Back in The Day - when disease-free meant that you didn't have the flu (or polio) and odds and wagers were tabulated on the dusty chalkboard in the corner - sports gamblers really were at the whim of two men: the sportsbook owners at Las Vegas casinos or the iron numbers of their local bookie. In many corners of this fine nation the smoky back room bookie still has a corner on the market. However, given the omnipresence of the Internet in this country, sports betting on the Web has forever altered the landscape of gambling.

Now the problem isn't searching out or communicating with some random bookie. Now the issue, with regards to sports betting on the Web, is a little simpler, and a little more complicated: so many numbers, so little time.

There are two primary advantages to sports betting on the Internet. First, you don't ever have to worry about payment and tracking your account totals. It's not that you have to worry much about those things with your local guy - I've used a local for years and it's never been an issue - however there is always that little seed of doubt in your mind that if you get too hot or make too much of a profit are you ever really going to see that cash. It's a legitimate concern, and one that you don't have to deal with when you bet on sports online.

When you bet on sports on the Web you have total access and control to your account information, no matter which online sportsbook you use. It's 100 percent transparent and with verification screens, confirmation codes, and a variety of security measures you always know where you stand with each online bet and every day with your online gambling account. And, on the off chance that there is any issues with your account there are scores of customer service reps available that usually clear up any situations in a timely, fair manner.

The second benefit of sports betting on the Web - and in my mind the most important one - is that with the plethora of available sportsbooks even the most amateur of bettors can put themselves in a situation to maximize their earnings. By opening accounts at several books a bettor can shop around for the optimum spread, money line, or total. Sometimes a half-point here or there can make all the difference. And, over the long run, between the bets that you win with more favorable spreads or the money you save with decreased juice on money lines, the difference can add up to be hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

Again, compare that with using the one line that your local guy offers. Or compare line shopping while online sports betting with having to physically travel from book to book in Las Vegas and the advantages are clear.

For a list of our recommended sportsbooks for sports betting on the Web just look at the left-hand side of this screen. There you will find links to the best sportsbooks on the Internet, as well as contact information to help get you started. The simplest way to get started is to call or e-mail the book of your choice and ask them what methods they have available for deposit.

Besides that, just sit back, work the mouse and the keyboard, and enjoy the convenience and simplicity of sports betting on the Web!