Betting in Ontario in 2025: What Should You Consider When Choosing A Sportsbook?

29-09-2025

If you enjoy following sports such as football, soccer, ice hockey, golf or any other type of competitive sport, you probably also get a buzz from placing bets on your favorite sports. The chance to claim some winnings based on your sporting knowledge helps to boost your enjoyment of watching events and in the modern world of sportsbook apps, placing bets is quick and easy.

There are lots of different sportsbook operators to choose from in Canada, so picking the best one can be challenging. Lots of factors vary across the different sites, including the odds offered, the range of sports markets to bet on and the bonuses offered. You will also see a big difference across how user-friendly each app or site is.

Most sports bettors in Canada use their mobile to place bets, so choosing a mobile-friendly sports betting site will usually be a priority too.

Here are some tips on what to look for in a sportsbook for betting in Ontario:

Bonuses and Incentives Offered

If you are registering with a new online sportsbook you have never played before, you should be able to take advantage of some good welcome bonuses. Many sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses such as a deposit match of 100% up to a certain limit, which means you can double your playing money.

However, there may be wagering requirements to meet, such as needing to wager 20x to 50x the bonus amount. Choosing a sportsbook with lower wagering requirements can help you to achieve the target easier.

Sportsbooks also tend to offer free spins to use on their casino. Other bonuses to check for are free bets and cashback on losses. These bonuses can help you to boost your bankroll and extend your playing.

Licensing

The gambling regulations were updated in Ontario in 2022, with a new regulatory framework set up. This led to casinos and sportsbooks being issued licenses provided that they met the conditions of the license. Conditions include site security protocols and independent auditing to verify fair play.

When you are choosing your sportsbook Ontario check the licensing details as a regulated operator will provide greater protection and peace of mind that the operator is legit.

Sports Markets

While most sportsbooks offer a number of sports to bet on, if you follow a less common sport that you want to bet on, you might not find it on every online sportsbook. So, before you start the registration process, check which sports are included on their site and also review the betting options to see if they provide a large range of bet choices.

Odds Competitiveness

Sportsbooks with the most competitive odds will increase the value of your winnings, so you might want to use a comparison site to identify the sportsbooks which offer the most competitive odds. Even a small difference could make a big financial difference in payouts, especially for bigger odds and large stakes. Over time, using a site with more competitive odds will make a significant difference.

You can compare the odds for a specific sports event to see which sportsbook offer the best odds.

Mobile Experience

While the Ontario iGaming market is one of the leading iGaming industries in the world, there is still some variance around the user experience for mobile users. Check whether the sportsbook has a dedicated app that you can download or check how user-friendly the website is when you access it via your smartphone.

If graphics are not clear or it is difficult to navigate, this will have a negative user experience. There are many sportsbooks that apply a mobile-first approach to site design, so you don’t have to compromise by using ones that are not well set up for mobile users.

Customer Support

Hopefully, you won’t need to use customer support but if you do, you want to avoid being frustrated if you have to wait days for responses. Look for sportsbooks that offer 24 hour customer service and check online reviews to see how previous players have rated the quality of the customer service.

Issues with the registration process can hold you up and prevent you from being able to place bets on upcoming sports events. Choosing a site with good customer support will usually mean that any issues will be resolved swiftly and won’t impact your access to the site.

These are just a few of the top priorities to check when choosing your sportsbook in Ontario but you might also want to check whether there are responsible gaming tools and terms around withdrawals and deposits processes.