Reviewed By Duncan Wilkie
888sport Canada is part of 888 Holdings plc which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The operation in Canada is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gambling Authority. The core product is sports betting but the gaming company also features casino and poker sites. 888sport offers a generous package of free bets and concessions for new and current players. The site features a comprehensive range of sports, leagues and markets. The downloadable mobile app functions effectively. Bettors in Canada have access to a decent sports betting service.
The legal betting age for customers wishing to play at 888sport is 19+, but beyond that, there aren’t really many major restrictions to stop you from betting.
While the various provinces in Canada are slowly starting the process of setting up their own rules and regulations, for the time being, 888sport is unaffected due to its offshore status.
If you’d like to learn more about the latest developments in Canada’s larger provinces such as Ontario, you can check out our guide to Ontario sports betting here. However, with the site falling into what could be considered a legal gray area in the country’s current rules, it’s fair to say the worst hurdle you’ll have to overcome to bet there are KYC verification checks.
As a well-established and hugely trusted online sportsbook, 888sport is something of a bettor’s paradise. The site offers a vast selection of markets on all major sports, while a handy bet feed can help you quickly find and wager on the best upcoming action.
Given its standing in the industry, it should come as no surprise to customers that 888sport is both safe and ethical. The site uses secure end-to-end encryption to protect all sensitive date, while a range of responsible gambling protocols are also observed. These include the ability to control your betting using a number of tools such as setting deposit and loss limits.
Naturally, 888sport and all operators like it incentivise players to sign up by offering a range of enticing bonuses. These typically include deposit matches, free bets and other cool promos like odd boosts and bet specials. All offers come with T&Cs, but you’re free to claim as many as you like from any number of sportsbooks, so be sure to shop around.
Of course, no matter how many accounts you create elsewhere, the chances are you’ll find yourself continuing to come back to 888sport. The site is safe and reputable, offers a great range of live betting options and provides daily free bets to frequent customers. All told, this makes it a great option for Canadians looking to bet at one of the industry’s biggest names.
The main 888sport menu of sports lists the most popular betting leagues which are mainly related to soccer and American Football. The full list includes about 40 sports betting categories. The menu displays the mainstream betting sports such as soccer, tennis and basketball and some of the more obscure.
Bettors in Canada can place wagers on the four main college and professional sports in North America: basketball, baseball, football and hockey. In addition to the regular sports, 888sport offers betting for Politics, Esports and TV & Novelty. Overall, the 888sport betting sire provides residents of Canada with a comprehensive sports betting market service.
The 888sport sportsbook presents the betting options in an easy to navigate format:
The 888sport live sports betting interface comes under the heading of ‘Live now’. The most popular sports for in-play betting are soccer, tennis and basketball. Each event displays a graphical representation of the progress of play and match’s data.
888sport takes down the betting after a key event such as a goal in football and a break of serve in tennis. The updated odds appear after a short delay and in-play betting continues until another major incident and temporary suspension of the markets.
Customers with 888sport in Canada do not have access to a wide variety of events with live streaming services. 888sport Canada does offer live streaming on greyhound and horse racing events, however.
888Sport has a huge range of banking methods, which means that it caters to a vast number of players. It's worth noting that only some of the methods let you deposit and withdraw funds, whereas others will only let you deposit.
We found that the timeframes for most of the banking options were pretty conservative. For example, we made two withdrawals back to a debit card and both had been completed within 48 hours. We also tested PayPal, Neteller and Skrill, with all three hitting our account within 24 hours.
Another thing that you need to note is that you must withdraw back to the deposit method that you initially used. For example, if you deposit $10 with PayPal, you need to withdraw $10 back to PayPal before you can use another payment method.
The 888sport website uses the familiar black and orange branding. Navigation to a specific event is enhanced by a search box and Popular leagues. Customers with 888sport can download a mobile app or install the desktop site on mobile devices.
This process is seamless when the browser is mobile-optimised. Customers with 888sport in Canada enjoy a positive betting experience with few flaws or missing features. The service works well on PCs and mobiles and tablets.
Mobile bettors have access to a downloadable app for iPhone and Android technology. The app is fully functional and offers all the features of the website. Navigation links mean that a league or market can be displayed with a minimum of taps.
888sport does not offer mobile users in Canada mobile-specific promotions. However, they can claim the standard welcome bonus and take advantage of ongoing 888sport bonus promotions for current players.
This table shows the margins for the main markets with the three most popular betting sports at 888sport in Canada:
The football margins are higher than average but the tennis and basketball odds offer some value.
888 was first established in 1997, with its sports betting brand coming into play in 2008.
Since then, the group has established itself as one of the world’s farthest-reaching betting and gaming brands. 888sport now features licenses in multiple jurisdictions and is legally available in a huge range of countries. Furthermore, the brand has attracted overwhelmingly positive feedback online, with very few complaints about its overall handling of customers.
All told, that makes 888sport an incredibly trustworthy brand that Canadian players should have no reservations about playing with, despite it technically being an “offshore” operator.
Customers of 888sport in Canada can contact support staff using an email form. Any queries can be filtered by category so the email reaches the right person. The site also lists a Members Support telephone number. There is a Frequently Asked Questions section that covers the main account management and sports betting elements of the site and mobile app.
Potential new customers in Canada visit the 888sport Homepage and click ‘JOIN NOW’. The registration process involves populating fields with contact details and a Username and Password. New account holders must confirm acceptance of the operator’s Terms & Conditions and that they are the legal age of 18 and older. There is an optional field for the 888Sport bonus code. The quick and simple process ends with new members clicking another ‘JOIN NOW’ button.
As a licensed offshore operator that accepts Canadian players, 888sport is just one of many online sportsbooks that falls into the country’s legal gray area.
Were it located on Canadian soil, it would require a Canadian license to legally operate in the country – and as we know, the requirements for that honour are changing by the day.
However, there is currently no rule that expressly forbids Canadian players from playing at a site that is licensed by another regulator. As such, customers will be able to access 888sport safely and legally, even if the government would far prefer it if they played at a domestic site.
The main problem with that is that Canada’s lawmakers have only recently started reviewing the restrictions on sports betting in the country. Indeed, betting on single events wasn’t even allowed until August last year, when Ontario became the first province to abolish this rule.
888sport does not have a specific VIP program, but customers earn rewards based on turnover. The weekly cash rewards range on a sliding scale, depending on total stakes throughout the qualifying week. Qualifying bets are singles and multiples with combined odds of 1.50 or more. 888sport credits the cashback on the Tuesday after the qualifying week.
Customers with 888sport in Canada do not enjoy the benefits of a formal loyalty program. However, the operator offers a range of ongoing promotions for existing customers in the form of an 888sport free bet that is sport and event specific. The loyalty offers are part of the package of promotions and free bets for new and existing customers.
The 888sport site offers customers the following control measures:
The site also displays banner links to support bodies in Canada that offer guidance and effective measures to control problem gambling.
The betting brand was launched in 2011 and even though the focus is mainly European sports, it is popular in Canada. The betting site is available on desktop computers and mobile devices. 888sport has signed a global deal with Cardiff City Football Club who plays in the Championship in England.
Bettors in Canada who register with 888sport enjoy a great sports betting experience. The operator has used the nine years of online gaming experience to create a good destination for sports betting.
Yes. 888sport sportsbook is one of the many offshore casino sites that are available to Canadian citizens. Because it is not physically located in the country, it does not require a domestic license to operate, but bettors can still access it freely.
As one of the world’s largest betting operators, it should come as no surprise that 888sports offers a huge range of payment options. With upwards of 16 methods to choose from, customers will find all major debit/credit cards, ewallets and Canadian favourite, Interac.
The minimum withdrawal amount as 888sports is $10, however this may vary depending on the method used. Players should also be aware that 888sport will have to verify a copy of your photo ID before paying out any withdrawals.
Yes. 888sport has a mobile betting app that is available on both iOS and Android devices. The former is available directly from the Apple store, but as betting apps aren’t currently allowed in the Play store, you’ll need to download the latter directly from 888.
Yes. In fact, when it comes to licensing, 888sport is arguably one of the most decorated operators out there. Approved by the GGA and MGA to name but a few, the site has a good reputation online, with very few negative reviews despite its massive player base.
Withdrawal times at 888sport vary depending on the method used. While ewallet transfers may be instantaneous, using a debit or credit card will likely take a little longer. On average, however, we’d say players will usually receive their funds within three days.
888sports covers an incredible range of sports and markets. The site is particularly strong on European football betting, with a huge selection of bets available. NHL is also a strong suit, with bettors able to claim a $5 free bet whenever they create a 3-leg parlay.
"Duncan Wilkie is an award-winning writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in the iGaming industry. He graduated in 2006 with a 1st Class Honors degree in Sports Journalism. He was a staff writer and editor at WPT Poker Magazine. He has since contributed to publications such as Poker Player, Bluff and Gambling Insider and a four-year stint working as Copy Team Lead for Entain."
Reviewer since August 2021