How We Rank
Ontario Sportsbooks
Most affiliate review scores follow the commission rate. Ours do not. This page publishes every criterion we use, the weight each carries, the data source behind each score, and where every operator in our coverage stands across all five dimensions. If a book is ranked lower than you expected, you will find exactly why on this page.
The Conflict of Interest Every Affiliate Site Has, and How We Handle It
Affiliate sites earn revenue when you click through to a sportsbook and deposit. Every site in this space, including this one, has that relationship. It creates an obvious incentive to inflate scores and bury negatives for books that pay higher commissions.
We cannot eliminate the commercial relationship. What we can do is make our scoring methodology fully public so you can verify our work, use data sources that are independent of operator input, and publish criteria that structurally reward things operators cannot control (like how quickly they limit winning accounts) rather than things operators can pay to improve (like welcome bonus size). If our scores are wrong, show us the data and we will update them. That offer is genuine.
Five Criteria. Weighted by What Actually Affects Your Long-Run Results.
The weight of each criterion reflects how much it affects a bettor's long-run experience and financial outcome. Odds quality and vig carries the most weight because a 1% difference in average hold across a full year of betting is worth more to a serious bettor than every other factor combined.
Exactly What We Measure and How
Odds Quality & Vig
The most important criterion by a wide margin. Ontario bettors who never shop lines and never measure vig are paying a hidden tax on every single bet they place, for life. We measure average hold across a standardised basket of 50 markets per book and compare directly against Pinnacle as the Ontario benchmark.
We sample each operator's odds on a fixed basket of 50 markets: 20 NHL moneylines, 10 NBA spreads, 10 NFL totals, and 10 CFL game lines, recorded at -6 hours to game time and again at the close. Average two-way hold is calculated for each sample and compared against Pinnacle's closing line for the same markets. Operators scoring below 5.5% average hold receive full marks in this subcategory. Each additional 0.5% of hold above that threshold deducts from the score.
Trust, Licensing & Account Fairness
The question most affiliate sites never ask honestly: will this book limit my account if I win? We score every Ontario book on whether they restrict winning bettors, how quickly they do it, and whether their iGO licence status is fully current. Account fairness is treated as a distinct scored dimension, not buried in a "cons" list.
iGO partnership status is verified directly against the iGaming Ontario operator registry, updated quarterly. Account limit policy is assessed through a combination of disclosed operator terms, independent bettor reports submitted to our editorial team, and documented testing. Operators with an explicit no-limits policy (currently only Pinnacle in Ontario's market) receive maximum marks on account fairness. Operators with documented patterns of rapid limitation receive the lowest scores regardless of their other strengths.
Payments & Withdrawal Speed
A sportsbook that holds your winnings is not a sportsbook. Payout speed, method count, and the absence of arbitrary withdrawal limits are scored objectively. We document exactly how many deposit and withdrawal methods each Ontario book offers, not the category names but the actual methods, and how long tested withdrawals take from request to account receipt.
Withdrawal speed is tested with standardised withdrawal requests at each operator, conducted quarterly. Method count is the documented count of distinct deposit and withdrawal paths available to Ontario accounts, verified against each operator's own cashier interface. Withdrawal limits are taken from published terms and verified against actual cashier maximums. Payout speed is scored on a curve from same-day (full marks) to 5-plus business days (minimum score).
Platform, Features & Mobile
We assess the actual betting platform, not the marketing version of it. Live betting depth, same-game parlay availability, search functionality, and mobile performance are evaluated through direct use, not screenshots provided by the operator. Platform score matters less than odds quality and trust but it affects daily usability and is scored accordingly.
Platform evaluation is conducted by editorial staff through a standardised usage protocol: 30 minutes of live betting activity, 15 minutes of same-game parlay construction, search-to-bet timing on 10 specified events, and mobile app stability testing across iOS and Android where available. App store rating is recorded but given low weighting relative to editorial assessment, as ratings reflect the full user base rather than the betting-quality subset.
Customer Support
We score the support a bettor actually gets, not the support that is advertised. Live chat response time is timed with stopwatches. Email resolution time is measured from submission to final response. The quality of the response, whether the agent understood the question and resolved it, is graded on a simple rubric, not assumed from the existence of a chat widget.
Support testing uses a standardised set of five enquiries per operator, ranging from a basic deposit question to a complex dispute escalation. Each is submitted through every available channel (live chat, email, phone where available) and response time and resolution quality are recorded. Testing is conducted twice per year per operator. Operators that route sports betting enquiries to a generic iGaming support team without specialist knowledge are penalised relative to those with dedicated sports support.
Current Scores Across Ontario's Top Sportsbooks
Every score shown below is derived from the criteria and methodology above. The "Odds Score" reflects the measured average vig column directly: Pinnacle's 4.50% average hold produces a 9.5/10 on odds quality. FanDuel's 5.6% hold produces an 8.0/10. The relationship between measured data and final score is intentional and traceable.
| Book | Avg Vig | Odds 30% | Trust 25% | Payments 20% | Platform 15% | Support 10% | Overall | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bet365 Canada | 4.3% |
10.0
|
9.1
|
9.6
|
10.0
|
9.1
|
Read | |
| BetMGM Canada | 5.4% |
7.4
|
8.4
|
10.0
|
9.4
|
10.0
|
Read | |
| FanDuel Canada | 5.2% |
7.9
|
9.4
|
8.4
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
Read | |
| PointsBet Canada | 4.3% |
10.0
|
9.0
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
8.5
|
Read | |
| DraftKings Canada | 5.3% |
7.5
|
10.0
|
9.5
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
Read | |
| Pinnacle Canada | 5.5% |
7.0
|
10.0
|
8.5
|
9.0
|
9.5
|
Read | |
| Neo.Bet Canada | ~3–4% |
7.8
|
7.8
|
7.8
|
9.3
|
10.0
|
Read | |
| Betano Canada | 5.6% |
6.8
|
9.8
|
10.0
|
8.3
|
9.3
|
Read | |
| Caesars Canada | 4.6% |
9.3
|
8.8
|
9.3
|
8.3
|
7.8
|
Read | |
| theScore Canada | 5.1% |
8.1
|
7.1
|
7.6
|
10.0
|
8.1
|
Read | |
| CoolBet Canada | ~3.5–4.5% |
8.1
|
9.6
|
10.0
|
9.1
|
10.0
|
Read | |
| BET99 Canada | 5.1% |
8.1
|
9.1
|
10.0
|
8.6
|
8.1
|
Read | |
| Bally Bet Canada | 5.6% |
6.9
|
7.4
|
7.9
|
10.0
|
7.4
|
Read | |
| BetRivers Canada | 5.6% |
6.9
|
9.4
|
10.0
|
8.4
|
8.4
|
Read | |
| Stake Canada | ~5–6.5% |
8.2
|
9.2
|
7.2
|
10.0
|
9.2
|
Read | |
| Bodog Canada | ~4.5–5.5% |
8.0
|
8.0
|
9.5
|
8.5
|
8.5
|
Read | |
| ComeOn Canada | 5.7% |
6.6
|
7.6
|
8.1
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
Read |
What We Do Not Do
Operator Score Input
No sportsbook has seen its score before publication, requested a revision, or been given the opportunity to contest criteria weighting. Operators can submit factual corrections (wrong withdrawal speed, outdated method count) with evidence and we will update, but they cannot adjust criteria weights or dispute scored judgments.
Commission-Weighted Ranking
Our ranking order on the reviews page is determined by the composite score, not by commission rate. If the highest-paying operator in our affiliate portfolio scores 3.8 stars on our methodology, it appears ranked accordingly. This has happened. We have left it as-is.
Welcome Bonus Scoring
Welcome bonuses are not a scored criterion. Bonus terms change constantly, rollover requirements make headline figures meaningless without careful calculation, and the bonus a new bettor gets on day one has no bearing on their experience for the other 364 days of the year. We list bonus details factually. We do not score them.
Unverified Claims
Every data point in our scorecards has a documented source: either our own testing records, the Ontario Margin Report, the iGO operator registry, or a published operator disclosure. We do not accept operators' own marketing materials as a data source. "Market-leading odds" is not a data point. A measured 4.50% average hold is.
How Often Scores Change and Why
Criterion scores are formally reviewed on a quarterly cycle, coinciding with Ontario Margin Report measurement periods. Between quarterly reviews, scores are updated immediately when a material change occurs: a platform launch or major redesign, a change in an operator's account limit policy, a withdrawal method being added or removed, or a documented change in support quality.
The last update date is shown on each individual review page. If a score was last updated more than six months ago and you notice something material has changed, use the editorial contact link below to flag it. We investigate all substantive reports.