Top Reason a Sports Book Will Ban a Player

So far in this three part series we discussed why sharp players and bettors who follow wise action are one of the reasons that a sportsbook will ban a player. We also touched on players who cherry pick bets and play props and halftimes as another reason a player might get shown the door. But today, in the final piece of the picture, we discuss the Number 1 Reason a sportsbook will kick you out. 

Sports books post literally hundreds of lines for a myriad of sporting events every day, plus futures, props and live betting during games. On any given day, thousands of different bets are offered at every sportsbook. The things that will get you banned the quickest at a sports betting website . . . betting a  "Bad Line" or "Past Posting". 

It's Like Stealing

Bookmakers offer bets at a fair number and expect bettors to bet on games and events offered. But, if a bookmaker posts a line that is way off, either through a computer glitch or a lines maker manually putting in a bad number, they may not honor the wager. And players who see a bad line and bet it anyway, will ultimately feel the wrath of the bookmaker. 

That's because bookmakers feel like bettors who take a shot on a bad lines are more than just 'shot takers'. They are thieves. Here's why. 

As we noted in the #3 reason, a bookmaker told me once that all he wanted was "a chance to beat the player". In referring to bad lines, he added, "if a number is supposed to be -5 and it's plus five, I have no chance to win that game." He even went so far as to say he would honor a line that was supposed to be -3, but instead was posted at -1, because he still had a chance to beat the player with that number. Not every book is that flexible.

We have seen players take shots at bad lines for two decades. In every instance, the player seems innocent and in the case of the -1 when it should have been a three, that's understandable. But when the line is reversed or so out of wack that it's obvious, that's when bookies have a real problem.

In most cases, the sportsbook will either cancel the bet or offer it at the correct line. But in some instances, players will get kicked out of their sportsbook by grabbing and firing on a bad line. Especially when a $50 bettor lays $300 on a dog that should have been posted as a favorite. 


Instead, a sportsbook will reward you if you let them know they have a bad line posted. It's really the only play when you see a bad line. Take it, fire on it and you will get the bet refunded and potentially thrown out of the book. Identify it and probably get rewarded with a bonus or free play.

Past Posting

In the same thought process by a bookmaker, past posting is also considered cheating and thievery. Past posting is when a game has started, yet the sportsbook leaves the number up and you place a wager on a game you know has already started. It comes from horse racing a long time ago, where a player would be watching a race live at the track, yet the bookie still had the race as 'at the gate'. He would place the bet on the already started race, thus betting 'past the post'. 

You might get away with this once, but past posting will get you booted. The best thing to do if a line is still up and the score is already 3-0, don't play it and instead identify to the book that it's still there, open for bets.

Both betting bad lines and betting after an event or race has started will get you kicked out of a sports book very quickly. If players understood the mindset of the bookmaker, that this type of behavior is stealing, then it most likely would not happen. But, if you think you can 'get away with it', go ahead and try. Just don't come complaining to OSGA to help you because your book refunded your bet and kicked you out. If you commit the #1 reason a sportsbook will throw you out, there's not much anyone can do.

For more Insider sports book information and to read the #2 and #3 reasons sportsbooks will kick you out, click here.