Bovada is an online betting site available to customers in the United States (excluding Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, and New York). It was created launched on December 11th, 2014 as a division of the [[Bodog]] brand with the goal of uniquely serving by the US market. The brand was created in 2000 by [[Calvin Ayre]], who had previously worked as a consultant for betting software company [[Cyberoad]]Morris Mohawk Gaming Group.
{{Template:Betting_site
|years = 2011 - Present
|[https://bettingwiki.org/bonus/Bovada Claim]
|}
== History ==
=== 1997-2000: Cyberoad ===
[[File:Cyberoad_Logo.PNG|frame|right|Early [[Cyberoad]] logo.]]
Established in 1997, [[Cyberoad]] was a software company specializing in providing online betting systems. In 1998 their technology was used to launch numerous early internet sportsbooks including [[Mayan Sports]], [[The Big Book]], and [[Grand Prix Sports]]. These betting sites were unique in offering credit card deposits and e-check withdrawals through the [[eBanx]] payment processor. On November 29, 1999 Cyberoad completed the purchase of eBanx.<ref>[https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/Cyberoad_Completes_Ebanx_Acquisition "Cyberoad Completes Ebanx Acquisition"], ''bnamericas'', Costa Rica, November 29, 1999. Retrieved on 2019-09-17</ref> After raising money to go public Cyberoad shut down in 2000.
=== 2000-2001: El Moro and eSportz ===
[[El Moro Finances]] acquired Cyberoad's assets on July 20, 2000.<ref> [https://www.lawinsider.com/contracts/3LgJ8B4fXaSvtQW595FMzb/cyberoad-com-corp/agreement/2000-07-20 "TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP"], ''Law Insider'', June 20th, 2000. Retrieved on 2019-09-17</ref> These were allocated to [[eSportz]], a subsidiary of El Moro Finances.
[[The Big Book]] purchased [[Grand Prix Sports]] and reached an agreement to continue using the same betting software (now being distributed by eSportz). [[Mayan Sports]] were left offline after failing to reach a similar deal. During this time eSportz created their own betting site [[Bodog]], which was set to operate out of the same offices as The Big Book. Customers of Mayan Sports received e-mails stating that their account information had been transferred over to Bodog.
[[File:Calvin_Ayre.PNG|thumb|200px|Bodog founder Calvin Ayre.]]
=== 2001-2003: Kazootek ===
[[Bodog]] and [[The Big Book]] used [[Kazootek Technologies]] as an accounting firm. They were the same firm managing the eBanx payment system. On June 15th, 2001 two employees of Kazootek (Viktoria Zazoulina and Tatiana Kostiouk) allegedly began embezzling money from company clients. The duo recruited a new employee Greg Tanner to assist them in starting a rival company using technology and funds stolen from Kazootek. [[The Big Book]] was rumored to have agreed to become a client, and allegedly began planning to steal source code from [[eSportz]]. Following an investigation, Viktoria Zazoulina resigned from Kazootek in the summer of 2003. [[Bodog]] announced the termination of it's partnership with The Big Book, and elected to become the sole betting site using eSportz software.
=== 2004-2007: Bodog ===
In October of 2006 [[Bodog]] purchased [[WorldWide TeleSports]] for $9 million dollars. At the time WWTS was considered one of the most reputable betting sites serving the US market. Following the purchase Bodog moved their offices from Costa Rica to Antigua, absorbing the existing staff members of WorldWide TeleSports into their company.
[[Calvin Ayre]] continued to build Bodog's brand name through numerous advertising campaigns and sponsored events. Poker's popularity was on the rise following the 2003 [[WSOP]]. Bodog reached agreements with David Williams and Josh Arieh (the 2nd and 3rd place finishers in the 2004 WSOP) to don the brand's logo in upcoming televised events. To work around United States' restrictions on gambling advertisements, Bodog aired commercials promoting free-to-play poker on their alternative domain (''bodog.net''). Customers searching for the site would inevitably stumble upon the pay-to-play version on the main site.
[[File:David_Williams_Bodog.PNG|thumb|200px|left|David Williams interviewed during the 2008 WSOP at the Palms Hollywood Suite.]]
Ayre expanded the brand with non-gambling related projects. This included a music label (Bodog Music), sports blog (BodogBEAT), MMA event (Bodog Fight), and music reality show (Bodog Battle of the Bands).
=== 2007-2009: Domain Seizure ===
On August 28, 2007 Bodog's primary domain (''Bodog.com'') stopped working. Ayre e-mailed customers informing them that the site would be back online as soon as possible. The domain was seized by [[1st Technology, LLC]] whom held a patent on the transmission of information over a network with reduced bandwidth. 1st Technology, LLC had first contacted [[Bodog]] offices in July 2005. Having received no reply, they filed a lawsuit in September 2006. Bodog representatives failed to appear in court, resulting in a default judgement citing patent infringement in March 2007. Bodog was ordered to pay $48,937,456 to retain their domain.
Following the loss of their primary domain, Bodog released a statement that Morris Mohawk Gaming Group were now controlling the company's business in the US market. In an effort to regain ''Bodog.com'', they appealed the initial court decision on the grounds that the domain was no longer owned by [[Calvin Ayre]] or [[Bodog]]. The appeal escalated to Washington but failed.
[[File:West Brom Albion Bodog Jersey.PNG|right|thumb|200px|Bodog began sponsorship of English Premier League squad West Bromwich Albion on June 27th, 2011.<ref> [https://https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2008593/West-Brom-bag-record-sponsorship-deal-Bodog.html "West Brom bag record-breaking sponsorship deal with Bodog"], ''DailyMail'', June 27th, 2011. Retrieved on 2019-09-22</ref>]]
The loss of ''Bodog.com'' lead to a decrease in site traffic built on years of prior advertising campaigns. The company switched to ''BodogLife.com'' but suffered financial difficulties with the loss of new customers. On April 23, 2009 Morris Mohawk Gaming Group settled the lawsuit with 1st Technology LLC and regained control of ''Bodog.com''. Site traffic increased, and the company decided to expand into international markets. Sportsbooks launched in Canada (''Bodog.ca''), United Kingdom (''Bodog.co.uk''), and Asia (''Bodog88.com''). The brand continued to grow, including sponsoring English Premier League teams Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion.
=== 2011-present: Bovada ===
After a successful international expansion [[Bodog]] decided to distance their brand name from the liability of involvement in the US gambling market. On December 14th, 2011 Morris Mohawk Gaming Group renamed their US sportsbook to Bovada. Existing players were notified of the change and assured their account information was transferred.
On December 14th, 2011 Morris Mohawk Gaming Group announced that it had ceased their involvement in all Bodog branded websites.
== Available States ==