sign Up Bonus page to learn more about this bonus. There are no wagering or rollover requirements for the poker points earned.
• 10 USD Mobile Casino Bonus. If you play through your smartphone, you can get a 10 USD bonus on all slots, video poker games, and table games. There is a minimum wagering requirement of 100 USD to obtain this bonus. The bonus is available from Monday at 00:00:00 AM ET to Sunday at 11:59:59 PM ET. Wagering requirement is 20x.
• Weekly 210 USD Casino Bonus Draw. This bonus is available from Monday to Sunday and is applicable to all blackjack games. Wagering requirement is 20x.
• 10 USD Table Game Tuesdays. Get this bonus by earning at least 50 casino points on table games (explanation on the getting casino points below). Wagering requirement is 20x.
• Royal Flush Bonus of Up to 200 USD. This is a poker-exclusive bonus available in the Texas Hold’em cash game. To get this bonus, both pocket cards must be used and at least three players must be dealt into the hand. The bonus you can get is 50x the big blind of the table but with a ceiling of 200 USD. This bonus has no wagering requirement.

Bodog also offers a Refer a Friend program that grants an instant bonus of up to 100 USD, which is 200% of the first deposit of the new player you refer to the site. There is no limit as to how many friends you can refer and how much bonus you can get from this program.

Additionally, Bodog has a Casino Rewards program, but this is not Bodog’s version of the VIP programs and rewards offered by other online casinos. This program allows you to earn points that can be converted into cash that can then be loaded into your account every other Friday. You can get 2 casino points for every 10 USD wagered on slot games, 1 casino point for every 25 USD bet on single and double deck blackjack, and 1 casino point for every 10 USD bet placed on blackjack, mini-blackjack, mini roulette, and other casino games. Every 100 casino points you earn can be redeemed for 1 USD. There are no wagering requirements for this rewards program.

The VIP program on Bodog is called the 94 Club, which has exclusive offers for members including weekly bonuses and invites for live events in different parts of the world. 94 Club members also get to enjoy personalized customer service.

Country Restrictions, Anonymity, and Site Languages

Bodog imposes IP filtering that prevents access to players who are in countries not served by the site. If you are from these restricted countries, you will be redirected to a page that states the following message “  Sorry for the inconvenience, but we are currently unable to offer our services in your area.”

This does not mean, though, that if you are able to access the site you are already allowed to sign up for an account and play. The site may be accessed from countries such as France, Romania, Luxembourg, Sweden, and the Netherlands but it refuses to allow players from these countries to register for an account.

Those who are in the United States may also be able to access the site but it does not allow account registration for US players. Unfortunately, Bodog cannot be considered a US-accepted bitcoin casino. It is only mostly intended for Canadian players. Despite the .eu domain extension, it does not accept players from the UK and other European countries.

If you are looking for an anonymous bitcoin casino, Bodog is not going to be a good option. In its Terms of Service, there is a specific provision (Under the Registration and Account Creation section, 2.5) that requires that the information you provide for your account should valid and verifiable. You will be asked to verify the details you submit during the account registration process or at some subsequent time. The failure to send the needed documents to verify the information you provide will serve as grounds for the termination of your account. Likewise, your account will be revoked if you submit false information or if you are unwilling to provide the documentation asked to have your details confirmed.

The site is only available in the English language.

Bodog Player Support

If you have questions or you need assistance regarding your Bodog account or the games you play, you can reach Bodog’s support staff through email and telephone. Send your emails to [email protected] or use the contact form on Bodog’s Contact Us page. If you want to make a call, the number to dial is 1-877-263-6422. Bodog provides 24/7 customer support, 365 days a year.

Bodog does not provide live chat support. However, it has official social media accounts. You can get updates about this online casino or send messages through its Facebook or Twitter accounts.

Bodog License, Regulation, and Security

Bodog is registered and licensed in Antigua. It is regulated by the Antigua and Barbuda Financial Services Regulatory Commission. It complies with the Interactive Gaming and Wagering Licenses imposed by the government of Antigua. Moreover, its online casino operation is 100% certified by Gaming Associates.

When it comes to security, Bodog guarantees that all accounts and transactions are properly secured. The site emphasizes that it adheres to strict online security guidelines. It employs SSL encryption. It also provides a guide on how to adjust security levels for different web browsers.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Established online gambling company/brand
• Multiple ways to play – mobile, desktop client (download), and online (instant)
• Multitude of bonuses and promotions offered, including a unlimited referral program

Cons

• No poker desktop client for Mac
• No live chat support
• Real money playing is limited to the Canadian online gambling market