Introduction

Sbobet and sbobet88 are two of the most popular online gambling sites in Asia. Sbobet, also known as SBOBET, stands for Sports Bookie Asia and was founded in 2004. Sbobet88, also called Sbo88, is an extension site of Sbobet that was launched in 2008.

Both sites operate as online sportsbooks and casinos, allowing customers to bet on major sporting events worldwide and casino games like slots and poker. They accept various currencies and have interfaces translated into multiple languages.

This comprehensive guide will provide extensive background on sbobet and sbobet88, explain their sports betting and casino offerings in detail, highlight special features, and discuss mobile compatibility, reputation, regulations and more to give the full picture of these major Asian gambling platforms.

Background of Sbobet and Sbobet88

Sbobet launched in 2004 and is licensed and operated by the Philippines-based company CEZA-First Cagayan. During the early online betting boom, it was one of the first major Asian-facing gambling websites.

The “SBOBET” name stands for “Sports Bookie Asia” and represents the company’s initial focus on Asian handicapping for sports like soccer, basketball, and more. Their specialization in these sports and Asian leagues differentiated them from European-centric sites in the early days.

In 2008, seeing the success and growing customer base of Sbobet, the company launched sbobet88 as an extension site meant to serve additional Asian markets with localized language options and betting products catered to regional customer demand.

Sbobet88, often stylized as Sbo88 operates under the same ownership as SBOBET but functions as a sister site with its own identity. By launching sbobet88 and Sbobet, the parent company could scale its customer reach efficiently.

Over the next decade, from 2010 to 2020, both sbobet and sbobet88 expanded significantly regarding sports coverage, betting options, and casino game offerings. From their Asian handicapping origins, they grew into full-service gambling sites in response to massive industry growth in Southeast Asia especially.

Today, Sbobet and Sbobet88 offer betting odds and live wagering on over 40 sports, as well as hundreds of slots and casino table games. They also added mobile compatibility, live streaming, virtual sports and e-sports betting over the years to keep pace with customer demands.

Their massive regional growth has made them two of the most trafficked and recognizable Asian gambling sites for sports and casino bettors worldwide. They set the standard for Asian betting sites to follow.

Detailed Sports Betting Offerings

Sports betting remains a pillar offering of Sbobet and Sbobet88 over a decade past their launches. Especially in Asia, sports betting generates tremendous customer interest and betting volume for these sites.

a. Football Betting

Soccer or football betting makes up the largest share of the handle. Sbobet and Sbobet88 cover leagues like:

a. English Premier League

b. UEFA Champions League

c. Spanish La Liga

d. German Bundesliga  

e. Italian Serie A

f. Major international tournaments like the World Cup

The depth of football coverage spans major European leagues down to Asian competitions like the J-League, K-League and Australian A-League. Hundreds of matches weekly are available for betting.

Sbobet and Sbobet88 are best known for their Asian handicap odds, invented specifically for football wagering. The handicap returns stakes on certain results to eliminate the draw outcome – designed to appeal to local betting preferences. In addition to Asian handicap, they deliver extensive match and player prop bets like:

a. Match result

b. Total goals scored

c. Goalscorers

d. Corners taken

e. Cards issued   

Live in-play betting is widely available, too, for betting on adjusted spreads, totals and props during matches in real time.

b. Basketball Betting

After football, basketball has emerged as a top sport for betting handle due to the rising popularity of US and international leagues. For basketball, Sbobet and sbobet88 cover leagues including:

a. NBA

b. Euroleague/Europe

c. Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)

d. Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)  

The style of basketball betting markets is similar to football. Gamblers can back handicaps, over/under points scored, win margins, player props and more. Live betting choices are extensive as well.

c. Other Core Sports

Beyond football and hoops, the sites deliver betting on 30+ other sports:

Tennis – Grand Slams, ATP/WTA events

Baseball – MLB, NPB, CPBL, KBO

Motorsports – Formula 1, MotoGP, V8 Supercars

Each sport sees solid betting interest from Asian bettors. Rugby and cricket, for example, attract huge handles from Australia, the Indian subcontinent, and the surrounding areas.

The depth and variety of sports coverage provide year-round action for diverse betting. Betting markets between sports remain consistent in offering handicaps, totals, spreads, props and more.

Virtual Sports and E-Sports

In later years, Sbobet and Sbobet88 have augmented real sports betting with virtual sports and eSports:

Virtual Sports – fully graphical sports simulations for football, racing, greyhounds, etc., with realistic odds models and outcomes. Virtual matches run continuously for always-available betting.

eSports – fans can bet on professional video game matches from massive tournaments for games like League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter-Strike and more. eSports betting brings a new generation of fans to wager through titles they follow.  

Casino Games and Sbobet88 Login

Aside from sportsbook, sbobet and sbobet88 also operate casino verticals that have grown significantly as more jurisdictions regulate casino gaming internationally.

a. Slots

Slots and pokies make up a bulk of casino revenue. Sbobet and SBOBet88 host hundreds of top slots from major studios like:

a. Pragmatic Play

b. Play’n GO

c. Microgaming

d. NetEnt

e. Yggdrasil Gaming

The sites refresh with new titles monthly. Slot themes range from basic fruits to Asian culture, ancient Egypt, fantasy, blockbuster IPs and beyond, catering to diverse interests. Progressive jackpot slots that can pay millions, like Mega Fortune Dreams, are incorporated to attract recreational slot players chasing life-changing wins.

b. Table Games

Classic table games are available with multiple variants for each:  

Blackjack – classic, multi-hand, surrender, switch, perfect pairs

Roulette – European, American, French, mini, turbo spin

Baccarat – punto banco, super 6, dragon bonanza  

Poker – Caribbean stud, three card, Let It Ride

Tables facilitate high/low limit betting from small stakes like $5 up to VIP levels of $10,000+ hands via the sites’ live dealer lobbies.

c. Live Dealer Casino

Sbobet and Sbobet88 feature live dealer casino environments for popular tables streamed in real-time from operational studios:

a. Blackjack with seven-seat tables and native Asian-speaking dealers

b. Baccarat with squeeze functionality, side bets  

c. Roulette, poker variants like Three Card Poker

The interactive live dealer experience recreates the social bazaar-like atmosphere traditional to Asian casinos that players know and love. Games run 24/7 with an expanding array of titles. Bettors can directly see, hear, and chat with dealers on videos in their native languages for heightened realism.

d. Poker Rooms

For card game enthusiasts, Sbobet and Sbobet88 house online poker rooms with Texas Hold ‘em, Omaha, snap and more against other players:

a. Scheduled tournaments with buy-ins from free-to-play up to $200+  

b. Cash game rings running hold ‘em, Omaha hi/lo with middling to high stakes

c. Leaderboards and player points rewards for volume players

d. Private tables to play with friends

The poker ecosystem delivers an avenue to put skills to the test against peers from around Asia and the globe.

Bonuses and Promotions 

Sbobet and Sbobet88 run perpetual bonuses and promotions as acquisition and retention playbook staples. They offer signup, deposit matched and rebate promos, free spins/bets, cash back, refer a friend and VIP schemes.

Signup Bonuses

On registration at Sbo or Sbo88, the current signup bonus gifts new players bonus credit matching 100% of first deposits up to roughly $200 in value. This effectively doubles bankrolls to play with on the sites.

Reload Bonuses

For existing customers, daily and weekly reload bonuses are common, such as 50% matches up to $100 for depositing on Fridays or slot-specific free spin bundles on Tuesdays. These reload bonuses reward and encourage customers to continue engaging with real money games.

Cash Rebate Promotions

Sbobet and Sbobet88 run cash rebate promotions, mainly for sports bettors:

Weekly cashback – Claim 5-10% rebates on losing parlays/multis

VIP rebates – High volume players earn 10%+ cashback

Cash rebate percentages reduce the house cut into bettor losses, providing immense customer value.

Refer a Friend

The sites incentivize customers to refer friends through social media and other means via their refer-a-friend programs. Advantages include:

a. Referrers receive bonus credits, free bets or spins for sending new signups

b. Friends receive bonuses themselves for signing up via a referral link   

So both parties benefit – this continues the cycle of acquisition.

VIP and Loyalty Rewards

Finally, the sites furnish VIP status and loyalty rewards for their highest-tier bettors and casino players based on monthly volume wagering.

VIP perks incorporate: 

a. Faster withdrawals  

b. Higher betting limits

c. Personal account manager

d. Birthday bonuses, gifts

e. Exclusive bonus offers and promotions

f. Luxury prize draws, gadgets, trips and events

The tiered VIP scheme focuses on catering to, retaining and recognizing the most valuable bettors who drive a disproportionate share of the handle.

Reputation, Regulations and Responsible Gaming

a. Brand Reputation

Through strong marketing, high-visibility team sponsorships, and over 15 years in the market, Sbobet and Sbobet88 have built tremendous brand equity across Asia as leading gambling platforms.  

They often rank as the top destinations for bettors and command the majority market share in key countries they serve. Reviews of the sites are generally positive regarding odds and product quality.

b. Regulatory Status

Sbobet and Sbobet88 hold licenses from the Philippines, Isle of Man, and other jurisdictions to process wagers legally as offshore online gambling operators.

However, owing to the variability of online gambling laws across Asia, the sites confront periodic access issues and internet service provider blocks in select markets like Singapore, India and more. Enforcement needs to be more consistent.

Despite legal gray areas, Sbobet and Sbo88 strive to comply with gaming commissions and financial regulations like KYC and AML to operate transparently with the safety funds. The goal is to provide a licensed, legal avenue for entertainment betting as the regulatory environment matures across Asia.   

Responsible Gaming Standards

Sbobet and Sbobet88 both adhere to responsible gaming standards, including ethical advertising, minors protection, self-exclusion options, and links to problem gambling resources should customers desire. Players can self-impose deposit limits as needed.

Know Your Customer (KYC) processes ensure proper age and identity verification checks upfront. Filters block players confirmed to be in unsupported territories. Furthermore, the sites furnish player behaviour tracking and risk analytics on the operations side to identify problems early and suggest self-exclusion in certain cases. Sbobet88 login gives consumers access to the best online betting experience available.

While taking problem gambling seriously, Sbo and Sbo88 ultimately aim to facilitate recreational play in legal, ethical parameters with entertainment value for adult players as any properly regulated operator should.

Conclusion

Sbobet and sbobet88 represent leading online betting sites catering to diverse Asian markets. They started offering Asian handicapped football odds but now furnish full sportsbooks, casinos, games, and poker products.

Both sites are massively popular as go-to gambling and entertainment destinations valued for sports depth, especially soccer and basketball, extensive casino game inventories from top studios, solid bonuses and promotions, and Asian language/currency support localized to customer preferences across Southeast Asia.

Safety, security and responsibility also underpin operations to overcome legal gray areas in the region about internet gambling. Regulatory challenges remain, but Sbo and Sbo88 work to deliver licensed, legal avenues for players as laws hopefully keep liberalizing.

Continuing enhancements across sports markets, casino games, mobile capability, banking options and responsible gambling measures will keep Sbobet and Sbobet88 positioned as accessible Asian gambling leaders for the modern era.

With a strong brand presence, they figure to retain substantial market share even as more operators inevitably enter, attempting to emulate their product formulas and scale regionally off racing internet adoption. However, Sbo and Sbo88’s first mover advantage and name trust built over 15+ years gives them the pole position to continue dominating Asia’s burgeoning gambling industry.

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