Reviewed By James Molloy
As one of the biggest gambling companies in the world, William Hill's work within the online betting sector over the last 20+ years has been iconic to watch. They were one of the first to jump onto the high street in 1961 when those laws were relaxed and they were also one of the first online, launching their betting platform back in 1999.
The site has changed a lot in that time. In fact, it's constantly changing and what's been impressive to see from William Hill is that they are not one to just settle on their current layout. The mobile betting, casino, bingo and poker sectors all follow the same principles in this regard.
William Hill works extensively within the sports sector and as a result, sponsor several different teams and competitions. These include the likes of Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC as their official betting partners, the main sponsor of the Scottish National Football team and also several sporting events, including the World Darts Championship and all Anthony Joshua fights.
When you register a new account with William Hill you may become eligible for a free bets offer. However, you would in any case need to sign up first and opt-in for any potential bonus to appear and become available, enter any applicable promo code, and make a qualifying deposit of a certain amount. William Hill has often given out free bets as bonus money to be used on bets with odds of 1.50 or greater. Free bets are usually only valid for a certain amount of days after they have been credited, as will be indicated in your account. They can generally be used on any sporting event. You will likley not be able to claim any promos while using Skrill, PAYSAFE, Neteller or Entropay deposit methods.
A feature in itself is the number of promotions that are generally on-site at William Hill. Included in this are ones that are changed daily and also ones that last a little longer. Here are a few examples of offers we have seen William Hill offer that may also come to Canada:
You have a huge range of sports and markets at William Hill. The usual suspects such as football, horse racing, tennis, cricket, rugby and golf are all there, as well as NFL bets. But on top of this, they include a good range of niche sports as well, such as pool, table tennis, bowls, handball, politics, volleyball and athletics.
William Hill has one of the best odds markets that you can generally offer Flash Odds, Bet Boosts and Acca boosts.
It's William Hill radio that first caught our eye when looking through the site. Radio stations and bookmakers are nothing new, but we noticed that alongside their horse racing, football and greyhound racing radio services, they also offered podcasts. There's not just one podcast either, there are over a dozen and each linked to their respected sport. Some are updated more than others, granted, but each offers some great insights and they are all dedicated to the betting side of things, which is great.
Back on the bookmaker and it's the in-play betting section where we know most of you spend the majority of your time, so it's here that we wanted to concentrate on. It's a busy section and it's clear that the majority of sports and markets get turned in-play these days given how much is going on.
As you jump into the sports, such as football, you are going to be able to access the match centre at the top of each in-play market. Depending on the stature of the game will depend on how much info you get here. The pitch will highlight live updates of what's going on in terms of possession and then you also have the starts section which is attached and allows people to see what's previously gone on in the match as well.
Another thing we want to touch on is the William Plus Card which allows you to link your bets placed in any William Hill betting shop to that of your online account. So, you can place a bet in-store, load up the app and then check the status or even cash it out online. It also allows you to instantly get hold of your funds by cashing out at the betting shop meaning that you don't need to wait for payments to process online.
The horse racing section is one of our favourites on-site and this is where it comes alive for us. It's linked with the Racing Post so that you're getting a ton of free information for each race. We also liked that each horse comes with a Racing Post rating, which then allows you to see which horses might have the best chance for each race.
The biggest bookies often have the best banking methods, and this is the case with William Hill. There is a huge range to choose. Old reliables like credit / debit cards, PayPal, Neteller and Skrill can all be used. Other, less widely accepted payment methods such as Yandex, Poli, NeoSurf and Todito Cash are also available.
Deposits will start from as little as C$5, depending on which method you use. Withdrawals start from just C$5 as well and they range depending on what method you use. Credit and debit cards are processed in 1-3 working days, with e-wallets processed the same day usually. Note that you cannot withdraw back to Skrill or Neteller.
The design of the site, as we have mentioned, is one that seems to be continuously evolving. Even over the last couple of years, it's changed quite a bit and is now one of the better bookmakers to use in terms of aesthetics.
One of their latest additions has been that of the search button that allows you to enter the team name or match that you want to bet on, saving a lot of time. This works great when you know which bets you want to include and means you can simply jump to where you need to be.
The betting app can be downloaded on both Android and iOS devices from each of the app stores. With it, you get to take advantage of the HTML 5 platform that they are designed on, which makes the app look and function brilliantly on a wide range of mobile and tablet devices.
What was impressive is that you can access all of the functions and features (such as the search button) that you get online, within the app. The app not only looks great but as a result of this, it functions brilliantly as well.
We have to say that few have a better customer support system in place than William Hill. The staff are not only friendly but also knowledgeable and prompt, with a wide range of contact points as well. These include phone, email, live chat and a Twitter help account.
We've already touched on the fact William Hill has played an active role in tackling problem gambling. On-site you will be prompted to verify your account before you can place a bet or even make a deposit. The bookmaker also has several features once registered that can help as well. These include things like deposit limits, account restrictions, session time reminders, short time outs and total self-exclusion, where needed.
They are a part of the GamStop process already which is mandatory for bookmakers, and they also work closely with Gamblers Anonymous and Gamcare to help those that might need it the most.
The registration can be completed on either your desktop or via the William Hill betting app. Both processes are easy and to be honest, the mobile version is likely going to be more convenient.
Verification is standard in the betting industry now and to place a bet you will need to upload a range of documents. These include the likes of a passport, driving license and then proof of your address (utility bill etc.). Whilst it may seem a bit of a fuss, this is a positive step from William Hill as it highlights their drive to promote responsible gambling.
It's easy to see why William Hill has become such an iconic brand within the gambling industry. They can go above and beyond what most bookies can offer and as a result, have the complete package. You could argue that they possibly lack a little in terms of features compared to some, but then, this would be a minor grudge. Overall, they are highly impressive and a brand that we would be happy to recommend, particularly with the welcome bonus on offer.
"I've worked in the betting industry on product, operations and customer service for several years. A class operator will deliver on many aspects and we cover them all."
Reviewer since October 2015