A price is very reasonable if you are getting what you pay for. “Are you getting what you pay for”, is the question that you should be asking yourself. What is a reasonable price, is it $2 per head, what about $5 or $8. Let’s take a quick trip back to the late 1980s when this pay per head phenomena got its start. A group of bookies from the Caribbean and Costa Rica decided they had had enough, and they wanted a better way to reach their clients. What was happening around them was some stiff competition from online sportsbooks. The bookies were realizing that a few investors had pooled their resources and started what would later become the “online sportsbook craze”. They were taking the competition because gamblers want to gamble on their time, not the bookies time. With an online sportsbook, the gamblers can do exactly that. They can gamble at 3:00 Am, or at any time, and from virtually anywhere in the world that has an internet connection.
- The Bookies in the Caribbean realized the need to be competitive. They were growing tired of losing their hard-earned clients and it was killing profits. In an effort to thwart this, they put their heads together and came up with what is now known as the pay per head. They had a clear direction and they hired programmers to help them create software that would become an online sportsbook. Bookies would have the opportunity to join a PPH that offered the same setup as an online sportsbook and absolutely nobody would know the difference. They put it together and it took off slowly at first and even slower when they decided on a price point of around $25 per head! This was a money-grab and it didn’t work. Their product was great and every bookie on the block wanted in, but they couldn’t afford the PPH fees.
- Very few bookies want to pay the price the PPH providers were charging so in order to meet the demands of their clients – the bookies – the PPH providers have drastically lowered their prices. What this equates to today is around $7-$10 per head, per week. The best PPH providers, with the best reputation for honesty, transparency, and customer service – they are charging a fair price.
- Rule of Thumb: Never pay a lowball price. There are many gimmicks out there in this great big world and the PPH industry is no exception. Many folks have stolen the original idea behind the PPH with a watered-down product. Don’t be fooled. There is quality and there is garbage. Are you getting what you pay for and if you are paying less than $7-$10; you are probably not.
- “Word of mouth” goes a long way and so do “bookie forums”. Find them, search them out. Read the reviews on PPH providers and discover who has the best software, who provides the best experience for you the bookie and who offers the gambler the best gambling site on the internet. Do not sell yourself short.
- $7-$10 is the going rate with the best PPH providers in the industry. You want a PPH provider that’s willing to custom-build your online booking site within a day or two, along with the best user interface, a great wagering menu and one that does all of the work for you.
A PPH must be offering a world-class racebook, along with a fantastic, Las Vegas-style casino. All of the above should be included in the PPH fees. Not only should you expect this, but you should also expect the best customer service for you and your clients. Do they offer a 24/7 800-number that can be called from the United States? What about the daily offering (sporting events and any other gambling market, such as politics) are they offering this? What about accepting and grading all wagers, along with account adjustment? What about setting the daily lines and odds but leaving you fully in charge to change any line, at any time you wish? Find a PPH that’s worth their salt and start moving your business in the best direction possible.
