Why Sportsbooks Limit Some Players

Over the years you may have heard of a sportsbook limiting a player. Whether you heard it on a movie, TV show or from someone in your personal life, you probably have heard of this happening. And it does. In this article we will go over some reasons as to why a player may be limited at a sportsbook.

Player wins too much over time – This is what we call a “sharp” player. The person who has been betting for years and always ends the year with profit. Some books will keep a sharp around to see what he is betting and adjust accordingly. Others will limit him or even blacklist him. A real “sharp” is found few and far between.

Shady Activity – This is more applicable to online sports betting. If the credit card or other financial transaction appears with differing information from the player this can instantly send up red flags. If you have multiple accounts or “your sister” is playing at the same book, this may cause some problems for you.

Steam Chaser – These are guys that monitor all the sportsbooks and when a big line movement happens at one book he catches his book with their pants down, so to speak. Sportsbooks are not powerless in this event. You may get them on a move like this but if they realize you are a steam chaser, you will be limited or banned.

Anything they deem fit – At the end of the day, its their business and they can deny service to whomever they like, unless they are a Christian cake store, of course. The bottom line is if they find you to be shady or a threat to their bottom line in anyway, they can limit you. It sucks, but those are the facts. That is why it is important to have plenty of outs, ie., places you can bet on short notice. There are plenty of guys who live in Vegas that use offshore sportsbooks as a quick out.

Limit from the Start – There are some sportsbooks who will sell you on large bonuses and then limit you from day one. Check out the case of BetMania. They offered a large bonus with a large rollover to match. But they limit players to $250 (risked) per bet.

There is nothing worse at a sportsbook than being limited. Especially when it is in a way designed to keep you from ever hitting your rollover. Or even worse, when it is done punitively and you did nothing wrong.