Thursday 28 January 2010

Paddy Power

Background

Paddy Power was formed in 1988 and is Ireland’s biggest and most successful bookmaker. It is listed on both the Irish and the London Stock Exchanges under Paddy Power Plc.

The markets are wide ranging, with a huge selection of sports as well as unusual events like TV awards and Current Affairs. However, the focus remains on UK and European markets and the odds are usually good.

If anything the website is a little bit fussy but it has all the information you need on there and at the very least it’s quick.

Customer Service

Customer support is excellent, with an FAQ, email and telephone help available

Quick Facts

URL: http://www.paddypower.com
Email: support@paddypower.com
Phone: 0800 056 5275 (UK)
Licenced: Isle of Man
Founded: 1988
Odds Format: EU, UK
Software: Orbis

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, BillPay, Cheque, Delta, Laser, MasterCard, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron

Currencies

Euro, UK Pound Sterling

Languages

English, Spanish

Sports

American Football, Athletics, Aussie Rules, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Gaelic Football, Golf, Greyhounds, Handball, Horse Racing, Hurling, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Pool, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball

Other events

Current Affairs, Financials, Hollywood, Lottery, Music, Politics, Reality Shows, TV Awards

Ratings

Features: 9/10
Value for Money: 9/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 9/10
Promotions: 8/10

Overall: 8.5/10

Promotions

New players who sign up to Paddy Power will get £30 in free bets.




Always read the terms and conditions of free bets, they are included in the above link.


Monday 25 January 2010

Sportingbet

Background

Sportingbet have been online since October 1998 and as a plc on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange since 2001.

The website is well spaced out and easy to read, the pages are quick to load and the odds are readily available. The betting slip is one of the most simple you will find. It’s a shame you have to scroll up to the top of the page to get to the bet slip once you’ve made a selection, especially if you like betting on less popular markets. But it’s a minor complaint.

The website does get some stick from some reviewers online, but they definitely can’t complain about Sportingbet’s prices. The often give good prices on pretty much any market.


Customer Service

Customer service is 24/7 with Live Chat, email and telephone

Quick Facts

URL: www.sportingbet.com
Email: admin@sportingbet.com
Phone: 0800 028 0348
Licenced: Antigua & Barbuda
Founded: 1998
Odds Format: EU, UK, US

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Delta, DirectTeller, Maestro, MasterCard, Moneybookers, MoneyGram, Neteller, Switch, Visa

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish

Sports

American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Futsal, Golf, Greyhounds, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, NHL Hockey, Rugby, Soccer, Snooker, Tennis, Volleyball

Other events

Entertainment, Poker

Ratings

Features: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 9/10
User friendliness: 9/10
Customer Service: 9/10
Promotions: 10/10

Overall: 9.5/10

Promotions

You’ll get £25 in free bets as a new customer. Deposit £10 or more and they’ll match it (up to £25).

Sign Up Bonus_120x60

Always read the terms and conditions of free bets, they are included in the above link.

Blue Square

Background

Blue Square was launched in 1999 and was acquired by Rank Interactive Gaming in 2003, who are one of the UK’s leading entertainment companies. They have attained a good reputation for their fixed odds markets.

The website is easy to navigate and updated regularly. The markets are easy to find with the drop-down menu on the left and all the popular markets are there. Once you’re into your chosen market, more in-depth options are easily available. The betslip is nice and simple and we like the search function; not enough websites have that luxury.

Football, Tennis and Rugby are well catered for. There’s also a decent range of special markets, which is good for all you newbies out there.


Customer Service

Customer service is 24/7 with an FAQ section and good knowledgeable staff

Quick Facts

URL: www.bluesq.com
Email: support@bluesq.com
Phone: 0800 587 0500
Licenced: UK

Founded: 1999
Odds Format: EU, UK, US

Deposit methods

Delta, Laser, MasterCard, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Euro, Japanese Yen, Singapore Dollar, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Sports

American Football, Athletics, Aussie Rules, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Gaelic Sports, Golf, Greyhounds, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Pool, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Tennis, Winter Olympics

Other events

Finance, Lotteries, Music, Politics, Reality Shows, TV, UFC

Ratings

Features: 7.5/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 8/10
Promotions: 7.5/10

Overall: 8/10

Promotions

Sign up to Blue Square, place a bet of £10, and they will give you a free £10 bet.



Always read the terms and conditions of free bets, they are included in the above link.

Thursday 21 January 2010

Bet Internet

Background

Bet Internet has been around since 1998 and has been a Publicly Listed Company on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) since May 2000. For serious and recreational punters alike, it’s a secure place for online betting.

The website is pretty simple, with everything just where you need it, and if you can’t find what you’re after, you can navigate through the sportsbook through the left-hand menu. We like their LiveSports Alerter, giving you scores from other markets and letting you keep track of your bets.

Bet Internet has a commitment to track betting, allowing you to bet directly on US track events for the greyhounds, thoroughbred and harnerness racing. However, major events in football, rugby and cricket are also well covered and we like their prices on some of the more obscure markets, especially in football.


Customer Service

Customer service is limited to email and telephone and telephone calls are charged

Quick Facts

URL: www.betinternet.com
Email: info@betinternet.com
Phone: 44-162-469-8141
Licenced: Isle of Man
Founded: 1998
Odds Format: EU, UK, US

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Delta, Earthport, eNets, Maestro, MasterCard, Moneybookers, Neteller, Visa

Currencies

Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Norwegian Krone, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Krona, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Chinese, English, German, Italian

Sports

American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Darts, Golf, Ice Hockey, Handball, Motor Sport, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Tennis

Other events

Lotto

Ratings

Features: 7/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 7.5/10
Customer Service: 7/10
Promotions: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Promotions

Open an account and you can get a 50% deposit bonus (on anything over £10) up to a maximum of £25. Note; bets must be made at odds of evens (2.00) or above to qualify.

Monday 18 January 2010

Betsson

Background

Betsson, established in 2000, are part of the Betsson Group, a rapidly growing Swedish betting and gaming company. They offer a range of products, including sportsbook, exchange, casino, poker and games. They are listed on the Swedish Stock Exchange and licensed within the EU, which makes betting with them safer.

The website is user-friendly, if a bit flash heavy. The bet slip is as good as any out there and makes up for the somewhat ‘bunched-up’ nature of the football coupon.

Football fans won’t be disappointed with Betsson, with plenty of In-Play options. Other European sports are there in abundance, with Handball, Ice Hockey and Volleyball being most prominent.


Customer Service

Customer service could do with a ‘contact us’ link found on many other betting websites. However, support is 24/7 with email, live chat and an extensive FAQ section

Quick Facts

URL: www.bettsson.com
Email: support-en@betsson.com
Phone: +356-2-260-3000
Licenced: Malta
Founded: 2000
Odds Format: EU

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Click2Pay, ClickandBuy, Delta, Entropay, MasterCard, Moneybookers, Neteller, Switch, Solo, Visa, Visa Electron, Wirecard

Currencies

Danish Krone, Euro, Norwegian Krone, Swedish Krona, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Turkish, French

Sports

American Football, Aussie Rules, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Golf, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Rugby, Snooker, Speedway, Soccer, Tennis

Other events

Politics, entertainment, financials

Ratings

Features: 7/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 8/10
Promotions: 0/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Promotions

Betsson do not offer a sign up bonus

10Bet

Background

10Bet was established is 2003 and are licensed and regulated in the UK, so its pretty safe. They are also known for early lines and high limit bets.

There’s an obvious focus on football, but there are good odds to find on tennis, basketball and volleyball. Betting options include In-Play, Asian Handicaps, two team (and upwards) combos and overs/unders. What we like most about 10bet is the occasional outstanding value bet, particularly on football.

The website is a bit sketchy in appearance, but at least you don’t get lost when navigating around the homepage, because all the leagues are all there clearly laid out. And the website is quick, which makes up for its limited appearance. UK punters probably won’t appreciate the lack of UK odds but it doesn’t bother us because we use European odds because they’re more accurate. If any newbie wants to know how to convert EU odds to UK odds, just minus 1 and add ‘/1’. For example: EU odds of 10.00 becomes 9/1.


Customer Service

Customer service is 10bet’s downfall. The telephone number isn’t free and there is no live chat option. Email replies can be slow too.

Quick Facts

URL: www.10bet.com
Email: csd@10bet.com
Phone: 0845 658 6010
Licenced: UK
Founded: 2003
Odds Format: EU, US
Software: Finsoft

Deposit methods

1-Pay, Bank Wire, Cheque, Click2Pay, MasterCard, Moneybookers, Neteller, Paysafecard, Solo, Switch, U-kash, Visa, Visa Electron, Western Union

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen, Malaysian Ringgit, Norwegian Krone, Polish Zloty, Renminbi, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Krona, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Sports

American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Badminton, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Futsal, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Pool, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball, Winter Sports

Other events

Politics

Ratings

Features: 7.5/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 7.5/10
Customer Service: 7/10
Promotions: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Promotions

On sign up you’ll get a 30% match on your first deposit (up to a maximum of €100 (or currency equiv.). Note; your deposit must be wagered 12 times or you’ll lose the deposit.

Friday 8 January 2010

BetCRIS

Background

BetCRIS (Costa Rica International Sports) began in 1985. They were the first offshore sportsbook in the Dominican Republic and they have a reputation for being the leader in offshore betting.

BetCRIS openly claim they are “where the line originates”, and this is certainly the case for American Football, Baseball and Basketball. The football market isn’t the strongest, and they will have to improve this now that they no longer accept US punters.

The website has a very American feel to it, even though they have recently stopped accepting players from the USA. It is pleasing on the eye and the layout is clear. The betting drop-down menu on the left hand side is easy to use and you can find what you want pretty easily. Once you’re in to your chosen market it’s a no frills affair, making navigation easy. One disadvantage is that there are no English odds.


Customer Service

Customer support is 24/7 via phone, email and live chat and is a major plus point for BetCRIS, with a fast response to any queries

Quick Facts

URL: www.betcris.com
Email: csd@betcris.com
Phone: 0800 028 0308
Licenced: Costa Rica
Founded: 1985
Odds Format: EU, US
Software: Digital Gaming Solution

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Citadel, Click2Pay, eVisa, InstaDebit, MasterCard, Moneybookers, MoneyGram, Neteller, WalletXpress, Western Union

Currencies

Canadian Dollar, Costa Rican Colon, Danish Krone, Dominican Peso, Euro, Guatemalan Quetzales, Mexican Peso, Norwegian Krone, Panamanian Balboa, Swedish Krona, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Venezuelan BolivarLanguagesChinese, English, Spanish

Sports

American Football, Aussie rules, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Martial Arts, Motor Racing, Rugby, Soccer, Tennis

Other events

Hurricanes, Music, Politics, Reality Shows

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 9.5/10
Promotions: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Promotions

On signup you’ll get a 20% cash bonus up to $500 (or currency equivalent). This needs to be wagered a few times so be sure to read the terms before you sign up.

188Bet

Background

188Bet was established in 2006 and are owned by Cube Limited, which is fully licensed and regulated by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Committee. They have become arguably the most trusted bookmaker in Asia and they are after a piece of the UK market.
They are obviously keen to dispel the myth that Asian bookmakers aren’t secure, as all deposits and winnings are held in a separate account with the Royal Bank of Scotland, increasing the safety of your money.

The In-Play market is huge and they’ve gained a reputation for being an In-Play specialist. They guarantee at least 2200 live betting events each month. They also publish odds earlier than most other bookmakers, so if you get in early enough, you can get some decent odds. Although the football coverage is good, other markets remain a bit limited

The website is a bit different from the way UK bookies are set out. However, it is nicely presented and straightforward, allowing the event or match of choice to be found easily. In addition to sports betting, 188Bet also offer casino and live casino.

Customer Service

Customer service is 24/7 via telephone, fax, email or live chat. Their support team is pleasant, efficient and professional

Quick Facts

URL: www.188bet.com
Email: help@188bet.com
Phone: 02032869991
Licenced: Isle of Man
Founded: 2006
Odds Format: EU, Hong Kong, Malay
Software: N/A

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, China Debit Card, Delta, MasterCard, Maestro, Moneybookers, MyDebit, Neteller (1-Pay), Paysbuy, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron

Currencies

Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Indonesian Rupiah, Malaysian Ringgit Renminbi, Singapore Dollar, Thai Baht, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

English, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese

Sports

American Football, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Bsketball, Bach Sccer, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Field Hockey, Futsal, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Motor Racing, Olympics, Rowing, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo

Other events

Entertainment, Financials

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 8/10
Promotions: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

Promotions

188bet have a free bet promotion of £25.

Betfred

Background

Established in 1967, Betfred are now one of the world’s largest independent bookmakers. They describe themselves as the "world's largest independent bookmakers and the UK's biggest high street retailer" with over 700 shops and 5000 employees.

Betfred are well known for their special offers, which are added and updated daily. Odds are pretty decent, especially in big matches. UK Horse racing and football are the main focus. Tight margins and regular bonuses make for some interesting options. The range of markets is good, but don’t expect a massive range of options on European events.

The website might not be the most pleasing to look at but the information is well laid out, not cluttered like some and the graphics enhance the aesthetics of the website. Nevertheless, navigation can be a bit confusing, but the bet slip is user-friendly.

Customer Service

Customer service is only for a limited time, which isn’t great. However, queries are dealt with promptly

Quick Facts

URL: www.betfred
Email: support@betfred.com
Phone: 0800 032 0878
Licenced: UK
Founded:
Odds Format: EU, UK, US
Software: NA

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Citadel, Delta, Laser, MasterCard, Maestro, Moneybookers, Neteller, Visa, Visa Electron, Western Union

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Icelandic Krona, Japanese Yen, Malaysian Ringgit, Zealand Dollar, Norwegian Krone, Singapore Dollar, South African Rand, Swedish Krona, Thai Baht, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

English, Spanish

Sports

American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Darts, Golf, Greyhounds, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Rugby, Tennis, Soccer, Snooker, Yachting

Other events

Entertainment

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 7/10
Customer Service: 8/10
Promotions: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Promotions

When you open an account with Betfred, place a bet of £5 or more and they will give you a free bet of the same value, up to £50.

Ladbrokes

Background

Ladbrokes are arguably the biggest bookmaker in the world and one of the most reputable brands in the betting industry. They have been established since the 1950’s and their online service has been available since 2000. They have over 2,000 betting shops and are listed on the FTSE 100 Index.

Although Ladbrokes may not always give the best prices, they have an excellent reputation when it comes to pay outs. The large amount of UK shops means their focus is on Horse Racing rather than football and other sports. However, they cater for less popular markets and provide a wide range of markets on the big matches.

The website is similar to Coral; if your market is not available through a fast link, finding it can be a bit arduous. However, their In-Play coverage is extensive.


Customer Service

Customer service is 24/7 via email and telephone and FAQ’s. Email queries usually get a quick response

Quick Facts

URL: www.ladbrokes.com
Email: care@ladbrokes.com
Phone: 0800 731 4171
Licenced: UK
Founded: 1950’s
Odds Format: EU, UK
Software: Orbis OpenBet

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Delta, Entropay, Laser, Maestro, MasterCard, Moneybookers, Neteller, PayPal, Solo, Switch, Ukash Visa, Western Union

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen, Korean Won, Macau Pataca, Malaysian Ringgit, New Zealand Dollar, Norwegian Krone, Renminbi, Singapore Dollar, South African Rand, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc, Thai Baht, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish

Sports

Athletics, Badminton, Bandy, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, American Football, Australian Rules Football, Gaelic Football, Golf, Greyhounds, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Olympics, Rugby, Sailing, Snooker, Soccer, Tennis, Water Polo, Winter Sports

Other events

Awards, Christmas Specials, Current Affairs, Financial, Movies, Music, Politics, TV

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 7.5/10
Customer Service: 9/10
Promotions: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Promotions

Open an account with Ladbrokes, make a bet of £25 or more and they will give you a £25 free bet.



Always read the terms and conditions of free bets, they are included in the above link.

William Hill

Background

William Hill were founded in 1934 and it’s hard to find a bookmakers with more experience. They are licensed by The Independent Betting Arbitration Service, making them one of the safest online bookmakers.

There is always a good choice of sporting events to bet on, with good odds and high betting limits. Major televised football matches tend to have good coverage.

The website is advanced yet easy to use. It’s very simple to find your market, with markets and odds well presented. The sportsbook offers punters features such as a bet calculator, game listings, reviews of upcoming matches and a tournament match list that allows you to track your betting history and payouts.


Customer Service

Customer support is 24/7 via instant chat, email and free phone telephone

Quick Facts

URL: www.willhill.com
Email: customerservices@williamhill.co.uk
Phone: 0800 085 6296
Licenced: UK
Founded: 1934
Odds Format: EU, UK
Software: Proprietary software

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Delta, Laser, MasterCard, Neteller, Quick Cash, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron, Western Union

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Krona, Swiss Franc, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Turkish

Sports

American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Dogs, Gaelic Football, Golf, Greyhounds, Horse Racing, Hurling, Ice Hockey, Motor Sports, Motorbikes, Olympic Games, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Speedway, Tennis

Other events

Christmas, Music, Politics, TV

Ratings

Features: 9/10
Value for Money: 8.5/10
User friendliness: 9.5/10
Customer Service: 9/10
Promotions: 8/10

Overall: 9.5/10

Promotions

When you open an account, when you place your first bet, William Hill will give you a free bet of the same value up to a maximum of £25.



Always read the terms and conditions of free bets, they are included in the above link.

Coral

Background

Coral have been online since 1997 and are traditionally regarded as one of the top three bookmakers in the UK.

Coral have a well respected Horse Racing service. Rugby gets a good look in due to their high levels of sponsorship. As far as football goes, while the market can be limited, they often have decent prices on odds on favourites.

The website is somewhat confusing, unless you’re betting on upcoming events. However, they offer a comprehensive list of other online services such as Games, Casino, Virtual Sports, Poker, Lotto, Gala Bingo and Live Casino services.


Customer Service

Customer service is 24/7 and is highly regarded. They also offer a call-back service

Quick Facts

URL: www.coral.co.uk
Email: customercare@coral.co.uk
Phone: 0800 440 011
Licenced: UK
Founded: 1997
Odds Format: EU, UK, US
Software: Proprietary software

Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Delta, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron, Western Union

Currencies

UK Pound Sterling

Languages

English

Sports

American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Golf, Greyhounds, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Sports, Rugby, Soccer, Snooker, Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo, Winter Sports

Other events

Christmas, Music, Politics, TV

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 8.5/10
User friendliness: 7.5/10
Customer Service: 9/10
Promotions: 7/10

Overall: 8/10

Promotions

Open an account and claim a £10 free bet and get 10% of your losses back.

Totesport

Background

Totesport were originally founded in 1928, offering Pools on Horse Racing, after it was allowed by Parliament. ‘The tote’ now have over 450 high street shops and can still be found at all UK & Irish racecourses. Tote BetXpress was the name of their first online attempt in 2002, with Totesport being officially launched in 2004.

As far as the markets go, Cricket, Football and Tennis are well represented but other markets are limited. They do sometimes come up with some cracking specials and they have a decent In-Play service. However, Horse Racing is the main focus, with options such as SP, fixed price, totewin and toteplace.

The website is simple and uncomplicated. While this isn’t a big problem, some of the pages can be slow to load, which makes it frustrating if you’re trying to put a bet on quickly.

Customer Service

Customer service is available via post, telephone or email 24/7

Quick Facts

URL: www.totesport.com
Email: customercare@totesport.com
Phone: 0800 666 100
Licenced: UK
Founded: 1928
Odds Format: EU, UK
Software: Orbis Technology

Deposit methods

Delta, MasterCard, Switch, Visa

Currencies

UK Pound Sterling

Languages

English

Sports

American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Darts, Golf, Greyhounds, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, Tennis

Other events

Politics, Big Brother

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 9/10
Promotions: 10/10

Overall: 8.5/10

Promotions

You will get £100 in free bets as a new customer. Note; all qualifying bets must be made at a price of evens (2.00) or greater.

Bet365

Background

Bet365 began in 1974 and claim to have close to a million customers. They are a private, family-run business based in Stoke and are one of the biggest bookies in the UK.

The layout of the website is clear and uncomplicated; with the In-Play markets dominating the homepage. The betslip helps to eradicate any mistakes when placing a bet.

The best thing about Bet365 is the range of markets available. The focus is on Football, with all major European leagues covered. They also cover every English Premiership match In-Play.


Customer Service

Customer service is 24/7 and is comprehensive, with Livechat, email and telephone services.

Quick Facts

URL: www.bet365.com
Email: support@customerservices365.com
Phone: 0800 028 8365
Licenced: UK
Founded: 1974
Odds Format: EU, UK, US
Software: Proprietary software

Deposit methods

Asia365, 1-Pay, Bank Wire, Cheque, Click2Pay, Delta, Entropay, Firepay, InstaCash, Laser, MasterCard, Moneybookers, MoneyTT, Neteller, Paysafecard, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron, Western UnionCurrenciesAustralian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Icelandic Krona, Japanese Yen, Malaysian Ringgit, Norwegian Krone, Renminbi, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Krona, Thai Baht, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Chinese, Danish, English, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish

Sports

Athletics, American Football, Australian football, Badminton, Bandy, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Bowls, Combat Sports, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Dogs, Floorball, Gaelic Games, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Racing, Pool, Rugby, Snooker, Soccer, speedway, Tennis, Trotting, Volleyball, Winter Sports

Other events

Elections, Reality Shows, Music Awards, BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Lottery

Ratings

Features: 10/10
Value for Money: 8/10
User friendliness: 9/10
Customer Service: 9.5/10
Promotions: 10/10

Overall: 9.5/10

Promotions

Open an account and you can get a 100% deposit bonus up to £200. Note; bets must be made at odds over ½ (1.5).



Always read the terms and conditions of free bets, they are included in the above link.




Thursday 7 January 2010

Pinnacle Sports

Background

Pinnacle Sports was founded in 1998. The sportsbook is licensed in Holland and accepts bets from customers all over the world.

Pinnacle specialise in providing competitive odds on a wide range of sports, particularly on NFL & NCAA football bets. Having said that, Pinnacle is well known for having one of the lowest margins in the industry, which means pretty good prices for us punters. And they take on pretty large bets too, so we would recommend this bookie for the moderate to larger size bettor.

The website isn’t exactly flashy. There’s a decent array of markets but they could do with making the navigation a bit more straightforward.


Customer Service

Pinnacle customer service is friendly and professional. Their support response is rapid. Customer service is handled almost exclusively by email, which could be seen as a shortcoming. However, this allows them to keep their operating costs low, allowing them to then pass on lower costs to the punter, which we’re big fans of.


Quick Facts

URL: http://www.pinnaclesports.com/
Email:
csd@pinnaclesports.com
Phone: Not available
Licenced: Holland
Founded: 1998
Odds Format: EU, US
Software: Action Sportsbook International


Deposit methods

Bank Wire, Cheque, Citadel, Delta, eCheck, InstaCash, InstaDebit, MasterCard, Moneybookers, Neteller, Visa, Visa Electron, WebMoney, Western Union

Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Chinese Renminbi, Czech Koruna, Danish Krone, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen, Malaysian Ringgit, New Taiwan Dollar, New Zealand Dollar, Norwegian Krone, Singapore Dollar, Swedish Kronor, Thai Baht, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar


Languages

Chinese, English, Finnish, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Vietnamese


Sports

American Football, Bandy, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Darts, Football, Futsal, Golf, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Martial Arts, Motor Sports, Rugby, Snooker, Tennis, Volleyball, Winter Sports, Yachting


Other events

Movies, Music Awards, Poker Tournaments, Politics, Reality Shows

Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 10/10
User friendliness: 8/10
Customer Service: 9/10

Overall: 9/10


Promotions

None as yet.

Centrebet

Background

Centrebet were established in Australia in 1992, and have since gone on to become one of the world's biggest bookmakers. They have over 300,000 customers and offer over 4000 sports and racing markets each week. They are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. This means you don’t have to worry about this bookie going bust, all bets are underwritten and they can cover all wins.

That brings me on nicely to the best thing about this Bookmaker; they don’t limit bets. And, therefore, we would recommend Centrebet for bigger bets. Their sportsbook has good depth. For football betting, they offer bets on most markets, even down to second and third divisions, which is handy for midweek betting.

The website is mostly user-friendly. They have split the website into sections, which can be navigated through a drop-down menu, although this can be confusing as there are so many markets on offer.

Customer Service

Centrebet telephone customer service is open 6.30am to 12.30am. However, there is email and Live help at other times.


Quick Facts

URL: http://centrebet.com/cust
Email:
centrebet@centrebet.com
Phone: 0800 169 1788
Licenced: Australia
Founded: 1992
Odds Format: EU
Software: Proprietary software


Deposit methods

Bank Wire, BPay, Delta, Cheque, Laser, MasterCard, Moneybookers Neteller, Solo, Switch, Visa, Visa Electron


Currencies

Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Danish Krone, Euro, New Zealand Dollar, Norwegian Krone, Swedish Kronor, UK Pound Sterling, US Dollar

Languages

Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish


Sports

American Football, Athletics, Australian Football, Badminton, Bandy, Basketball, Billiards, Boxing, Cricket, Darts, Floorball, Football, Golf, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, Motor Sports, Rugby, Pool, Snooker, Table Tennis, Tennis, Trotting, Volleyball, Water Polo, Winter Sports


Other events

Entertainment, Politics


Ratings

Features: 8/10
Value for Money: 9/10
User friendliness: 7.5/10
Customer Service: 8/10
Promotions: 7/10

Overall: 8.5/10


Promotions

Open a Centrebet account and deposit £20 and they will give you a free £20 bet. Make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully before you bet.