Here at SBL we regularly discuss the benefits of betting with cryptocurrencies.
All online sportsbooks with the fastest payouts in the industry accept bitcoin and a small selection of altcoins, although these altcoins vary by betting site.
However, there is one cryptocurrency – and only one – that is exclusively offered by a single major operator in this space: Bitcoin SV.
And Bitcoin SV (BSV) is only supported by Bovada Sportsbook.
This is of course nothing new.
Bovada has long been an industry leader in offering members new and creative ways to fund their accounts faster than ever.
For example, Bovada was the first legit sports betting site to support player-to-player betting coupons, finally allowing members to use otherwise unsupported P2P services like PayPal, Cash App, etc. to fund their accounts indirectly.
Likewise, Bovada was the first site to introduce MatchPay betting support, utilizing the innovative third-party plugin to streamline the aforementioned voucher method, giving players fewer hurdles to overcome when using the aforementioned P2P apps.
Obviously Bovada knows how to help US based players get the most out of their money and banking options.
But here’s the secret:
While Bovada advertises BSV support, Bitcoin SV deposits and withdrawals are not available to all members of the site.
The site’s own bank overview lists Bitcoin SV in just a few pages, which are usually buried in the Bovada help database.
When you finally come across the mention of the payment method – after a brief overview of Bitcoin SV itself (faster transfer times, lower blockchain fees, etc.) – Bovada says the following:
“To expand our crypto offering here at Bovada, we’ve added a cheaper and faster coin for eligible players called Bitcoin SV (BSV)! …
Check the cash register to find out if you are eligible and start using BSV today!”
So… we asked the cashier.
Nothing.
Apparently we are not entitled.
So after putting a little ointment on our bruised sports betting ego, we thought:
How exactly do we become eligible?
Is it related to our Bovada Rewards level?
Is it based on a total number of deposits and withdrawals on our account?
Does it depend on how long we’ve been members?
A quick Google search didn’t yield much. Even the Bovada Reddit remained empty.
So…we called Bovada (1-888-263-0000).
Unfortunately, due to call center staffing issues related to COVID-19, the Bovada hotline is currently unavailable.
The same goes for live chat.
Due to Corona shortages, Bovada has currently temporarily switched to an automated chat function that serves as a guide for the help menu.
It’s a good solution that should be perfect for 99% of members, but for this question – to solve this mystery – we would need to get in touch with an actual representative.
E-mail remains.
Of course, as with all other top online sportsbooks, the lead time for email inquiries at Bovada is up to 48 hours.
And so we wait.
As soon as we solve the problem, we will of course update this post.
But until then, here is some background on Bitcoin SV.
Bitcoin SV – also called Bitcoin Cash SV (since it was a fork of the Bitcoin Cash blockchain, which was itself a fork of the original Bitcoin blockchain) – is short for “Bitcoin Satoshi Vision”.
This designation was decided by BSV proponents who felt the scope of the project was more in line with the original Bitcoin idea of the mysterious – and possibly pseudonymous – Satoshi Nakamoto.
Remember, an even bigger mystery than BSV at Bovada is the actual creation of Bitcoin itself.
And then we fell down the rabbit hole.
Bitcoin SV has been controversial from the start, but since its launch in 2018, it’s arguably the most controversial cryptocurrency out there.
Yes, many crypto players give Cardano (ADA) this accolade due to the way it threatens Ethereum, but that’s a story for another time — say, when the best online sportsbooks finally start accepting ADA.
It continues:
Bitcoin SV is not traded on most major US exchanges, largely due to community resistance.
Keep in mind that these exchanges do not like controversy of any kind in the crypto space, as evidenced by the sensational Ripple (XRP) delisting in late December 2020.
However, also remember that a delisting does not mean that a crypto coin is illegitimate in any way.
Despite not trading on major US exchanges for almost a year, XRP remains the sixth-largest crypto asset by market cap, ahead of other popular coins like Solana, Dogecoin, and the USDC stablecoin.
BSV simply requires the use of a VPN and a forex account that supports the asset to make a purchase.
These include Coinsquare, Coinify, CoinGate, Upbit, OKEx, KuCoin and other platforms.
And just like XRP, Bitcoin SV is a legitimate asset.
It is currently the 51st largest crypto coin, according to CoinMarketCap, trading at $160 a piece. Additionally, BSV has a market cap of over $3.3 billion.
Where are we going with all this?
Until we get that email reply, we really don’t know.
BSV is a mystery.
Luckily, Bovada isn’t.
It’s no secret that Bovada Sportsbook is one of the best in the business and has been a favorite destination for US sportsbooks for the past decade.
And ultimately, everything is academic. We mainly deposit in Bitcoin.
Finally, with Bitcoin only, you get access to Bovada’s Premium Bitcoin Exclusive Membership, which is the only way to get bonuses for funding your account on the site.
And we need those account top-up bonuses.
It’s NFL season after all!