Sportsbook BetMaker Closes After 15 Years

One of the internet’s first and, at one time, foremost, online sportsbooks, BetMaker, sang its final song yesterday. Although the US-facing betting site is officially no more, its members were not left in the dust. Their betting accounts have been moved to BookMaker.eu, where they will have access to their financial accounts and the same great sports betting features as before, as well as added functions.

The US-facing facing betting site closed its virtual doors on February 6, 2013, more than 15 years after it was established. BetMaker was launched into cyberspace in 1997 and saw exponential success over the years. Unfortunately, the site didn’t maintain the creative business model necessary to survive in the online gambling industry, which has become more and more competitive over the years.

Members of BetMaker.ag were informed via email on Tuesday, February 5, that their accounts were going to be transferred to BoomMaker.eu. It was a shock to some, having had no prior warning that the company was in dire straits, or that they had been in negotiations with BookMaker for a comprehensive buyout. Then again, there were many who weren’t at all surprised by the online sportsbook’s closure.

The general consensus across community forums seems to be one of vague indifference and predictability. Many members pointed to BetMaker’s lack of marketing skills for its eventual demise. Both clients and affiliates of the online sportsbook felt that BetMaker directed little or no focus towards the promotion of its services, one even being quoted: “Could have been a nice book to have if they had done any marketing with it.”?

Whatever the case may be, a quick visit to the BetMaker website ““ and that’s all it will be; a quick visit ““reveals this candid message:

“Your BetMaker Account Has A New Home!

Effective immediately, all BetMaker.ag players have been moved over to BookMaker.eu, the leader in online sports betting since 1985. Now you can enjoy the same great BookMaker services, plus new products, new deposit and payout methods and cool enhancements that you can only find at BookMaker.eu.”?

The most likely reason for BetMaker’s conclusive failure may have been its target audience. The online sportsbook was geared primarily towards US players, which isn’t a bad market for operators who dare to tread those waters, but Americans simply aren’t as active in sports betting as their European neighbors.  While BetMaker was extremely successful in its early days, recent years saw numerous shifts in the managerial department, ensued by a gradual decrease in visibility. As the online sports betting industry grows, operators must aggressively pursue their audience through creative marketing, lest they fall to the way side.

Amidst the transition, BookMaker has assured its newest clientele ““ the former members of BetMaker ““ that their accounts should be fully active, with all financial transfers completed, within 24 hours. To access their account, they need simply login with the same user ID and password, but are required to add an “L”? to the end of their user ID. If all goes as planned, members will be back online and enjoying their new sports betting home in full capacity as of today, February 7, 2013.

This news comes just weeks after BookMaker.eu announced that all of its non-US player accounts would be moved to BetCRIS.com. The previous transition, which took place in mid-December 2012, transpired seamlessly. All accounts, finances and pending wagers were transferred to BetCRIS without incident, while US-based members of BookMaker were unaffected.