Online Bookmaker Reviews and Ratings
Mybet is a European operator where the account must be operated in Euros. Odd are good but there is not an exhaustive range of markets available. It is best to deposit with Neteller or Moneybookers as card deposits will not go through until scans of ID have been recieved. New users will recieve a 100% bonus on the first deposit up to 50 Euros. Withdrawals, once ID has been sent take less than 3 days.
Partybets is part of the Partypoker group. Currently if you sign up through the bookmakers list and enter the promotional code Norwich you will receive a £50 bonus which is instantly withdrawable after you have wagered £300 in the sportsbook at odds greater than 2. They offer a wide range of markets so finding a bet should not be a problem. They have 24/7 customer support, e-mail response is quick and the telephone support is freephone. They offer a large range of deposit and withdrawal options. Before a withdrawal will be processed it is likely you will receive a phone call from them wanting to verify every detail you told them when signing up. It can take a day or two for them to process withdrawals but once they have, money is received fairly quickly and free of charge.
Pinnacle do not actually accept US players anymore but for many years they were the Number One US bookie. They always had the tightest lines and would not flinch at taking decent sized bets. They still do the same, it is just UK and EU players who can benefit now though. Pinnacle offer new customers a 10% bonus on the first deposit. The only drawback of this site is that funds are held for a minimum 60 days after you deposit. Customer service is first rate here. You are allowed one free payout a month and once requested they are very swift.
The major UK spread betting firm. This is not tradiational gambling, seek professional investment advice before registering. You can lose more than your deposit amount. New users receive a £200 football bet after their first 5 settled bets. They will almost certainly request ID from you but after that payments are quick and always free.
Sportingbet is one of the largest international sportsbetting operations. The website itself is very easy to use and they offer a huge range of bets, especially on football, some of which are not even on betfair. The odds on the site are very competitive and finding arbs is not usually a problem. Sportingbet have very good customer service including telephone and e-mail, and unlike most UK sites they offer live chat, which is very fast and efficient. The current new user offer is an initial £50 freebet then a further £50 bet after your next ten. They are are quick to limit and refuse bonuses to any players who are not considered recreational!
SportsAcumen are an Australian operation who offer accounts in a range of currencies. There is currently a 100% of first deposit sign up bonus up to $100 Aus (approx £45). To qualify for this you must input the promotional bonus code TheGamblingtimes on registration. The $100 bonus is added automatically within 24hours of your first bet being settled. The bonus needs to be wagered 3x at odds of 1.5 or greater for it to be withdrawable. You will like most Australian sites need to put in a driving license number or passport number when joining. They do not have a huge range of markets available but can have fairly decent odds. Baseball is particularly attractive and it has listed pitchers unlike a lot of non US sites. They offer email support, which takes around 24 hours for a response but it also has a freephone number to call. Payouts are swift after ID is sent but there are charges if you withdraw more often than once a week.
Stan James offer a good online casino and sportsbook for casual UK gamblers. After your first £25 bet you receive another £25 bet where you keep your winnings. They run regular promotions on the website for active players, with cash prizes for correct "Spot the Ball" answers, etc etc.
Tote Sport offer a good service with competitive horse racing odds and the odd good promotion. They also have a Playtech powered casino which regularly gives out free chips. They have a regular £25 stake returned free bet after your first £25 bet. Withdrawals are quick and free.
888Sport is in partnership with BlueSQ so you get the same odds and limits ar both, as well as the same large range of markets to bet on. They accept all payment methods and withdrawals are swift and hassel free. Live chat is available via the cashier section, but E-mails are responded to quickly. They currently offer up to £50 in freebets.
Bet Chronicle is a fairly new bookmaker owned by the people behind Betdaq. The odds are fixed odds to back only and mirror the Irish Exchanges prices. New users have the winnings on their first bet stake of up to £50 doubled. They also run very regular "Chronicle Cracker" promotions which are great value.
Recently purchased by StanJames Ltd this bookmaker has good customer support and very fast (next day) payments. They have a £25 freebet after your first £25 bet. They also have many regular freebet offers on special events and most Saturdays. Neteller and Moneybookers deposits DO NOT COUNT for the freebets.
Betboo are another bookmaker based in Costa Rica but unlike most aren’t designed mainly for the Americans. They offer accounts in £/$/Euro. The website is well designed and easy to use. They don’t have the widest range of odds and finding arbs will be hard work. They currently offer a 50% sign up bonus on the first deposit. A £30 deposit will get you the maximum bonus of £14-15 which is credited automatically. Wagering is 8x at odds of 1.7 or greater. They have bet limits of around £129.50 on most sports. They have email support and have recently added live chat. Withdrawals here won’t be approved until photo ID has been provided. Withdrawals back to moneybookers are usually received on the same day.
BetGameDay is based in the Caribbean and accounts are operated in US $s. You may need to ask for your bonuses to be credited via e-mail or live chat as they are advertised but not automatically applied. Betting limits vary depending where you place your wagers, but it is not usually hard getting a decent sized bet on. International phone, live chat and e-mail are the available support options with live chat as the best option. Withdrawals back to Neteller are received within 24 hours.
BetGun is available to all nationalities but accounts can only be in $s or Euros. Deposits via Moneybookers are free and recommended, the first deposit is eligible to a 30% cash bonus up to 37 Euros. To withdraw it you must have bet a total of 3x the bonus and 2x the deposit at odds of 1.5 or greater. Withdrawals to Moneybookers take less than 12 hours but there is a 2% fee.
One of the very first online bookmakers, but they have struggled to maintain a big presence. Betinternet.com currently offer a 50% bonus on deposits, which equates to a freeplay of up to £25. To get this you must wager £50 at odds of evens or above, the freeplay is then credited 48 hours after the first bet is settled. The support offered is a good standard and includes a phone line and e-mail. Upon registration you can select how you would like your odds to be displayed and the currency you would like your account in. Withdrawals back to Neteller should be received within 48 hours. If you are bored of the usual Sportsbets an intersting feature is that you can also wager on the bonus ball outcomes of several world lotteries.
Betshop are based in London although they are aimed at the Italian market. Withdrawing from the site is quite complicated and they charge you for cheque and bank transfer withdrawals. They also require ID before any credit card withdrawals will be approved. The site offers telephone and e-mail support but it's not 24/7. Live chat, when available, was fast and efficient.
Betsson are a Eurpoean bookmaker (with Maltese based support), so football will actually be called 'football' here. The website is well laid out and even includes a betting exchange (stick with Betfair for laying bets though). There is a winnings limit in place £3500) but generally this won't affect wagers. Support options offered are e-mail and phone which are to a good standard, the FAQs on the Customer Service page are quite helpful as a first port of call though. There are no current bonuses but there is a whole section in 'My Account' showing any that are available to be claimed. Withdrawals back into Neteller take up to 48 hours.
BettingStar24 have recently been purchased by Touchbet Ltd. The site has a moderator who welcomes you to the site and generally annoys you while you're trying to bet (you can turn him off). The site itself is easy to use and odds are competitive. You will need to provide ID and a copy of a bank statement showing your initial deposit as well as a copy of the card you used to deposit before any withdrawals will be processed. So Moneybookers is the best deposit option here as withdrawals can be as quick as a few hours. E-mail response here is incredibly slow - usually 48 hours or more but they have telephone support too. WARNING = They have been known to confiscate funds for players having linked IP addresses.
BetUK are one of the most user friendly sportsbooks we have seen for UK football. Clear, easy to use payment systems, odds selections and bet placement systems make this an excellent choice. After £100 worth of bets at odds of over 2 you receive a £25 credit which must be bet a further 3x at odds over 2.
Betway is a great bookmaker that is based in Gibraltar. Although the only support option is e-mail, the service is 24/7 and Betway aim to get back to you in 20 minutes. Betway run a lot of promotions including freebets and seasonal offers. The website gives good odds and a wide range of lines to bet on. Placing large bets isn't usually a problem and withdrawals should be received back into Neteller within 24 hours. They are an all round good bookmaker who are very user friendly. There is a £25 freebet for new users after your first £25 bet if you join through this site, no code is needed.