Summary
To claim that BetCRIS is where all the lines start is probably misleading, yet there is no denying that they are a huge and talented operation, where customers can bet at great odds whatever their stake size. Their sporting markets are beautifully laid out in a straightforward fashion, while the sheer volume of propositions available on North American sports are enough to send punters of that persuasion into a frenzy.
However, if you’re someone wanting to bet on soccer, you’re unlikely find more than a handful of match markets available, while the same applies with the likes of tennis and golf. The firm’s racebook is devoted entirely to US Racing, so this is not one for those who like a punt on the horses in UK and Ireland. That said, where there are odds available, the line is nearly always competitive.
New Customer Offer
Upon registering, customers can qualify for a 25% bonus on their first deposit up to $500.
Wagering requirement
Clients must Rollover 5 times the deposit amount used to apply for the bonus to be eligible for payout. Only bets made on odds from 1.5 (-200) to 4.0 (+300) will count towards the Rollover. Freeplays can be only used on odds from 1.5(-200) to 4.0(+300).
Background
Costa Rica International Sports (CRIS or BetCRIS) was founded in 1985. The sportsbook provides safe, legal, and secure betting on sporting events from practically any location in the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When we say ‘practically’, it’s because they have recently stopped accepting customers from the United States of America.
In 1985, CRIS opened the world’s first offshore sportsbook in the Dominican Republic. Designed as a simple call centre for customers to place sports bets, this innovative idea was the start of the billion dollar sports betting industry. The gaming community quickly took notice and their reputation for being the leader in offshore betting began to grow.
In 1993, they were the first sportsbook to relocate to Costa Rica and are now known as Costa Rica International Sports (CRIS). They have expanded their services - diversification into online sports betting, virtual casino, multi-player poker and walk-in sports betting outlets all over the world, created an impressive $1.5 billion dollar volume in 2008.
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Odds and Markets
As far as odds (or the line) are concerned, this is BetCRIS’ number one selling point. As they point out in several places on the website, they are known “for where the line originates”. While that might not be true for every sport, it’s clear that many firms take their lead from this offshore giant when it comes to pricing up American Football, Baseball and Basketball. They clearly have a skilled team of traders to set their prices, especially as they are unafraid of taking some giant bets!
They also score highly on the range of markets available, although it should be mentioned that they could improve the range of sports offered, especially now they no longer accept US customers. BetCRIS will have to look at strengthening their soccer markets and some of the other sports which are popular in Europe and the Rest of the World.
Website
The BetCRIS website, which is currently available in English, Spanish, Polish, Romanian, French and Chinese, has a very Americanised feel to it, despite the fact that this operator have now stopped taking bets from US customers. It still retains a north American flavour with baseball and American football amongst the top five betting events, while the default odds on the site are American.
Placing a bet is a very simple process, although they could possibly benefit from promoting some of their most popular sports markets on the homepage, rather than having to find them using the left-hand menu. They also feature plenty of extras further down the page, such as Sports News, Stats & Trends and Wager Types. The latter is particularly useful if you’re unaccustomed to the North American jargon used for betting.
Customer Service
Another big thumbs-up for BetCRIS on this one. They claim to offer a 24 / 7 international service, and by assigning two personal account representatives for each customer, they certainly make you feel privileged. They also have multi-lingual staff who can converse in seven different languages, while there is the option to communicate over the phone, by email or through the medium of live chat. You can expect a fast response to all three, while queries are dealt with in a friendly and professional manner.
Customer Service Email
csd @betcris.com
Customer Service Telephone Number
0800 100 5296